Digital video recorder enhanced features

• US 20020092021A1
• Filed: 12/17/2001
• Published: 07/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hughes Electronics Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hughes Electronics Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Yap, Adrian, Ficco, Michael
• Application Number:
  US10/022,094
• Publication Number:
  US 20020092021A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/55
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/036 Insert-editing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4112 having fewer capabilities than the client, e.g. thin client having less processing power or no tuning capabilities
• 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 21/4333 Processing operations in response to a pause request
• 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 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/443 OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• 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 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• 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 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4825 using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/488 Data services, e.g. news ticker systems specially adapted for using meteorological information in broadcast systems H04H60/71
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8455 involving pointers to the content, e.g. pointers to the I-frames of the video stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8549 : Creating video summaries, e.g. movie trailer retrieval in video databases by using presentations in form of a video summary G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/4448 : for frame-grabbing
• 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 5/781 : on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 : on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/783 : Adaptations for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 : on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 : using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 : by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17345 : Control of the passage of the selected programme

Abstract

A method and device for performing enhanced recording, editing and management features for content in a communication system. The device may be a set top box (STB) for example, and preferably a STB equipped with digital video recording (DVR) capabilities. The method offers users an ability to select, record and manipulate desired program content using mutually exclusive menus, or directly from an electronic program guide (EPG). This is done by displaying various parameter menus of selectable parameters for recording operations, so as to select one or more parameters via a suitable user interface in order to effect a desired recording feature or function.

Claims

1. A method of recording content, comprising:

displaying a parameter menu of selectable parameters to be used for recording current or future viewed content; and

selecting at least one parameter from the parameter menu via a user interface in order to effect a recording operation for the content.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said parameter menu is mutually exclusive of any displayed content of an electronic program guide (EPG).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said parameter menu is displayed as part of any displayed content of an electronic program guide (EPG).

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said parameters include at least one of a date of program, a time of program, and a desired channel.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising displaying electronic program guide (EPG) content so as to identify at least one of a program to be recorded, actors in programs listed on said displayed menu, alternate audio, other showings on said displayed menu, and other episodes of a selectable program on said menu, wherein said user interface is selected from at least one of a graphical user interface (GUI) at a set-top box (STB), a remote control accessing the STB, or function buttons on the set-top box (STB).

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising manipulating said displayed EPG data to check for time conflicts between programs and to select alternate tuners for the STB.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein currently viewed content is paused when the EPG is displayed.

8. A method of recording content with a set top box (STB) while viewing current content received from a communication system, comprising the steps of:

issuing a first command to immediately record currently viewed content;

said command sent from a user-interface to a processor in the STB; and

recording said currently viewed content on a mass storage device until a second command to stop recording is received by the processor, until said mass storage device runs out of storable space, or until the currently viewed content ends.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said first and second commands are one-touch enabled features on a suitable user-interface such as a remote control, graphical user interface (GUI), or button on the STB.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said first and second commands may be issued from a remote location.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein said currently viewed content can be recorded from a designated point forward, or from the beginning of the program.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said selectable content on said preview channel represents a broadcast trailer of a full-featured broadcast of said selectable content.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said selectable content on said preview channel represents a website trailer of a full-featured broadcast of said selectable content, the website being programmed in order to enable the user to activate program recording.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein said step of selecting includes selecting said content with a user-interface, said user-interface sending instructions to the STB to display a pop-up menu of selectable content.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said user interface further enables the display of pop-up menus for recording conflict identification, finding alternate times and handling pay-per-view issues.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising embedding triggers and other information in said broadcast trailer that inform the STB of the content to record.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said editing includes concatenation, truncation, frame capture, audio and video remix operations.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein said customized program is a video greeting card or outgoing message.

12. A method of recording content, comprising the steps of:

displaying a preview channel of selectable content;

selecting at least one of the selectable content on the preview channel; and

recording said selected content once the selected content has been broadcast in its entirety.

