Recording of multiple television channels

• US 10,171,861 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2017
• Issued: 01/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Inventors: Minnick, Danny Jean
• Primary Examiner(s): Pierorazio, Michael B.
• Application Number:
  US15/815,452
• Publication Number:
  US 20180084296A1
• Time in Patent Office: 411 Days
• Field of Search: 725 39
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/026 on discs G11B27/028, G11B27/029 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/28 by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording G11B27/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/242 Synchronization processes, e.g. processing of PCR [Program Clock References] arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/262 Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission, generating play-lists scheduling strategies for dispatcher in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/4881; arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/06; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a time schedule or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/62
• 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 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4263 involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4302 Content synchronisation processes, e.g. decoder synchronisation
• 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 21/4335 Housekeeping operations, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; unloading stored programs G06F9/445; storage management in file systems G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90
• 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 21/4583 Automatically resolving scheduling conflicts, e.g. when a recording by reservation has been programmed for two programs in the same time slot
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• 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 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4826 using recommendation lists, e.g. of programs or channels sorted out according to their score
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/83 Generation or processing of protective or descriptive data associated with content; Content structuring
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 : Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/50 : Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 : Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 : between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 : on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/91 : Television signal processing therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/20 : Adaptations for transmission via a GHz frequency band, e.g. via satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/79 : Processing of colour television signals in connection with recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/797 : for recording the signal in a plurality of channels, the bandwidth of each channel being less than the bandwidth of the signal H04N9/804, H04N9/81, H04N9/82 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/87 : Regeneration of colour television signals H04N9/80 takes precedence

Abstract

Various arrangements for recording multiple television channels are presented. A plurality of sets of television channels may be identified. An interface may be output for presentation, the interface presenting indications of each of the plurality of sets of television channels and a plurality of input elements associated with the plurality of sets of television channels. User input may be received via one or more of the plurality of input elements indicative of one or more sets of television channels of the plurality of sets of television channels to be recorded. Dates and times at which the one or more sets of television channels are to be recorded may be determined. The one or more sets of television channels may be recorded at the determined dates and the determined times.

Claims

1. A television receiver configured to record multiple television channels, the television receiver comprising:

a tuner;

one or more processors; and

a memory communicatively coupled with and readable by the one or more processors and having stored therein processor-readable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

receive a single selection indicative of enablement of multiple channel recording functionality;

output for presentation a user interface that permits selection of individual channels from a plurality of television channels on a transponder stream in response to receiving the single selection indicative of enabled of multiple channel recording functionality;

receive a user-defined selection indicative of multiple television channels selected from the plurality of television channels broadcast on the transponder stream, wherein the multiple television channels represent a subset of the plurality of television channels broadcast on the transponder stream, the subset of plurality of television channels to be received via the tuner and recorded concurrently;

receive an indication of a plurality of time periods for recording from a television service provider; and

set a plurality of timers to concurrently record on the multiple television channels indicated by the user-defined selection such that recording occurs for the plurality of time periods defined by the television service provider.

2. The television receiver configured to record multiple television channels of claim 1, wherein the memory further comprises processor-readable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

record the multiple selected television channels, via the tuner, in accordance with the set plurality of timers such that recording of the multiple selected television channels occurs over an overlapping period of time.

3. The television receiver configured to record multiple television channels of claim 1, wherein a timer of the plurality of timers causes multiple television programs to be recorded to a single file stored by the television receiver.

4. The television receiver configured to record multiple television channels of claim 1, wherein presentation of the user interface that permits selection of individual channels from the plurality of television channels on the transponder stream further comprises a single selection being presented that enables recording of every television channel of the plurality of television channels on the transponder stream.

5. The television receiver configured to record multiple television channels of claim 1, wherein presentation of the user interface that permits selection of individual channels from the plurality of television channels on the transponder stream further comprises one or more days of the week to be selected from a plurality of days of the week.

6. The television receiver configured to record multiple television channels of claim 1, wherein the memory further comprises processor-readable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

receive an indication of one or more television programs that are to be skipped from recording on the multiple television channels.

7. The television receiver configured to record multiple television channels of claim 6, wherein the memory further comprises processor-readable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

in response to the received indication, set the plurality of timers to skip recording the one or more television programs that are to be skipped from recording on the multiple television channels.

