Abstract: A wireless communication device includes a transmission unit configured to transmit a control command, through a wireless communication, to another wireless communication device having a function of shifting itself from a first state in which the wireless communication is possible to a second state in which the wireless communication is not performed, the control command being related to setting of said another wireless communication device, a determination unit configured to determine whether transmission of the control command by the transmission unit is necessary, and a prevention unit configured to prevent shift of said another wireless communication device to the second state if the determination unit determines that transmission of the control command is necessary.

Abstract: A wireless communication device includes a transmission unit configured to transmit a control command, through a wireless communication, to another wireless communication device having a function of shifting itself from a first state in which the wireless communication is possible to a second state in which the wireless communication is not performed, the control command being related to setting of said another wireless communication device, a determination unit configured to determine whether transmission of the control command by the transmission unit is necessary, and a prevention unit configured to prevent shift of said another wireless communication device to the second state if the determination unit determines that transmission of the control command is necessary.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display apparatus which enables a user to recognize positions and boundaries of light source blocks, a method for controlling the same, and an image display system are provided. The apparatus comprises a liquid crystal panel; a backlight which has a plurality of light source blocks and which radiates light onto the liquid crystal panel; a generating unit which generates boundary image data which indicates a light source block area as an area corresponding to each of the light source blocks on the liquid crystal panel; a combining unit which combines image data to be inputted and the boundary image data; and a display control unit which displays composite image data combined by the combining unit on the liquid crystal panel.

Abstract: A television apparatus includes a plurality of receiving units. The television apparatus includes a first receiving unit configured to receive a channel which broadcasts a program whose video image is displayed on a display unit, a second receiving unit configured to receive a plurality of channels while the video image is being displayed, a program information management unit configured to store genre information about programs broadcasted on the plurality of channels, and a control unit configured to determine a periodic check order of receiving the plurality of channels based on the genre information about the programs read by the program information management unit and to control the second receiving unit to periodically check and receive the plurality of channels according to the periodic check order.

Abstract: A recorder control apparatus which controls execution of broadcast program recording in a plurality of recorders connected thereto, comprises an acceptance unit configured to accept a request to execute broadcast program recording, an acquisition unit configured to acquire, from each recorder, reservation information related to reserved program recording to be executed by the recorder after a point at which the execution request is accepted, a selection unit configured to select, from the plurality of recorders, a recorder capable of executing broadcast program recording corresponding to the execution request for a longest duration, based on the reservation information, and a request unit configured to request the recorder selected by the selection unit to execute broadcast program recording corresponding to the execution request.

Abstract: The content switching apparatus includes at least a position identifying unit (800) and a play control unit (700). In switching from a first content (broadcast program) to a second content (VOD content), the position identifying unit identifies the position of the image in the second content, the image being the same as the first image of the first content. The play control unit determines a play starting position in the second content based on the position identified by the position identifying unit. By determining the play starting position of the second content in this way, the image can be properly switched even in the case where the time length or the content configuration is different.

Abstract: A recording control apparatus is connected to and in communication with a recording apparatus capable of recording a broadcasting video image on a storage unit and has two or more operating state levels that differ in power consumption. The recording control apparatus includes an acquisition unit configured to acquire program information about a program currently being viewed, a determination unit configured to determine a user's recording tendency level as to a program currently being viewed based on the program information acquired by the acquisition unit, and a control unit configured to issue a command to control the operating state level of the recording apparatus based on the recording tendency level determined by the determination unit.

Abstract: An image control apparatus is configured to input a plurality of image data associated with a plurality of image sources and to display a plurality of images on a same screen based on the plurality of image data. The image control apparatus includes an image quality determining unit configured to determine respective image qualities of the plurality of images based on a combination of image information associated with attributes of the plurality of image sources, and an image processing unit configured to process the plurality of image data to cause the plurality of images to have the respective image qualities determined by the image quality determining unit.

Abstract: To select a recording device for recording a program in a digital television receiver to which a plurality of recorders (recording devices) are connected, control is performed to acquire image quality information about the program to be recorded and to compare the program image quality to be recorded with the recording image quality of a recording medium for each connected recording device. Based on the result of this comparison, a recorder is selected that can secondarily record the program onto a recording medium without compromising the program image quality.

