Method and apparatus for displaying posting site comments with program being viewed

An information apparatus includes a comment processing unit that acquires, from an external posting site, a comment of a viewer by using a tag as a search key. The comment represents a viewer's feedback on the content of a program being viewed and is related to a tag for grouping with other comments. The information apparatus also includes a display processing unit that generates data to be displayed on a screen. The data includes an image of a program being broadcast by a first broadcasting station and at least one comment for a program being broadcast by a second broadcasting station, which is different from the first broadcasting station.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a data processing technology and, more particularly, to a technology for displaying information regarding a program that is currently being broadcast.

2. Description of the Related Art

Recently, communication services through a website (hereinafter, also referred to as a “posting site”) are provided that allows individual users to post short sentences (hereinafter, also referred to as “comments” or “tweets”) and other users to view the comments.

The inventors of the present invention consider that no specific method has been fully suggested for providing an innovative viewing experience to viewers, who are viewing a program currently broadcast, by displaying comments posted on a posting site.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In this background, a main purpose of the present invention is to provide an innovative viewing experience to viewers who are viewing a program currently broadcast.

An information processing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: an image information acquisition unit configured to acquire image information of at least one program among a plurality of programs being broadcast by a plurality of broadcasting stations; a comment acquisition unit configured to acquire, from an external posting site, a comment of a viewer by using a tag as a search key, the comment is a viewer's feedback on the content of a program being viewed and related to a tag for grouping with other comments; and a display processing unit configured to generate data to be displayed on a screen, the data include image of a program being broadcast by a first broadcasting station and at least one comment for a program being broadcast by a second broadcasting station different from the first broadcasting station.

Another embodiment of the present invention relates to an information processing method. The information processing method performed by an information processing apparatus comprising: acquiring image information of at least one program among a plurality of programs being broadcast by a plurality of broadcasting stations; acquiring, from an external posting site, a comment of a viewer by using a tag as a search key, the comment is a viewer's feedback on the content of a program being viewed and related to a tag for grouping with other comments; and generating data to be displayed on a screen, the data include image of a program being broadcast by a first broadcasting station and at least one comment for a program being broadcast by a second broadcasting station different from the first broadcasting station.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A description is now given of the base technology before explaining the embodiment of the present invention. The base technology provides an information processing technology of improving the comfort and convenience of a user viewing a program that is being broadcast or a program broadcast in the past. The information processing technology includes the following four technical elements.

A summary of the first technical element will be discussed. Conventional electronic program guides merely present summary information related to programs and defined by broadcasting stations, etc. As such, they are not necessarily convenient to use for viewers. The base technology provides a technology for providing an electronic program guide that provides excellent usability for viewers. For example, the electronic program guide of a form of the base technology provides a user interface whereby the convenience for viewers viewing program information is improved.

A summary of the second technical element will be discussed. Currently, Internet connection is available in a growing number of households. Information appliances in possession of a viewer of a program are equipped with the capabilities of exchanging data with a server on the Internet. The base technology proposes a technology of providing an electronic program guide that is based on data exchange over the Internet and designed to present information useful for viewers as well as mere program summaries. For example, the electronic program guide according to a form of the base technology presents the popularity ranking of a plurality of programs broadcast in the same time zone.

A summary of the third technical element will be discussed. The base technology provides a technology that implements a user-friendly user interface in a portal screen that serves as a primary entrance to various functional screens including the display screen of an electronic program guide. For example, the portal screen according to a form of the base technology provides latest information on program viewing useful for viewers of a program.

A summary of the fourth technical element will be discussed. The base technology provides a technology that provides a search result useful for a viewer viewing a program. For example, the program viewing screen according to a form of the base technology displays a result of Internet search using a keyword related to the program along with the image of the program.

FIG. 1shows the configuration of an information processing system according to a form of the base technology of the present invention. An information processing system100is configured such that a plurality of program viewing systems10, an information management server16, and a search server17are connected via the Internet15.

The program viewing system10allows viewing, recording, reproducing of terrestrial television broadcast, and displaying of a program guide. The system10comprises an information processing apparatus11, a controller12, a tuner13, and a display14. In a form of the base technology, the program viewing system10represents a unit of “viewers”. Therefore, two or more people watching the display14may be dealt with as one viewer.

The tuner13is a terrestrial television tuner. The tuner13receives a broadcast signal on a channel selected by the viewer and decodes the broadcast signal into image information. The tuner13then sends the image information to the information processing apparatus11. The tuner13also acquires EPG information (program information) from the broadcast signal and sends the information to the information processing apparatus11. The tuner13and the information processing apparatus11may be connected by a universal serial bus (USB) cable.

FIG. 2is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the tuner13ofFIG. 1. The blocks shown in the block diagram are implemented by hardware, i.e., components and mechanical devices, such as CPU or memory of a computer, or by software such as a computer program.FIG. 2depicts functional blocks implemented by the cooperation of hardware and software. Therefore, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the functional blocks may be implemented in a variety of manners by a combination of hardware and software.

The tuner13comprises a coaxial cable interface unit200, a B-CAS (registered trademark) card interface unit202, a USB interface unit204, and a signal processing unit206. The coaxial cable interface unit200functions as an interface with a coaxial cable connected to the antenna and acquires a broadcast signal of terrestrial television broadcast. The B-CAS card interface unit202functions as an interface with a B-CAS card and acquires an encryption key for decoding the broadcast signal from the B-CAS card.

The USB interface unit204functions as an interface with a USB cable and acquires identification information of the channel selected by the viewer from the information processing apparatus11. Further, the unit204sends image information on the selected channel and EPG information to the information processing apparatus11. The signal processing unit206retrieves a signal on the channel selected by the viewer from the broadcast signal and decodes the signal into image information according to the encryption key of the B-CAS card.

Referring back toFIG. 1, the information processing apparatus11is a computer terminal connected to the Internet15that acknowledges the viewer's operation via the controller12and is operated accordingly. The information processing apparatus11may be a desktop game device. A program viewer application (hereinafter, also referred to as “program viewer AP”), for displaying and recording live transmission of a program broadcast on terrestrial digital television and for playing back recorded images, is installed in the information processing apparatus11. Also installed in the apparatus11is a web browser for interpreting data for a structure document described in HTML, XML, etc. and displaying the result.

When the program viewer AP is started in the information processing apparatus11, the information processing apparatus11may, for example, acquire image information on the channel selected by the viewer from the tuner13and display the program image on the display14. The apparatus11may also acquire EPG information from the tuner13and display an electronic program guide on the display14. The detailed configuration of the information processing apparatus11will be described later. The information processing apparatus11and the display14may be connected by a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI: registered trademark) cable.

The information management server16manages the status of viewing programs acquired from the plurality of program viewing systems10and delivers the viewing status to each of the program viewing systems10. The detailed configuration of the information management server16will be described later. The search server17provides a search service and supplies the source originating a search request with information indicating a web page with a high score of matching with the search key designated in the search request.

FIG. 3is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the information management server16ofFIG. 1. It will be appreciated to a skilled person that the functional blocks ofFIG. 3, like those ofFIG. 2, may be implemented in a variety of manners by a combination of hardware and software. For example, the functional blocks ofFIG. 3may be stored in a predetermined recording medium as computer programs. The programs may be installed in a hard disk of the information management server16, read into a main memory of the information management server16, and run by a processor.

The information management server16comprises a communication processing unit20, a tally result storage unit22, and a data processing unit24for performing various data processes. The data processing unit24may include a viewer tally unit26, a programmed recording tally unit28, and an indicator providing unit30.

The communication processing unit20performs a process of communicating with an external device via the Internet15. The data processing unit24exchanges data with the information processing apparatus11in the program viewing system10via the communication processing unit20. The tally result storage unit22is a storage area for storing data indicating the tally score in the viewer tally unit26and the programmed recording tally unit28described later.

FIG. 4shows the structure of data stored in the tally result storage unit22. A program ID field is adapted to contain a program ID uniquely identifying a program broadcast on a specific date and time. Programs broadcast on a periodical basis with the same program title are assigned different ID's if broadcast on different time and date. It is assumed that the program ID is defined in the EPG information. A viewer count field is adapted to contain the total number of viewers currently viewing the program identified by the program ID. In a form of the base technology, the viewers are categorized according to the age group and sex. Each subfield is adapted to contain the total number in the respective category. A programmed recording count field is adapted to contain the total number of viewers having programmed the recording of the program identified by the program ID, categorizing the viewers according to the age group and sex.

Referring back toFIG. 3, the viewer tally unit26acquires the program ID of the program currently viewed by the viewer from each of the plurality of information processing apparatuses11on a periodical basis and adds up the number of viewers viewing each program. In a form of the base technology, viewer attributes (i.e., age group and sex) are acquired along with the program ID. The number of viewers viewing the program identified by the program ID is added up for each viewer attribute so that the resultant score is stored in the tally result storage unit22.

The programmed recording tally unit28acquires the program ID of the program that the viewer has programmed to record from each of the plurality of information processing apparatuses11on a periodical basis and adds up the number of recordings programmed. In a form of the base technology, viewer attributes are acquired along with the program ID. The number of recordings programmed for the program identified by the program ID is added up for each viewer attribute so that the resultant score is stored in the tally result storage unit22.

The indicator providing unit30supplies the information processing apparatus11with an indicator indicating the status of viewing programs in the information processing system100. The indicator includes an indicator indicative of the number of viewers viewing a program (hereinafter, live indicator) and an indicator indicative of the number of viewers that have programmed recordings of the program (hereinafter, programmed recording indicator).

More specifically, the indicator providing unit30transmits, as a live indicator, the number of viewers, categorized according to the age group and sex, stored in the tally result storage unit22to the information processing apparatus11. The unit30also transmits the number of recordings programmed, categorized according to the age group and sex, stored in the tally result storage unit22to the information processing apparatus11.

In one variation, the unit30may supply, as a live indicator, the result of entering the number of viewers in a predetermined evaluation function instead of the number of viewers itself. For example, the number of viewers of a given program relative to the total number of viewers, i.e. the viewing rate, may be supplied. The same is true of the programmed recording indicator. For example, the number of programmed recordings of a given program relative to the total number of viewers, i.e., the programmed recording rate, may be supplied as a programmed recording indicator.

FIG. 5shows the hardware configuration of the information processing apparatus11ofFIG. 1. The information processing apparatus11comprises, as basic components, a CPU300, a graphic processor unit (GPU)302, an input and output processor304, an optical disk reading unit306, a main memory308, a mask ROM310, and a sound processor312.

The CPU300controls signal processing and internal components based on various programs such as a game, an e-mail program, and an application for a web browser. The CPU300may be a multicore CPU such as a CELL. Alternatively, the CPU300may be a heterogeneous multicore CPU in which a plurality of heterogeneous processor cores are combined.

The GPU302performs image processing. The input and output processor304performs a process for interfacing between an external device and internal components, or a process for maintaining downward compatibility. The optical disk reading unit306reads from an optical disk such as a BD, DVD, and CD in which an application program or multimedia data is recorded. The main memory308functions as a buffer that temporarily stores data read from a work area of the CPU300or the optical disk. The mask ROM310primarily stores an operating system program run by the CPU300or the input and output processor304. The sound processor312processes a sound signal.

The information processing apparatus11also comprises a CD/DVD/BD processor314, an optical disk reproducing driver316, a mechanical controller318, a hard disk drive334, and a card connector (e.g., a PC card slot)320. The CD/DVD/BD processor314applies an error correction (e.g., cross interleave Reed-Solomon coding (CIRC)) process or an expanding and decoding process on a disk signal read by the optical disk reading unit306from a CD/DVD/BD and amplified by an RF amplifier328. Thereby, the data recorded in the CD/DVD/BD is reproduced (restored). The optical disk reproducing driver316and the mechanical controller318control the rotation of the spindle motor of the optical disk reading unit306, focusing/tracking of an optical pickup, and loading of a disk tray.

The hard disk drive334stores data saved from an application program or game read from the optical disk reading unit306, or stores data such as photos, moving images, and music acquired via the input and output processor304. The card connector320is a connection port for a communication card, an external hard disk drive336, etc.

These components are primarily connected to each other via bus lines322,324, etc. The CPU300and the GPU302are connected via a dedicated bus. The CPU300and the input and output processor304are connected via SBUS. The input and output processor304is connected to the CD/DVD/BD processor314, the mask ROM310, the sound processor312, the card connector320, and the hard disk drive334via SSBUS.

