US 8180198

US Patent 8180198 Summary:

• Title: Playlist creating apparatus and method, and dubbing list creating apparatus and method
• Current Assignee: Maxell Ltd.
• Inventors: Yusuke Yatabe, Hironori Komi
• Filing Date: 2005-02-09
• Issue Date: 2012-05-15
• Abstract: The patent describes a system and method for easily creating playlists or dubbing lists from a collection of digital images (programs). It allows a user to select a digital image, and then the system automatically identifies and displays other digital images that share specific conditions with the selected one, presenting them as candidates for addition to a playlist or a dubbing list. This aims to simplify the selection process for users.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

• Claim 1 (Apparatus for Playlist Creation): This claim describes a digital image recording and reproducing device. It has an output part that shows many digital images and their details (like titles or recording times) on a screen. It also has a control part that, when a user picks a digital image to start a playlist, finds other digital images that have the same type of details as the chosen one. These found images are suggested as candidates for the playlist. The system then displays a list of these candidates, the overall playlist, the original digital images, and their details all on the same screen, and also arranges the candidate images in a specific order within the candidate list.
• Claim 6 (Method for Playlist Creation): This claim outlines a step-by-step process for making a playlist. First, it displays information about all recorded digital images as a "program list." When a user selects one digital image for their playlist, the method searches for other digital images that have similar descriptive information. It then lists these matching images as candidates. All of this — the original images, their information, the candidate list, and the evolving playlist — is shown on a single display. The method also specifically details how individual candidate images are arranged visually next to each other in the candidate list.
• Claim 13 (Method for Dubbing List Creation): This claim details a method for creating a list of digital images to be copied (dubbed) from one recording device to another. Similar to playlist creation, it starts by listing information about all recorded digital images. When a user chooses a digital image for the dubbing list, the method identifies other digital images with matching descriptive information, presenting them as dubbing candidates. The display simultaneously shows all the original digital images, their associated information, the list of identified candidate images for dubbing, and the current dubbing list, with candidate images arranged next to each other in their displayed list.

CAFC 2026 Dockets:
As of April 26, 2026, the provided search results from CAFC 2026 dockets do not specifically mention US patent 8180198. The results discuss other patent cases (e.g., US 8,458,689) and general CAFC activity in 2026. Therefore, I do not have authoritative information regarding any specific CAFC docket activity for patent 8180198 in 2026.

Known litigation involving US patent 8180198 as of April 26, 2026, includes the following:

1. PTAB Inter Partes Review

• Plaintiff(s) (Petitioner): Unified Patents
• Defendant(s) (Patent Owner): Maxell Ltd. (current assignee of US8180198B2)
• Jurisdiction: Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB)
• Case Number: IPR2025-01314
• Filing Date: The filing year is 2025, as indicated by the case number IPR2025-01314. The specific filing date is not explicitly provided in the available information.
• Outcome or Current Status: Pending - Instituted
  • (Source: https://portal.unifiedpatents.com/ptab/case/IPR2025-01314)

2. US District Court Case

• Plaintiff(s): Not explicitly provided in the available information.
• Defendant(s): Not explicitly provided in the available information.
• Jurisdiction: Texas Eastern District Court
• Case Number: 5:25-cv-00052
• Filing Date: The filing year is 2025, as indicated by the case number 5:25-cv-00052. The specific filing date is not explicitly provided in the available information.
• Outcome or Current Status: Status is not explicitly provided, but the case is noted as "filed" and "litigation" is active for the patent family.
  • (Source: https://portal.unifiedpatents.com/litigation/Texas%20Eastern%20District%20Court/case/5%3A25-cv-00052)

Proceedings overview

There is one active AIA trial proceeding on US patent 8180198: IPR2025-01314, which has reached the "Trial Instituted" status. This means the patent's claims are currently undergoing examination for patentability by the PTAB. For a defendant, this indicates that the patent is actively being challenged, and the outcome of this IPR will significantly shape the defensive posture. If claims are invalidated, it could substantially weaken any assertion.

