Abstract: A screen is provided on a housing in such a manner that the screen protrudes toward its nearer side, and is inclined so that the nearer side becomes lower. This screen displays thereon a first hierarchy menu for indicating an arrangement of genre pictures, a second hierarchy menu for indicating an arrangement of commodity pictures, and a map image for indicating a map of the sales counters. A user brings his or her hand tip nearer to this screen. This operation allows a double-ring pointer to be displayed at a position which corresponds to the spatial position or direction of the user's hand tip relative to the screen. On this screen, the user is permitted to change the position of this double-ring pointer by performing a gesture of changing the spatial position or direction of the user's hand tip.

Abstract: A content display device includes a content signal input unit that receives a content signal; a display unit that displays content included in the content signal, a sensor that detects a presence/absence of a viewer in a predetermined range; and a reproduction position storing unit that stores reproduction position information indicating a reproduction position of the content. When the sensor detects that a viewer leaves, and then returns to the predetermined range, the display unit returns to a reproduction position, indicated by the reproduction position information, and displays the content.

Abstract: A screen is provided on a housing in such a manner that the screen protrudes toward its nearer side, and is inclined so that the nearer side becomes lower. This screen displays thereon a first hierarchy menu for indicating an arrangement of genre pictures, a second hierarchy menu for indicating an arrangement of commodity pictures, and a map image for indicating a map of the sales counters. A user brings his or her hand tip nearer to this screen. This operation allows a double-ring pointer to be displayed at a position which corresponds to the spatial position or direction of the user's hand tip relative to the screen. On this screen, the user is permitted to change the position of this double-ring pointer by performing a gesture of changing the spatial position or direction of the user's hand tip.

Abstract: Ease of use for the user is provided when a client copies or moves a content in a server by considering copying or moving of management information associated with the content. The present invention is so configured to show that it has a chapter information sharing means as extension information of equipment information of the server, and to allow a client to obtain chapter information from the server when the content is copied or moved.

Abstract: A control method of controlling a transmitting unit to transmit a content via a network and a receiving unit to receive the content via a network. The method includes the steps of obtaining from the transmitting unit, resume information indicating a position at which reproduction of a content is suspended; transmitting to the receiving unit, an indication to reproduce the content beginning at the position which is indicated by the resume information and at which reproduction of a content is suspended; obtaining from the receiving unit, content reproducing information indicating the position at which the content is to be reproduced; transmitting an indication to stop reproduction of the content to the receiving unit; creating resume information by use of the content reproducing information obtained from the receiving unit; and transmitting the resume information to the transmitting unit.

Abstract: A control method for controlling via a network a transmitting apparatus which transmits contents and a receiving apparatus which receives contents is configured to include the steps of acquiring chapter information which indicates scene partition positions of contents from the transmitting apparatus, and transmitting an instruction to the receiving apparatus to cause the receiving apparatus to reproduce the contents from a scene partition position of the contents indicated by the acquired chapter information.

Abstract: A transmitting apparatus comprises, a playback portion, which is configured to playback content; a content transmitting portion, which is configured to transmit the content through a network; and a controlling portion, which is configured to hold chapter information for indicating separation of a scene of the content, and to transmit the chapter information held therein through the network, wherein the controlling portion renews the chapter information held therein, when producing the chapter information, and when obtaining the chapter information, which is generated in other apparatus differing from the transmitting apparatus, through the network.

Abstract: The content reproduction apparatus comprises: an input unit to which a content is input; a reproduction position recording unit to record a reproduction position of a content being reproduced; a display unit to display the content; a sensor to detect a human's presence or absence in or from a predetermined area; and a timer to measure a time period of a human's absence from the predetermined area detected by the sensor; wherein, if the sensor detects a human's absence from the predetermined area, the reproduction position of the content being reproduced is recorded in the reproduction position recording unit and, according to the time period measured by the timer, the content reproduction apparatus is configured to control whether or not to present a screen image prompting to start reproducing the content from the reproduction position recorded in the reproduction position recording unit.

Abstract: In an operation control device for controlling the operation of an appliance such as television receiver, a human-perceiving sensor is used as a unit for detecting movements of the operator. Then, continuous movements are extracted therefrom, such as hand-waving movements performed by the operator with an intention of operating the appliance such as television receiver. Moreover, if the operator performs one and the same movement during a time-period which is longer than a certain constant time-period, a control determined in advance is exerted over the operation control device. Also, the situation in which the movements of the operator are detected is displayed on the appliance such as television receiver, so that the operator is permitted to perform a more accurate movement by the resultant feedback effect.

Abstract: An IRD 103 supplies broadcasting data on a bus in a desired time period. When the IRD 103 performs a reservation of the bus usage, the IRD 103 requests current bus usage information and information of the bus reservation from all devices connected by the bus, such as a DVD 104, a D-VTR 101, a D-VTR 102, a CAM 105, a TV 100, and a isochronous manager 107 of the D-VTR 101. The isochronous manager 107 and each device answer by sending the bus usage information and reservation information to the IRD 103. The IRD 103 judges a possibility of the reservation from the answer information. If the reservation is possible, it performs the reservation operation. If the reservation is impossible, then the reason is displayed on a TV 100. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a usage of a device that excesses the bus transferring capacity.

Abstract: An IRD 103 supplies broadcasting data on a bus in a desired time period. When the IRD 103 performs a reservation of the bus usage, the IRD 103 requests current bus usage information and information of the bus reservation from all devices connected by the bus, such as a DVD 104, a D-VTR 101, a D-VTR 102, a CAM 105, a TV 100, and a isochronous manager 107 of the D-VTR 101. The isochronous manager 107 and each device answer by sending the bus usage information and reservation information to the IRD 103. The IRD 103 judges a possibility of the reservation from the answer information. If the reservation is possible, it performs the reservation operation. If the reservation is impossible, then the reason is displayed on a TV 100. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a usage of a device that excesses the bus transferring capacity.

Abstract: An IRD 103 supplies broadcasting data on a bus a desired time period. When the IRD 103 performs a reservation of the bus usage, the IRD 103 request current bus usage information and information of the bus reservation from all devices connected by the bus, such as a DVD 104, a D-VTR 101, a D-VTR 102, a CAM 105, a TV 100, and a isochronous manager 107 of the D-VTR 101. The isochronous manager 107 and each device answer by sending the bus usage information to the IRD 103 and reservation information. The IRD 103 judges a possibility of the reservation from the answer information. If the reservation is possible, it performs the reservation operation. IF the reservation is impossible, then the reason is displayed on a TV 100. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a usage of a device that excesses the bus transferring capacity.

Abstract: An electronic mail system and method enabling a recipient of electronic mail to intuitively and easily perform the processing requested by the sender in the electronic mail. The sender of the electronic mail with the system of the present invention generates information including icons information representing processing functions and operations to be performed by the recipient of the electronic mail and attaches the generated information as added information to the message of the electronic mail to be sent so that appropriate processing is effected by the recipient.

Abstract: There is disclosed an information reporting system comprising a communication host apparatus including a database storing a plurality of data sets each concerning predetermined position, and a host computer, and at least one portable terminal including a data processing unit for executing predetermined processing based upon data received from a communication unit via a communication networks, and a display unit displaying images obtained by the data processing. The portable terminal further includes a current position detecting unit for detecting its current position, and is adapted to transmit position information data indicative of the current position. The host computer is responsive to read out from the database one of the data sets concerning the position corresponding to the provided position information data and supplies the portable terminal with the data set.