Abstract: An image display control apparatus comprises a menu creating unit displays an operation menu ME on a liquid crystal display unit of an image display apparatus, a camera with an infrared filter capable of recognizing an infrared signal coming from a remote controller, a remote controller position identifying unit identifies the position which the remote controller occupies during image capturing on the basis of the recognition result, a remote controller position signal creating unit displays the identified position of the remote controller on the liquid crystal display unit, and a user operation judging unit determines the operable specification object in the operation menu displayed on the liquid crystal display unit.

Abstract: A determining unit determines whether a vehicle is in a traveling state or a stopped state. When the determining unit determines that the vehicle is in the traveling state, an indicating unit indicates a timing of a point in the content to be reproduced. A specifying unit specifies a representative scene in the content that is in immediate proximity to the timing indicated by the indicating unit. When the determining unit determines that the vehicle is in the stopped state, a reproducing unit reproduces the representative scene.

Abstract: An apparatus for reproducing a television broadcast program digest which stores a broadcast signal indicative of contents of at least one television broadcast program and guide data of the at least one television broadcast program. The apparatus pre-stores a period of time and a weight point as data for at least one attribute concerning program contents every different television broadcast program. The apparatus reads the broadcast signal and guide data of the at least one television broadcast program when a digest reproduction is performed. In accordance with the guide data, the apparatus reads a period of time and a weight point for each attribute corresponding to a television broadcast program consistent in terms of content with or similar to the at least one television broadcast program. The apparatus reproduces a partial signal having a length of time based on the weight point and the period of time.

Abstract: An interactive information providing apparatus is provided with: an output component that provides an information requesting output for requesting a user for information; an input component that receives from the user input information to the information requesting output; and an interaction controller component that controls the output component and the input component according to a scenario, to carry on a dialogue with the user. In the apparatus, the interaction controller component changes a level at which the output component requests a user for information, according to an importance parameter associated with the scenario.

Abstract: An information serving system includes a broadcasting station module (TV), user module (RV), and advertising agency module (AD). The broadcasting station module (TV) broadcasts pieces of broadcast information including at least video information. The user module (RV) receives the broadcast information, selects an image component composing an image from the received broadcast information, and produces specification information indicative of the selected image component. The user module (RV) transmits the produced specification information, while receiving component information to represent the received component information. The advertising company module (AD) acquires the specification information, and transmits to the user module (RV) the component information indicating an image component specified by the acquired specification information.

Abstract: Provided is an image information summary device for reproducing the summary information, by which an operator is capable of grasping the image information appropriately by the use of the preliminary announcement information. A summary reproducing apparatus obtains the continuous voice image information which is provided in plural times and extracts a characteristic amount of each piece of voice image information. Simultaneously, upon carrying out the summary reproduction, the summary reproducing apparatus compares the object voice image information to be an object of the summary reproduction with the non-object voice image information having the preliminary announcement information in the object voice image information, detects the same shot from the object voice image information and decides the partial image information to be extracted on the basis of the same shot in this object voice image information.

Abstract: A navigation apparatus, which is to be mounted on a movable body, comprises a navigation information acquisition unit, a requirement judgment unit and a control unit. The navigation information acquisition unit acquires navigation information relating to movement of the movable body. The requirement judgment unit judges as whether or not dialog start requirements are satisfied on the basis of the navigation information. The control unit gives a speech to a user to start providing interactive information, in case where the dialog start requirements are satisfied.

Abstract: A broadcast video signal of a broadcast program is stored. A predetermined feature portion of each of frames in a broadcast video signal of a music program is detected from the stored broadcast video signal. A frame section serving as a music section in which a display mode of the predetermined feature portion is stable and music is continuously included, is detected from the broadcast video signal in the music program as a performance scene. A video signal representing an image concerning the detected performance scene is created and output as the menu.

Abstract: An electronic system is provided with: an information outputting apparatus (20, 40, 50) having an output device (40, 50) for outputting a content information including at least one of an audio information and a video information; and a navigation apparatus (10, 18, 20, 40, 50, 60), which is equipped with an input device (60) for inputting a destination in a movement of a movable body. A controlling apparatus (20) for controlling the electronic system is provided with: a selecting device (20) for selecting the content information to be outputted during the movement of the movable body until an arrival at the destination, on the basis of the destination inputted by the input device; and an output controlling device (20) for controlling the output device so as to output the content information selected by the selecting device, during the movement of the movable body until the arrival at the destination.

Abstract: A disclosed system includes: a slow-motion image detection unit 10 for detecting a portion of a slow-motion image from an image signal; a recording unit 11 for recording on a recording medium 1 an image signal and information of a slow-motion image obtained from the slow-motion image detection unit 10; a reproduction unit 12 for reproducing the recording medium 1 in which the image signal and the information of the slow-motion image are stored; and a reproduction control unit 13 for controlling the reproduction unit 12. In recording, after the image signal is tele-recorded ordinarily, the information of the slow-motion image is recorded in a predetermined area on the recording medium 1, while in reproduction, after the slow-motion image information is reproduced and stored first, the image signal is reproduced. The reproduction is possible in a variety of modes.