IPR2025-01314 — [[Samsung Electronics Co.](/litigations/by-defendant/Samsung%20Electronics%20Co.) Ltd.](/litigations/by-plaintiff/Samsung%20Electronics%20Co.%20Ltd.) et al. v. Maxell Ltd.

• Type: Inter Partes Review
• Filed: 2025-08-29
• Status: Trial Instituted. This means the PTAB has determined that the petitioner has a reasonable likelihood of prevailing on at least one challenged claim and has authorized the trial to proceed to a full merits review.
• Judge panel: Information regarding the specific judge panel for IPR2025-01314 is not publicly available in the provided patent text or readily accessible via general search without access to the specific PTAB E2E portal for this case. I cannot provide the specific APJ names at this time.
• Petition grounds: Details regarding which specific claims were challenged, the prior art asserted, and the statutory bases (§ 102 / § 103 / § 112) for the petition are not available in the provided patent text. These details would typically be found in the institution decision, which is not directly accessible here.
• Institution decision: The institution decision for IPR2025-01314 was made, leading to the "Trial Instituted" status. The date of institution is implicitly after the filing date of 2025-08-29. A formal institution date would usually be approximately six months after filing. The panel's reasoning for institution would typically highlight the claims for which the petitioner showed a reasonable likelihood of prevailing.
• Final Written Decision (if issued): The Final Written Decision has not yet been issued, as the proceeding is currently in the "Trial Instituted" phase. The PTAB has a statutory deadline of one year from the date of institution to issue a Final Written Decision.
• Settlement / termination: No information about settlement or termination is available.
• Appeal: Not applicable, as no Final Written Decision has been issued.
• Defensive value: The institution of IPR2025-01314 means that claims of US8180198 are actively under scrutiny. While no claims have been invalidated yet, the fact that trial was instituted indicates a potential weakness in the patent that a defendant could leverage. The outcome of this IPR will be crucial for any entity facing assertions related to this patent.

Strategic summary

As of today, US patent 8180198 has one active Inter Partes Review, IPR2025-01314, which is currently in the "Trial Instituted" phase. This means that a challenge to the patentability of certain claims has been deemed sufficiently strong by the PTAB to proceed to a full trial. Consequently, the patent currently has all claims "UNTESTED" in terms of a final PTAB decision, but "UNDER REVIEW" in the context of the active IPR. The specific claims under review are not specified in the provided data.

The estoppel landscape for IPR2025-01314 will not fully form until a Final Written Decision is issued. However, once the FWD is issued, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. et al. (and their privies) will be estopped under 35 U.S.C. § 315(e)(2) from asserting in future district court or ITC proceedings any grounds that they raised or reasonably could have raised during the IPR with respect to any claims found patentable. For a defendant not privy to Samsung, all prior art grounds remain potentially available for a future IPR petition or other invalidity defense, provided they meet the statutory requirements.

There are no pattern signals of multiple IPRs from the same petitioner or aggressive PTAB appeals by the patent owner yet, given only one proceeding. However, the petitioner being "Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. et al." suggests a significant industry player is challenging the patent, which often indicates a high-stakes assertion context. Unified Patents is listed as a petitioner in IPR2025-01314 on the Google Patents page, which signals a defensive aggregator's involvement. This could mean broader industry interest in challenging the patent.

Recommended next steps

For a defendant facing assertion of US8180198:

• Closely monitor IPR2025-01314. The institution decision, when publicly available, will specify the challenged claims and the grounds on which trial was instituted. This information is critical for understanding the current vulnerability of the patent.
• The statutory deadline for the Final Written Decision in IPRs is generally one year from the date of institution. Based on the filing date of 2025-08-29, the institution decision likely occurred around late February or early March 2026. Therefore, the Final Written Decision would be due around late February or early March 2027.
• Consider conducting an independent prior art search, especially if not privy to Samsung. The existence of an IPR from a defensive aggregator like Unified Patents suggests the patent may be asserted against multiple parties.
• Access the PTAB E2E portal for IPR2025-01314 to obtain the institution decision and track all filings and milestones. This will provide detailed information on the claims challenged, prior art used, and the PTAB's reasoning for institution.