The CPU300controls the overall operation of the information processing apparatus11by running the operating system program for the CPU stored in the mask ROM310. The CPU300reads various data from an optical disk such as CD, DVD, BD, etc. and loads the data into the main memory308. The CPU300may also run various application programs downloaded via a communication network and control games, creation/editing of e-mail messages, or an operation like web page browsing.

The input and output processor304runs an operating system program for the input and output processor stored in the mask ROM310and thereby controls input and output. For example, the processor304controls the input and output of use-generated signals or game settings from the controller12, contents or addresses of e-mail messages, or data from a memory card326adapted to store web site URLs, etc.

Further, the input and output processor304controls data input and output via a USB connection terminal333, a network card330, an IEEE1394 terminal or a PC card slot (not shown), etc. For example, the processor304may be connected to the tuner13via the USB connection terminal333or connected to the Internet15via the network card330. The processor304may also perform data input and output through the memory card326via the PC card slot (not shown). Information from the controller12or the memory card is mediated by an interface332which includes a multimedia slot and a wireless transmission/reception port.

For example, the wireless transmission/reception port communicates with a game controller or a BD/DVD operation controller using wireless LAN or Bluetooth (registered trademark). The interface332is also provided with an interfere with an HDMI (registered trademark) cable and outputs image data to the display14via the interface.

The GPU302is provided with the function of a geometry transfer engine for processes like coordinate conversion and the function of a rendering processor. The GPU302renders an image in accordance with a rendering instruction from the CPU300and stores the rendered image in a frame buffer (not shown). For example, given that an application program stored in an optical disk uses three-dimensional (3D) graphics (e.g., a game program), the GPU302computes the coordinates of polygons forming three-dimensional objects by performing geometric computation. In the rendering process, the GPU301performs computation to generate an image obtained by capturing the three-dimensional object with a virtual camera, i.e., computation for perspective transformation (computation of coordinate values occurring when the vertices of polygons forming the three dimensional object are projected onto a virtual camera screen). The image data ultimately obtained is written in the frame buffer. The GPU302outputs a video signal corresponding to the image thus generated.

The sound processor312is provided with functions for adaptive differential pulse code modulation (ADPCM) decoding, audio signal reproduction, signal modulation, etc. The ADPCM decoding function is a function of reconstructing and outputting an audio signal for sound effects, etc. by reading waveform data stored in a sound buffer (not shown) built in the sound processor312or externally coupled to the processor312. The signal modulation function also functions as a sampling sound source capable of generating an audio signal for musical sound, sound effects, etc. from the waveform data stored in the sound buffer.

When the information processing apparatus11having the configuration as described above is turned on, the operating system programs for the CPU300and for the input and output processor304are read from the mask ROM310. The CPU300and the input and output processor304run the corresponding operating system programs. This allows the CPU300to control the components of the information processing apparatus11in a coordinated manner. The input and output processor304controls the input and output of signals from and to the controller12, the memory card326, etc.

Upon starting the operating system program, the CPU300performs an initialization process such as verification of the operation. The CPU300then controls the optical disk reading unit306to read an application program such as a game stored in the optical disk and load the program in the main memory308, and then runs, for example, the game application program. When the game application program is run, the CPU300controls the GPU302and the sound processor312in accordance with a user instruction acknowledged from the controller12via the input and output processor304, so as to control the display of images, and generation of sound effects or musical sound, etc.

For example, when a movie stored in the optical disk is played back, the CPU300controls the GPU302and the sound processor312in accordance with a user instruction (command) acknowledged from the controller via the input and output processor304, so as to control the display of images, generation of sound effects or musical sound, etc in the movie played back from the optical disk.

FIG. 6is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the information processing apparatus11ofFIG. 1. As inFIG. 2, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the functional blocks ofFIG. 6may be implemented in a variety of manners by a combination of hardware and software. For example, the functional blocks ofFIG. 6may be stored in a predetermined recording medium as computer programs. The programs may be installed in a hard disk drive334ofFIG. 5, read into the main memory308of the information processing apparatus11, and run by the CPU300. In other words, it can be said that the functional blocks ofFIG. 6show various modules forming the program viewing AP.

The information processing apparatus11is provided with an external interface unit40, a data storage unit48, and a data processing unit56. The external interface unit40provides an interface with various external devices. The data processing unit56exchanges data with an external device via the external interface unit40. The external interface unit40includes a tuner IF unit41, a communication processing unit42, an operation detection unit44, and a display data output unit46.

The tuner IF unit41provides an interface with the tuner13and sends data acknowledged from the tuner13to the data processing unit56. The communication processing unit42runs a process of communicating with the information management server16and the search server17via the Internet15. The operation detection unit44detects a viewer operation of the controller12and sends the content of operation to the data processing unit56. The display data output unit46sends the data for videos and images for display sent from a display processing unit78(described later) to the display14to display the videos and images accordingly.

The data storage unit48is a storage area for storing data and may be implemented as a hard disk drive and data stored therein. The data storage unit48includes a program information storage unit50, a recording information storage unit52, and a thumbnail storage unit54.

The program information storage unit50stores program information on a plurality of programs that should be displayed in the electronic program guide.FIG. 7shows the structure of data stored in the program information storage unit50. A program summary field is adapted to contain summary information on the program. A popularity rank field is adapted to temporarily contain the relative popularity of each of a plurality of programs broadcast in the same time zone.

Referring back toFIG. 6, the recording information storage unit52stores recording information related to the recording of programs in the information processing apparatus11.FIG. 8shows the structure of data stored in the recording information storage unit52. A recording ID field is adapted to contain a recording ID uniquely identifying the recorded content in the information processing apparatus11.

A recording flag field ofFIG. 6is adapted to contain a flag indicating whether the recording process is completed or whether an error occurred during the recording process. For example, a record “done” in the recording flag field indicates that the recording is completed, and a record “not done” in the recording flag field indicates that the recording is programmed. A playback progress rate field is adapted to contain a value indicating the progress of playback of the recorded content, i.e., the percentage of the recorded content already played back. For example, the playback progress rate “0%” in a record indicates that the recorded content has not been played back at all. A content data field is adapted to contain data of the recorded content itself, i.e., data for the images of the program recorded.

Referring back toFIG. 6, the thumbnail storage unit54stores data for a thumbnail image showing a part of the image included in the recorded content on a reduced scale, associating the data with the recording ID of the recorded content. A thumbnail image may be a still image or a moving image.

A physical storage area for the data storage unit48to store the data may be the hard disk drive334built in the information processing apparatus11, the external hard disk drive336, or the memory card326. The external hard disk drive336may store only the recorded information of a relatively large data size (particularly, the data in the content data field). The storage area for storing the respective data may be determined as needed according to the operation of the viewer.

The data processing unit56is a functional block for performing data processing and may be implemented as a module of a computer program. The data processing unit56includes a program image acquisition unit58, a program information acquisition unit60, an attribute acquisition unit62, a recording processing unit64, a playback processing unit66, an indicator acquisition unit68, a popularity determination unit70, a thumbnail setting unit72, a search key acquisition unit74, a search execution unit76, a display processing unit78, and a viewing status communicating unit99.

The program image acquisition unit58acquires image information of a program sent from the tuner13. The program information acquisition unit60acquires EPG information sent from the tuner13and stores the program information of the programs in the program information storage unit50.

The attribute acquisition unit62acquires attribute information of the viewer entered by the viewer, e.g., the age and sex of the viewer. For example, the unit62may acquire the attribute information from a predetermined storage area adapted to store the attribute information entered by the viewer in a setting screen of the information processing apparatus11.

The recording processing unit64programs the recording of a program designated by the viewer and records the program accordingly. Moreover, the unit64updates the recording information in the recording information storage unit52as appropriate. For example, the recording flag is set to “not done” in the programmed recording process. In the recording process, the image data for the program to be recorded is successively recorded in the content data field. When the recording process is completed normally, the recording flag is set to “done”. When an error occurs in the recording process, the recording flag is set to “error”.

When the target program being recorded is ranked at or higher than a certain rank in the ranking of popularity as determined by the popularity determination unit70described later, e.g., when the program is ranked as the third most popular program or higher, the recording processing unit64indicates as such in the recorded content. In a form of the base technology, a chapter is inserted into the recorded content when the program is ranked at or higher than a certain rank in the ranking of popularity.

The playback processing unit66plays back the recorded content by sending the image data for the content designated by the viewer to the display processing unit78. In association with this, the unit66updates the recording information in the recording information storage unit52as appropriate in accordance with the status of playback of the recorded content. For example, the processing unit66sets the rate of playback time relative to the recorded time in the playback progress rate field.

The playback processing unit66may play back only the popular scene in the program originating the recorded content, in accordance with an instruction from the viewer. For example, the unit66may play back only the portion preceding and succeeding the insertion of the chapter by the recording processing unit64for a predetermined period of time. Alternatively, changes in the ranking of popularity as determined by the popularity determination unit70described later may be stored in the data storage unit481. The playback processing unit66may play back only the portion of the program originating the recorded content ranked at or higher than a certain rank in the ranking of popularity.

The indicator acquisition unit68acquires a live indicator and a programmed recording indicator from the information management server16. Typically, the live indicator and the programmed recording indicator are acquired when the display processing unit78starts displaying an electronic program guide. The latest live indicator and the programmed recording indicator are acquired when an elapse of a predetermined interval period is detected.

The popularity determination unit70determines the ranking of relative popularity of a plurality of programs broadcast in the same time zone in accordance with the live indicator and/or the programmed recording indicator. In a form of the base technology, the larger the sum of the live indicator and the programmed recording indicator, the higher the program is ranked. Since the live indicator is not available for a program not broadcast yet, the ranking of popularity is determined only on the basis of the programmed recording indicator. After determining the ranking of popularity of programs, the popularity determination unit70updates the data in the popularity rank field forming the program information in the program information storage unit50.

When the population in which the ranking of popularity should be determined is designated by the user, the popularity determination unit70determines the ranking of popularity in accordance with the live indicator and the programmed recording indicator associated with the designated attribute (in this case, age group and sex). When the population is not designated, the ranking of popularity is determined in accordance with the sum of live indicators across the attributes and the sum of programmed recording indicators across the attributes.

The popularity determination unit70may output the indicator itself acquired by the indicator acquisition unit68as data indicating the degree of popularity without determining the ranking popularity. In this case, the indicator itself is dealt with as the ranking of popularity.

Upon detecting that the recording process is completed in the recording processing unit64, the thumbnail setting unit72refers to the recording information in the recording information storage unit52and sets a thumbnail image showing a moving image or still image stored as content data on a reduced scale. The unit72stores the data for the thumbnail image in the thumbnail storage unit54, associating the data with the recording ID.

Of the plurality of images stored as content data, the thumbnail setting unit72according to a form of the base technology sets a thumbnail image from the image of a popular scene in the program originating the recorded content. For example, a thumbnail image may be created from an image immediately preceding or succeeding the insertion of a chapter by the recording processing unit64. Alternatively, changes in the ranking of popularity as determined by the popularity determination unit70may be stored in the data storage unit48so that the thumbnail setting unit72may create a thumbnail image from the image occurring when the program originating the recorded content is ranked the highest.

The search key acquisition unit74acquires the ID of the program being displayed on the display14from a program image displaying unit84and acquires, as a search key, program information associated with the program ID from the program information storage unit50. The program being displayed may be a program broadcast live or a recorded program. The program information used as a search key may be the program title or the name of a performer. Alternatively, the information may be a noun phrase extracted appropriately from a character string of the summary information by, for example, morphological analysis.

The search key may not be limited to a key word. The search key acquisition unit74may acquire data of another format (e.g., image data etc. included in the program information) as a search key. In other words, data of an arbitrary format permitted by the search server17may be acquired. Alternatively, the search key acquisition unit74may set a search key using a plurality of elements in the program information as AND conditions. Still alternatively, the unit74may send the respective elements as search keys to the search execution unit76or causes the unit76to perform a plurality of search processes successively. Still alternatively, when the program information of the program being displayed is updated, the unit74may acquire a new search key from the program information as updated and causes the search execution unit76to perform a new search.

