Abstract: A bisimide phenyl ester acid dianhydride represented by the following formula (2): where R3 and R4 each independently represents a hydrogen atom or an organic group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms; each m is independently an integer of 1 to 4; and each A independently represents an aromatic ring or an alicyclic ring.

Abstract: A system and method of determining the copy protection features of a program, and notifying a potential user of the program of these features, is provided. The copy protection features of the program first are analyzed. On the basis of this analysis, a message such as “this program cannot be recorded with IEEE1394, optical digital audio” is displayed to the user. By displaying such a message, the user can easily recognize that copy protection is applied to the program and that, for example, the program can be recorded (picture-recorded) in an analog style but cannot be digitally recorded. Accordingly, the user is easily made aware of the copy protection features of the program before using or purchasing the program.

Abstract: In a system in which an IEEE 1394 interface is provided for an IRD, connected equipment can be easily selected and the operability is improved. Data can be transmitted among the equipment by providing the IEEE 1394 interface for the IRD. For example, five equipment units are selected from the equipment connected to the IEEE 1394 interface and node ID numbers are allocated to the five equipment units and registered. Thus, even if the equipment is removed from the interface and connected again, the IRD can recognize the equipment. The registration may easily be changed by user input. When the registration is changed, the change of the registration is inhibited among equipment units in which a program reservation has been set or the connected equipment. Thus, even if the registration is changed, an erroneous operation does not occur.

Abstract: When an analog-recorded tape cassette is loaded into an apparatus which can perform an analog recording/reproduction and a digital recording/reproduction by a same video tape and is reproduced, an alarm is displayed. When a tape cassette in which a transport stream of different specifications or a digital video signal of a system other than the MPEG2 system has been recorded is loaded into the apparatus and reproduced, an alarm is displayed. The user watches a smart file picture plane and recognizes recording system information of a program to be monitored from now on. If the program to be reproduced has been digitally recorded, the user switches the input to a digital video input. If the program to be reproduced has been analog-recorded, the user switches the input to an analog video input.

Abstract: A receiving system and a receiving device are provided for receiving and processing broadcast digital and analog signals such as video and audio programs. The system and device are capable of determining whether a received program is subject to copy prohibition. If the program is subject to copy prohibition, the system prevents copying of the program. The system and device are capable of performing timed recording of received programs, including checking the status of the device and/or the recording medium to determine whether timed recording is permitted. Timed recording may be permitted if a selected broadcast receiving device is a registered device.

Abstract: In a program receiver and a method of display processing of a program explanation screen, it is possible to display a reproduced program explanation screen as high-definite as a received program explanation screen when reproducing received program explanation information after recorded. Unrelated and unnecessary information is not displayed in reproduction when program explanation screen generating means for generating a received program explanation screen based on program explanation information added to the received program data is employed to generate a reproduced program explanation screen based on program explanation information added to the reproduced data. This enables efficient graphics processing and helps the user distinguish the received program explanation screen from the reproduced program explanation screen to prevent confusion.

Abstract: A receiving system and a receiving device are provided for receiving and processing broadcast digital and analog signals such as video and audio programs. The system and device are capable of determining whether a received program is subject to copy prohibition. If the program is subject to copy prohibition, the system prevents copying of the program. The system and device are capable of performing timed recording of received programs, including checking the status of the device and/or the recording medium to determine whether timed recording is permitted. Timed recording may be permitted if a selected broadcast receiving device is a registered device.

Abstract: A broadcast receiving system and a broadcast receiving device are provided for receiving and processing broadcast digital and analog signals such as video and audio programs. The system and device are capable of determining whether a received program is subject to copy prohibition. If the program is subject to copy prohibition, the system prevents copying of the program. The system and device are capable of performing timed recording of received programs, including checking the status of the device and/or the recording medium to determine whether timed recording is permitted. Timed recording may be permitted if a selected broadcast receiving device is a registered device.

Abstract: When data is transmitted by using a broadcasting channel of an IEEE1394 interface, it is enabled to cope with a case where undefined equipment is connected to an IEEE1394 bus. The IEEE1394 interface is provided for an IRD, thereby enabling the IRD and equipment such as digital VCR, MD player/recorder, or the like to be connected. A node No. “63” of IEEE1394 is set to the broadcasting channel. Data is transmitted to all equipment connected to the IEEE1394 bus by the broadcasting channel. In the broadcasting channel, a picture plane for selecting a transport stream of MPEG and PCM audio data is displayed, and the data which is transmitted by the broadcasting channel can be selected in accordance with the transport stream of MPEG and the PCM audio data. Thus, when undefined equipment is connected to the IEEE1394 bus, it is possible to cope with any equipment.

Abstract: The present invention is a multi-function receiver that controls a plurality of graphic user interface displays. The receiver includes a first display processing section for performing graphic display processing based on a program stored in a memory, a second display processing section for performing graphic display processing based on a control signal included in a signal for a channel being received, and a control section connected to the memory for controlling the first and second display processing sections. The control section performs control so to display a graphic screen display-processed by one of the first and second display processing sections. Thereby, the graphic screen display-processed by the first display processing section and the graphic screen display-processed by the second display processing section can be prevented from being overlapped and moreover, the conventional control program used in the first display processing section can be utilized as it is, without being changed.

