Patents by Inventor Mitsuteru Kataoka

Mitsuteru Kataoka has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20100186047
    Abstract: In a receiving device, a receiver receives extended program information. A user selects a program to be reserved by a selection operation using an operation input unit. An extended reservation manager causes an instruction receiver to transmit an extended reservation instruction based on an extended program identifier for identifying the selected program. In a recording device, a receiver receives program data, mapping information, and program information. The instruction receiver receives the extended reservation instruction transmitted from the receiver. An extended reservation executer acquires an extended program identifier from the received extended reservation instruction and acquires a program identifier corresponding to the extended program identifier on the basis of the mapping information, to store a program reservation on the basis of the program identifier. A program recorder/reproducer records and/or reproduces the program data in accordance with the stored program reservation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2007
    Publication date: July 22, 2010
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsuteru Kataoka, Yasushi Yoneda
  • Publication number: 20100165200
    Abstract: When a right picture plus button or a left picture plus button is pressed in a one-picture mode, a picture mode shifts to a two-picture mode. Focus is set in a right picture as the right picture plus button is pressed and the right picture is increased in size as the right picture plus button is pressed. The focus is set in a left picture as the left picture plus button is pressed and the left picture is increased in size as the left picture plus button is pressed. When the right picture plus button or the left picture plus button is pressed in a state where the size of the right picture or the left picture is its maximum, the picture mode shifts to the one-picture mode. When a sound volume plus button is pressed in a state where the focus exists in the right picture, sound corresponding to the right picture is output from a speaker. When the sound volume plus button is pressed in a state where the focus exists in the left picture, sound corresponding to the left picture is output from the speaker.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2007
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mitsuteru Kataoka, Takuya Morita, Hirokazu Sasaki
  • Patent number: 7685326
    Abstract: The invention provides a control device and a controlled device capable of reducing a management burden on a manufacturer by means of an easy-to-use method. A TV is a control device which controls a DVD recorder, including: a device ID acquisition unit which requests the DVD recorder to transmit a device ID, and receives the device ID from the DVD recorder; a device ID determination unit which determines whether or not the device ID is an initial value; a device ID generation unit which generates a new device ID in the case where the device ID is determined to be the initial value; a device ID update unit which requests the DVD recorder to update to the new device ID; a device ID/attribute information storing unit which stores the new device ID as the device ID of the DVD recorder; and a connected device control unit which controls the DVD recorder by using the device ID stored in the device ID/attribute information storing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Ayako Takatsuji, Junji Yoshida, Mitsuteru Kataoka
  • Publication number: 20090268620
    Abstract: A user is prompted to turn on power supply of a device to be connected with a screen. When it is detected that the power supply is turned on, the screen is displayed for confirming a user whether the device whose power supply is turned on should be connected or not. Thus, connection is carried out. With such a method, a communication connection method capable of selecting a device to be connected reliably is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2006
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Mitsuteru Kataoka
  • Publication number: 20090262256
    Abstract: A television set includes: an internal speaker which outputs sound; a memory which holds information; a remote controller receiver which receives an instruction from the outside of the television set; a microcomputer which causes, based on a mode specifying instruction for specifying a sound output mode received by the remote controller receiver, the memory to hold any one of (a) information that indicates a first sound output mode in which sound is outputted from the internal speaker and (b) information that indicates a second sound output mode in which sound is outputted from an external speaker that is a speaker outside the television set; and an HDMI/CEC communication unit which outputs the information that indicates the sound output mode and that is held by the memory, to an amplifier which controls to operate or not operate the speaker outside the television set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2006
    Publication date: October 22, 2009
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sako Asayama, Hiroshi Kase, Mitsuteru Kataoka, Akihiro Mitani, Toshiki Murakami, Masahiko Mizoguchi, Masazumi Yamada
  • Publication number: 20090141170
    Abstract: The invention provides an external speaker control apparatus for causing only one of an internal speaker and an external speaker to output audio when a power supply of the external speaker control apparatus which controls the external speaker changes from an off state to an on state, the external speaker being a speaker outside a video and audio output apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2009