The search execution unit76transmits a search request designating the search key acquired by the search key acquisition unit74to the search server17. The unit76acquires, as a search result, a combination of the matching score with the search key and an URL of a web page. The search execution unit76acquires the data for the web page determined by the search server17to have the highest matching score with the search key, based on the URL. The unit76then sends the data for the web page to the display processing unit78.

The display processing unit78causes the display14to display an image desired by the viewer by sending the data for a moving image or still image that should be displayed on the display14to the data output unit46. The display processing unit78includes a portal screen displaying unit80, a standby screen displaying unit82, a program image displaying unit84, a search result displaying unit86, a program guide displaying unit88, and a video control screen displaying unit96.

The portal screen displaying unit80displays a portal screen that serves as a primary source of transition a plurality of types of viewing screens or control screens. The portal screen is a top, frontend screen displayed without exception when any of a plurality of types of viewing screens or control screens is displayed. The portal screen serves as a common entrance to these screens. The plurality of types of viewing screens and control screens include a television screen for viewing the image from a program (hereinafter, also simply referred to as “live image”) currently broadcast on terrestrial digital television, a video screen for playing back a recorded program, and a setting screen for entering various settings for the program viewing AP.

FIG. 9shows an exemplary portal screen as displayed. On-screen selection icons102are for selecting from a plurality of types of viewing screens or control screens provided by the program viewing AP. The icons102include a TV icon102a, . . . , and a setting icon102h. When the TV icon102ais selected, transition is made to a TV screen. When a program guide icon102bis selected, transition is made to an EPG screen displaying an electronic program guide. When a ranking icon102cis selected, transition is made to a ranking screen displaying a ranking of programs in popularity.

When a schedule icon102dis selected, transition is made to a schedule screen for viewing a schedule (e.g., programmed recording). When a video icon102eis selected, transition is made to a video screen. When a program search icon102fis selected, transition is made to a program search screen for searching for a program being broadcast or scheduled to be broadcast. When a manual icon102gis selected, transition is made to a manual screen displaying a manual related to the operation of the program viewing AP. When a setting icon102his selected, transition is made to a setting screen.

A latest information pop104represents a pop-up display of the latest information corresponding to the type of on-screen selection icon102that is selectable. Referring toFIG. 9, the TV icon102ais being made selectable. The latest information pop104, indicating the status of viewing by other viewers of the program currently broadcast, is displayed in association with the TV icon102a. For example, the portal screen displaying unit80may display in the latest information pop104the title of the program ranked No. 1 by the popularity determination unit70among the programs current broadcast.

By way of another example, the portal screen displaying unit80may display in the latest information pop104, which is displayed in association with the schedule icon102d, the number of currently programmed recordings or the title of the program programmed to be recorded. The unit80may display a currently available hard disk space or time available for recording in the latest information pop104displayed in association with the video icon102e.

A status tag106indicates the viewing status of the recorded content (in other words, the viewing status based on the video-related operation). The tag106includes an error situation tag106a, a unviewed tag106b, a programmed recording tag106c. In the event of an error during a recording process in the recording processing unit64, the portal screen displaying unit80displays the situation in the error situation tag106a. The unit80also refers to the recording information stored in the recording information storage unit52and displays the number of recorded contents that are recorded and not played back yet (0% playback progress rate) in the unviewed tag106b.The unit80also refers to the recording information and displays the number of programmed recordings not yet processed in the programmed recording tag106c.

A recorded content thumbnail108is a thumbnail image of each recorded content. One thumbnail image is displayed per one recorded content. The portal screen displaying unit80acquires a thumbnail image of the recorded content that should be displayed from the thumbnail storage unit54and sets the image in the portal screen. Recorded content thumbnails108for the entirety of the recorded contents may be displayed. Alternatively, thumbnail images of only those recorded contents with 100% playback progress rate may be displayed, or thumbnail images of only those recorded contents with 0% playback progress rate may be displayed.

Referring back toFIG. 6, the standby screen displaying unit82displays a standby screen. The standby screen is a screen displayed when a viewer operation is not detected for a predetermined period of time (e.g., 30 seconds) or more in the portal screen. The standby screen could be equated with a screen saver. When a user operation using the controller12is detected while the standby screen is being displayed, the standby screen displaying unit82terminates the display of the standby screen so that the portal screen displaying unit80displays the portal screen again.

FIG. 10shows an exemplary standby screen as displayed. In the standby screen, the standby screen displaying unit82displays an image of a three-dimensional space in which each of the on-screen selection icons102and the recorded content thumbnails108is displayed in varying manner, changing its position, angle, and size.

The standby screen displaying unit82refers to the recording information in the recording information storage unit52so as to change the mode of display of the recorded content thumbnail108corresponding to the recorded content in accordance with the attribute of the recorded content. For example, the recorded content with the recording date and time closer to the current date and time may be indicated by a recorded content thumbnail108displayed in a varying mode assumed to attract more attention of the viewer. More specifically, the target recorded content thumbnail108may be displayed on a scale larger than the other recorded content thumbnails108. Alternatively, the target recorded content thumbnail108may be allowed to change its mode of display more rapidly than the other recorded content thumbnails108.

Referring back toFIG. 6, the program image displaying unit84displays the image of the program on the display14. For example, when the TV icon102ais selected in the portal screen, the unit84displays the live image of the program acquired by the program image acquisition unit58. When the video icon102eis selected in the portal screen and playback of the recorded content is requested in the video screen at the destination of transition, the unit84displays the image of the recorded content acknowledged from the playback processing unit66.

The program image displaying unit84displays a control icon for acknowledging a viewer operation in the television screen or the video screen (hereinafter, generically referred to as “image display screen”) displaying the image of a program.FIG. 11shows an exemplary image display screen110. Control icons112in the figure include a search icon112afor initiating an Internet search using information related to the program as a key. Selection of the search icon112arepresents a trigger for starting a process in the search key acquisition unit74and the search execution unit76.

Referring back toFIG. 6, the search result displaying unit86displays on a browser screen data for the web page acknowledged from the search execution unit76as a search result. The browser screen is a screen in which the web browser is running

FIG. 12shows an exemplary image display screen110. As shown in the figure, the image display screen110, and a browser screen114displaying the search result using the information on the program being displayed in the image display screen110as a key are displayed on the display14at the same time. Referring to the figure, the program home page is displayed in the browser screen114. When the search result displaying unit86performs a new search, the search result displaying unit86updates the displayed content in the browser screen114, displaying the result of the new search in the browser screen114.

Referring back toFIG. 6, the program guide displaying unit88performs a process of displaying an electronic program guide. The program guide displaying unit88includes a cursor displaying unit90, a first program guide displaying unit92, and a second program guide displaying unit94. The cursor displaying unit90displays a cursor that allows the viewer to select a specific program in the electronic program guide and moves the cursor in accordance with the viewer operation. The viewer selects an area in which information on a program is displayed (hereinafter, also referred to as “program frame”) in the electronic program guide, by using the controller12to move the cursor. The program frame can be said to be a cell area formed by a time axis and a channel axis.

When a predetermined viewer operation is acknowledged while a program is being displayed by the program image displaying unit84, the first program guide displaying unit92refers to the program information in the program information storage unit50and displays the first program guide, superimposing the guide on the program image. The first program guide includes an arrangement of program information on a plurality of programs currently broadcast in the respective channels. The first program guide displaying unit92displays the first program guide, setting a transparency rate so that the program image in the background is viewable to the viewer.

In a form of the base technology, the first program guide displaying unit92displays the first program guide in which only the information on the currently broadcast programs is arranged. When a program displayed in a program frame ends, the first program guide displaying unit92displays information on a subsequently broadcast program in the program frame.

FIG. 13shows an exemplary first program guide116as displayed. The first program guide116shows program frames118corresponding to a plurality of channels. The channel name and the program title are displayed in each program frame118. The first program guide displaying unit92refers to the program information on the programs and displays objects indicating the rank of popularity (hereinafter, also referred to as “popularity rank indicator”) in the program frames118for the top-ranking three programs, associating the objects with the programs. In one variation, the rank of popularity of each program may be suggested to the viewer by varying the color in the program frame118, the character font of the program information, or the like. The first program guide displaying unit92refers to the program information of the respective programs periodically (e.g., once in one minute) and updates the popularity rank indicators accordingly.

The cursor displaying unit90displays a cursor120for selecting the program frame118. The viewer uses the cursor112to select the program frame118for the program for which the viewer wishes to view the program content or the progress status. The first program guide displaying unit92acquires a program summary of the program corresponding to the program frame118selected by the cursor120(hereinafter, also referred to as “temporarily selected program”) from the program information storage unit50and displays the summary in the program summary field124, allowing the scrolling of the display. When the cursor120is moved downward in a given program frame118, the first program guide displaying unit92may display information on the program broadcast after the currently broadcast program in the program frame118.

The first program guide displaying unit92computes the degree of progress of the program, based on the broadcast start time, the broadcast end time, and the current time of the temporarily selected program and displays the degree in a progress indicator126. In one variation, the unit92may indicate the degree of progress of each program to the viewer by varying the mode of display in the plurality of program frames118displayed in the first program guide116in accordance with the degree of progress of the programs.

Further, the first program guide displaying unit92displays a popularity transition indicator128of the temporarily selected program. When the latest popularity rank of the temporarily selected program is acquired, the first program guide displaying unit92sets a popularity transition indicator128to show the status of transition as compared with the past popularity rank (e.g., rise, decline, no change).

When a predetermined viewer operation (e.g., depression of a designated button in the controller12) is initiated by the viewer for the temporarily selected program in the first program guide116, the data processing unit56acknowledges that the temporarily selected program is designated as a formally selected program. This causes the program image displaying unit84to switch the program image displayed in the image display screen110to the image of the formally selected program. For example, the program image acquisition unit58acquires the image information on the formally selected program from the tuner13, and the program image displaying unit84displays the program image of the formally selected program on the display14.

The first program guide displaying unit92may further display the live indicator and/or the programmed recording indicator providing the ground for the current popularity rank, associating the indicator with the program for which the popularity rank indicator is displayed or the temporarily selected program (not shown inFIG. 13). According to this embodiment the viewer can view the data itself that indicates the actual status of viewing, in addition to the popularity rank, which is an abstraction of the viewing status of the program.

Referring back toFIG. 6, the second program guide displaying unit94displays the second program guide in the entirety of the screen of the display14, when the program guide icon102bis selected in the portal screen. The second program guide shows an arrangement of program information on a plurality of programs, using the time axis covering a plurality of time zones as a vertical axis and using the channel axis covering a plurality of channels as a horizontal axis.

FIG. 14shows an exemplary second program guide as displayed. The figure shows the second program guide showing program information covering 24 hours. A channel indicator130is an identifier object for identifying a channel on terrestrial digital television. A channel interval131is arranged between adjacent channels. The mode of displaying a program frame may be changed for each time zone (e.g., each three hours) so that the viewer can have knowledge of programs broadcast in the same time zone. For example, the color or character font of the program frame may be changed.

The second program guide displaying unit94enlarges or reduces the area for the program frame in the second program guide in accordance with a viewer operation. More specifically, the unit94enlarges or reduces the size of the program frame per unit time or enlarges or reduces the size of the program frame per channel. Associated with this, the volume of program information that can be displayed in each program frame is increased or decreased. For example, the mode of displaying the second program guide may be switched such that “vertical axis=24 hrs, horizontal axis=9 channels”, “vertical axis=5 hrs, horizontal axis=7 channels”, “vertical axis=3 hrs, horizontal axis=5 channels”, or “vertical axis=2 hrs, horizontal axis=3 channels”.

The second program guide displaying unit94displays “the program title of the program started to be broadcast” on the first line of the program frame in the second program guide, and displays the program summary in the second and subsequent lines. In the second program guide where “vertical axis=24 hrs, horizontal axis=9 channels”, the program frame for a 30-minute program is displayed so as to consume a minimum unit of display, i.e., a single line. Thus, the program information for a program that lasts less than 30 minutes is displayed in a balloon in accordance with the movement of a cursor132described later.

The cursor displaying unit90displays a cursor132for selecting a program frame. The viewer uses the cursor132to select the program frame of a program for which the viewer wishes to know more detailed information or a program that the viewer desires to control for viewing. The program highlighted by the cursor132is designated as a temporarily selected program. The second program guide displaying unit94enlarges the program frame of the temporarily selected program in the direction of channel axis, i.e., displays the frame in a larger size than the other program frames. Further, the second program guide displaying unit94displays the program summary of the temporarily selected program in a program summary field134, allowing the scrolling of the display.

