Patent ID: 6925567

Claim:
A reception device for controlling a video recording device physically separate from to the reception device, the reception device comprising: reception means for receiving an electronic mail transmitted through a network by a sender; first extracting means for extracting encrypted certification information inserted in said electronic mail received by said reception means; second extracting means for extracting a control command inserted in said electronic mail received by said reception means for controlling a remote timer video recording reservation function of the physically separate video recording device, wherein said control command is added to said electronic mail to reserve an operation time of said physically separate video recording device; decrypting means for decrypting said certification information extracted by said first extracting means; certifying means for certifying, by referencing the certification information decrypted by said decrypting means, whether the sender of said electronic mail is an authorized user; means for determining if the control command extracted by the second extracting means is seeking an operation time duplicating one already reserved and informing the sender by electronic mail if so; storing means for storing, if said sender of said electronic mail has been certified by said certifying means to be an authorized user and if the means for determining determines there is no duplicated operation time request, said control command extracted by said second extracting means; and control means for controlling said timer video recording reservation function of the physically separate video recording device to reserve an operation time of said physically separate video recording device based on said control command stored in said storing means.