Abstract: A navigation apparatus, which is to be mounted on a movable body, comprises a navigation information acquisition unit, a requirement judgment unit and a control unit. The navigation information acquisition unit acquires navigation information relating to movement of the movable body. The requirement judgment unit judges as whether or not dialog start requirements are satisfied on the basis of the navigation information. The control unit gives a speech to a user to start providing interactive information, in case where the dialog start requirements are satisfied.

Abstract: An interactive information providing apparatus is provided with: an output component that provides an information requesting output for requesting a user for information; an input component that receives from the user input information to the information requesting output; and an interaction controller component that controls the output component and the input component according to a scenario, to carry on a dialogue with the user. In the apparatus, the interaction controller component changes a level at which the output component requests a user for information, according to an importance parameter associated with the scenario.

Abstract: An apparatus for reproducing a television broadcast program digest which stores a broadcast signal indicative of contents of at least one television broadcast program and guide data of the at least one television broadcast program. The apparatus pre-stores a period of time and a weight point as data for at least one attribute concerning program contents every different television broadcast program. The apparatus reads the broadcast signal and guide data of the at least one television broadcast program when a digest reproduction is performed. In accordance with the guide data, the apparatus reads a period of time and a weight point for each attribute corresponding to a television broadcast program consistent in terms of content with or similar to the at least one television broadcast program. The apparatus reproduces a partial signal having a length of time based on the weight point and the period of time.

Abstract: Provided is an image information summary device for reproducing the summary information, by which an operator is capable of grasping the image information appropriately by the use of the preliminary announcement information.

Abstract: A summary reproducing apparatus includes a detection unit for detecting silent and noise sections based on information on sound waveforms of inputted audio/video information, and a control unit for deciding digest segments to be extracted while controlling a reproduction unit based on the digest segments. The control unit sets the digest segments and the importance of each of the digest segments based on the time-base position and/or section length of each of the silent and noise sections in the audio/video information. Based on the set importance of each of the digest segments, the control unit then controls the reproduction unit to play a digest of the audio/video information.

Abstract: An electronic system is provided with: an information outputting apparatus (20, 40, 50) having an output device (40, 50) for outputting a content information including at least one of an audio information and a video information; and a navigation apparatus (10, 18, 20, 40, 50, 60), which is equipped with an input device 60) for inputting a destination in a movement of a movable body. A controlling apparatus (20) for controlling the electronic system is provided with: a selecting device (20) for selecting the content information to be outputted during the movement of the movable body until an arrival at the destination, on the basis of the destination inputted by the input device; and an output controlling device (20) for controlling the output device so as to output the content information selected by the selecting device, during the movement of the movable body until the arrival at the destination.

Abstract: An information communication apparatus is provided with: a communication device which automatically recognizes a communication mate existing in a communicable range, establishes connection with it, and performs data communication with the communication mate; and a setting device which sets a connection condition to perform the data communication.

Abstract: An information serving system includes a broadcasting station module (TV), user module (RV), and advertising agency module (AD). The broadcasting station module (TV) broadcasts pieces of broadcast information including at least video information. The user module (RV) receives the broadcast information, selects an image component composing an image from the received broadcast information, and produces specification information indicative of the selected image component. The user module (RV) transmits the produced specification information, while receiving component information to represent the received component information. The advertising company module (AD) acquires the specification information, and transmits to the user module (RV) the component information indicating an image component specified by the acquired specification information.

Abstract: A video-signal-distortion reducing apparatus comprising a filter circuit for selectively passing a broadcast television signal (BC signal) and a laser disc video signal (LD signal). The broadcast television signal has a GCR signal in 18H and 281H of its scanning lines while the laser disc signal has commmand signals for other purposes in 18H and 28H of its scanning lines. A GCR signal is assigned to other scanning lines than 18H and 281H of the laser disc signal. A GCR waveform memory selectively stores the GCR signal superimposed on BC signal in response to a BC signal selecting commmand produced by a timing generator and the GCR signal superimposed on the LD signal in response to an LD signal selecting command. An arithmetic operational circuit detects a delay time and an amplitude difference of the GCR signal stored in the GCR waveform memory relative to a reference GCR signal and controls the filter characteristic such that the delay time and the amplitude difference are minimized.

Abstract: When a composite color TV signal of standard NTSC system with a 4-to-3 aspect ratio and 525 scanning lines is received by a TV receiver with a large aspect ratio of 16 to 9, the NTSC signal is separated into a color video signal for picture and a character data signal. The color video signal for picture is written into a first buffer at a timing of a first clock whose frequency is four times that of an input color subcarrier. The character data signal is written into a second buffer at a timing of a second block with a frequency 16/5 times that of the color subcarrier. The picture video signal and the character data signal are alternately picked up by a selector that swiches between the two buffers at a specified horizontal position on the screen at a timing of a third clock whose frequency is 4/3 times that of the first clock. The output of the selector is fed to the TV receiver to produce a picture on one side of the screen and character data on the other side, utilizing the whole area of the screen.