FIG. 15also shows an exemplary second program guide as displayed. The figure shows that the temporarily selected program ofFIG. 14is designated as the formally selected program by a predetermined user operation. The viewer performs a desired operation for viewing the formally selected program by selecting control icons138such as a programmed recording icon138aor a program viewing icon138b.

The second program guide displaying unit94displays program information on the formally selected program (e.g., channel name, broadcasting station name, program title, broadcast date and time, viewing status, program summary) in a program detail window136. The viewing status indicator137shows the number of viewers of the formally selected program. More specifically, the live indicator, the programmed recording indicator, or a total thereof may be displayed. When the formally selected program is designated, the second program guide displaying unit94displays the program detail window136, superimposing the window136on the second program guide in a pop-up mode of display and displaying the second program guide in the background in a reduced image quality. For example, the second program guide may be displayed in a blurred manner by removing high-frequency components from the image data for the second program guide. Alternatively, a semitransparent object may be displayed on the image of the second program guide.

A description will now be given of a variation adapted for a case where the display14is a 3D display capable of stereographic display. The image of the program frame of the program selected by the cursor132, i.e., the temporarily selected program, and/or the image of the program detail window136, as displayed by the second program guide displaying unit94may be a parallax view split temporarily or spatially.

For example, when the viewer wears eyeglasses with a shutter, a temporally split parallax view may be displayed, and, when the viewer wears eyeglasses with a polarization plate, a spatially split parallax view may be displayed. Typically, the program frame of the temporarily selected program and/or the program detail window136is displayed in front of the second program guide.

According to this variation, viewability of the program frame of the temporarily selected program and/or the program detail window136is increased. Whether a parallax view is displayed or the mode of parallax view may be preset by the viewer. Alternatively, the information processing apparatus11may detect the type of the display14and determine dynamically in accordance with the type.

FIG. 16also shows an exemplary second program guide as displayed. The figure shows the second program guide displayed after the recording of the formally selected program is programmed inFIG. 15. The second program guide displaying unit94displays a program frame140of the program programmed to be recorded in a predetermined mode indicating that the recording of the program has been programmed. Associated with this, a programmed recording line142is displayed in the channel interval131of the time zone in which the recording of the program is programmed so as to indicate that the program is programmed to be recorded in the time zone. The second program guide displaying unit94may display a line object indicating a current time in the second program guide in a similar mode as the programmed recording line142. The provision is particularly useful when the information on the program broadcast already continues to be displayed in the second program guide.

Further, the second program guide displaying unit94temporarily displays a setting window for setting the character font of the second program guide on the display14along with the second program guide.FIG. 17shows an exemplary second program guide as displayed. When a particular character font is designated by the viewer in the setting window144, the second program guide displaying unit94immediately reflects the designated character font in the second program guide. In other words, the second program guide as displayed is switched to the guide in which program information is shown using the designated character font.FIG. 17shows an example in which the character size is changed. Alternatively, the character style, i.e., the type face, may be similarly changed.

The second program guide displaying unit94scrolls the second program guide in the time axis direction or the channel axis direction in accordance with the movement of the cursor132in the second program guide, thereby switching the displayed content in the second program guide. As regards the program frame a part of which is no longer displayed as a result of the scrolling in the time axis direction and which shows a program that has not been completely broadcast yet, the second program guide displaying unit94displays the program information that should be displayed in that program frame in an area that remains displayed after the scrolling, starting at the head of the program information. In other words, the unit94displays “broadcast start time indicated by minutes+program title” in preference to the program summary.

FIGS. 18A and 18Bshow exemplary second program guide as displayed. In this case, it is assumed that the current time is 17:45.FIG. 18Ashows the second program guide displayed before scrolling. The figure shows a program guide for a time zone 16:00-20:00. Meanwhile,FIG. 18Bshows the second program guide displayed after scrolling. The figure shows a program guide for a time zone 17:00-21:00. When the cursor132is moved downward inFIG. 18A, the display is switched toFIG. 18B.

The display area of program frames146,147, and148ofFIG. 18Bis reduced as compared to the status inFIG. 18A. Since the program of the program frame146is currently broadcast, the second program guide displaying unit94displays as much of the program information as can be fitted in the area of the program frame146that remains displayed, starting at the head of the information. In other words, the position where the program information as displayed starts is shifted to the head of the remaining area.

Meanwhile, since the programs for the program frames147and148have already been broadcast, the second program guide displaying unit94does not change the position where the program information as displayed starts. The second program guide displaying unit94may display the program information of the program that has already been broadcast in a mode not so noticeable as that of the program information of the program not completely broadcast yet (e.g., using a light gray character color), and may not change the position where the program information starts in the program frame displayed in that mode.

Referring back toFIG. 6, when the video icon102eis selected in the portal screen, the video control screen displaying unit96displays a video screen for controlling the operation of recording/playing back the program on the display14. The video control screen displaying unit96includes a recording list displaying unit98. The recording list displaying unit98displays a list of recordings that includes information on recorded content and a list of programmed recordings.

FIG. 19shows an exemplary video screen showing a list of recordings. A list of recordings150shows a list of titles, recoded date and time, status, and playback progress rate of the recorded programs. A status field contains information indicating the status of recorded content. For example, the information may indicate whether the content is recorded, programmed to be recorded, or whether an error has occurred. A playback progress rate field contains a value indicating the degree of progress of the playback of the recorded content. The video control screen displaying unit96refers to the recording information in the recording information storage unit52to set values in the respective fields of the list of recordings. When a playback button152is selected by the viewer, the playback processing unit66starts playing back the recorded content corresponding to the playback button152.

In one variation, the list of recordings in the video screen may contain only the information related to the content already recorded. In this case, the information on programmed recording may be displayed in a schedule screen at the destination of transition reached when the schedule icon102dis selected in the portal screen.

Referring back toFIG. 6, the viewing status communicating unit99periodically transmits viewing status data to the information management server16. The viewing status data associates the program ID of the program currently displayed by the program image displaying unit84, i.e., the program ID of the program currently viewed by the viewer, with the attribute information of the viewer. Further, the viewing status communicating unit99refers to the recording information in the recording information storage unit52and periodically transmits viewing status data to the information management server16. The viewing status data associates the program ID of the program programmed to be recorded with the attribute information of the viewer. The frequency of communicating the viewing status may be determined in light of the real time performance required to collect viewing status and of the network and system load, comparing the requirements. For example, the information may be communicated once in every one minute, for example.

A description will now be given of the operation in the configuration described above.FIG. 20is a flowchart showing the operation of the information processing apparatus11. The figure primarily shows the operation initiated via a user interface. When an instruction for starting the program viewer AP is acknowledged in the information processing apparatus11, the portal screen displaying unit80displays a portal screen (S10). When a user operation is not detected (N in S12) and a predetermined period of time or more has elapsed in that state (Y in S14), the standby screen displaying unit82displays a standby screen (S16), whereupon a determination in S12is performed for a second time. When the elapsed time is less than the predetermined period of time (N in S14), control is returned to S12without displaying a standby screen.

In the portal screen, the latest information pop104is displayed in association with each of the icons for selecting respective functional screens. The status tag106indicating the viewing status or operating status is also displayed. In this way, the viewer can view the useful latest information in the portal screen without making a transition to each functional screen. Consequently, viewer convenience is improved. By displaying a thumbnail image of recorded content in the portal screen or standby screen, the viewer can not only view the recorded content but also enjoy viewing the history of recording. For example, since the standby screen shows a thumbnail image in a varying mode, the standby screen may be displayed as some sort of an interior decoration. By allowing a thumbnail image to be displayed in a mode that varies depending on the date and time of recording, the viewer can easily identify and determine a recorded content to view.

When a viewer operation is detected (Y in S12), the standby screen displaying unit82terminates the display of the standby screen if it is being displayed. When the operation of selecting the TV icon102ais detected (Y in S18), a live image display process described later is performed (S20). When the detected operation is not the selection of the TV icon102a(N in S18), S20is skipped. When the operation of selecting the program guide icon102bis detected (Y in S22), a program guide display process described later is performed (S24). If the detected operation is not the selection of the program guide icon102b(N in S22), S24is skipped. When the operation of selecting the video icon102eis selected (Y in S26), a video screen display process described later is performed (S28). When the detected operation is not the selection of the video icon102e(N in S26), S28is skipped. When another on-screen selection icon102is selected in the portal screen, the process of displaying a screen corresponding to the selected icon is performed (not shown in the figure).

FIG. 21is a flowchart showing S20ofFIG. 20in further detail. The program image acquisition unit58acquires the image data for the program selected by the viewer from the tuner13, and the program image displaying unit84displays the live image of the program in the image display screen110(S30). When a request for displaying a program guide is acknowledged (Y in S32), the indicator acquisition unit68acquires the live indicator and the programmed recording indicator from the information management server16(S34), the popularity determination unit70determines the ranking of popularity of the programs according to the indicators (S36). The first program guide displaying unit92displays the first program guide associating the program information of the programs being broadcast with the rank of popularity, superimposing the guide on the image display screen110(S38). When a request for displaying a program guide is not acknowledged (N in S32), S34through S38are skipped.

When a ranking determination interval (e.g., one minute) corresponding to the interval of collecting the viewing status in the information management server16elapses, the indicator acquisition unit68acquires the latest indicators from the information management server16(not shown inFIG. 21). The popularity determination unit70updates the popularity rank of each program in accordance with the latest indicators. The first program guide displaying unit92displays the updated popularity ranking of the programs in the first program guide.

By displaying the first program guide showing ranking indicators along with the live image of the program, the viewer can know programs that are currently popular at a glance while viewing the desired program. In the base technology, the viewing status is identified based on a viewing action that can be objectively identified (e.g., viewing of a program or a programming of a recording). In this way, viewing status can be identified that is more precise than base upon the viewer's subjective indicator of the program (e.g., “like”, “dislike”, “intend to view”, or the like), i.e., more properly representing the situation.

Since the channel can be switched by controlling the first program guide, the viewer can select a program of interest as needed based on the changing ranking order. Since the first program guide shows the progress status of the programs or the status of transition in popularity, the viewer can select a program to view by referring to the status. Since the program summary of the program selected by the cursor is displayed in the program summary field124, allowing the scrolling of the display, the area occupied by the first program guide is controlled while allowing the viewer to view a desired program summary. This helps maintain the viewability of program image.

When a request for a search is acknowledged while the program image is being displayed (Y in S40), or when the information related to the program being displayed is updated (Y in S42) absent an explicit search request (N in S40), the search key acquisition unit74acquires a search key from the program information (S44). The search execution unit76transmits a search request to the search server17and receives a result of the search (S46). The search result displaying unit86displays the browser screen114showing the web page retrieved by the search side by side with the image display screen110(S48). Absent an explicit search request and updating of the program related information (N in S42), S44-S48are skipped so that the flow of the figures is terminated.

According to this embodiment, various information related to the program viewed is acquired from web sites on the Internet and presented to the viewer along with the program image. This allows the user to view a variety of information, i.e., information not limited to typical program guide information, associated with the program viewed. Further, since a search key is automatically retrieved from the program information, it is not necessary for the viewer to designate a search key. When the information related to a program is updated, the information displayed in the browser screen114is updated as changes occur. In this way, the viewer can view a search result updated based on the latest information on the program without performing a specific operation and can continue to view the program image.

FIG. 22is a flowchart showing S24ofFIG. 20in further detail. The second program guide displaying unit94displays the second program guide based on the program information in the program information storage unit50(S50). The cursor displaying unit90moves the display position of the cursor across a plurality of program frames in the second program guide in accordance with the viewer operation. When the cursor is moved (Y in S52), the second program guide displaying unit94displays the program frame designated by the cursor, i.e., the program frame of the temporarily selected program, on a larger scale than the program frames for the other channels (S54).

A part of the program frame goes out of the view in association with the movement of the cursor (Y in S56). When the program frame is for the program being broadcast (Y in S58), the second program guide displaying unit94displays the program information in the remaining area, starting at the head of the information (S60). When the program frame is for the program already broadcast (N in S58), S60is skipped. When none of the parts of the program frame goes out of the view (N in S56), S58and S60are skipped. When the cursor is not moved (N in S52), S54-S60are skipped.