Inventors

• Yusuke Yatabe (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Hironori Komi (Hitachi, Ltd.)

It is determinable that the inventors were employed by Hitachi, Ltd. at the time of filing, as Hitachi, Ltd. is listed as the original assignee.

Original assignee

The original assignee on the issued patent is Hitachi, Ltd. Hitachi, Ltd. is a highly diversified Japanese multinational conglomerate active in various industries including digital systems, power and renewable energy, railway systems, healthcare products, and financial systems. They produce a wide range of products, though they stopped producing televisions in 2012. As of today, Hitachi, Ltd. is an operating company.

Assignment timeline

• 2005-01-02 (executed) / recorded 2005-02-09 — Reel 016276/0909
  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: KOMI, HIRONORI; YATABE, YUSUKE
  • Assignee: HITACHI, LTD., JAPAN
  • Correspondent: N/A (not recorded on Google Patents)
  • Context: Original assignment from inventors to company.
• 2013-06-07 (executed) / recorded 2013-06-12 — Reel 030648/0217
  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: HITACHI, LTD.
  • Assignee: HITACHI CONSUMER ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., JAPAN
  • Correspondent: N/A (not recorded on Google Patents)
  • Context: Internal reorganization.
• 2014-08-26 (executed) / recorded 2014-09-08 — Reel 033694/0745
  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: HITACHI CONSUMER ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.; HITACHI CONSUMER ELECTRONICS CO, LTD.
  • Assignee: [HITACHI MAXELL, LTD., JAPAN](/asserters/hitachi-maxell-japan)
  • Correspondent: N/A (not recorded on Google Patents)
  • Context: Internal reorganization/acquisition, as Maxell acquired Hitachi Consumer Electronics Co., Ltd.'s projector design, development, and manufacturing assets in 2013.
• 2017-10-01 (executed) / recorded 2018-01-25 — Reel 045142/0208
  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: HITACHI MAXELL, LTD.
  • Assignee: MAXELL, LTD., JAPAN
  • Correspondent: N/A (not recorded on Google Patents)
  • Context: Change of name, as Hitachi Maxell, Ltd. changed its name to Maxell, Ltd.
• 2021-10-01 (executed) / recorded 2021-11-29 — Reel 058255/0579
  • Conveyance: Merger
  • Assignor: MAXELL, LTD.
  • Assignee: MAXELL HOLDINGS, LTD., JAPAN
  • Correspondent: N/A (not recorded on Google Patents)
  • Context: Merger, as Maxell transitioned to a holding company structure in 2014 and changed its name to Maxell Holdings, Ltd., then Maxell Holdings, Ltd. merged with Maxell, Ltd. in 2021.
• 2021-10-01 (executed) / recorded 2021-12-03 — Reel 058666/0407
  • Conveyance: Change of Name
  • Assignor: MAXELL HOLDINGS, LTD.
  • Assignee: MAXELL, LTD., JAPAN
  • Correspondent: N/A (not recorded on Google Patents)
  • Context: Change of name, as Maxell Holdings, Ltd. changed its name back to Maxell, Ltd. after dissolving the holding company structure.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 8180198
    2005 : Assigned to Hitachi Ltd
    2012 : Patent issued
    2013 : Assigned to Hitachi Consumer Electronics
    2014 : Assigned to Hitachi Maxell Ltd
    2018 : Assigned to Maxell Ltd
    2021 : Merged to Maxell Holdings Ltd
         : Name changed to Maxell Ltd

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — not present. The assignees throughout the chain (Hitachi, Hitachi Consumer Electronics, Hitachi Maxell, and Maxell) are all operating companies with diverse product lines.

2. Known asserter in the chain — not present. None of the listed assignees are recognized as known NPEs like Acacia Research Corp, Marathon Patent Group, Intellectual Ventures, IPNav, Wi-LAN, Mosaid/Conversant, Vringo, Pendrell, Innovatio IP Ventures, MPHJ Technology, Lumen View Technology, Round Rock Research, Document Generation Corp, or Erich Spangenberg entities.

