EP0843468A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
EPG apparatus and its control method
Assignee: Sony Corp
•
Filing: 1997-11-13
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2017-11-13
Abstract
Abstract An EPG apparatus provided by the present invention displays information such as the status of connection of other equipment connected to the EPG apparatus on an EPG screen. A TV (21) detects the fact that a VTR (22) is connected thereto by communication through a digital signal control line (29). The TV (21) displays a character or an image indicating the fact that the VTR (22) is connected thereto on an EPG screen of a display unit (36) along with EPG data resulting from decoding by an EPG decoder (39) employed in the TV (21). While watching the EPG screen, the user is capable of selecting a broadcasted program received by a tuner (37) employed in the TV (21) or a program to be played back by the VTR (22). In addition, a video-recording reservation in the VTR (22) can be made.
Inventors
- 👤 Masahiko Sato
- 👤 Tetsuya Kohno
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 15:46
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N21/00; H04N21/40; H04N21/47; H04N21/472; H04N21/47214; H04N21/482; H04N5/00; H04N5/76; H04N5/765; H04N5/775
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
71 words
A system comprising an EPG apparatus and an external
apparatus connected to said EPG apparatus by a
communication means wherein, when said EPG apparatus
detects connection of said external apparatus to said EPG
apparatus by using said communication means, said EPG
apparatus displays data regarding said external apparatus
on an EPG screen thereof along with EPG data resulting from
decoding carried out by an EPG decoder embedded in said EPG
apparatus.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system according to claim 1 wherein said data
regarding said external apparatus is a character or an
image indicating said external apparatus.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
A system according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said data
regarding said external apparatus includes information on
programs that can be generated by said external apparatus.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
A system according to claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said
EPG apparatus has a display means and said EPG screen is
displayed on said display means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
A system according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 further including a
second external apparatus other than said external
apparatus connected to said EPG apparatus by said
communication means, said second external apparatus has a
display means and said EPG screen is displayed on said
display means.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
54 words
A system according to any one of the preceding claims wherein,
when said data reaardina said external apparatus displayed on said EPG
screen is selected, said EPG apparatus issues an
instruction to said external apparatus through said
communication means to request said external apparatus to
start outputting a program indicated by said selected data.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
A system according to claim 3 wherein a program that
said external apparatus is capable of outputting is a
program recorded in said external apparatus in advance.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
18 words
A system according to any one of the preceding claims
wherein said external apparatus includes an EPG decoder.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
66 words
A system according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said
external apparatus has a function to make video-recording
reservation of a program to be received by said EPG
apparatus and, when an operation to make a video-recording
reservation of a program is carried out via said EPG
screen, said EPG apparatus issues a video-recording-reserva
tion instruction to said external apparatus through said
communication means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
49 words
A system according to claim 9 wherein, after an
operation to make a video-recording reservation of a
program has been carried out, said EPG apparatus displays a
message on said EPG screen to indicate that said operation
to make a video-recording reservation of a program has been
carried out.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
13 words
A system according to claim 1 wherein said external
apparatus is a VTR.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
A system according to claim 1 wherein said external
apparatus is a satellite broadcasting receiver.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
20 words
A system according to any one of the preceding claims
wherein an AV link is used as said communication means.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
21 words
A system according to any one of claims 1 to 12 wherein the
IEEE1394 bus is used as said communication means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
83 words
A control method for controlling a system including an
EPG apparatus and an external apparatus connected to said
EPG apparatus by a communication means, said control method
comprising the step of; displaying by said EPG apparatus, when said EPG
apparatus detects connection of said external apparatus to
said EPG apparatus by using said communication means, data
regarding said external apparatus on an EPG screen thereof
along with EPG data resulting from decoding carried out by
an EPG decoder embedded in said EPG apparatus.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
A control method according to claim 15 wherein said
data regarding said external apparatus is a character or an
image representing said external apparatus.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
A control method according to claim 15 or 16 wherein said
data regarding said external apparatus includes information
on programs that can be generated by said external
apparatus.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
28 words
A control method according to claim 15, 16 or 17 wherein said
EPG apparatus has a display means and said EPG screen is
displayed on said display means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
52 words
A control method according to claim 15, 16, 17 or 18 wherein said
system further includes a second external apparatus other
than said external apparatus connected to said EPG
apparatus by said communication means, said second external
apparatus has a display means and said EPG screen is
displayed on said display means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
56 words
A control method according to any one of claims 15 to 19 whereby,
when said data regarding said external apparatus displayed on
said EPG screen is selected, said EPG apparatus issues an
instruction to said external apparatus through said
communication means to request said external apparatus to
start outputting a program indicated by said selected data.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
28 words
A control method according to claim 17 wherein a
program that said external apparatus is capable of
outputting is a program recorded in said external apparatus
in advance.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
20 words
A control method according to any one of claims 15 to
21 wherein said external apparatus includes an EPG decoder.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
68 words
A control method according to any one of claims 15 to
22 wherein said external apparatus has a function to make video-recording
reservation of a program to be received by said EPG
apparatus and whereby, when an operation to make a video-recording
reservation of a program is carried out via said
EPG screen, said EPG apparatus issues a video-recording-reservation
instruction to said external apparatus through
said communication means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
50 words
A control method according to claim 23 whereby, after
an operation to make a video-recording reservation of a
program has been carried out, said EPG apparatus displays a
message on said EPG screen to indicate that said operation
to make a video-recording reservation of a program has been
carried out.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
67 words
An EPG apparatus comprising: an EPG decoder; a communication means for communicating with an
external apparatus; and a control means, wherein, when said EPG apparatus detects connection
of said external apparatus to said EPG apparatus by using
said communication means, said control means displays data
regarding said external apparatus along with EPG data
resulting from decoding carried out by an EPG decoder
embedded in said EPG apparatus.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
12 words
An EPG apparatus according to claim 25 further
including a display means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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