Subsequently, when the program that the viewer desires to control for viewing is selected in the second program guide, i.e., when the program is formally selected (Y in S62), the second program guide displaying unit94displays the program information on the selected program in the program detail window136in a pop-up display mode (S64). In this case, the control icon138is displayed to accompany the program detail window136. The second program guide is displayed in the background in a blurred manner. When the recording of the formally selected program is programmed (Y in S66), the second program guide displaying unit94displays the programmed recording line142indicating the time zone of the programmed recording in the second program guide (S68).

When the recording is not programmed (N in S66), S68is skipped. When the program is not formally selected (N in S62), S64-S68are skipped. When an instruction for changing the display mode of the second program guide (e.g., change in character size, change in size of program frame, etc.) is acknowledged (Y in S70), the second program guide displaying unit94immediately changes the display mode of the second program guide (S72). When an instruction for changing the display mode is not acknowledged (N in S70), S72is skipped.

According to this embodiment, the area of the program frame in the second program guide selected by the cursor is dynamically enlarged so that more program information is displayed than before the selection. This reduces necessity for the viewer to perform an extra operation of, for example, displaying another screen to view program information. In other words, the viewer operation for viewing program information is simplified so that the convenience of the electronic program guide is improved. By superimposing the program detail window136on the second program guide, the viewer is allowed to perform an operation for viewing the program, while maintaining an impression of the time or program position viewed in the second program guide. By reducing the image quality of the second program guide in the background of the program detail window136, the viewability of the program detail window136is relatively improved.

The display mode of the second program guide is changed as needed in accordance with user control while maintaining the display of the second program guide, i.e., without making a transition to another setting screen. This provides the viewer with immediate feedback resulting from the change in the display mode. For example, the viewer can immediately view the change in viewability. Further, by setting the programmed recording line142in the second program guide in association with the programmed recording, the viewer can easily view the status of programmed recording even if the viewer cannot directly view the program frame of the program programmed to be recorded due to a large number of channels. This helps prevent duplicate programmed recordings or unexpected overwriting, for example.

By displaying the program frame that partly goes out of the view, starting at the head of the information that should be displayed, important information (program title, etc.) is displayed in the remaining area of the program frame preferentially. When the program information is displayed, starting in the middle of the information, the viewer will not be able to determine which program the information is about. By displaying the information from the start, the viewer can know the program content easily. By sliding only the program information of the program being broadcast into view in the program frame, only the program content of the program that the viewer can view is presented in an easily distinguishable manner.

FIG. 23shows S28ofFIG. 20in further detail. The video control screen displaying unit96displays a video screen, and the recording list displaying unit98displays a list of recordings150in the video screen (S80). In the list of recordings, the recorded content suspended in the middle of playback is displayed in a mode to indicate as such. More specifically, the playback progress rate indicating the progress of playback is displayed in association with each of the recorded content. This helps the viewer efficiently determine the recorded content to play back.

When an instruction to start playback is acknowledged (Y in S82), the playback processing unit66starts playing back the recorded content (S84) and sends the data for recorded image to the program image displaying unit84. The program image displaying unit84displays the recorded image on the display14(S86). When an instruction to end the playback is not acknowledged (N in S86), control is returned to S86. When an instruction to end the playback is acknowledged (Y in S88), the playback processing unit66ends the process of playing back the recorded content and stores the playback progress rate occurring at that moment in the recording information storage unit52(S92). When an instruction to start playback is not acknowledged (N in S82), S84-S92are skipped.

FIG. 24is a flowchart showing the operation of the information processing apparatus11. The figure primarily shows the operation performed as a background process. When a predetermined interval for notification (e.g., one minute) has elapsed (Y in S100), the viewing status communicating unit99notifies the information management server16of the program ID of the program currently being broadcast and the program ID of the program already programmed to be recorded (S102). When an interval for notification has not elapsed (N in S100), S102is skipped. The recording processing unit64refers to the recording information in the recording information storage unit52and performs the programmed recording process. In other words, when the recording process is not started (N in S104) and when the recording start time comes (Y in S106), the recording processing unit64starts the recording process (S108). When the recording start time has not come (N in S106), S108is skipped. When the recording process is already started (Y in S104), S106and S108are skipped.

When the recording process is already started (Y in S110) and when a predetermined ranking determination interval (e.g., one minute) has elapsed (Y in S112), the indicator acquisition unit68acquires the live indicator and the programmed recording indicator from the information management server16(S114). The popularity determination unit70determines the popularity ranking in accordance with the indicators (S116). When the program being recorded is ranked at or higher than a predetermined rank (Y in S118), the recording processing unit64inserts a chapter in the recorded data (S120). When the program being recorded is not ranked at or higher than a predetermined rank (N in S118), S120is skipped. When the ranking determination interval has not elapsed (N in S112), S114-S120are skipped. By inserting a chapter in the recorded content, the viewer can easily search for and identify the start of a scene that is popular to viewers, when playing back the recorded content.

When the recording end time comes (Y in S122), the recording processing unit64ends the recording process (S124). The thumbnail setting unit72sets a thumbnail image from the recorded video and image occurring when the program is ranked at or higher than a predetermined rank and stores the thumbnail image in the thumbnail storage unit54(S126). When the recording end time does not come (N in S122), S124and S125are skipped. When the recording process is not started yet (N in S110), S112-S126are skipped. According to this embodiment, the scene that is popular to viewers is turned into a thumbnail image so that the recorded content is more easily identified by a thumbnail image.

Described above is an explanation based on a form of the base technology. The embodiment is intended to be illustrative only and it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications to constituting elements and processes could be developed and that such modifications are also within the scope of the base technology. A description will now be given of variations to the base technology.

The first variation will be described. The search key acquisition unit74of a form of the base technology uses program information acknowledged as EPG information as a search key. In one variation, the information processing apparatus11may additionally be provided with a caption information acquisition unit that acquires caption information in character multiplex broadcast (so-called caption multiplex broadcast) from the tuner13. The search key acquisition unit74may use a caption character string included in the caption information as a search key. For example, the unit74may subject the caption character string to morphological analysis and use a noun phrase included in the caption character string as a search key. Alternatively, when the caption information acquisition unit acquires new caption information, the search key acquisition unit74may allow the search execution unit76to perform a new search using the caption character string included in the new caption information as a new search key.

The second variation will be described. The search key acquisition unit74may acquire a search key in accordance with the live indicator or programmed recording indicator acquired by the indicator acquisition unit68or the popularity ranking of the programs determined by the popularity determination unit70. According to this variation, a search result useful for the viewer can easily be provided by using the program related information available when the popularity of the program is increased as a search key.

For example, a search key may be acquired from the program information or caption character string available when the live indicator, programmed recording indicator, or a sum thereof of a program reaches a predetermined value or higher while the image of the program is being displayed. Alternatively, a search key may be acquired from the program information or caption character string available when a program reaches a certain popularity rank or higher while the image of the program is being displayed. The caption character string, indicator, and history of popularity rank may be stored in the data storage unit48in association with the program ID, and the search key acquisition unit74may acquire a search key based on the history information while the recorded content is being played back.

The third variation will be described. In a form of the base technology, the first program guide is assumed to be displayed in a display mode reflecting the popularity ranking of the programs, and no reference is made to the second program guide. In one variation, the second program guide may also be displayed in a display mode reflecting the popularity ranking of the programs. In this case, the second program guide displaying unit94may change the display mode (e.g., color, character font, etc.) of the program frames of the second program guide in accordance with the popularity ranking determined by the popularity determination unit70. Alternatively, the popularity indicator or the data for an indicator itself may be displayed in association with the program frame. This variation provides the viewer with information useful for the viewer that selects a program for view in the second program guide. For example, a program programmed by a lot of viewers to be recorded can be suggested to the viewer, thereby helping the viewer to determine a program that should be programmed for recording.

The fourth variation will be described. The first program guide displaying unit92may dynamically change the size of a program frame for each channel, typically the length in the direction of channel axis, in accordance with the attribute or propensity of the viewer or the information related to the program. For example, the unit92may refer to the age group or sex of the viewer and display program frames for channels that are more likely to be viewed by viewers having a selected attribute on a larger scale. Alternatively, the higher the current popularity rank, the larger the program frame of the program may be displayed. The program frame for a channel in which the broadcasting of a program ends and that of the next program has not been started may be displayed on a smaller scale than the program frames for the other channels in which programs continue to be broadcast. According to this variation, the viewability of program frames for channels that are likely to be selected by viewers is improved and the volume of displayable program information can be increased.

The fifth variation will be described. The program image acquisition unit58may acquire from the tuner13the program image currently ranked at a predetermined rank (typically, No. 1) or higher as determined by the popularity determination unit70. When the popularity ranking changes, the channel from which to acquire image information may be dynamically switched in accordance with the change. The program image displaying unit84displays the program image acquired by the program image acquisition unit58in accordance with the change in popularity ranking on the display14. According to this variation, a program that is popular to viewers is automatically selected so that the display14always displays the image of a popular program. This implements a sort of zapping without viewer intervention.

The sixth variation will be described. When playing back the recorded content, the playback processing unit66may communicate the information indicating as such to the information management server16along with the program ID. The information management server16may periodically supply the information processing apparatus11with a playback ratio indicating the ratio of viewers that have played back the recorded content with respect to the viewers having programmed the program with the program ID to be recorded, associating the ratio with the program ID. The playback ratio is stored in the recording information in the recording information storage unit52. The recording list displaying unit98may further display the playback ratio in association with each recorded content in the list of recordings. The viewer may select one of the plurality of recorded contents for view by referring to the playback ratio of the recorded contents.

The seventh variation will be described. The recording processing unit64may record the live image ranked at or higher than a predetermined rank (typically, No. 1) even without a viewer operation for recording. In this case, the recording processing unit64dynamically changes the live image recorded in accordance with a change in popularity ranking According to this variation, the live image of a popular program is always recorded in the background. The viewer can later view a program image popular to other viewers in an efficient manner.

This variation is particularly suitable in the program viewing system10provided with a plurality of tuners13. According to a form of the base technology, the viewer can refer to the first program guide and know that the popularity of a program different from the program that the viewer is viewing is increased. However, the viewer may find it difficult to view the very program image that caused the increase in popularity even if the viewer switches to the other program. According to this variation, program images that become popular are always recorded so that the viewer does not miss out on viewing program images that become popular. As a result, viewer convenience is improved.

The eighth variation will be described. When a certain viewer operation regarding the cursor movement in the second program guide is acknowledged, the cursor displaying unit90may allow program frames of programs programmed for recording to be successively selected by the cursor. According to this variation, the viewer can efficiently select the program programmed to be recorded in the second program guide.

The ninth variation will be described. In a form of the base technology, the popularity ranking of the programs is determined in the information processing apparatus11. In a variation, the information management server16may determine the popularity ranking of the programs across the entire attributes of viewers and the popularity ranking for each viewer attribute. In this case, the indicator acquisition unit68of the information processing apparatus11may acquire the popularity ranking as the indicator from the information management server16. The popularity determination unit70may directly output the popularity ranking thus acquired to the data processing unit56.

The tenth variation will be described. In a form of the base technology, the history of popularity ranking is stored in the information processing apparatus11. In a variation, the history of indicators originating the popularity ranking may be stored in the information management server16. For example, the information management server16may further be provided with a tally history storage unit, which may store the tally result of viewing status as a tally history, associating the result with date and time information. In acquiring the popularity ranking of programs broadcast in the past in the information processing apparatus11(e.g., in playing back a recorded content), the apparatus may acquire the tally history from the information management server16to determine the popularity ranking in the past.

The eleventh variation will be described. In a form of the base technology, the program information acquisition unit60acquires EPG information from the tuner13. In a variation, the program information acquisition unit60may acquire EPG information from an information provider server on the Internet15via the Internet15. Further, the program information acquisition unit60may acquire EPG information from the tuner13and acquire program related information that should be appended to the EPG information and displayed in the electronic program guide via the Internet15.

The twelfth variation will be described. The functions of the information processing apparatus11described in the base technology may be implemented in the tuner13. In this case, the tuner13may include the CPU300, GPU302, main memory308, hard disk drive334, network card330, and interface332shown inFIG. 5. The functions shown inFIG. 6may be implemented by the tuner.