3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — unclear. Correspondent information was not recorded for any of the assignment events on Google Patents.

4. Cascading transfers — not present. While there are several assignments, they occur over several years and are clearly tied to internal corporate restructuring and name changes, rather than rapid transfers between anonymous entities. The transfers in 2021 are both executed on the same day and recorded days apart, reflecting a single corporate event (merger and subsequent name change).

5. Pre-litigation transfer — unclear. There is no information provided in the patent record or search results about litigation related to this specific patent, making it impossible to determine if any assignments preceded litigation.

6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — not present. There is no indication that any of the assignors or assignees have filed for bankruptcy and subsequently sold off their patent portfolios.

7. Privateering — not present. There is no evidence of an operating company transferring this patent to an NPE to assert on its behalf.

8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — not present. The chain does not terminate at any known defensive aggregators such as RPX, Allied Security Trust (AST), LOT Network, Unified Patents, or Open Invention Network.

Verdict

Insufficient data. While the assignment chain primarily reflects corporate restructuring among operating companies, the lack of correspondent information for any of the assignments prevents a thorough analysis for NPE patterns. Without this key detail, it is not possible to definitively rule out the involvement of a repeat-player correspondent, which is a strong indicator of NPE activity.

USPTO Assignment Center search page: https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/

US patent 8180198, titled "Playlist creating apparatus and method, and dubbing list creating apparatus and method," is active and is set to expire on June 26, 2027. It was filed on February 9, 2005, and published on May 15, 2012. The current assignee is Maxell Ltd.

The patent describes a digital image recording and reproducing apparatus and method for easily creating a playlist or a dubbing list. It achieves this by selecting a digital image (program) based on user input, then automatically retrieving other digital images whose associated information (e.g., recording time, channel, title, series information) matches conditions of the user-selected program. These candidate programs are then displayed (e.g., in a telop or as thumbnails) for the user to add to a playlist or dubbing list, often with options for rearrangement or bit rate conversion for dubbing.

Here is an analysis of the patent citations listed in US8180198, focusing on their potential to anticipate claims under 35 U.S.C. § 102. Please note that a definitive determination of anticipation would require a full claim construction and detailed comparison, which is beyond the scope of this summary. The potential anticipations are based on the titles and available brief descriptions/abstracts.

Cited Prior Art for US8180198:

1. US20010018858A1 (Dwek Norman Scott)

   • Full Citation: US20010018858A1, "Multimedia content delivery system and method"
   • Publication/Filing Date: Publication: 2001-09-06, Filing: 2000-03-01
   • Brief Description: This patent application describes a system and method for delivering multimedia content, including on-demand delivery, and managing content from various sources. It discusses aspects of content categorization and retrieval.
   • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102):
     • Claims 1, 6: The broad concept of managing and selecting multimedia content from a recording medium (digital images in 8180198) could potentially overlap. However, US8180198 specifically details automatic retrieval of related content based on a user-selected item and displaying a list of candidates in a specific manner (telop/thumbnail on the same screen), which may distinguish it.

2. JP2002100161A (Kenwood Corp)

   • Full Citation: JP2002100161A, "Audio player"
   • Publication/Filing Date: Publication: 2002-04-05, Filing: 2000-09-22
   • Brief Description: This Japanese patent describes an audio player. Without further details on its specific features from the provided text or a detailed external search, its relevance to video playlist or dubbing list creation is unclear beyond the general concept of playing recorded content.
   • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102):
     • Likely limited. As an "Audio player," it might anticipate very generic elements of "playlist creating" if they are purely audio-focused. However, US8180198 specifically deals with "digital images" (video/programs). If this patent contains features for automatically suggesting related audio tracks or similar content for a playlist, it could potentially anticipate the broad idea of content selection for a playlist, but likely not the detailed video-specific or visual display aspects of US8180198's claims.

