Information processing system, portable information terminal apparatus, information processing method, program information providing apparatus, program information providing method, recording/reproducing apparatus, recording/reproducing method, computer-program storage medium, and computer-program

An information processing system comprising a program information providing apparatus for providing program information about programs, a portable information terminal apparatus owned by a user, and an information processing apparatus having recording and reproducing functions;

• wherein said program information providing apparatus includes:
• a first store configured for storing user information about said user input to said portable information terminal apparatus, said user information including user identification information for identifying said user;
• a second store configured for storing said program information and advertisement information that is provided together with said program information;
• an acquisition request information receiver configured for receiving from said portable information terminal apparatus owned by a predetermined user among more than one said user acquisition request information for requesting for said program information, said acquisition request information including at least said user identification information for identifying said predetermined user;
• a first acquiring unit configured for acquiring said user information including said user identification information from said first store based on said user identification information included in the received acquisition request information;
• and
• a providing unit configured for retrieving said program information of a program desired by said predetermined user and said advertisement information from said second store based on the acquired user information before providing the retrieved information to said portable information terminal apparatus;
• wherein said portable information terminal apparatus includes:
• a display controller configured for causing to be displayed a display screen used for inputting said user information about the user of said portable information terminal apparatus that is to be stored in said first store of said program information providing apparatus;
• an acquisition request information transmitter configured and for transmitting said acquisition request information to said program information providing apparatus;
• a second acquiring unit configured for acquiring said program information and said advertisement information provided by said program information providing apparatus based on transmission of said acquisition request information;
• an establishing unit configured for establishing preset information for presetting a desired program to be recorded unattended based on said program information acquired by said second acquiring unit;
• and
• a preset information transmitter configured for transmitting said preset information established by said establishing unit;
• and
• wherein said information processing apparatus includes:
• a preset information receiver configured for receiving said preset information;
• and
• a recording controller configured for controlling the unattended recording of said program based on said preset information received by said preset information receiver.

A portable information terminal apparatus connected to a program information providing apparatus that provides program information about programs, said portable information terminal apparatus comprising:

• an acquisition request information transmitter configured for transmitting to said program information providing apparatus acquisition request information for requesting for said program information, said acquisition request information including at least user identification information for identifying a user of said portable information terminal apparatus;
• an acquiring unit configured for acquiring said program information provided by said program information providing apparatus based on transmission of said acquisition request information;
• a display controller configured for causing said program information acquired by said acquiring unit to be displayed;
• an establishing unit configured for establishing preset information, for presetting a desired program to be recorded unattended based on an operational input made by said user referring to said program information displayed by said display controller;
• and
• a preset information transmitter configured for transmitting said preset information established by said establishing unit;
• wherein said display controller further causes to be displayed a display screen used for inputting user information about the user of said portable information terminal apparatus that is stored in said program information providing apparatus.

An information processing method for use with a portable information terminal apparatus connected to a program information providing apparatus for providing program information about programs, said information processing method comprising the steps of:

• causing to display a display screen used for inputting user information about a user of said portable information terminal apparatus that is to be stored in said program information providing apparatus;
• transmitting to said program information providing apparatus acquisition request information for requesting for said program information, said acquisition request information including at least user identification information for identifying the user of said portable information terminal apparatus;
• acquiring said program information provided from said program information providing apparatus based on transmission of said acquisition request information;
• causing to display the acquired program information;
• establishing, based on the displayed program information, preset information for presetting a desired program to be recorded unattended based on an operational input made by said user;
• and
• transmitting the established preset information.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, readable by a computer, storing a computer-program for controlling a computer of a portable information terminal apparatus connected to a program information providing apparatus for providing program information about programs, said computer-program causing the implementation of the method comprising the steps of:

• causing to display a display screen used for inputting user information about a user of said portable information terminal apparatus that is to be stored in said program information providing apparatus;
• causing to transmit to said program information providing apparatus acquisition request information for requesting for said program information, said acquisition request information including at least user identification information for identifying the user of said portable information terminal;
• acquiring said program information provided by said program information providing apparatus based on transmission of said acquisition request information;
• causing to display the acquired program information;
• establishing, based on said program information that is displayed, preset information for presetting a desired program to be recorded unattended based on an operational input made by said user;
• and
• causing to transmit the established preset information.

A program information providing apparatus for providing program information about programs to a portable information terminal apparatus over a network, said program information providing apparatus comprising:

• a first store configured for storing user information, about a user of said portable information terminal apparatus, input to said portable information terminal apparatus, said user information including user identification information for identifying said user;
• a second store configured for storing said program information and advertisement information that is provided together with said program information;
• an acquisition request information receiver configured for receiving from said portable information terminal apparatus owned by a predetermined user among more than one said user acquisition request information for requesting for said program information, said acquisition request information including at least said user identification information for identifying said predetermined user;
• an acquiring unit configured for acquiring said user information including said user identification information from said first store based on said user identification information included in the received acquisition request information;
• and
• a converter which, based on the acquired user information, retrieves said program information of a program desired by said predetermined user and said advertisement information from said second store before converting the retrieved information into data of a predetermined file format compatible with said portable information terminal apparatus;
• and
• a providing unit configured for providing said data converted by said converter to said portable information terminal apparatus over said network;
• wherein said program information is information for causing an information processing apparatus different from said portable information terminal apparatus to preset a program corresponding to said program information to be recorded unattended.

A program information providing method for use with a program information providing apparatus which provides program information about programs to a portable information terminal apparatus over a network and which includes first storing means for storing user information, about a user of said portable information terminal apparatus, input to said portable information terminal apparatus, said user information including user identification information for identifying said user, and second storing means for storing said program information and advertisement information that is provided together with said program information, said program information providing method comprising the steps of:

• receiving from said portable information terminal apparatus owned by a predetermined user among more than one said user acquisition request information for requesting for said program information, said acquisition request information including at least said user identification information for identifying said predetermined user;
• acquiring from said first storing means said user information including said user identification information based on said user identification information included in the received acquisition request information;
• retrieving, based on the acquired user information, said program information of a program desired by said predetermined user and said advertisement information from said second storing means before converting the retrieved information into data of a predetermined file format compatible with said portable information terminal apparatus;
• and
• providing said data converted in said converting step to said portable information terminal apparatus over said network;
• wherein said program information is information for causing an information processing apparatus different from said portable information terminal apparatus to preset a program corresponding to said program information to be recorded unattended.

A non-transitory computer-program storage medium, readable by a computer, storing a computer-program for controlling a computer of a program information providing apparatus which provides program information about programs to a portable information terminal apparatus over a network and which includes first storing means for storing user information, about a user of said portable information terminal apparatus, input to said portable information terminal apparatus, said user information including user identification information for identifying said user, and second storing means for storing said program information and advertisement information that is provided together with said program information, the computer-program, when executed, implementing the method comprising the steps of:

• causing to receive acquisition request information for requesting said portable information terminal apparatus owned by a predetermined user among more than one said user for said program information, said acquisition request information including at least said user identification information for identifying said predetermined user;
• acquiring said user information associated with said user identification information from said first storing, means based on said user identification information included in the received acquisition request information;
• causing said program information of a program desired by said predetermined user and advertisement information to be retrieved from said second storing means based on the acquired user information before converting the retrieved information into data of a predetermined file format compatible with said portable information terminal apparatus;
• and
• providing said data converted by said converting step to said portable information terminal apparatus over said network;
• wherein said program information is information for causing an information processing apparatus different from said portable information terminal. apparatus to preset a program corresponding to said program information to be recorded unattended.