Abstract: There is provided an device-identifying system including: a controlling device capable of communicating with external devices via a network and using a wireless communication method to transmit an device-identifying signal, for identifying one of the external devices capable of communicating by the wireless communication method, to the one of the external devices without relying on the network; and a controlled device capable of communicating with the controlling device via the network, when the controlled device receives the device-identifying signal from the controlling device, the controlled device transmitting, to the network via multicast or broadcast, a response indicating that the controlled device has received the device-identifying signal, wherein when the controlling device receives the response, the controlling device determines that the controlled device having transmitted the response is the device having received the device-identifying signal transmitted from the controlling device.

Abstract: An electronic apparatus, having functions on which use limitations can be imposed, in which a variety of functions are loaded on the electronic apparatus by hardware circuitry or by computer programs. Use of a certain function(s) is limited by setting a function limiting flag to “1”, provided that an other function(s) are usable within a period of a preset number of days of possible test use. An application is made from the apparatus to a key issuing source for purchasing usable functions. The key issuing source then issues a limitation removing key. The limitation removing key may be acquired from the key issuing source by a mobile phone terminal and transmitted to the apparatus by infrared ray communication. The apparatus rewrites the function limiting flag by this limitation removing key. If the number of days of actual test use has reached the number of days of possible test use, the CPU of the apparatus does not carry out the function(s) the function limiting flag of which is “1”.

Abstract: An electronic apparatus, having functions on which use limitations can be imposed, in which a variety of functions are loaded on the electronic apparatus by hardware circuitry or by computer programs. Use of a certain function(s) is limited by setting a function limiting flag to “1”, provided that an other function(s) are usable within a period of a preset number of days of possible test use. An application is made from the apparatus to a key issuing source for purchasing usable functions. The key issuing source then issues a limitation removing key. The limitation removing key may be acquired from the key issuing source by a mobile phone terminal and transmitted to the apparatus by infrared ray communication. The apparatus rewrites the function limiting flag by this limitation removing key. If the number of days of actual test use has reached the number of days of possible test use, the CPU of the apparatus does not carry out the function(s) the function limiting flag of which is “1”.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a content distributing system, a content distributing method, a control apparatus, a control method, a playback apparatus, a playback method, and a program that are capable of improving operability of the control apparatus. A renderer 4 identifies a category of content to be played back and transmits an identification result of the category to a controller 2. In the controller 2, a receiving unit 21 receives the identification result transmitted from the renderer 4, and the display 27 performs a process of allowing a user to recognize a command to provide instructions about handling executable to the content to be played back among commands to provide instructions about handling of content in the renderer 4 based on the identification result. Also, the display 27, which has a function of a touch-panel, accepts an operation of specifying a command by the user.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a plurality of apparatuses can be synchronously controlled by a simpler operation. A synchronous control information management unit 87 stores synchronous control information including synchronous operation patterns and synchronous control conditions. In each of the synchronous operation patterns, a procedure for sequentially transmitting control commands to a plurality of apparatuses is defined using a single pattern name. In each of the synchronous control conditions, a condition for selecting one of the synchronous operation patterns is described. A control pattern analysis unit 89 analyzes a synchronous control pattern, sequentially generates control commands used to control apparatuses on the basis of the analysis result, and supplies the generated control commands to a network interface 81 or an infrared communication control unit 90. The present invention can be applied to a reproduction system for reproducing content.

Abstract: In a content reproducing system, the electronic apparatus includes a display controller for controlling display of a content list, a selecting unit for selecting, among the one or more reproducing apparatuses, a reproducing apparatus for reproducing one of the pieces of content, and an instructing unit for instructing the selected reproducing apparatus to reproduction of the selected one of the pieces of content, each of the one or more reproducing apparatuses includes a requesting unit for requesting the content provision apparatus to transmit the selected one of the pieces of content, a receiving unit for receiving the selected one of the pieces of content, and a reproduction controlling unit for controlling reproduction of the selected one of the pieces of content, and the content provision apparatus includes a recording unit for recording the pieces of content, and a transmitting unit for transmitting the selected one of the pieces of content.

Abstract: A portable terminal includes an obtaining unit configured to obtain program information via a network from a providing apparatus that provides the program information, the program information being used to display a program guide; a program-information storing unit configured to store the program information obtained; a displaying unit configured to display the program guide according to the obtained program information; and a display controlling unit configured to control display of the program guide so that the program guide is displayed according to the program information stored in the program-information storing unit. When an instruction for displaying a program guide is received, the obtaining unit newly obtains program information for updating the program information stored in the program information storing unit from the providing apparatus if the portable terminal is connected to the providing apparatus via the network.

Abstract: A communication medium with fewer limitations on the directivity or available communication range, such as an IP network, is used to perform a remote control operation. Since two-way communication can be carried out between a remote controller and a device to be operated, it is possible to provide more reliable communication by means of a delivery confirmation, to handle a GUI-based complex command scheme, and to provide large-volume data transmission, such as moving-image streaming, using relatively broad bands. A television receiver to be operated by the remote controller distributes moving-image data, such as a child view, to an IP remote controller through an IP network so that the data can be viewed on the IP remote controller.