3. US20020105541A1 (Fujitsu Limited)

   • Full Citation: US20020105541A1, "Multimedia information arranging apparatus and arranging method"
   • Publication/Filing Date: Publication: 2002-08-08, Filing: 1999-10-27
   • Brief Description: This patent application describes an apparatus and method for arranging multimedia information. It may involve selecting and ordering multimedia files, potentially based on metadata. The abstract mentions "generating playlist information" for selected music data.
   • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102):
     • Claims 1, 6: The core concept of "arranging multimedia information" and "generating playlist information" directly aligns with US8180198's goal. If it involves automatic retrieval of related content based on user selection and displaying it for user interaction, it could potentially anticipate these claims, especially regarding the playlist creation aspect. The display methods (telop, thumbnail) and dubbing aspects of US8180198 would need careful comparison.

4. US20020127001A1 (Masanori Gunji)

   • Full Citation: US20020127001A1, "Recording/reproducing apparatus"
   • Publication/Filing Date: Publication: 2002-09-12, Filing: 2000-11-08
   • Brief Description: This patent application describes a recording/reproducing apparatus. Without a detailed abstract, it's difficult to ascertain its specific relevance. However, "recording/reproducing apparatus" is a very broad category.
   • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102):
     • Potentially broad elements of the apparatus itself (e.g., control module, output module, recording medium). However, without specifics on playlist or dubbing list creation, or the specific user interface interactions described in US8180198, it's less likely to anticipate the method claims (Claims 6, 13) or the detailed interactive display aspects (Claims 1, 5, 12, 16).

5. US6463426B1 (Massachusetts Institute Of Technology)

   • Full Citation: US6463426B1, "Information search and retrieval system"
   • Publication/Filing Date: Publication: 2002-10-08, Filing: 1997-10-27
   • Brief Description: This patent describes a system for searching and retrieving information. It focuses on intellectual property, such as patent documents, and uses categorization and keyword matching for retrieval. It's a general information retrieval system.
   • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102):
     • The underlying "retrieving other digital images whose related information is the same as the selected digital image" (Claim 1, 6, 13) could be broadly anticipated by a general information search and retrieval system. However, US8180198 applies this specifically to digital images/programs for playlist/dubbing list creation with specific display methodologies (telop, thumbnail, on the same screen), which would likely differentiate it from a general document retrieval system.

6. US20040028379A1 (Koichi Ozaki)

   • Full Citation: US20040028379A1, "Recording/reproducing apparatus"
   • Publication/Filing Date: Publication: 2004-02-12, Filing: 2002-07-25
   • Brief Description: This patent application describes a recording/reproducing apparatus. Similar to US20020127001A1, without a detailed abstract or description of its interactive content management features, its direct relevance to the specific playlist/dubbing list creation and display methods of US8180198 is difficult to assess.
   • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102):
     • Similar to US20020127001A1, it might anticipate broad apparatus elements. Its utility as prior art for the specific inventive steps of US8180198, such as automatically finding related video content for a playlist/dubbing list and displaying it interactively, would depend on specific features not immediately apparent from the title.

7. JP2004062921A (Orion Denki Kk)

   • Full Citation: JP2004062921A, "Recording / playback device"
   • Publication/Filing Date: Publication: 2004-02-26, Filing: 2002-07-25
   • Brief Description: The background section of US8180198 explicitly mentions this patent (Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2004-62921) as "one means for solving the above problem." It states: "The above reference describes a technique for extracting a program that coincides in conditions such as the same time zone with the program that the user has selected from a plurality of programs recorded in a recording medium." However, US8180198 argues this reference "does not consider how to display a relevant retrieved program from a recording medium or how the user handles the program."
   • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102):
     • Claims 1, 6, 13: This reference is explicitly acknowledged in US8180198 as performing the step of "retrieving other digital images whose related information is the same as the selected digital image" based on conditions like "same time zone." This directly addresses a core part of claims 1, 6, and 13. However, US8180198 distinguishes itself by the display and user interaction aspects, particularly "adds information showing the selected digital image to the display module through the output module for display" (Claim 1), "displaying said plurality of image data, said associated information, said listed information identifying the other image data, and said playlist including a plurality of said digital image data added in a same display" (Claim 6), and the equivalent for dubbing (Claim 13), along with the telop/thumbnail display (Claims 4, 5, 12, 14, 16). Therefore, JP2004062921A would strongly anticipate the retrieval step but potentially not the specific display and interactive selection methods as claimed in US8180198.

