US 7,519,269 B2
Video recording/reproducing apparatus and method based on program information
Takeo Horiguchi, Yokohama (Japan); and Masafumi Tamura, Chofu (Japan)
Assigned to Kabushiki Kaish Toshiba, Tokyo (Japan)
Filed on Jul. 27, 2004, as Appl. No. 10/899,170.
Claims priority of application No. 2003-281160 (JP), filed on Jul. 28, 2003.
Prior Publication US 2005/0238317 A1, Oct. 27, 2005
Int. Cl. H04N 5/76 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 386—69  [386/83; 725/53] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A video recording/reproducing apparatus comprising:
a receiver which receives broadcast programs;
an acquiring unit which acquires program information of the broadcast programs, the program information including category information of the broadcast programs;
a recording unit which records broadcast programs received by the receiver together with the program information acquired by the acquiring unit;
a selector which selects a category of the broadcast programs;
a searching unit which searches for a latest program of the category selected by the selector based on the program information currently acquired by the acquiring unit and the program information previously recorded by the recording unit;
a video reproducing unit which reproduces the latest program of the category selected; and
an erase unit which erases an old broadcast program recorded by the recording unit having a same title as that of the latest program at one of a recording time, a play-back time of the recorded program, and a watching time of the broadcast programs.