Abstract: A program recording reservation system includes a recording apparatus including a recorder for recording broadcast programs; and a remote controller for setting a recording reservation for a broadcast program to be recorded by the recorder of the recording apparatus. There are provided a recording management section for obtaining a remaining recordable capacity, an average recording bit rate, a recording duration of a program, and the recording mode of the program, for computing a necessary recording capacity, for comparing the total sum of the necessary recording capacities of programs with the remaining recordable capacity, and for allowing the predetermined operation to be continued; a display section for displaying a message of an insufficient remaining recordable capacity of the recorder and first, second, and third choices; and an operation section for stopping the predetermined operation, for editing or deleting a program, and for continuing the predetermined operation.

Abstract: A program recording reservation system includes a recording apparatus including a recorder for recording a broadcast program; and a remote controller for making a recording reservation for the recording apparatus. A content management section is provided for managing, as recording parameters, an average recording bit rate for each of a plurality of provided recording modes and the remaining recordable capacity of the recorder. Date and time at which a broadcast program is scheduled to be broadcast are obtained as program information. A recording capacity necessary for recording a program shown in the program information is computed. On the basis of the average recording bit rate for each recording provided by the recorder, the duration of the broadcast program, and the remaining recordable capacity, the capability or incapability of recording of a broadcast program is determined. The determined capability or incapability of recording for each program is displayed in the program table.

Abstract: A content display-playback system includes a content providing apparatus, a content display-playback apparatus, and an operation control apparatus for controlling the apparatuses. On the basis of operation control by the control apparatus, content is transmitted from the providing apparatus to the display-playback apparatus for display and playback through a network. The control apparatus includes an input operation receiving unit for receiving an operation input, a control signal generating unit for generating a control signal for transmitting and receiving the content among the providing, display-playback, and control apparatuses in response to the operation input, and a storage unit for storing selection-history information.

Abstract: A communication system includes a first recording apparatus and a second recording apparatus. The first recording apparatus determines whether recording of a broadcast program is settable in the first recording apparatus based on first information for reservation of the recording and second information for selecting an apparatus to be used to record the broadcast program, and transmits third information for requesting the state of the apparatus to the second recording apparatus when the recording is not settable. The second recording apparatus receives the third information from the first recording apparatus, and transmits fourth information to the first recording apparatus in response to the third information.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a setting unit configured to set an order of priority for attributes of a reproducing device, for each content attribute, based on user instructions, a first obtaining unit configured to obtain attributes of the reproducing device, a second obtaining unit configured to obtain attributes of the content selected by the user, and a determining unit configured to determine an order of priority for the reproducing device regarding which attributes have been obtained by the first obtaining unit, based on the set order of priority, obtained attributes of the reproducing device, and obtained attributes of the content.

Abstract: A user sets an apparatus name easily identified by the user to a terminal, transmits the apparatus name together with user identification information to a terminal management server for managing a terminal, and the terminal management server registers the apparatus name as associated with the user identification information, thereby allowing the terminal management server to uniquely identify each terminal based on the apparatus name associated with the user identification information. Furthermore, a user can easily identify an apparatus name, thereby realizing a service utilizing system capable of reducing the laborious procedure of operating the terminal management server, and easily identifying each terminal.

Abstract: An electronic apparatus, having functions on which use limitations can be imposed, in which a variety of functions are loaded on the electronic apparatus by hardware circuitry or by computer programs. Use of a certain function(s) is limited by setting a function limiting flag to “1”, provided that an other function(s) are usable within a period of a preset number of days of possible test use. An application is made from the apparatus to a key issuing source for purchasing usable functions. The key issuing source then issues a limitation removing key. The limitation removing key may be acquired from the key issuing source by a mobile phone terminal and transmitted to the apparatus by infrared ray communication. The apparatus rewrites the function limiting flag by this limitation removing key. If the number of days of actual test use has reached the number of days of possible test use, the CPU of the apparatus does not carry out the function(s) the function limiting flag of which is “1”.

Abstract: A lid (120), which is provided on a body of an acoustic device and moves as being able to open or close a front side thereof where an insertion slot is provided for inserting a recording medium, is moved by driving a motor (211) of a drive section (210) with an operation of an open/close button of a movement controller (234) of a movement control device (200). A temperature sensor (220) detects a temperature of a heading space of the lid on a movement path in a first direction, and the movement thereof is stopped when the temperature is within a predetermined temperature range. The movement is recovered when the predetermined temperature is not detected after a predetermined time has passed. When a contact sensor (233) recognizes the contact between the lid and an object to be contacted, the moving direction is reversed for only a predetermined time. When a temperature determining section (232) recognizes a temperature change within the predetermined time, the movement is restarted.

Abstract: In a power line transmission/reception system, when a receiving device receives data via a power line transmission network which transmits the same data with the same timing in parallel via a plurality of communication channels by means of superposition on AC power, the reception of the data is performed using a communication channel selected on the basis of mean channel usage periods measured for the respective communication channels, thereby assuring high-quality communication. Transmission data is generated by converting input data into packets and outputting the same packet repeatedly. The transmission data is transmitted via the plurality of communication channels at the same time by means of multiple carriers of different frequencies superimposed on the AC power, thereby assuring high-quality data communication.

Abstract: In a power line transmission/reception system, when a receiving device receives data via a power line transmission network which transmits the same data with the same timing in parallel via a plurality of communication channels by means of superposition on AC power, the reception of the data is performed using a communication channel selected on the basis of the mean channel usage periods measured for the respective communication channels, thereby assuring high-quality communication. Transmission data is generated by converting Input data into packets and outputting each same packet repeatedly a plurality of times. The transmission data is transmitted via the plurality of communication channels at the same time by means of superposition on AC power thereby assuring high-quality data communication.