Abstract: In the case where the receiving apparatus 1 obtains, from a content archive, and reproduces a first video content having the same content as a program being broadcast, the difference of the ending time between the first video content being played and the program being broadcast is detected (S701). In the case where there is a difference in the ending time (YES in step S702), the receiving apparatus 1 obtains, from the content archive, a second video content having the same content as the next program started following the program being broadcast (S703, S704), and reproduces the second video content following the first video content being played (S705 to S709).

Abstract: A liquid crystal display apparatus which enables a user to recognize positions and boundaries of light source blocks, a method for controlling the same, and an image display system are provided. The apparatus comprises a liquid crystal panel; a backlight which has a plurality of light source blocks and which radiates light onto the liquid crystal panel; a generating unit which generates boundary image data which indicates a light source block area as an area corresponding to each of the light source blocks on the liquid crystal panel; a combining unit which combines image data to be inputted and the boundary image data; and a display control unit which displays composite image data combined by the combining unit on the liquid crystal panel.

Abstract: A television apparatus includes a plurality of receiving units. The television apparatus includes a first receiving unit configured to receive a channel which broadcasts a program whose video image is displayed on a display unit, a second receiving unit configured to receive a plurality of channels while the video image is being displayed, a program information management unit configured to store genre information about programs broadcasted on the plurality of channels, and a control unit configured to determine a periodic check order of receiving the plurality of channels based on the genre information about the programs read by the program information management unit and to control the second receiving unit to periodically check and receive the plurality of channels according to the periodic check order.

Abstract: The content switching apparatus includes at least a position identifying unit (800) and a play control unit (700). In switching from a first content (broadcast program) to a second content (VOD content), the position identifying unit identifies the position of the image in the second content, the image being the same as the first image of the first content. The play control unit determines a play starting position in the second content based on the position identified by the position identifying unit. By determining the play starting position of the second content in this way, the image can be properly switched even in the case where the time length or the content configuration is different.

Abstract: In the case where the receiving apparatus 1 obtains, from a content archive, and reproduces a first video content having the same content as a program being broadcast, the difference of the ending time between the first video content being played and the program being broadcast is detected (S701). In the case where there is a difference in the ending time (YES in step S702), the receiving apparatus 1 obtains, from the content archive, a second video content having the same content as the next program started following the program being broadcast (S703, S704), and reproduces the second video content following the first video content being played (S705 to S709).

Abstract: A recorder control apparatus which controls execution of broadcast program recording in a plurality of recorders connected thereto, comprises an acceptance unit configured to accept a request to execute broadcast program recording, an acquisition unit configured to acquire, from each recorder, reservation information related to reserved program recording to be executed by the recorder after a point at which the execution request is accepted, a selection unit configured to select, from the plurality of recorders, a recorder capable of executing broadcast program recording corresponding to the execution request for a longest duration, based on the reservation information, and a request unit configured to request the recorder selected by the selection unit to execute broadcast program recording corresponding to the execution request.

Abstract: A recording control apparatus is connected to and in communication with a recording apparatus capable of recording a broadcasting video image on a storage unit and has two or more operating state levels that differ in power consumption. The recording control apparatus includes an acquisition unit configured to acquire program information about a program currently being viewed, a determination unit configured to determine a user's recording tendency level as to a program currently being viewed based on the program information acquired by the acquisition unit, and a control unit configured to issue a command to control the operating state level of the recording apparatus based on the recording tendency level determined by the determination unit.

Abstract: To select a recording device for recording a program in a digital television receiver to which a plurality of recorders (recording devices) are connected, control is performed to acquire image quality information about the program to be recorded and to compare the program image quality to be recorded with the recording image quality of a recording medium for each connected recording device. Based on the result of this comparison, a recorder is selected that can secondarily record the program onto a recording medium without compromising the program image quality.

Abstract: An image control apparatus is configured to input a plurality of image data associated with a plurality of image sources and to display a plurality of images on a same screen based on the plurality of image data. The image control apparatus includes an image quality determining unit configured to determine respective image qualities of the plurality of images based on a combination of image information associated with attributes of the plurality of image sources, and an image processing unit configured to process the plurality of image data to cause the plurality of images to have the respective image qualities determined by the image quality determining unit.