Apparatus and method for managing memos

Claim 1

A method for managing memos in controlling a memo managing apparatus adapted to a video processing apparatus comprising the steps of: (a) checking storage commands to determine whether input or display requests for memo data exist; (b) inputting and storing memo contents when the memo data input is requested in said step of checking storage commands; (c) displaying memos by sequential display of pages of stored memos on a video screen when the memo display is requested in the step of checking storage commands; (d) checking a current time to determine whether a stored alarm time has been reached when neither an input nor a display request exists in the step of checking storage commands; (e) at said stored alarm time, checking whether a stored memo exists which should be currently brought to a user's attention, and informing the user of said memo if such a memo exists, by displaying said memo on said video screen via said video processing apparatus when said video processing apparatus is in an on-state at said stored alarm time; and (f) when said video processing apparatus to which said memo managing apparatus is adopted is in an off-state at said alarm time, outputting an alarm to allow the user to recognize the existence of said memo, wherein said step of checking storage commands comprises the steps of: checking whether said video processing apparatus to which said memo managing apparatus is adapted is in a turned-on state; displaying selection information about requests for inputting and displaying of memo data on said video screen; and selecting desired information among the selection information displayed in said display step.

Claim 2

A method for managing memos in controlling a memo managing apparatus adapted to a video processing apparatus comprising the steps of: (a) checking storage commands to determine whether input or display requests for memo data exist; (b) inputting and storing memo contents when the memo data input is requested in said step of checking storage commands; (c) displaying memos by sequential display of pages of stored memos on a video screen when the memo display is requested in the step of checking storage commands; (d) checking a current time to determine whether a stored alarm time has been reached when neither an input nor a display request exists in the step of checking storage commands; (e) at said stored alarm time, checking whether a stored memo exists which should be currently brought to a user's attention, and informing the user of said memo if such a memo exists, by displaying said memo on said video screen via said video processing apparatus when said video processing apparatus is in an on-state at said stored alarm time; and (f) when said video processing apparatus to which said memo managing apparatus is adopted is in an off-state at said alarm time, outputting an alarm to allow the user to recognize the existence of said memo, wherein said step of checking storage commands comprises the steps of: checking whether said video processing apparatus to which said memo managing apparatus is adapted is in a turned-on state; displaying selection information about requests for inputting and displaying of memo data on said video screen; and selecting desired information among the selection information displayed in said display step.

Claim 4

An apparatus for managing memos in a video processing apparatus which includes a video processor for processing video signals for a video program, said apparatus comprising: an operation device for entering memo data designated by a user, including date data and memo text; a microcomputer which stores and manages the memo data entered from said operation device; an on-screen display (OSD) circuit for converting information generated by said microcomputer into a video signal form to be displayed on a monitor screen; wherein at a designated time in advance of the date data for a given stored memo, when said video processing apparatus to which said memo managing apparatus is adopted is in the off state, said microcomputer generates at least an alarm signal to alert the user to the presence of a currently relevant memo, and when said video processing apparatus is in the on state, said microcomputer at said designated time causes at least one of said given stored memo to be displayed and said alarm signal to be generated.

Claim 5

An apparatus for managing memos in a video processing apparatus which includes a video processor for processing video signals for a video program, said apparatus comprising: an operation device for entering memo data designated by a user, including date data and memo text; a microcomputer which stores and manages the memo data entered from said operation device; an on-screen display (OSD) circuit for converting information generated by said microcomputer into a video signal form to be displayed on a monitor screen; wherein at a designated time in advance of the date data for a given stored memo, when said video processing apparatus to which said memo managing apparatus is adopted is in the off state, said microcomputer generates at least an alarm signal to alert the user to the presence of a currently relevant memo, and when said video processing apparatus is in the on state, said microcomputer at said designated time causes at least one of said given stored memo to be displayed and said alarm signal to be generated.

Claim 7

A method for managing memos in controlling a memo managing apparatus adapted to a video processing apparatus comprising the steps of: (a) checking storage commands to determine whether input or display requests for memo data exist; (b) inputting and storing memo contents when the memo data input is requested in said step of checking storage commands; (c) displaying memos by sequential display of pages of stored memos on a video screen when the memo display is requested in the step of checking storage commands; (d) checking a current time to determine whether a stored alarm time has been reached when neither an input nor a display request exists in the step of checking storage commands; (e) at said stored alarm time, checking whether a stored memo exists which should be currently brought to a user's attention, and informing the user of said memo if such a memo exists, by displaying said memo on said video screen via said video processing apparatus when said video processing apparatus is in an on-state at said stored alarm time; and (f) when said video processing apparatus to which said memo managing apparatus is adopted is in an off-state at said alarm time, outputting an alarm to allow the user to recognize the existence of said memo.

Claim 8

A method for managing memos in controlling a memo managing apparatus adapted to a video processing apparatus comprising the steps of: (a) checking storage commands to determine whether input or display requests for memo data exist; (b) inputting and storing memo contents when the memo data input is requested in said step of checking storage commands; (c) displaying memos by sequential display of pages of stored memos on a video screen when the memo display is requested in the step of checking storage commands; (d) checking a current time to determine whether a stored alarm time has been reached when neither an input nor a display request exists in the step of checking storage commands; (e) at said stored alarm time, checking whether a stored memo exists which should be currently brought to a user's attention, and informing the user of said memo if such a memo exists, by displaying said memo on said video screen via said video processing apparatus when said video processing apparatus is in an on-state at said stored alarm time; and (f) when said video processing apparatus to which said memo managing apparatus is adopted is in an off-state at said alarm time, outputting an alarm to allow the user to recognize the existence of said memo.