Broadcast program recording method, communication control device, and mobile communication device

Abstract

Disclosed are an example broadcast recording method, information terminal, communication device and broadcast recording system for resolving the problem of missing programs when radio wave difficulties occurs or an electronic communication is made during viewing or listening to a program. When an incoming or outgoing call is made in an information terminal containing broadcast signal receiving functions and communication functions, the broadcast signal currently being received is recorded automatically. When a problem or interruption in receiving the broadcast signal is detected, a command signal is automatically sent to the recording server in order to record the broadcast signal currently being received.

1 . A mobile communication device comprising:
 a broadcast signal receiving portion for receiving a broadcast signal;   a receiving signal recording portion for recording broadcast receiving information acquired from the broadcast signal; and   a call detector portion for detecting an incoming mobile communication call,   wherein, when an incoming call is detected by the call detector portion during receiving of the broadcast signal, the receiving signal recording portion records the broadcast receiving information acquired from the broadcast signal.   
     
     
         2 . The mobile communication device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 when termination of a call is detected by the call detector portion, broadcast receiving information recorded in the receiving signal recording portion is played back.   
     
     
         3 . The mobile communication device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 when termination of a call is detected by the call detector portion, the receiving signal recording portion stops recording the broadcast receiving information.   
     
     
         4 . The mobile communication device according to  claim 1 , wherein the receiving signal recording portion comprises an automatic recording mode and a manual recording mode. 
     
     
         5 . The mobile communication device according to  claim 4 , wherein
 when an incoming call is detected by the call detector portion during receiving of the broadcast signal while the receiving signal recording portion is in the automatic recording mode, the receiving signal recording portion automatically records the broadcast receiving information.   
     
     
         6 . The mobile communication device according to  claim 4 , wherein
 when an incoming call is detected by the call detector portion during receiving of the broadcast signal while the receiving signal recording portion is in the manual recording mode, a recording request is output that requests an input for causing the receiving signal recording portion to record the broadcast receiving information.   
     
     
         7 . A broadcast recording method for recording a broadcast program viewed or recorded on a mobile communication device including communication functions and broadcast receiving functions by utilizing a program recording device comprising a receiving function, the method comprising:
 detecting a necessity to record a broadcast program viewed or recorded on the mobile communication device; and   recording the broadcast program on a program recording device.   
     
     
         8 . The broadcast recording method according to  claim 7 , wherein
 the detecting comprises detecting an incoming call or outgoing call of the mobile communication device.   
     
     
         9 . The broadcast recording method according to  claim 7 , further comprising:
 notifying the mobile communication device of the recording of a broadcast program.   
     
     
         10 . The broadcast recording method according to  claim 7 , further comprising:
 inquiring of the mobile communication device whether or not the recorded broadcast program is necessary.   
     
     
         11 . The broadcast recording method according to  claim 7 , wherein
 the detecting comprises receiving terminal status information indicative of terminal status.   
     
     
         12 . The broadcast recording method according to  claim 11 , wherein
 the receiving of terminal status information comprises periodically receiving terminal status information in synchronization with preset time from the mobile communication device.   
     
     
         13 . The broadcast recording method according to  claim 11 , wherein
 when terminal status is changed, terminal status information after the change of terminal status is constantly received as updated information from the mobile communication device.   
     
     
         14 . The broadcast recording method according to  claim 11 , wherein
 the terminal status information includes abnormal terminal status including at least one of radio wave difficulties occurring in the mobile communication device, insufficient recording capacity, and worn batteries.   
     
     
         15 . The broadcast recording method according to  claim 7 , further comprising:
 detecting canceling of the necessity to record a broadcast program viewed or recorded on the mobile communication device.   
     
     
         16 . The broadcast recording method according to  claim 15 , further comprising:
 notifying the recording of a broadcast program based on detecting the canceling of the necessity to record.   
     
     
         17 . The broadcast recording method according to  claim 7 , further comprising:
 receiving recording program information sent from the mobile communication device.   
     
     
         18 . The broadcast recording method according to  claim 17 , wherein
 when a program is changed, program information after the program change is constantly received as updated information from the mobile communication device.   
     
     
         19 . A program recording method for recording a broadcast program on a mobile communication device including a streaming broadcast receiving function, the program being distributed via a communication line by streaming distribution to the mobile communication device, the method comprising:
 streaming distribution of a broadcast program via a communication line to a mobile communication device;   detecting a necessity to record a broadcast program viewed or recorded on the mobile communication device; and   stopping the streaming distribution to the mobile communication device and recording the stopping position of the streaming distribution.   
     
     
         20 . The program recording method according to  claim 19 , wherein
 the detecting comprises detecting an incoming call or outgoing call of the mobile communication device.   
     
     
         21 . The program recording method according to  claim 19 , wherein the detecting comprises receiving terminal status information indicating terminal status. 
     
     
         22 . A communication control device connectable via a communication line to a mobile communication device including broadcast receiving functions and communication functions, the device comprising:
 a recording necessity detection portion for detecting a necessity to record a broadcast program viewed or recorded on the mobile communication device; and   a recording command information generating portion for generating recording command information to record the broadcast program.   
     
     
         23 . The communication control device according to  claim 22 , wherein
 the recording necessity detection portion includes a call detector portion for detecting an incoming call or outgoing call of the mobile communication device.   
     
     
         24 . The communication control device according to  claim 22 , wherein
 the recording necessity detection portion includes a terminal status information receiving portion for receiving terminal status information indicative of terminal status.   
     
     
         25 . A communication control device for streaming distribution of a broadcast program via a communication line to a mobile communication device including streaming broadcast receiving functions, the device comprising:
 a recording necessity detection portion for detecting a necessity to record a broadcast program viewed or recorded on the mobile communication device; and   a streaming distribution portion for stopping the streaming distribution to the mobile communication device, and for recording the stopping position of the streaming distribution.   
     