As a thirteenth variation, an explanation is given of a display mode of a first program guide116.FIG. 25shows an exemplary first program guide as displayed in the present exemplary embodiment. The exemplary first program guide as displayed in the figure corresponds to the one shown inFIG. 13, and like numerals represent like constituting elements that are identical to or correspond to those shown inFIG. 13. A displayed station indicator160shows broadcasting stations being displayed on the image display screen110. Program frames118a,118b, and118c(also generically referred to as a “program frame118”) of the first program guide116each include a view count field162, a recording count field164, a view count change field166, a recording count change field168, and a progress indicator126.

The progress indicator126shows the degree of progress of each station program at the current moment. The view count field162shows the number of users viewing each station program. The recording count field164shows the number of users recording each station program. As described later, the number of viewing users in the view count field162and the number of recording users in the recording count field164are updated periodically (for every passing minute in the present exemplary embodiment and hereinafter). The view count change field166shows a difference in the number of the viewing users before and after the update, i.e., the value of an increase/decrease in the number of the viewing users associated with the update. The recording count change field168shows the value an increase/decrease in the number of the recording users associated with the update. The respective values of the view count change field166and the recording count change field168are also updated in accordance with the update of the view count field162and the recording count field164.

An explanation is now given of a configuration for achieving the first program guide116described above. In addition to the configuration shown in the form of the base technology, the information management server16is further provided with an executed recording tally unit for counting the number of users executing recordings. The executed recording tally unit acquires the program ID of the program that the viewer is currently recording from each of the plurality of information processing apparatuses11on a periodical basis and counts the number of recordings being executed. Therefore, the viewing status communicating unit99of the information processing apparatus11transmits the program ID of the program being recorded by the recording processing unit64to the information management server16on a periodical basis.

The indicator acquisition unit68of the information processing apparatus11acquires, as a live indicator, the number of the viewing users, which is the number of users viewing each program currently being broadcast, and the number of the recording users, which is the number of users recording each program on a periodical basis from the information management server16. The popularity determination unit70outputs the number of the viewing users and the number of the recording users acquired by the indicator acquisition unit68as data indicating the degree of popularity.

The first program guide displaying unit92displays the first program guide116and the displayed station indicator160over a program image being displayed on the image display screen110in accordance with a user operation. The first program guide displaying unit92sets the number of the viewing users in the view count field162, calculates the value of an increase/decrease in the number of the viewing users before and after the setting, and sets the value of the increase/decrease in the view count change field166. The first program guide displaying unit92sets the number of the recording users in the recording count field164, calculates the value of an increase/decrease in the number of the recording users before and after the setting, and sets the value of the increase/decrease in the recording count change field168. The first program guide displaying unit92repeats a process of updating the view count field162, the recording count field164, the view count change field166, and the recording count change field168every time a new live indicator is acquired by the indicator acquisition unit68, that is, every passing minute.

When the increase/decrease in the number of the viewing users is at least a predetermined threshold (e.g., plus/minus 500 people), the first program guide displaying unit92highlights the view count change field166more than usual as shown in the program frames118aand118binFIG. 25. Similarly, when the increase/decrease in the number of the recording users is at least a predetermined threshold (e.g., plus/minus 100 people), the first program guide displaying unit92highlights the recording count change field168more than usual as shown in the program frame118binFIG. 25.

As a reference for highlighting in the program frame118, an increase/decrease in the number is used in the present embodiment. However, the first program guide displaying unit92may calculate an increase/decrease rate and may highlight a field under the condition that the increase/decrease rate shows a change of at least a predetermined threshold. Alternatively, the first program guide displaying unit92may highlight a field when either one or both of the increase/decrease in the number and the increase/decrease rate are at least the respective predetermined threshold. Alternatively, the first program guide displaying unit92may highlight a field when either one or both of an increase in the number and an increase rate are at least the respective predetermined threshold or may highlight a field when either one or both of a decrease in the number and a decrease rate are at least the respective predetermined threshold. It is obvious that either an increase or decrease may be used as a requirement.

The first program guide displaying unit92may suggest a user a significant increase/decrease in the number of the viewing users or the number of the recording users with an effect by displaying a predetermined image or a video image, instead of the highlighting, in a corresponding program frame118. Further, with regard to the number of the viewing users and the number of the recording users, the increase/decrease in the number and/or the increase/decrease rate may be calculated by the information management server16, and the information processing apparatus11may directly use the increase/decrease in the numbers and/or the increase-decrease rate.

The first program guide displaying unit92sets a progress indicator126for a program shown in each program frame118. In other words, a progress indicator126is also set to a program not being viewed by a user or a program in a program frame118not being selected by a cursor (not shown). This allows the user to more easily overlook the degree of progress of a program including a program that is not being viewed or selected. Thus, the user can effectively select a program more easily. The first program guide displaying unit92may display the progress indicator126while overlaying the indicator126on other displays in the program frame118and on the program image. In other words, the first program guide displaying unit92may overlay-display the progress indicator126on another display object.

The display mode for presenting the degree of progress of a program is not limited to the progress indicator126, which is in graph form. The first program guide displaying unit92may set a different display mode (e.g., a different background color) to the program frame118according to the degree of progress of a program. For example, a ratio of displaying a first background color and a second background color of the program frame118may be changed sequentially as a progress indicator according to the degree of progress of a program, or the ratio of one of the background colors may be increased progressively as the program progresses. Obviously, the first program guide displaying unit92may also overlay-display the progress indicator, obtained in this case, on another display object. The first program guide displaying unit92may display the progress indicator of a program frame118that corresponds to a program being selected by the user, that is, a program being displayed on the image display screen110in a mode that is different (e.g., in a different color) from that of the progress indicator that corresponds to another program not being selected.

When there is a change in the viewing status in the first program guide displaying unit92, the unit92instantly reflects the change in the first program guide116by updating the view count field162of the program frame118without waiting to acquire information from the information management server16. More specifically, when a program that is being viewed is switched to another program, for example, when the operation detection unit44detects an operation of switching a program, the first program guide displaying unit92instantly decrements the view count field162of the program frame118for the program that had been selected until the switching of the program. The first program guide displaying unit92instantly increments the view count field162of the program frame118that is newly selected.

Similarly, when there is a change in the recording status in the first program guide displaying unit92, the unit92instantly reflects the change in the first program guide116by updating the recording count field164of the program frame118without waiting to acquire information from the information management server16. More specifically, when the recording of a program is started, for example, when the operation detection unit44detects an operation of starting the recording or when the recording processing unit64starts a recording process, the first program guide displaying unit92instantly increments the recording count field164of the program frame118of a program to be recorded. When the recording of the program is ended, the first program guide displaying unit92instantly decrements the recording count field164of the program frame118of the program that had been recorded.

According to the exemplary embodiment, the number of the viewing users and the number of the recording users of each program are displayed in the first program guide116. Therefore, a user can more easily know the degree of popularity of each program, specifically. Since an increase/decrease in the numbers is displayed, the user can more easily know the transition in popularity of each program, specifically. Also, the user can more easily know, almost in real time, a program with a drastic increase or decrease in the number of viewing users or the number of the recording users, in other words, a program having a drastic change in its popularity. As described above, the user-friendliness for a program selection as well as the interest in viewing the program can be increased by allowing the trend of other viewers to be more easily known in addition to simply allowing a program image to be viewed. For example, notifying a user of the presence of a program with increasing popularity arouses a user's desire to view the program, preventing the user from missing the program to be viewed.

FIG. 26shows the configuration of an information processing system100according to an embodiment of the present invention. In addition to the configuration stated in the base technology, a program viewing system10and a posting site server18are connected via the Internet15in the information processing system100.

The posting site server18puts a posting site on the Internet15that allows for an instant posting of a feedback comment (typically short sentences of about100characters and also referred to as a “tweet”) of the moment regarding the content of a program that is provided by a viewer viewing the program through the viewer's terminal. To a posted comment, a tag (hereinafter, also referred to as a “hashtag”) may be added by a poster (viewer), which is for grouping with other comments and, more specifically, used as a search keyword for searching a plurality of posted comments all at once.

Upon the receipt of a comment acquisition request (in other words, a search request) specifying a specific hashtag, the posting site server18supplies, all at once, a client originating a search request with data of at least one comment to which the hashtag is added. Such a posting site includes, for example, “Twitter” (trademark or registered trademark).

The information processing apparatus11provides a new viewing experience to a user by acquiring comments posted to the posting site server18by various viewers and then presenting the comments to the user viewing a program being currently broadcast.FIG. 27is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the information processing apparatus11ofFIG. 26. In addition to the configuration stated previously in the base technology, the information processing apparatus11further includes a comment storage unit400, a comment processing unit402, a comment displaying unit404, and a regional information displaying unit406.

In the present embodiment, it is assumed that program information acquired by the program information acquisition unit60and then stored in the program information storage unit50includes a service ID and an event ID, which are predetermined as identification information for uniquely identifying a single program, and information indicating the genre and category (e.g., news, variety, sports, etc.) to which the program belongs. It is also assumed that the data storage unit48stores, in advance, information indicating a user's viewing region that corresponds to at least one specific broadcasting station as the attribute information of the user.

FIG. 28is a block diagram showing the comment storage unit400ofFIG. 27in further detail. The comment storage unit400includes an acquired-comment storage unit410and a fixed-comment storage unit412. The acquired-comment storage unit410is a storage area adapted to store a comment acquired from the posting site server18by the information processing apparatus11in accordance with a user operation. To a comment acquired by the posting site server18, the posting time and date are added.

The fixed-comment storage unit412is a storage area adapted to store a fixed-comment, which is a prepared comment for supporting the creation of a comment to be posted to the posting site server18.FIG. 29shows the configuration of data stored in the fixed-comment storage unit412. The fixed-comment storage unit412stores the information indicating a plurality of types of program genres and categories, for example, news, variety, sports, etc., and fixed comments expected to be appropriate for respective genres in association with each other. These fixed comments are also said to be typical comments that are often posted according to a program genre. A “program name” in a fixed comment of the figure is replaced with the name of a program (e.g., “7 o'clock news,” etc.) being viewed by a user at the time of creating a posting comment as described later.

FIG. 30is a block diagram showing the comment processing unit402ofFIG. 27in further detail. The comment processing unit402includes a comment acquisition unit420, a comment posting unit422, and a tag tally unit424.

The comment acquisition unit420transmits a comment acquisition request to the posting site server18by using, as a search key, a hashtag identified in accordance with a user operation and then acquires the data of at least one comment to which the hashtag is added from the posting site server18. The comment acquisition unit420then stores the acquired comment data in the acquired-comment storage unit410.

By transmitting the data of a comment created by a user on a comment creating screen (described later) to the posting site server18, the comment posting unit422registers the comment with the posting site server18. In posting the comment created by the user, the comment posting unit422adds to the comment a predetermined hashtag that indicates software (hereinafter, also referred to as “program viewing software”), which is installed in the information processing apparatus11so as to provide a program viewing function, and a predetermined hashtag that indicates a broadcasting station being viewed by the user.

The comment acquisition unit420and the comment posting unit422may perform the above processes by calling an application programming interface (API) for acquiring a comment and an API for posting a comment from among Web application programming interfaces (WebAPI) put by the posting site server18.

Referring to a plurality of comments stored in the acquired-comment storage unit410, the tag tally unit424counts the number of hashtags added to each comment according to the type of the hashtags. In other words, the number of appearances of each hashtag in the plurality of comments is counted. In other words, the number of comments to which each of a plurality of types of hashtags (e.g., “#soccer” and “#kokkai”) is added is calculated for each hashtag type. It can be said that the comments stored in the acquired-comment storage unit410are acquired from the posting site server18based on a user operation (a screen selection operation, etc.) and are displayed based on the user operation.

The tag tally unit424counts the number of hashtags of a comment posted within the past hour prior to the time at which the number is counted (in other words, the posting time and date of a comment are within the past hour of the time at which the number is counted). The tag tally unit424may start a process of counting hashtags by using, as a trigger, the detection of an operation of displaying an information screen or the detection that a certain period of time (e.g., ten minutes) has passed.

FIG. 31is a block diagram showing the comment displaying unit404ofFIG. 27in further detail. The comment displaying unit404includes a first comment displaying unit430, a second comment displaying unit432, a cursor displaying unit434, a comment element selecting unit436, a creation screen displaying unit438, a comment creation supporting unit440, an input comment setting unit442, and a frequently-appearing tag displaying unit444.