18. A method of recording content with a set-top box (STB), comprising:

displaying a menu of selectable recorded programs;

selecting ones of the displayed programs for editing operations;

editing at least a part of the material in a selected programming in order to create a customized program for storage.

21. A method of recording content with a set-top box (STB), comprising:

caching live content continuously up until a point where a mass storage device operatively connected to the STB is full; and

thereafter

displaying a menu of selectable cached content to be converted to permanently recorded content on the mass storage device.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein live content is viewable after changing channels, while the previously viewed content is being cached for potential permanent storage.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein said step of caching is user-selectable or automatically set as a default feature in the STB.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the user can display an archived menu of cached live content from a specified period of time.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said at least two channel signals are received by a set top box, said STB performing simultaneous data decrypting and transport processing of said at least two channel signals.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the STB is configured to simultaneously pause received live content on both channels.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the STB is configured to simultaneously record received live content on both channels.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein the STB is configured to simultaneously record or pause received live content on N channels, where N is the number of tuned and demodulated channels received by the STB.

25. A method of recording content in a communication system receiving at least two channel signals, comprising:

recording content of a first channel, and

viewing content on a second channel, wherein the second channel is being viewed while the first channel is being recorded.

30. A method of retrieving recorded content in a set-top box (STB), that has been designated as deletable, comprising:

displaying a menu of recorded programs that the user has designated as deletable from a mass storage device; and

selecting desired programs on said menu for un-deletion, wherein said selected programs are un-deleted so long as said mass storage device is not full.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising selecting desired programs on said menu for permanent deletion from the mass storage device.

32. A method of creating a customized play list of content, comprising:

displaying a first menu of selectable content selecting content on said first menu;

displaying a second menu; and

adding said selected programs to said second menu.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein said first menu is an electronic program guide and said second menu is a stored archive of customized play lists which may be accessed and modified by a user with the selected content.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein said second menu is the customized play list, and displays selected items that are user configurable.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein said looping operation may be effected via a menu-driven display or via a suitable user-interface.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the marked data is real-time data or trick mode data.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the user can view other programming and jump back to the bookmarked content and resume viewing.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein the user annotates the bookmarks.

41. The method of claim 38, further comprising displaying a menu of stored bookmarks.

42. The method of claim 38, wherein said currently viewed content is live, recorded or cached programming.

35. A method of looping recorded content in a set-top box (STB), comprising:

marking a start point and an end point of currently viewed content; and

subjecting the marked data to a looping operation so that it is continually looped on a display device operatively connected to the STB.

38. A method of marking desired points in a program for viewing, comprising:

inserting a marker at a point in currently viewed content, said marker representing a bookmark snippet of the content; and

storing the bookmark, wherein a user may display the bookmark via a user interface.

43. A digital video recording (DVR) apparatus in a communication system comprising:

a memory for storing a plurality of selectable parameters related to recording of content in the DVR apparatus;

a processor for displaying a menu of said selectable parameters; and

a user interface device for selecting at least one parameter from the menu in order to effect a recording operation for the content.

44. The DVR apparatus of claim 43, wherein said user-interface is selected from the group comprising a remote control, graphical user interface (GUI), function button on the DVR, external keyboard or an external personal computer (PC) operatively connected to the DVR.

45. The DVR apparatus of claim 43, wherein one of the selectable parameters is a disk gas gage feature indicating how much of a mass storage device operatively connected to the DVR is consumed by recorded material.

46. The DVR apparatus of claim 45, wherein said disk gas gage provides a percent of storage available of remaining in real-time.

47. The DVR apparatus of claim 43, wherein one of the selectable parameters is a notification indicating the approximate minutes of recording time still available while recording is in progress.

48. The DVR apparatus of claim 47, said notification embodied as an out-of-disk space alert feature which is automatically displayed when the remaining available recording time equals a predetermined default value.

49. The DVR apparatus of claim 48, wherein said out-of-disk space alert feature is configured to have both audio and video components.