Abstract: Program viewing is provided so that a user can easily search for a program which the user desires to view. An information processing apparatus includes an EPG information recording unit which stores EPG information of programs; a program selection unit which selects programs corresponding to a plurality of different selection conditions based on the EPG information; and a display control unit which controls the display on a display screen of a plurality of selection buttons associated with the plurality of selection conditions in a manner that features of the selected programs are represented, wherein, when any one of the selection buttons is selected, the display control unit controls the display on the display screen of information corresponding to the program associated with the selected selection buttons.

Abstract: An automatic keyword extraction apparatus includes a first extraction unit operable to extract a first keyword from title character string information of contents using a first keyword dictionary in which a character string designating a sub-genre is registered; and a second extraction unit operable to extract a second keyword from detailed character string information of the contents using a second keyword dictionary in which names of persons are registered, the extraction of the second keyword being performed utilizing a character type separation method. In this manner, it is possible for a user to extract a keyword for searching contents automatically, efficiently and accurately from the title character string information and detailed character string information of the contents such as EPG information even in home electric appliances in which the throughput capacity or the memory capacity of the CPU is not so large.

Abstract: To make it possible to reserve recording of a program without imposing a large load on a user. A server 2-1 transmits program attribute information to a video recording and reproducing apparatus 11 via a network 1. The program attribute information is constituted by program attribute names and program attribute retrieval conditions. The video recording and reproducing apparatus 11 causes a display apparatus 12 to display a list of the program attribute names. The user selects a program attribute name, to which a program that the user wishes to reserve for recording seems to be most closely related, out of this list. The video recording and reproducing apparatus 11 compares retrieval conditions corresponding to the selected program attribute name and EPG information and, when the retrieval conditions are satisfied, records a program represented by the EPG in a recording reservation list. It is possible to apply the invention to a hard disk video recorder.

Abstract: An apparatus and method enable easy extraction of popular programs from program information. A keyword extracting section extracts keywords from program information received by a program information receiving section. A keyword counting section counts a number of keywords for one week among the extracted keywords to obtain a keyword count for that week. A difference value computing section computes a difference value between the keyword count for the current week and the keyword count for the past week. A popular keywords extracting section extracts a predetermined number of keywords in a descending order of difference values each indicating a difference between the keyword count for the current week keywords and the keyword count for the past week keywords, and sets the keywords as those for the current week.

Abstract: The present invention is intended to provide an apparatus and a method for realizing the presentation of a content list and the reproduction of content in accordance with proper user preference on the basis of date and time at which content is viewed. Content preference values that change with time are computed. On the basis of the computed content preference values, a content list is generated for presentation to the user. For example, preference values are computed on the basis of daily time zone, holiday, weekday, and day-of-the-week and a content list in accordance with the computed preference values is generated for presentation to the user. The novel configuration allows the presentation of an optimum content list on the basis of date and time at which content is viewed, thereby realizing the selection and viewing of content that properly reflects user preference.

Abstract: There are provided preference operation history managing means 101 for making history information of an operation relating to a preference of a content according to a plurality of operations relating to a preference of a content and explanation information relating to the content which became an object of these operations and by using a preference value parameter of each kind of these operations; preference information managing means 102 for making and renewing preference information consisting of a preference value with respect to these plurality of elements according to the history information by using respective coefficient parameters of a plurality of elements relating to preferences of the contents; and content recommending means 103 for calculating a preference degree relative to a content according to the preference information and the explanation information with respect to the content and performing a content record reservation according to the degree of the preference; wherein a content which were m

Abstract: The present invention relates to an information processing system, information processing apparatus and method, recording medium and program, adapted to swiftly recording a program matched to preference information. A user apparatus 3-2 registers generated preference information, together with the information representative of its destination of provision, to a server 2-1 through a network 1. The server 2-1, when registered with the preference information, notifies a user apparatus 3-1 as its destination of provision. The video recording/reproducing unit 11 of the user apparatus 3-1 accesses the server 2-1 through the network 1 and designates preference information desired for scheduling of recording. The server 2-1 sends the designated preference information to the video recording/reproducing unit 11 through the network 1. The video recording/reproducing unit 11 receives this and carries out scheduling for recording on the basis of the preference information.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an information processing system, information processing apparatus and method, recording medium and program, adapted to exchange picture-recording schedule information between the terminals. A user apparatus 3-2 registers generated picture-recording schedule information to a server 2-1 through a network 1, together with the information representative of a providing destination. The server 2-1, when registering the picture-recording schedule information, makes a notification to a user apparatus 3-1 as a providing destination thereof. The video recording/reproducing apparatus 11 of the user apparatus 3-1 accesses the server 2-1 through the network 1, and designates a picture-recording schedule program desired for scheduling of picture-recording of among the programs registered in the picture-recording schedule information. The server 2-1 sends the schedule information on a designated program to the video recording/reproducing apparatus 11 through the network 1.

Abstract: A data providing system is capable of providing metadata or supplementary data generated in a predetermined area to a different area. Metadata related to broadcast programs are transmitted from a first broadcast receiver/recorder to a server via a network. The server registers the metadata transmitted from the first broadcast receiver/recorder in its program database, specifies a broadcast program on the basis of data for specifying the broadcast program transmitted from a second broadcast receiver/recorder, retrieves the metadata related to the specified broadcast program, and transmits the retrieved metadata to the second broadcast receiver/recorder, whereby the metadata are distributed from the server to the second broadcast receiver/recorder via the network.

Abstract: This invention relates to an information providing system which is designed to be able to realize secondary utilization of broadcasting contents, along with copyright of the broadcasting contents being protected. A broadcasting receiving and picture recording device 5-1 records broadcasting contents that a broadcasting device 4 broadcasted, and a terminal 6-1 edits the broadcasting contents which were recorded, and generates corresponding metadata. The metadata is transmitted from the terminal 6-1 to a metadata delivery server 2 through Internet 1, and registered. The metadata delivery server 2, on the basis of utilization availability information of broadcasting contents which is held in advance, in case that the broadcasting content that the metadata targets can be utilized, registers the metadata. The registered metadata is delivered through the Internet 1 on the basis of a request of a terminal 6-2. This invention is applied to an information providing system which delivers the metadata.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an information processing device which can enhance using efficiency of commercial pictures. In a service server 3, meta-data added with a CM mark necessary to extract commercial pictures (CM) which are broadcasted while contained in a content are generated, and registered in a meta-data data base 302. The meta-data are transmitted to a reception terminal 2, and registered in a meta-data data base 204. When receiving a broadcast content, the reception terminal 2 extracts a content added with CM mark as CM, and registered into a CM data base 202 on the basis of meta-data registered in the meta-data data base 204. The present invention is applicable to a server for distributing commercial pictures.

Abstract: In an information processing apparatus, while broadcast content is secondarily used, an advertising video can be certainly viewed. Broadcast reception recorders receive broadcast content broadcast by a broadcasting apparatus and record it in built-in hard disk drives. A user of the broadcast reception recorders edits the received broadcast content, and registers meta-data corresponding to the edits in a video database of a server through a network. A user of the broadcast reception recorders receives the meta-data registered by the other user from the server through the network, and reproduces the broadcast content on the basis of the meta-data. An advertising video is added to the meta-data transmitted from the video database.