The first comment displaying unit430displays an all-TL screen (described later) that displays all tweet lists (hereinafter, written as “TL”) on the display14. A tweet list of the present embodiment means a user interface that displays comments posted to the posting site server18and is a concept including a so-called timeline in which the posted comments are arranged in chronological order. The second comment displaying unit432displays a channel TL screen (described later) that displays a comment related to a specific broadcasting station and a hashtag TL screen (described later) that displays a comment related to a specific hashtag.

The cursor displaying unit434displays a cursor for a user to select a specific area (hereinafter, also referred to as an “area”) and a specific comment on the respective TL screens displayed by the first comment displaying unit430and the second comment displaying unit432. When depression of an up or down switch of a directional button of the controller12is detected by the operation detection unit44, the cursor displaying unit434may move the cursor over a plurality of areas and comments.

The comment element selecting unit436selects a specific element character string in an area or comment focused by the cursor in accordance with the user operation to the controller12. The element character string is typically a character string that is different from the main text of a comment and is, for example, a URL of a webpage or a character string of a hashtag. When depression of a left or right switch of the directional button of the controller12is detected by the operation detection unit44, the comment element selecting unit436may successively select an individual hashtag added to the comment focused by the cursor and highlight the selected hashtag in a predetermined mode.

The creation screen displaying unit438displays on the display14a tweet menu screen (described later) for selecting the type of a comment posting operation and a comment creating screen (described later) for creating a comment for posting. The creation screen displaying unit438displays a software keyboard (in other words, a “screen keyboard”) for entering characters for a comment on the comment creating screen.

The comment creation supporting unit440identifies the genre of a program a user is viewing by referring to the program information stored in the program information storage unit50. The comment creation supporting unit440then selects a fixed comment corresponding to the genre of the program the user is viewing in accordance with a correspondence relationship between program genres and fixed comments stored in the fixed-comment storage unit412.

The input comment setting unit442sets a character, which is selected by the user through the software keyboard displayed on the comment creating screen, in a comment creating area of the comment creating screen. When a fixed comment is selected by the user, the input comment setting unit442automatically sets the selected fixed comment in the comment creating area.

When the display of an information screen (described later) is instructed by the user, the frequently-appearing tag displaying unit444identifies the top eight hashtags (hereinafter, also referred to as “frequently-appearing tags”) with respect to the number of appearances of respective hashtags counted by the tag tally unit424. The frequently-appearing tag displaying unit444displays each of the frequently-appearing tags in a frequently-appearing tag display area of the information screen along with the number of appearances in a plurality of comments.

Referring back toFIG. 27, when the display of the information screen (described later) is instructed by the user, the regional information displaying unit406acquires the number of viewing users, which is the number of users viewing a program of each broadcasting station in each region. Therefore, the viewer tally unit26of the information management server16acquires the information of the program the user is viewing along with the information indicating the broadcasting station from the information processing apparatus11and counts the number of the viewing users for each broadcasting station in each region. The indicator acquisition unit68of the information processing apparatus11acquires the number of the viewing users of each broadcasting station in each region and provides the number of the viewing users to the regional information displaying unit406. The regional information displaying unit406displays, in a broadcasting-station-specific viewing status displaying area in the information screen, the number of the viewing users of each broadcasting station in each region.

An explanation is given of the operation of the above configuration in the following.

FIG. 32shows an exemplary image display screen110as displayed and corresponds toFIG. 11. As described in the base technology, the program image acquisition unit58acquires, from the tuner13, the image of a single program selected by a user from among a plurality of programs being broadcast by a plurality of broadcasting stations, and the program image displaying unit84displays the program image on the image display screen110in accordance with the image information. Control icons112of the present embodiment include a live function icon112b. When the live function icon112bis selected by the user on the image display screen110, a live function explained in the following flowchart is started.

FIG. 33is a flowchart showing the operation of the information processing apparatus11ofFIG. 26. When the live function icon112bis selected on the image display screen110(Y in S130), the comment acquisition unit420transmits a comment acquisition request to the posting site server18by using, as a search key, the hashtag of each of a plurality of broadcasting stations that corresponds to a user's viewing region that is stored in the data storage unit48. The comment acquisition unit420then acquires a comment to which the hashtag of each broadcasting station is added from the posting site server18and stores the comment in the acquired-comment storage unit410. In other words, the comment acquisition unit420acquires comments posted by various viewers for a program being broadcast by each broadcasting station that corresponds to the user's viewing region (S132).

The first comment displaying unit430acquires a comment to which the hashtag of each broadcasting station is added that is stored in the acquired-comment storage unit410. As the number of posted comments to which a hashtag of a certain broadcasting station is added increases, the first comment displaying unit430determines the scroll speed in displaying the posted comment of the broadcasting station to be faster. In other words, the first comment displaying unit430determines scroll speed such that the scroll speed for the posted comments for a broadcasting station with relatively more posted comments is faster than the scroll speed for the posted comments for a broadcasting station with relatively less posted comments (S134). For example, the first comment displaying unit430may store a correspondence relationship between the range of the number of posted comments (0-20 posted comments, 20-40 posted comments, . . . , 80-100 posted comments) and scroll speed in advance and may determine the scroll speed for the posted comments for each broadcasting station in reference to the correspondence relationship. The first comment displaying unit430displays an all-TL screen for the scroll display of the posted comments for each broadcasting station in parallel with one another (S136).

Upon the detection that a predetermined waiting period (e.g., one minute) has passed, the comment acquisition unit420acquires the posted comments for each broadcasting station from the posting site server18again (not shown inFIG. 33). In the present embodiment, it is assumed that a maximum of 100 posted comments are acquired for each broadcasting station in reverse chronological order of the posting time and date. The first comment displaying unit430sequentially changes the scroll speed for the posted comments according to the transition of the number of comments acquired by the comment acquisition unit420. In other words, the scroll speed is decreased as the number of comments decreases, and the scroll speed is increased as the number of comments increases. Using a user account in a posting site that is recorded in advance in the information processing apparatus11, the comment acquisition unit420acquires a comment that is associated with the user account in the posting site server18.

FIG. 34shows an exemplary all-TL screen as displayed. When the live function icon112bis selected on the image display screen110, the first comment displaying unit430sets a part of the display screen of the display14to be a live information display area450. The first comment displaying unit430then displays an all-TL screen454in the live information display area450side by side with the image display screen110that displays a program image. On the all-TL screen454, a live function tag452that shows that a live function is being performed and an all-TL tab456that shows that the screen is the all-TL screen454are displayed.

The first comment displaying unit430displays the comments posted for a program being broadcast by each broadcasting station in parallel with one another in an area for the broadcasting station provided in a broadcasting-station-specific comment area458. In other words, the first comment displaying unit430displays the comments posted for a program being broadcast by a certain broadcasting station independently from the comment posted for a program being broadcast by another broadcasting station.

This allows real-time comments from other viewers provided for a program the user is viewing to be sequentially presented to the user. Also, real-time comments from viewers provided for programs the user is not viewing to be also presented to the user at the same time. Viewer's comments (tweets) are true opinions of viewers that cannot be learned from information shown in program guides. Therefore, a user can check both comments for a program the user is viewing and comments for other programs at the same time so as to select a program to view. An innovative viewing experience can be provided to a user that makes the user aware of a loose connection with other viewers by sequentially presenting the user the thoughts of the moment of people viewing various programs at around the same time.

The first comment displaying unit430displays the comments posted for a program of each broadcasting station in an area provided for the broadcasting station in the broadcasting-station-specific comment area458while sequentially scrolling the posted comments to the left in reverse chronological order of the posting time and date at a speed that corresponds to the number of postings. This allows the user to intuitively know programs with a large number of comments, which are typically programs for which many viewers are excited, and also supports the user to select a program for which many viewers are excited.

The first comment displaying unit430excludes a hashtag and a URL that are added to each comment from being displayed, in other words, hides the hashtag and the URL, when displaying a posted comment. For example, after acquiring a comment from the acquired-comment storage unit410, the first comment displaying unit430may delete hashtag and URL character strings from the comment so as to display the comment. More specifically, upon the detection of a predetermined character string (e.g., “#”) that indicates the start of a hashtag in a comment character string, the first comment displaying unit430may delete a part of the comment character string that starts with the predetermined character string and ends with a predetermined character string (e.g., a blank character or a space) that indicates the end of the hashtag. Similarly, upon the detection of a predetermined character string (e.g., “http://”) that indicates the start of a URL, the first comment displaying unit430may delete a part of the comment character string that starts with the predetermined character string and ends with a predetermined character string (e.g., a blank character or a space) that indicates the end of the URL.

The broadcasting-station-specific comment area458includes a plurality of broadcasting station areas. Although a comment display area of each broadcasting station is relatively small, only the main text of each comment can be displayed according to the embodiment. This allows a comment to be efficiently displayed while keeping the essential part of the comment.

The first comment displaying unit430acquires the number of viewers of a program being broadcast by each broadcasting station from the indicator acquisition unit68and displays the acquired number of the viewers in a comment display area of the broadcasting station. The first comment displaying unit430may highlight the area of a broadcasting station, which corresponds to a program (being viewed by the user) being displayed on the image display screen110, in a predetermined mode such as displaying the area in a different background color from that of other areas. This supports the user to easily distinguish the program currently being viewed from other programs.

The first comment displaying unit430scroll displays a comment associated with a user account in a user comment area460. An information area462is an area selected to transition the screen to an information screen (described later). A current software tag area464is an area selected to transition the screen to a comment to which a hashtag, which indicates a program viewing software, is added, that is, a comment display screen regarding the program viewing software.

The cursor displaying unit434displays a cursor for selecting any one of the areas of respective broadcasting stations in the broadcasting-station-specific comment area458, the user comment area460, the broadcasting-station-specific comment area458, and the user comment area460on the all-TL screen454. The user can display an arbitrary screen by selecting a specific area by operating the cursor via the controller12.

Referring back toFIG. 33, when any of the broadcasting station areas in the broadcasting-station-specific comment area458of the all-TL screen454is selected (Y in S138), the comment acquisition unit420transmits a comment acquisition request to the posting site server18by using, as a search key, a hashtag that is preset to the broadcasting station (hereinafter, also referred to as a “selected broadcasting station”) selected by the user. The comment acquisition unit420then acquires a comment to which the hashtag of the selected broadcasting station is added from the posting site server18(S140) and stores the comment in the acquired-comment storage unit410(S142).

The second comment displaying unit432acquires a comment to which the hashtag of the selected broadcasting station is added that is stored in the acquired-comment storage unit410. The second comment displaying unit432then displays a channel TL screen that displays a list of comments in the order of the posting time and date (S144). The channel TL screen is a so-called timeline related to the selected broadcasting station. When a certain period of time (e.g., one minute) has passed (Y in S146), the step goes back to S140, and a comment is acquired again. The second comment displaying unit432updates a tweet list (timeline) on the channel TL screen. In other words, when a new comment is acquired by the comment acquisition unit420, the second comment displaying unit432displays the new comment on the channel TL screen while hiding the old comment.

FIG. 35shows an exemplary channel TL screen as displayed. On a channel TL screen470, the live function tag452and a channel TL tab472that shows that the screen is the channel TL screen470are displayed. On the channel TL screen470of the same figure, a list of comments for a program of the selected broadcasting station (the hashtag thereof is “TVAA”) is displayed in descending order of the posting time and date. Different from the all-TL screen454, a hashtag474and a URL character string are directly displayed.

When a user operation to the controller12is detected during the display of the channel TL screen470, the cursor displaying unit434displays a cursor476. The cursor476is moved in a vertical direction for each comment in accordance with an up/down operation to the directional button of the controller12. The comment element selecting unit436successively leaves the hashtag474and the URL character string selected that are described in a comment focused by the cursor476in accordance with a left/right operation to the directional button of the controller12. When a predetermined operation (e.g., depression of a circular button) by the user is detected while the hashtag is being selected, the second comment displaying unit432displays a hashtag TL screen that includes a tweet list related to the hashtag.

FIG. 36shows an exemplary channel hashtag screen as displayed. The hashtag TL screen480is a timeline related to a specific hashtag (in this case, “#soccer”). On the hashtag TL screen480, the live function tag452and a hashtag TL tab482that shows that the screen is the hashtag TL screen480are displayed. On the hashtag TL screen480of the same figure, a list of comments to which the hashtag “soccer” is added is displayed in descending order of the posting time and date. The cursor displaying unit434displays a cursor484for selecting the comments.