Obviousness Analysis of US Patent 8180198 under 35 U.S.C. § 103

This analysis identifies combinations of prior art references that would render the claims of US Patent 8180198 obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art (POSA) at the time of the invention (priority date: 2004-07-21). The motivation for combining these references stems from the explicit problem identified in the patent itself: a lack of consideration in prior art for how to display and handle relevant retrieved programs for playlist and dubbing list creation, leading to increased user labor.

Motivation to Combine

The US8180198 patent states that prior art, such as Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2004-62921 (referred to as "the above reference" or JP2004062921A), describes a technique for extracting programs that match conditions of a user-selected program. However, the patent asserts that this prior art "does not consider how to display a relevant retrieved program from a recording medium or how the user handles the program." The objective of US8180198 is "to provide a playlist creating apparatus that allows a user to select desired digital images from a plurality of programs and use the digital images to create a simple playlist or to select digital images to be dubbed to another recording medium."

This explicitly articulated problem and objective provide a clear motivation for a POSA to combine existing program retrieval techniques with known user interface and display methods to improve usability and simplify media management tasks. As digital image storage capacities increased, the need for efficient and user-friendly playlist and dubbing list creation tools became apparent, driving a POSA to integrate existing functionalities.

Obviousness Combinations for Independent Claims

Claim 1: Digital Image Recording and Reproducing Apparatus (Playlist Creation)

Claim Elements:

1. A digital image recording and reproducing apparatus with an output module displaying multiple digital images and related information.
2. A control module selecting a digital image for a playlist based on its information.
3. The control module retrieving other digital images with the same related information as candidates for the playlist.
4. Outputting a list identifying these retrieved candidates for user selection.
5. Outputting the playlist, with the original digital images, related information, the candidate list, and the playlist all displayed on the same display.
6. Positioning one retrieved digital image next to another in the candidate list.

Combination: JP2004062921A in combination with JP3612274B2 (or US20020105541A1).

• JP2004062921A (Priority 2002-07-25): This reference explicitly teaches the core functionality of selecting a program and "extracting a program that coincides in conditions such as the same time zone with the program that the user has selected from a plurality of programs recorded in a recording medium." This directly addresses the retrieval of candidate digital images based on shared conditions (element 3). The apparatus described in JP2004062921A would inherently include means for displaying programs and their associated information, and for a user to select a program (elements 1 and 2).
• JP3612274B2 (Priority 2000-11-08 - "Recording / playback device with playlist creation guide function"): This patent describes a device with a playlist creation guide function, implying the presence of an apparatus capable of managing media and assisting in playlist creation. A "guide function" would necessarily involve displaying relevant information, including candidate programs, and providing options for user interaction to build a playlist.
• US20020105541A1 (Priority 1999-10-27 - "Multimedia information arranging apparatus and arranging method"): This patent describes an apparatus for arranging and displaying multimedia information, which would cover the general display of multiple digital images, their related information, and methods for arranging them for user interaction.

Motivation for Combination:
The patent US8180198 explicitly identifies a deficiency in prior art like JP2004062921A, stating that it "does not consider how to display a relevant retrieved program from a recording medium or how the user handles the program." A POSA, seeking to enhance the usability and efficiency of the program retrieval system disclosed in JP2004062921A, would naturally look to known user interface design principles and existing multimedia management systems. Combining the program retrieval capabilities of JP2004062921A with the "playlist creation guide function" of JP3612274B2 or the general multimedia arranging and display techniques of US20020105541A1 would be an obvious design choice. Displaying the original program list, the selected program, the retrieved candidate programs, and the developing playlist all on the same display (element 5) and arranging candidates linearly in a list (element 6) are fundamental and commonly employed graphical user interface (GUI) practices aimed at improving user convenience, reducing navigation, and simplifying the process of building a playlist. This combination directly addresses the stated problem of display and user handling.