8. The television receiver configured to record multiple television channels of claim 7, wherein the indication indicates that reruns are to be skipped and the memory further comprises processor-readable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

identify the one or more television programs as reruns based on an original broadcast date of the one or more television programs retrieved from electronic programming guide data predating a current date.

9. A method for recording multiple television channels, the method comprising:

receiving, by a television receiver, a single selection indicative of enablement of multiple channel recording functionality;

outputting, by the television receiver, for presentation a user interface that permits selection of individual channels from a plurality of television channels on a transponder stream in response to the single selection;

receiving, by the television receiver, a user-defined selection indicative of multiple television channels selected from the plurality of television channels broadcast on the transponder stream, wherein the multiple television channels represent a subset of the plurality of television channels broadcast on the transponder stream, the subset of plurality of television channels to be received via a single tuner and recorded concurrently;

receiving, by the television receiver, an indication of a plurality of time periods for recording from a television service provider; and

setting, by the television receiver, a plurality of timers to record the multiple television channels such that recording occurs for the plurality of time periods defined by the television service provider.

10. The method for recording multiple television channels of claim 9, further comprising:

recording, by the television receiver, the multiple selected television channels, via the tuner, in accordance with the set plurality of timers such that recording of the multiple selected television channels occurs over an overlapping period of time.

11. The method for recording multiple television channels of claim 9, wherein multiple television programs on a television receiver are recorded to a single file stored by the television receiver.

12. The method for recording multiple television channels of claim 9, wherein presentation of the user interface that permits selection of individual channels from the plurality of television channels on the transponder stream further comprises a single selection that enables recording of every television channel of the plurality of television channels on the transponder stream.

13. The method for recording multiple television channels of claim 9, wherein presentation of the user interface that permits selection of individual channels from the plurality of television channels on the transponder stream further comprises presentation of a plurality of days of the week for selection.

14. The method for recording multiple television channels of claim 9, the method further comprising:

receiving, by the television receiver, an indication of one or more television programs that are to be skipped from recording on the multiple television channels.

15. The method for recording multiple television channels of claim 14, the method further comprising:

in response to the received indication, setting the plurality of timers to skip recording the one or more television programs that are to be skipped from recording on the multiple television channels.

16. The method for recording multiple television channels of claim 15, wherein the indication indicates that reruns are to be skipped and the method further comprising:

identifying, by the television receiver, the one or more television programs being reruns based on an original broadcast date of the one or more television programs retrieved from electronic programming guide data predating a current date.

17. A non-transitory processor-readable medium for recording multiple television channels at a television receiver, comprising processor-readable instructions configured to cause one or more processors to:

receive a single selection indicative of enablement of multiple channel recording functionality;

output for presentation a user interface that permits selection of individual channels from a plurality of television channels on a transponder stream in response to the received single selection;

receive a user-defined selection indicative of multiple television channels selected from the plurality of television channels broadcast on the transponder stream, wherein the multiple television channels represent a subset of the plurality of television channels broadcast on the transponder stream, the subset of plurality of television channels to be received via a single tuner and recorded;

receive an indication of a plurality of time periods for recording from a television service provider; and

set a plurality of timers to concurrently record on the multiple television channels indicated by the user-defined selection such that recording occurs for the plurality of time periods defined by the television service provider.

18. The non-transitory processor-readable medium for recording multiple television channels at the television receiver of claim 17, wherein the processor-readable instructions are further configured to cause the one or more processors to:

record the multiple selected television channels, via a single tuner, in accordance with the set plurality of timers such that recording of the multiple selected television channels occurs over an overlapping period of time.

19. The non-transitory processor-readable medium for recording multiple television channels at the television receiver of claim 17, wherein a timer of the plurality of timers causes multiple television programs to be recorded to a single file stored by the television receiver.

20. The non-transitory processor-readable medium for recording multiple television channels of claim 17, wherein the processor-readable instructions are further configured to cause the one or more processors to:

receive an indication that reruns are to be skipped from recording on the multiple television channels;

identify one or more reruns based on an original broadcast date of each of the one or more reruns, wherein the original broadcast date retrieved from electronic programming guide data for each of the one or more reruns predates a current date; and

in response to the received indication, setting the plurality of timers to skip recording of the one or more reruns on the multiple television channels.