Abstract: A recording/reproducing apparatus and a method of copying digital contents are disclosed in which a request is given via a network to other recording/reproducing apparatuses connected via the network, to transmit information regarding lineups of own recording media; the information transmitted in response to the request is notified, thereby prompting a user to select an arbitrary recording medium; a request is given via the network to the apparatus having the selected recording medium, out of the other recording/reproducing apparatuses, to transmit information regarding a status thereof; it is judged, based on the information regarding the status transmitted in response to the request, whether or not the selected recording medium is allowed to be a dubbing destination of digital contents; and the digital contents are transmitted via the network to the recording/reproducing apparatus having the selected recording medium when the judgment results in permissibility as the dubbing destination.

Abstract: An recording and playback apparatus acquires, from a server, a mail containing recording conditions transmitted from a portable terminal, under various operation conditions including a standby state in which a main power of the recording and playback apparatus is off. Thereby, recording starting and recording ending of information, that is, a recording programming can be securely set in the recording and playback apparatus.

Abstract: A parameter input section inputs, as parameters, the luminance difference between a to-be-recognized object P and its background, conveyance conditions, etc. An endpoint detecting section uses the parameters to detect a plurality of border points between the object P and the background, without being influenced by external noise or a stain on the object P. A length detecting section detects vertical and horizontal lengths of the object P, and an entire-object position determining section determines the position of the entire object P using the lengths detected by the section. A recognizing section compares an image input by an image input section, with reference image data stored in a reference image data memory, thereby recognizing the object P.