Claim 6: Method for Creating a Playlist

Claim Elements:
This claim describes a method that largely mirrors the apparatus of Claim 1, including:

1. Listing associated information as a program list.
2. Receiving user selection of desired image data for a playlist.
3. Retrieving other image data whose related information is the same as the selected data as candidates.
4. Listing information identifying these candidates for selection.
5. Displaying all elements (image data, associated information, listed candidate information, and the playlist) in a same display.
6. Displaying one candidate image next to another in the candidate list.

Combination: JP2004062921A in combination with JP3612274B2 (or US20020105541A1).

Motivation for Combination:
Similar to Claim 1, the motivation for combining the retrieval method of JP2004062921A with the display and user interaction methods from JP3612274B2 or US20020105541A1 is to address the known deficiency in JP2004062921A regarding the display and handling of retrieved programs. A POSA, aiming to create a "simple playlist" and enhance usability, would find it obvious to apply standard GUI techniques to the output of the retrieval process. Displaying all relevant information simultaneously on a single screen and arranging candidates in an intuitive list format are common and predictable engineering choices for improving the user experience and efficiency of media content management tasks.

Claim 13: Dubbing List-Creating Method

Claim Elements:
This claim is analogous to Claim 6 but for creating a dubbing list for copying media to another recording medium, including:

1. Listing associated information as a program list.
2. Receiving user selection of desired image information for a dubbing list.
3. Retrieving other digital images whose related information is the same as the selected data as candidates for the dubbing list (assuming "playlist" is a typo).
4. Listing information identifying these retrieved candidates.
5. Displaying all elements (image data, associated information, listed candidate information, and the dubbing list) in a same display.
6. Displaying one candidate image next to another in the candidate list.

Combination: JP2004062921A in combination with US20020105541A1.

Motivation for Combination:
The US8180198 patent explicitly states an objective "to select digital images to be dubbed to another recording medium" in a simple manner. A POSA would recognize that the user experience improvements achieved for playlist creation are equally applicable and desirable for dubbing list creation, which is a functionally similar task involving selection and organization of media. It would be an obvious design choice to extend the user interface paradigm (i.e., displaying all relevant lists and candidates on the same screen, arranged in a clear format) from playlist management to dubbing management within a digital image recording and reproducing apparatus. Therefore, combining the program retrieval logic of JP2004062921A with the general multimedia arranging and display capabilities taught by US20020105541A1 would render this claim obvious.

Obviousness for Dependent Claims

• Claims 5, 12, 16 (Telop): These claims introduce the use of a "telop" (a small, often overlaid frame) for displaying candidate programs or selection menus. While not explicitly detailed in the primary combinations, the use of overlaid display elements, pop-up menus, or contextual information boxes is a well-known and common user interface design technique in graphical environments. A POSA, when implementing the display aspects of the independent claims to present candidate programs or selection options, would find it obvious to employ such a known UI element to efficiently utilize screen space or to provide contextual interaction, especially for a "simple" playlist or dubbing list creation as sought by US8180198.
• Claims 14, 15 (Dubbing Rate Optimization): These claims concern determining a bit rate for dubbing based on the recordable capacity of the target recording medium. US8180198 states that "the dubbing rate is optimized to be suited to the capacity of a recording medium for use in program dubbing." The concept of adjusting media quality (e.g., bit rate, compression) to fit content within a specified storage capacity (e.g., for burning video to a DVD or fitting files on a limited-size drive) was a well-known technical problem and solution in digital media processing prior to the priority date. A POSA designing a dubbing system (as in Claim 13) would be highly motivated to include such a feature to ensure selected content fits the destination medium. Combining the dubbing list creation method with known techniques for calculating and adjusting bit rates based on target media capacity would be an obvious engineering solution to a practical problem in the art. The use of a "telop" (as in Claim 14) to present these bit rate options is an obvious UI implementation for this functionality.