     
         26 . The communication control device according to  claim 25 , wherein
 the recording necessity detection portion includes a call detector portion for detecting an incoming call or outgoing call of the mobile communication device.   
     
     
         27 . The communication control device according to  claim 25 , wherein the recording necessity detection portion includes a terminal status information receiving portion for receiving terminal status information indicative of terminal status. 
     
     
         28 . A program tangibly embodied on a computer-readable medium for implementing on a computer a broadcast recording method according to  claim 7 . 
     
     
         29 . A recording medium readable by a computer loaded with a program for implementing on a computer a broadcast recording method according to  claim 7 . 
     
     
         30 . The broadcast recording method according to  claim 17 , wherein
 the recording program information is received periodically in synchronization with preset time from the mobile communication device.   
     
     
         31 . The program recording method according to  claim 19 , further comprising:
 inquiring of the mobile communication device whether or not to stop the distribution of program.   
     
     
         32 . The program recording method according to  claim 21 , wherein
 the terminal status information includes abnormal status of the mobile communication device including at least one of radio wave difficulties occurring in the mobile communication device, insufficient recording capacity, and worn batteries.   
     
     
         33 . The program recording method according to  claim 19 , further comprising:
 detecting canceling of the necessity to record the distributed program.   
     
     
         34 . The program recording method according to  claim 33 , further comprising:
 restarting the streaming distribution of the broadcast program from the recorded stopping position.   
     
     
         35 . The communication control device according to  claim 22 , further comprising:
 a recording notification portion for notifying the mobile communication device of the recording of a broadcast program.   
     
     
         36 . The communication control device according to  claim 22 , further comprising:
 a recording inquiry portion for inquiring of the mobile communication device whether or not the recorded broadcast program is necessary.   
     
     
         37 . The communication control device according to  claim 22 , further comprising:
 a recording necessity end detection portion for detecting canceling of the necessity to record the distributed program.   
     
     
         38 . The communication control device according to  claim 22 , further comprising:
 a recording program information receiving portion for receiving recording program information sent from the mobile communication device.   
     
     
         39 . The communication control device according to  claim 24 , wherein
 the terminal status information includes abnormal status of the mobile communication device including at least one of radio wave difficulties occurring in the mobile communication device, insufficient recording capacity, and worn batteries.   
     
     
         40 . The communication control device according to  claim 25 , further comprising:
 a recording inquiry portion for inquiring of the mobile communication device whether or not to stop the distributed program.   
     
     
         41 . The communication control device according to  claim 25 , further comprising:
 a recording necessity end detection portion for detecting canceling of the necessity to record the distributed program.   
     
     
         42 . The communication control device according to  claim 27 , wherein
 the terminal status information includes abnormal status of the mobile communication device including at least one of radio wave difficulties occurring in the mobile communication device, insufficient recording capacity, and worn batteries.   
     
     
         43 . A mobile communication device comprising a broadcast signal receiving function and a communication function, the mobile communication device further comprising a terminal status information transmitting portion for transmitting to a communication control device terminal status information indicating that a broadcast signal cannot be received or recorded. 
     
     
         44 . A mobile communication device comprising a broadcast signal receiving function and a communication function, the mobile communication device further comprising a recording notification receiving portion for receiving a recording notification indicating that a communication control device has recorded a broadcast program. 
     
     
         45 . A mobile communication device comprising a broadcast signal receiving function and a communication function, the mobile communication device further comprising:
 a recording inquiry receiving portion for receiving an inquiry on whether or not a broadcast program recorded by a communication control device is necessary.   
     
     
         46 . A mobile communication device comprising a broadcast signal receiving function and a communication function, the mobile communication device further comprising:
 a recording program information transmitting portion for transmitting program information to be recorded on a communication control device to the communication control device.   
     
     
         47 . The mobile communication device according to  claim 43 , wherein the terminal status information includes abnormal status of the mobile communication device including at least one of radio wave difficulties occurring in the mobile communication device, insufficient recording capacity, and worn batteries. 
     
     
         48 . The mobile communication device according to  claim 43 , wherein
 the terminal status information includes recovery status of the mobile communication device recovered from at least one of radio wave difficulties occurring in the mobile communication device, insufficient recording capacity, or worn batteries.   
     
     
         49 . A mobile communication device comprising a streaming broadcast signal receiving function and a communication function, the mobile communication device further comprising a terminal status information transmitting portion for transmitting to a communication control device terminal status information indicating that a broadcast signal cannot be received or recorded. 
     
     
         50 . A mobile communication device comprising a streaming broadcast signal receiving function and a communication function, the mobile communication device further comprising a recording notification receiving portion for receiving a recording notification indicating that a communication control device has recorded a broadcast program. 
     
     
         51 . A mobile communication device comprising a streaming broadcast signal receiving function and a communication function, the mobile communication device further comprising:
 a recording inquiry receiving portion for receiving an inquiry on whether or not a broadcast program recorded by a communication control device is necessary.   
     
     
         52 . A mobile communication device comprising a streaming broadcast signal receiving function and a communication function, the mobile communication device further comprising:
 a recording program information transmitting portion for transmitting program information to be recorded on a communication control device to the communication control device.   
     
     
         53 . The mobile communication device according to  claim 49 , wherein
 the terminal status information includes abnormal status of the mobile communication device including at least one of radio wave difficulties occurring in the mobile communication device, insufficient recording capacity, and worn batteries.   
     
     
         54 . The mobile communication device according to  claim 49 , wherein
 the terminal status information includes recovery status of the mobile communication device recovered from at least one of radio wave difficulties occurring in the mobile communication device, insufficient recording capacity, or worn batteries.