A method of placing an ad in a video in an original format may include producing a transcoded video in a proxy format which is a representation of frames of the video in the original format. The transcoded video in the proxy format is convertible to other formats for output. The method may include selecting the ad from a set of ads, selecting a location within a frame of the transcoded video where the ad is to be placed, selecting frames of the transcoded video where the ad is to be placed, placing a placeholder in the transcoded video in the selected frames at the selected location, and storing the transcoded video in the proxy format. When the transcoded video is presented to a user on a display device, the selected ad is inserted in place of the placeholder.

In order to provide a recording and reproducing device that allows a user to select and manage arbitrary play lists, a unit of management for managing all registered play list information and an upper management hierarchical level are added. The unit of management is adapted to be handled on the same level with unified information that indicates a reproduction range of all AV data. User-defined unified information is adapted to be handled on the added management hierarchical level. The user-defined unified information is formed to allow arbitrary reproduction ranges contained on a lower hierarchical level to be registered.

A method receives a video sequence including a visually perceptible item and selectively causes a display device to present the video sequence at any given time in one of a plurality of modes, including a first mode and a second mode. In the first mode, the display device presents the video sequence with a tag, which comprises information pertaining to the visually perceptible item in the video sequence. In the second mode, the display device presents the video sequence without the tag. The method receives from an input device a signal that indicates whether to present the video sequence in the first mode or the second mode, wherein causing the display device to present the video sequence in the first mode is performed in response to receiving from the input device the signal that indicates that the video sequence should be presented in the first mode.

An object of the present invention is to realize an imaging device and recording control system in which the usability thereof can be improved dramatically. In an imaging device configured to output imaging data that is obtained as a result of imaging of an object, and a recording control system, the imaging device comprises a control means for recognizing a controlled state of an external recording device when a communication is enabled with the recording device through a communication means conforming to a predetermined transmission method and an input means for allowing the recording device to execute an application needed for a recording operation obtained by controlling the recording device, and the recording device records the imaging data obtained through the communication means when the application is executed by means of the input means.

A method of placing an ad in a video in an original format may include producing a transcoded video in a proxy format which is a representation of frames of the video in the original format. The transcoded video in the proxy format is convertible to other formats for output. The method may include selecting the ad from a set of ads, selecting a location within a frame of the transcoded video where the ad is to be placed, selecting frames of the transcoded video where the ad is to be placed, placing a placeholder in the transcoded video in the selected frames at the selected location, and storing the transcoded video in the proxy format. When the transcoded video is presented to a user on a display device, the selected ad is inserted in place of the placeholder.

Several ways are provided for a viewer of a movie to create a deep tag, that is, a bookmark for a segment of the movie. The deep tag can be associated with descriptive text and sent to an address provided by the viewer, either an e-mail address or an instant messaging address. Additionally, before the deep tag is created, it can be checked whether the content owner of the movie is known. If known, the content owner's rules, if any, regarding deep tagging are followed. If unknown, a set of registered content owners can be alerted of the presence of new content. When ownership of the new content is established, the already-created deep tags can be updated in accordance with the content owner's rules, if any, regarding deep tagging.

In order to provide a recording and reproducing device that allows a user to select and manage arbitrary play lists, a unit of management for managing all registered play list information and an upper management hierarchical level are added. The unit of management is adapted to be handled on the same level with unified information that indicates a reproduction range of all AV data. User-defined unified information is adapted to be handled on the added management hierarchical level. The user-defined unified information is formed to allow arbitrary reproduction ranges contained on a lower hierarchical level to be registered.

A decoding system decodes a video stream, which is encoded video information. The decoding system includes an attribute information acquirer that acquires first attribute information, indicating whether a dynamic range of luminance of the video stream is a first dynamic range or a second dynamic range that is wider than the first dynamic range, and a decoder that acquires the video steam and generates decoded video information. The decoding system also includes an outputter that, in a case where the first attribute information indicates the second dynamic range, outputs the decoded video information and maximum luminance information indicating a maximum luminance of the video stream in accordance with the second dynamic range. Further, in other cases, the outputter outputs the decoded video information and maximum luminance information indicating the maximum luminance of all pictures in the video stream.

A decoding system decodes a video stream, which is encoded video information. The decoding system includes a decoder that acquires the video steam and generates decoded video information, and a maximum luminance information acquirer that acquires, in a case where a dynamic range of luminance of the video stream is a second dynamic range that is wider than a first dynamic range, maximum luminance information indicating the maximum luminance of the video stream from the video stream. The decoding system also includes an outputter that outputs the decoded video information and the maximum luminance information. Where the dynamic range of luminance of the video stream is expressed by the maximum luminance of all pictures in the video stream as the maximum luminance information, the outputter outputs the decoded video information, along with the maximum luminance information indicating the maximum luminance of all pictures in the video stream.

A system and method for the simultaneous creation, assembly and transmission of synchronous multiple personalized messages to specific targeted individuals or other entities. The system can send rich media distinctly personalized messages such as commercials to a small or large group of selected individuals through any appropriate distribution media. A personalized message is created based on segmenting a message into multiple slots, and providing different selectable segments for each slot. The multiple segments are then simultaneously broadcasted over multiple data streams to a receiver, wherein the receiver switches between the data streams to assemble the personalized message in a just-in-time fashion. Other data including overlays, animation, frame transitions etc. may also be transmitted and used to assemble the personalized message.