Method of sharing personal media using a digital recorder

• US 10,080,063 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2010
• Issued: 09/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TiVo Solutions Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TiVo Solutions Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Arnold, Matt, Barton, James M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Parra, Omar S
• Application Number:
  US12/704,245
• Publication Number:
  US 20100175093A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,141 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25866 Management of end-user data customer care in data networks H04L41/5077
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26613 for generating or managing keys in general key distribution for secret or secure communication involving central third party, e.g. key distribution center [KDC] or trusted third party [TTP] H04L9/083; network support of key management H04L63/06; key management for network security in communication control or processing H04W12/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42676 for modulating an analogue carrier signal to encode digital information or demodulating it to decode digital information, e.g. ADSL or cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42684 Client identification by a unique number or address, e.g. serial number, MAC address, socket ID network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4367 Establishing a secure communication between the client and a peripheral device or smart card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47217 for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4786 e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6175 : involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 : for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6547 : comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 : Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38

Abstract

A method and apparatus for sharing personal media using a digital recorder allows a plurality of multimedia devices to view content stored on a DVR across a local network. The DVR records video content from broadcast signals and records video content downloaded via the Internet.

Claims

1. A method for sharing multimedia content using a digital video recorder (DVR), comprising:

determining, by the DVR, that a multimedia device is authorized to share content with the DVR;

retrieving, at the multimedia device, a multimedia content stored in at least one storage device at the DVR based on the determination, the DVR responds to local user interactions with the DVR to display, on a display device communicably connected to the DVR, the multimedia content stored in the at least one storage device at the DVR and services requests from the multimedia device, the DVR causing display of the multimedia content to the local user;

in parallel with the retrieving of the multimedia content, playing, by the multimedia device, retrieved portions of the multimedia content, the retrieved portions of the multimedia content being less in size than the multimedia content as a whole, the multimedia device processing the retrieved portions of the multimedia content prior to playing the retrieved portions of the multimedia content, the multimedia device able to perform trick-play functions on the retrieved portions of the multimedia content as the multimedia content is being retrieved by the multimedia device, wherein playing the retrieved portions of the multimedia content on the multimedia device is synchronized with display of the multimedia content on the DVR such that any trick-play function performed at the multimedia device is also automatically performed on the DVR.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the multimedia content is not stored at the multimedia device.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the multimedia device decodes and plays the multimedia content as the multimedia content is received.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving, by the multimedia device, a list of multimedia content stored on the DVR;

causing, by the multimedia device, the list to be displayed.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the DVR records multimedia content from broadcast signals and records multimedia content downloaded via the Internet.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the multimedia device stores at least a portion of the multimedia content on at least one storage device before playing the multimedia content.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the multimedia device, metadata relating to the multimedia content from the DVR.

8. A method for sharing multimedia content from a digital video recorder (DVR) among a plurality of multimedia devices, comprising:

determining, by the DVR, that a multimedia device is authorized to share content with the DVR;

retrieving, at the multimedia device, a video content stored in at least one storage device at the DVR based on the determination, the DVR responds to local user interactions with the DVR to display, on a display device communicably connected to the DVR, the video content stored in the at least one storage device at the DVR and services requests from the multimedia device, the DVR causing display of the video content to the local user;

in parallel with the retrieving of the video content, sending, by the multimedia device, received portions of the video content for display on a display device, the retrieved portions of the video content being less in size than the video content as a whole, the multimedia device processing the retrieved portions of the video content prior to sending the retrieved portions of the video content for display on the display device, the multimedia device able to perform trick-play functions on the retrieved portions of the video content as the video content is being retrieved by the multimedia device, wherein playing the retrieved portions of the video content on the multimedia device is synchronized with display of the multimedia content on the DVR such that any trick-play function performed at the multimedia device is also automatically performed on the DVR.

9. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the video content is not stored at the multimedia device.

10. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the multimedia device decodes and displays the video content as the video content is received.

11. A method as recited in claim 8, further comprising:

retrieving, by the multimedia device, a list of video content stored on the DVR;

sending, by the multimedia device, the list for display.

12. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the DVR records video content from broadcast signals and records video content downloaded via the Internet.

13. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the multimedia device stores at least a portion of the video content on at least one storage device before sending the video content.

14. A method as recited in claim 8, further comprising:

receiving, by the multimedia device, metadata relating to the video content from the DVR.

15. A system for sharing multimedia content using a digital video recorder (DVR), comprising:

a DVR;

a plurality of multimedia devices, the plurality of multimedia devices in communication with the DVR via a local network;

a content sharing authorization subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, at the DVR, that determines that a multimedia device among the plurality of multimedia devices is authorized to share content with the DVR;

a video content retrieval subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, at the multimedia device, that retrieves a multimedia content stored in at least one storage device at the DVR based on the determination, the DVR responds to local user interactions with the DVR to display, on a display device communicably connected to the DVR, the multimedia content stored in the at least one storage device at the DVR and services requests from the multimedia device, the DVR causing display of the multimedia content to the local user;

a multimedia content playing subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, at the multimedia device, that, in parallel with the retrieving of the multimedia content, plays retrieved portions of the multimedia content, the retrieved portions of the multimedia content being less in size than the multimedia content as a whole, the multimedia content playing subsystem processes the retrieved portions of the multimedia content prior to playing the retrieved portions of the multimedia content, the multimedia content playing subsystem able to perform trick-play functions on the retrieved portions of the multimedia content as the multimedia content is being retrieved by the video content retrieval subsystem, wherein playing the retrieved portions of the multimedia content on the multimedia device is synchronized with display of the multimedia content on the DVR such that any trick-play function performed at the multimedia device is also automatically performed on the DVR.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the multimedia content is not stored at the multimedia device.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the multimedia device decodes and plays the multimedia content as the multimedia content is received.

18. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a DVR multimedia content list retrieval subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, at the multimedia device, that retrieves a list of multimedia content stored on the DVR;

a DVR multimedia content list display subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, at the multimedia device, that sends the list for display.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the DVR records multimedia content from broadcast signals and records multimedia content downloaded via the Internet.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the multimedia content retrieval subsystem stores at least a portion of the multimedia content on at least one storage device before the multimedia content display subsystem plays the multimedia content.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein the multimedia content retrieval subsystem receives metadata relating to the multimedia content from the DVR.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing one or more sequences of instructions for sharing multimedia content using a digital video recorder (DVR), which instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

determining, by the DVR, that a multimedia device is authorized to share content with the DVR;

retrieving, at the multimedia device, a multimedia content stored in at least one storage device at the DVR based on the determination, the DVR responds to local user interactions with the DVR to display, on a display device communicably connected to the DVR, the multimedia content stored in the at least one storage device at the DVR and services requests from the multimedia device, the DVR causing display of the multimedia content to the local user;

in parallel with the retrieving of the multimedia content, playing, by the multimedia device, retrieved portions of the multimedia content, the retrieved portions of the multimedia content being less in size than the multimedia content as a whole, the multimedia device processing the retrieved portions of the multimedia content prior to playing the retrieved portions of the multimedia content, the multimedia device able to perform trick-play functions on the retrieved portions of the multimedia content as the multimedia content is being retrieved by the multimedia device, wherein playing the retrieved portions of the multimedia content on the multimedia device is synchronized with display of the multimedia content on the DVR such that any trick-play function performed at the multimedia device is also automatically performed on the DVR.

23. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 22, wherein the multimedia content is not stored at the multimedia device.

24. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 22, wherein the multimedia device decodes and plays the multimedia content as the multimedia content is received.

25. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 22, further comprising:

retrieving, by the multimedia device, a list of multimedia content stored on the DVR;

causing, by the multimedia device, the list to be displayed.

26. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 22, wherein the DVR records multimedia content from broadcast signals and records multimedia content downloaded via the Internet.

27. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 22, wherein the multimedia device stores at least a portion of the multimedia content on at least one storage device before displaying the multimedia content to the user.

28. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 22, further comprising:

receiving, by the multimedia device, metadata relating to the multimedia content from the DVR.