Abstract: In a program receiver and a method of display processing of a program explanation screen, it is possible to display a reproduced program explanation screen as high-definite as a received program explanation screen when reproducing received program explanation information after recorded. Unrelated and unnecessary information is not displayed in reproduction when program explanation screen generating means for generating a received program explanation screen based on program explanation information added to the received program data is employed to generate a reproduced program explanation screen based on program explanation information added to the reproduced data. This enables efficient graphics processing and helps the user distinguish the received program explanation screen from the reproduced program explanation screen to prevent confusion.

Abstract: An apparatus for receiving a digital broadcast signal includes a tuner operable to select a desired transmission channel over which to receive the digital broadcast signal and demodulate a transport stream which is transmitted over the selected transmission channel. The receiving apparatus also includes a demultiplexer operable to extract a desired program from the demodulated transport stream; an interface operable to transmit the demodulated transport stream to, and receive a reproduced transport stream from, a reproducing apparatus; and a discriminator operable to determine whether the reproduced transport stream contains a multiplexed plurality of programs. A predetermined process is performed on the reproduced transport stream when the discriminator determines that the reproduced transport stream contains the multiplexed plurality of programs.

Abstract: The invention aims to make it possible to easily reproduce a content, which is recorded in a storage medium, on a digital broadcast receiver. A receiving unit receives a signal sent from a remote controller. An icon associated with an instruction a user has entered is selected from among icons saved in an object save area. The icon is superposed on a video signal representing the content recorded in the storage medium, and displayed at a predetermined position on a display device for a predetermined time.

Abstract: A system and method of determining the copy protection features of a program, and notifying a potential user of the program of these features, is provided. The copy protection features of the program first are analyzed. On the basis of this analysis, a message such as "this program cannot be recorded with IEEE1394, optical digital audio" is displayed to the user. By displaying such a message, the user can easily recognize that copy protection is applied to the program and that, for example, the program can be recorded (picture-recorded) in an analog style but cannot be digitally recorded. Accordingly, the user is easily made aware of the copy protection features of the program before using or purchasing the program.

Abstract: In a program table displayed on the screen of a television receiver, past programs (programs which already have been broadcast), programs currently being broadcast and future programs (programs which will be broadcast) are displayed with different colors so as to be distinguishable from one another. A selected program frame is displayed with still another color. When the selected program frame is a program currently being broadcast, the display is switched to the selected program, and when it is a future program, a process of programming the recording of the selected program is executed.

Abstract: The signal receiving device, during the fixed time period the fixed time before the telecast start time point of the recording reserved program, as well as causing the external recording device to output the video information of the program information image formed based on the program information data, causes said external recording device to conduct the recording operation. Then, in a state in which video information of the recording reserved program is sent out to the external recording device, it causes the external recording device to execute the recording operation during the period from the time point a few seconds before the telecast start time point to the telecast stop time point of the recording reserved program.

Abstract: A timer setting apparatus for a video tape recorder for setting the timer control data including the date data, the day data, the starting time data, the ending time data, and the input signal selecting data, so as to actuate electronic equipment such as a VTR such that the electronic equipment will properly operate at the proper time on the set date. The timer setting apparatus comprises a timer control circuit which provides timer setting information according to signals supplied thereto from a switch circuit which is operating for setting the timer and desired modes and display means which displays all of the possible choices of items to be registered for setting the timer to facilitate the timer setting operation.

Abstract: A remote-controlling commander includes a rotary dial rotatably mounted on a commander housing for manual operation of the user. The commander also includes a position detector for monitoring angular position of the rotary dial, in which the angular position and/or angular displacement of the rotary dial represents which operation of the apparatus is to be controlled and an encoder for producing an encoded signal variable depending upon the angular position and/or angular displacement of the rotary dial. The encoded signal is transmitted through a transmitter to a receiver provided in the apparatus to be controlled. The received signal is decoded in the apparatus to trigger the function represented by the received signal. The received signal from the remote-controlling commander may be used to perform functions associated with a VTR, such as timing of video recording, picture searching, channel timing, and the like.

Abstract: In a multi-function video tape recorder system, a manually operable rotary dial can be used in place of a large number of dedicated manual switches, and so forth to make selections from multiple-choice lists and to assign numerical values for timing, and so forth. The rotary dial is journalled on a fold-down section of the video tape recorder's front console and its manually-actuated rotation is monitored by optical sensors. A microprocessor receives the output of the sensors and so can derive the angular position and speed and direction of rotation of the rotary dial, which may all serve as input parameters. In addition, a ring may be included in the rotary dial assembly, the ring being pivotably slightly relative to the rotary dial itself to provide an addition dimension of information input.

Abstract: A remote-controlling commander includes a rotary dial rotatably mounted on a commander housing for manual operation of the user. The commander also includes a position detector for monitoring angular position of the rotary dial, in which the angular position and/or angular displacement of the rotary dial represents which operation of the apparatus is to be controlled and an encoder for producing an encoded signal variable depending upon the angular position and/or angular displacement of the rotary dial. The encoded signal is transmitted through a transmitter to a receiver provided in the apparatus to be controlled. The received signal is decoded in the apparatus to trigger the function represented by the received signal. The received signal from the remote-controlling commander may be used to perform functions associated with a VTR, such as timing of video recording, picture searching, channel timing, and the like.