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Inventors: Sako ASAYAMA, Hiroshi Kase, Mitsuteru Kataoka
  • Publication number: 20090119418
    Abstract: The invention provides a control device and a controlled device capable of reducing a management burden on a manufacturer by means of an easy-to-use method. A TV is a control device which controls a DVD recorder, including: a device ID acquisition unit which requests the DVD recorder to transmit a device ID, and receives the device ID from the DVD recorder; a device ID determination unit which determines whether or not the device ID is an initial value; a device ID generation unit which generates a new device ID in the case where the device ID is determined to be the initial value; a device ID update unit which requests the DVD recorder to update to the new device ID; a device ID/attribute information storing unit which stores the new device ID as the device ID of the DVD recorder; and a connected device control unit which controls the DVD recorder by using the device ID stored in the device ID/attribute information storing unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2006
    Publication date: May 7, 2009
    Inventors: Ayako Takatsuji, Junji Yoshida, Mitsuteru Kataoka
  • Patent number: 7529463
    Abstract: In a speculative recording device, a profile extracting unit extracts a user profile which indicates a preference of a user in viewing programs based on an operation by the user, and a program list managing unit acquires attributes of a program. Moreover, a speculation selecting unit selects a program to be speculatively recorded based on a user profile and the attributes of the program, a storage managing unit accumulates program data, and a speculative recording managing unit erases the program data accumulated in the storage managing unit when necessary and records program data selected by the speculation selecting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Mitsuteru Kataoka
  • Publication number: 20090103886
    Abstract: A same scene detecting apparatus includes comparison video storing unit that stores video and audio, video comparing unit that detects same scenes having same contents, and loop detecting unit that detects repeated appearance of the same scenes. With this configuration, when a user watches video and audio including same scenes or video and audio in which same scenes appear repeatedly, by detecting a loop, portions which are not overlapped can be selectively presented to the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2006
    Publication date: April 23, 2009
    Applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Mitsuteru Kataoka
  • Patent number: 7516197
    Abstract: In a storage-based broadcasting system that automatically updates a viewer and provides a user interface unique to a service, a transmitting apparatus transmits a control content for realizing the user interface as the entire content or part of the content. A receiving apparatus receives and activates the transmitted control content for executing the user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Mitsuteru Kataoka
  • Publication number: 20090070812
    Abstract: A program table generator 100 generates an electronic program table corresponding to multichannel broadcasting in which a plurality of programs are broadcast via one transponder by one broadcaster at the same time. The program table generator 100 includes: an information obtaining part 103 that obtains electronic program information relating to programs to be broadcast; a processing part 104 that determines, based on the electronic program information, whether or not the multichannel broadcasting is carried out, and that, when multichannel broadcasting is carried out, determines the number of non-display programs that are broadcast by the multichannel broadcasting but are not displayed on an electronic program table, and broadcast times of the non-display programs; and a program table generation part 108 that generates an electronic program table such that the number of the non-display programs and the broadcast times of the non-display programs determined by the processing part 104 are suggested.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2007
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hirokazu Sasaki, Mitsuteru Kataoka, Takuya Morita
  • Publication number: 20090051825
    Abstract: The invention provides an external speaker control apparatus for causing only one of an internal speaker and an external speaker to output audio when a power supply of the external speaker control apparatus which controls the external speaker changes from an off state to an on state, the external speaker being a speaker outside a video and audio output apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2006
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Inventors: Sako Asayama, Hiroshi Kase, Mitsuteru Kataoka
  • Publication number: 20090025032
    Abstract: In the present invention, a remote control input analyzing part (105) analyzes a key-input from a remote control unit (200), a time converting part (107) converts key-input analyzed by the remote control input analyzing part into a time, a display area calculating part (108) calculates a display area for a two-dimensional program table on the basis of the time converted by the time converting part, and a program guide forming part (109) forms a two-dimensional program table in the display area calculated by the display area calculating part, thereby a desired program can be browsed by a short-time operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2007
    Publication date: January 22, 2009
    Inventors: Takuya Morita, Hirokazu Sasaki, Mitsuteru Kataoka
  • Publication number: 20080229207