Referring back toFIG. 33, when an operation of moving the cursor476is detected (Y in S148) before the certain period of time has passed on the channel TL screen470(N in S146), the second comment displaying unit432temporarily stops the update of the timeline on the channel TL screen (S150). In accordance with a cursor operation by the user, the cursor displaying unit434moves the cursor476, and the second comment displaying unit432scroll displays the timeline (S152). For example, when a previously-posted comment that is hidden on the channel TL screen470is selected by the cursor476, the second comment displaying unit432scrolls the timeline for each comment and redisplays the comment selected by the cursor476.

When no operation of moving the cursor476is detected before a certain period of time (e.g., 30 seconds) has passed (Y in S154), the cursor displaying unit434hides the cursor476, and the second comment displaying unit432resumes the update of the timeline on the channel TL screen (S156). When the operation of moving the cursor476is detected within the certain period of time (N in S154), the step goes back to S152. When there is no operation of moving the cursor476at all (N in S148), S150-S156are skipped. The same operations as those in S140-S156also apply to the display of a hashtag TL screen except that a specific hashtag is used as a search key.

As described above, the latest posted comment can be presented to the user by sequentially acquiring the latest posted comment and then by sequentially updating the channel TL screen470. On the other hand, while a cursor operation (a comment selection operation, etc.) is given by the user, the update of the channel TL screen470is prevented so that the operation by the user is prevented from being interfered by the update of the channel TL screen470. Generally, compared to a mouse of a PC, etc., there is more constraint on a selection operation, and the degree of interference to a user operation by the update of the channel TL screen470is larger in the controller12(e.g., a game controller) that operates the information processing apparatus11. Therefore, compared to when a mouse is used as an operation means, the user-friendliness can be greatly improved by preventing the update of the channel TL screen470during an operation by the user.

FIG. 37is a flowchart that continues fromFIG. 33. When a predetermined operation (e.g., depression of a square button) of displaying a menu (hereinafter, also referred to as a “tweet menu”) for an operation of posting a comment is detected on the channel TL screen or the hashtag TL screen (Y in S158), the comment creation supporting unit440identifies the genre of a program being displayed on the image display screen110and acquires a fixed comment associated with the genre from the fixed-comment storage unit412(S160). The creation screen displaying unit438displays a tweet menu screen (S162) including the fixed comment acquired by the comment creation supporting unit440.

FIG. 38shows an exemplary tweet menu screen as displayed. On the tweet menu screen490, the live function tag452and a tweet menu tab492that shows that the screen is the tweet menu screen490are displayed. In the figure, a new tweet and a retweet, citation, and reply for a comment specified by the cursor494are displayed as selectable tweet menus. In the lower part of the figure, a fixed comment496associated with a program genre “sports” in advance is displayed. The cursor displaying unit434displays the cursor494on the tweet menu screen490. The user selects a desired operation area or fixed comment area by operating the cursor494.

Referring back toFIG. 37, when any one of the selections (a tweet, citation, and fixed comment) is selected on the tweet menu screen, the creation screen displaying unit438displays a comment creating screen (S164). When a fixed comment is selected on the tweet menu screen (Y in S166), the input comment setting unit442automatically sets the selected fixed comment in the comment creating area of the comment creating screen prior to an operation of entering a comment by the user (S168). When a fixed comment is not selected (N in S166), S168is skipped. Upon the receipt of a request for entering a comment in the comment creating area from the user, the creation screen displaying unit438displays, on the comment creating screen, an image showing a keyboard in which various keys are arranged (S170). When a key of the keyboard is selected by the user, the input comment setting unit442sets a character that corresponds to the key in the comment creating area (S172).

FIG. 39shows an exemplary comment creating screen as displayed. A comment creating screen500includes a comment creating area502and a posting button506for posting a comment created in the comment creating area502to the posting site server18. In the comment creating area502of the figure, a fixed comment “this is such an exciting game,” which is selected on the tweet menu screen490is automatically set. When a fixed comment includes a predetermined original character string to be replaced, the input comment setting unit442replaces the original character string with a replacement character string that corresponds to the original character string and sets the replaced character string in the comment creating area502. For example, when a comment “‘a program name’ is interesting” ofFIG. 29is selected as a fixed comment, the input comment setting unit442changes the fixed comment to “‘the actual program name (e.g., 7 o'clock news, etc.)’ is interesting.”

The cursor displaying unit434displays a cursor504on the comment creating screen500. When the user presses down a predetermined button (e.g., a circular button) after focusing on the comment creating area502by the cursor504, the creation screen displaying unit438displays a software keyboard. The user enters an arbitrary character in the comment creating area502by operating the cursor504to select an arbitrary key on the software keyboard.

As described above, a fixed comment appropriate for a program that is being viewed can be extracted from a plurality of fixed comments and presented to the user by storing a correspondence relationship between program genres and fixed comments in advance so as to select a fixed comment that corresponds to the genre of the program the user is viewing. Also, by automatically setting the fixed comment selected by the user in the comment creating area, user's burden in creating a comment can be reduced. Such a configuration is particularly suitable for when a software keyboard is used as a means for entering characters. In other words, when a software keyboard instead of a hardware keyboard is used in entering characters, user's burden in entering characters is generally increased. Therefore, by allowing the user to select a fixed phrase, the number of characters entered by the user can be reduced, and the user's burden can be thus reduced greatly.

Referring back toFIG. 37, when the posting button506is pressed down on the comment creating screen500(Y in S174), the comment posting unit422acquires a character string that is entered in the comment creating area. The comment posting unit422then sets a final posting comment by adding, to the character string, hashtags indicating a program viewing software, a broadcasting station of a program being displayed on the image display screen110, a service ID of the program, and an event ID, respectively. The comment posting unit422registers the data of the final posting comment by transmitting the data to the posting site server18(S178). When depression of the posting button is not detected (N in S174), S176and S178are skipped. When an operation of displaying the tweet menu is not detected (N in S158), S160-S178are skipped. When none of the broadcasting stations in the broadcasting-station-specific comment area458is selected on the all-TL screen454(N in S138ofFIG. 33), S140-5178are skipped.

As described above, by automatically setting an appropriate hashtag for a user viewing a program, all the user needs to do is to enter the main text of a comment, and the user's burden can be reduced. As described previously, when a software keyboard is used as a means for entering characters, the user's burden can be further reduced.

When the information area462is selected by the user on the all-TL screen454(Y in S180), the tag tally unit424refers to the data of comments posted within the past hour from among comments stored in the acquired-comment storage unit410so as to count the number of hashtags added to each comment according to a type of the hashtags and identifies the number of appearances of each hashtag (S182). In addition to displaying the information screen, the frequently-appearing tag displaying unit444displays the top eight frequently-appearing tags in a part of the area of the information screen along with the number of appearances thereof (S184). In addition to these, the regional information displaying unit406displays, in a part of the area of the information screen, the number of viewing users of each broadcasting station in each region (S186). A predetermined hashtag (e.g., “#TVAA” ofFIG. 35, etc.) that indicates a broadcasting station is excluded from being counted by the tag tally unit424or selected as a frequently-appearing tag by the frequently-appearing tag displaying unit444.

FIG. 40shows an exemplary information screen as displayed. On an information screen510, a live information display area450and an information tab512that shows that the screen is the information screen510are displayed. The frequently-appearing tag displaying unit444displays the information of frequently-appearing tags in the past hour in the frequently-appearing tag display area514. The regional information displaying unit406displays, in a broadcasting-station-specific viewing status displaying area516, the number of viewing users of each broadcasting station in each region.FIG. 40shows the number of viewing users in association with hashtags that indicate respective broadcasting stations. The figure also shows the total number of the viewing users in each area, that is, the total number of the viewing users for a broadcasting station corresponding to each region. The cursor displaying unit434displays a cursor518on the information screen510. The user can display a desired hashtag TL screen by selecting a desired frequently-appearing tag or broadcasting station tag by operating the cursor518.

Referring back toFIG. 37, when a frequently-appearing tag is selected on the information screen510(Y in S188), the comment acquisition unit420transmits a comment acquisition request to the posting site server18by using, as a search key, the frequently-appearing tag selected by the user. The comment acquisition unit420then acquires a comment to which the frequently-appearing tag is added from the posting site server18(S190). The second comment displaying unit432displays a hashtag TL screen that displays a list of comments to which frequently-appearing tags acquired by the comment acquisition unit420are added in the order of the posting time and date. When a frequently-appearing tag is not selected by the user (N in S188), S190and S192are skipped. When the information area462is not selected on the all-TL screen454(N in S1803), S182-S192are skipped. When a live function is not selected to begin with (N in S130ofFIG. 33), S132and all the subsequent steps are skipped.

As described above, by displaying a frequently-appearing tag of a posted comment that is acquired in accordance with a user operation, a hashtag added to many comments can be presented to a user. For example, regarding comments posted for a relay program of a soccer game, there are often more comments to which a hashtag such as “soccer” is added than comments to which the hashtag of the broadcasting station is added. In other words, displaying a timeline of comments to which a hashtag such as “soccer” is added is often more useful for a user than displaying a timeline of comments to which the hashtag of the broadcasting station is added. Presenting a user a frequently-appearing tag allows a candidate for a hashtag, which is useful to the user viewing a program, to be presented, supporting the user to reach a useful timeline. Since comments acquired from the posting site server18in accordance with a user operation are the population for counting hashtags, a frequently-appearing tag related to comments the user is interested in can be efficiently presented to the user.

Described above is an explanation of the present invention based on the embodiments. These embodiments are intended to be illustrative only, and it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications to constituting elements and processes could be developed and that such modifications are also within the scope of the present invention. An exemplary variation is shown in the following.

A first exemplary variation is now described in detail. Although no particular reference is made in the above embodiments, when the cursor displaying unit434hides the cursor476since no operation on the cursor476is detected for a certain period of time on the channel TL screen470, the second comment displaying unit432may gradually updates the timeline displayed at that point for each comment. For example, the second comment displaying unit432may hide the oldest comment in the timeline displayed at that point and add a new comment to be displayed, which is posted subsequently to the latest comment in the timeline. The second comment displaying unit432may successively display newly-posted comments by repeating the replacement. More specifically, when comments are arranged in descending order of the posting time and date in the timeline, the second comment displaying unit432may gradually scroll up the comments from the display position of a cursor at the time the cursor is made hidden so as to successively display newly-posted comments. According to this variation, new comments are successively displayed starting from a comment selected by a user, facilitating the user to find comments (e.g., comments such as replays and citations) that are related to the comment selected by the user. The variation can also facilitate the user to reselect a comment selected before a cursor is made hidden.

Further, the second comment displaying unit432may replace an old comment with a new comment in the timeline at a higher speed or scroll up the timeline at a higher speed as the number of comments that are periodically acquired by the comment acquisition unit420increases. This variation allows the user to more easily know whether the number of comments posted for a program is large or small in an intuitive manner and also allows new comments to be more easily presented to the user in a quick manner.

A second exemplary variation is now described in detail. Although no particular reference is made in the above embodiments, a plurality of genres may be assigned to each program with regard to program information stored in the program information storage unit50. For example, a genre “news” and a genre “variety” may be assigned to a talk show program. The fixed-comment storage unit412may store a plurality of genres in association with the same fixed comment. For example, both the genre “news” and the genre “variety” may be associated with the same fixed comment “that's funny.” When the comment creation supporting unit440selects a plurality of fixed comments, which are all identical, for a program to which a plurality of genres are assigned, the creation screen displaying unit438may hide either of the fixed comments on the tweet menu screen490. According to this variation, a situation can be prevented where a task of checking fixed comments by the user becomes unnecessarily complicated due to a plurality of identical fixed comments being displayed on the tweet menu screen490and where the user's burden is increased as a result.

Optional combinations of the aforementioned embodiment and exemplary variations will also be within the scope of the present invention. New modes of practicing the invention created by combinations will provide the advantages of the embodiment and variations combined.

Therefore, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the function to be achieved by each constituent requirement described in the claims may be achieved by each constituting element shown in the embodiments and in the modifications or by a combination of the constituting elements. For example, a comment creation supporting unit described in a claim may be achieved by a combination of the creation screen displaying unit438, the comment creation supporting unit440, and the input comment setting unit442that are described in the embodiments.