    Abstract: There is provided a function for continuously viewing a content, which has been viewed using a viewing device, by using another viewing device. In a slave content presentation device, a user's viewing operation log is acquired for each content, and in a master content presentation device, this operation log is received as an input to generate information indicative of which portion of which content has not been viewed yet. Based on this information, a user can select the content, the viewing of which has not been finished, and view the remaining unviewed portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2005
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Mitsuteru Kataoka
  • Patent number: 7421713
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a service-extensible, completely new “safe service extension platform” in which false access, by an execute form which implements a digital content providing service, can be eliminated without the need to deny a process which might cause the false access. The safe service extension platform, in which services are associated with an execute form and the services are extended by changing or adding the execute form, includes a service-dependent API for extending the services. The service extension from the execute form is carried out only by calling the service-dependent API.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Mitsuteru Kataoka
  • Publication number: 20070094292
    Abstract: When detecting the start of a recommended program, a recommended program notification device displays a notification screen (121) indicating the existence of a recommended program. When a recommendation control instruction is input while the notification screen (121) is being displayed, the recommended program notification device displays a recommendation list window (132) indicating a list of recommended programs. When a predetermined time has elapsed, and when an instruction other than the recommendation control instruction is input, while the notification screen (121) is being displayed, the recommended program notification device erases the notification screen (121). The recommended program notification device may display the notification screen when selected stations are changed. Thereby, a user can obtain information about a recommended program without inputting any instruction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Publication date: April 26, 2007
    Inventor: Mitsuteru Kataoka
  • Publication number: 20070065093
    Abstract: In a program data communication system, in response to a notification request command signal from a program data receiver apparatus for requesting a notification as to whether or not at least one designated program data among a plurality of pieces of program data can be descrambled, a program data transmitter apparatus transmits a notification command signal including information as to whether or not the designated program data can be descrambled by a descrambling section to the program data receiver apparatus. Next, the program data transmitter apparatus descrambles the designated program data in response to a transmission request command signal from the program data receiver apparatus for requesting that the designated program data be transmitted, and then transmits descrambled program data to the program data receiver apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2004
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventors: Masahiro Takatori, Mitsuteru Kataoka
  • Publication number: 20070039023
    Abstract: A user inputs an evaluation of a content over an EPG, and specifies on a screen a search condition to search for a content. Based on the input, a content selection device evaluates contents, displays a content which is to be recommended by giving the content, which is to be recommended, a different indication in the EPG, and displays a list of contents which are to be recommended. By this, the present invention is able to offer a content, which is to be recommended, matching a preference of the user without burdening the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2004
    Publication date: February 15, 2007
    Inventor: Mitsuteru Kataoka
  • Patent number: 7139626
    Abstract: A main device receives program data provided through broadcasting, internally stores the received program data, and transfers the stored program data to a portable device. Herein, one program data is constituted by a plurality of program components (video, audio, closed caption, and the like). The main device assigns transfer priorities to each program component constituting one program data, and then discretely transfers the program components respectively in the direction of a time axis in the order of the assigned transfer priorities. By discretely transferring data, some of the program components may possibly be entirely transferred to the portable device even when data transfer is discontinued in a short time. Therefore, users can enjoy the entire program by playing-back the already-transferred program components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Mitsuteru Kataoka
  • Publication number: 20060059231
    Abstract: An information acquiring device and an information providing device used for a pull-type data distribution service is connected to an e-mail server and an information server on a network to receive an e-mail from the e-mail server through the network to acquire data, analyzes the data of the acquired received mail, acquires a definition file and contents in the information server to causes the contents to be displayed in a format defined by the definition file and, when it is recognized that the location information is present in the data of the received mail acquired through analysis, stores the recognized location information on the network for use in acquiring the definition file and the contents.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2003
    Publication date: March 16, 2006
    Inventors: Masahiro Takatori, Mitsuteru Kataoka