Controlling personal video recording functions from interactive television

• US 20030110511A1
• Filed: 12/11/2001
• Published: 06/12/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta LLC (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta LLC (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gutknecht, Valerie G., Schutte, Mark E.
• Application Number:
  US10/015,349
• Publication Number:
  US 20030110511A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/131
• 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 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• 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 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• 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 7/088 the inserted signal being digital
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 involving data reduction

Abstract

An interactive media system includes a memory with logic and a processor configured with the logic to effect receiving first media content, transitioning from the first media content to second media content, and recording the first media content responsive to transitioning.

Claims

1. An interactive media method, comprising the steps of:

receiving first media content;

transitioning from the first media content to second media content; and

recording the first media content responsive to transitioning to the second media content.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving auxiliary data, from a remote server, that provides notice of the second media content and provides the location of the second media content.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the auxiliary data includes a universal resource locator.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the auxiliary data includes a service ID.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of automatically returning to the beginning of the recorded first media content.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the recorded first media content is located on a medium in a storage device.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of automatically playing back the recorded first media content.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a user interface, after exiting the second media content, that presents viewing options.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the viewing options includes playing back from the beginning of the recorded first media content, returning to the real-time location of currently tuned media content, and transitioning to third media content.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of recording the first media content further comprises the step of buffering the first media content to a medium in a storage device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of recording the first media content further comprises the step of recording the first media content to non-buffer space on a medium in a storage device.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving the first media content and the second media content from a remote server.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving the first media content and the second media content from a local computer.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a user interface for providing notice to the user of the second media content and providing the option of receiving the second media content and not receiving the second media content.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the displayed notice can be enabled and disabled by the user.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of storing a storage medium location of the first media content, where the transition to the second media content began, in memory.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the location is a handle and a real-time clock value.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the location is a handle and a pointer value.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of storing a memory address of the first media content, where the transition to the second media content began, in memory.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of transitioning from the second media content to third media content.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the first media content is broadcast media content.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the first media content is web-content.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the second media content is broadcast media content.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the second media content is web-content.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of transitioning further includes the step of receiving user commands to transition.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of transitioning further includes the step of receiving instructions associated with the first media content that the second media content is available at a specified location.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the instructions are verbal instructions from a commentator presenting in the first media content.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the instructions are symbol instructions displayed in the display of the first media content.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the specified location is a web address.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein the specified location is a media content stream.

31. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a user interface on a screen display that indicates where in playing back the recorded first media content the user is relative to the real-time currently tuned location.

32. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying the second media content while recording the first media content.

33. An interactive media method, comprising the steps of:

receiving first media content;

receiving auxiliary data that provides notice of second media content and the location of the second media content while receiving the first media content;

providing a user interface, in response to the auxiliary data, that alerts a user to the existence of the second media content and provides a selectable option to transition to the second media content;

transitioning from the first media content to the second media content in response to the user selecting to transition to the second media content;

recording the first media content, to a medium on a storage device, responsive to transitioning to the second media content;

storing the medium location of the first media content in memory;

displaying the second media content while recording the first media content; and

automatically returning to the beginning of the recorded first media content.

34. An interactive media system, comprising:

a memory with logic; and

a processor configured with the logic to receive first media content, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to receive auxiliary data that provides notice of second media content and the location of the second media content while receiving the first media content, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to provide a user interface, in response to the auxiliary data, that alerts a user to the existence of the second media content and provides a selectable option to transition to the second media content, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to transition from the first media content to the second media content in response to the user selecting to transition to the second media content, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to record the first media content, to a medium on a storage device, responsive to transitioning to the second media content, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to store the medium location of the first media content in memory, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to display the second media content while recording the first media content, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to automatically return to the beginning of the recorded first media content.

35. An interactive media system, comprising:

a memory with logic; and

a processor configured with the logic to receive first media content, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to transition from the first media content to second media content, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to record the first media content responsive to transitioning to the second media content.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to receive auxiliary data, from a remote server, that provides notice of the second media content and provides the location of the second media content.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the auxiliary data includes a universal resource locator.

38. The system of claim 36, wherein the auxiliary data includes a service ID.

39. The system of claim 35, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to automatically return to the beginning of the recorded first media content.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the recorded first media content is located on a medium in a storage device.

41. The system of claim 39, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to effect automatically playing back the recorded first media content.

42. The system of claim 35, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to provide a user interface, after exiting the second media content, that presents viewing options.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the viewing options includes playing back from the beginning of the recorded first media content, returning to the real-time location of currently tuned media content, and transitioning to third media content.

44. The system of claim 35, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to buffer the first media content to a medium in a storage device.

45. The system of claim 35, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to record the first media content to non-buffer space on a medium in a storage device.

46. The system of claim 35, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to receive the first media content and the second media content from a remote server.

47. The system of claim 35, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to receive the first media content and the second media content from a local computer.

48. The system of claim 35, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to provide a user interface for providing notice to the user of the second media content and providing the option of receiving the second media content and not receiving the second media content.

49. The system of claim 48, wherein the displayed notice can be enabled and disabled by the user.

50. The system of claim 35, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to store a storage medium location of the first media content, where the transition to the second media content began, in memory.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein the location is a handle and a real-time clock value.

52. The system of claim 50, wherein the location is a handle and a pointer value.

53. The system of claim 35, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to store a memory address of the first media content, where the transition to the second media content began, in memory.

54. The system of claim 35, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to transition from the second media content to third media content.

55. The system of claim 35, wherein the first media content is broadcast media content.

56. The system of claim 35, wherein the first media content is web-content.

57. The system of claim 35, wherein the second media content is broadcast media content.

58. The system of claim 35, wherein the second media content is web-content.

59. The system of claim 35, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to receive user commands to transition.

60. The system of claim 35, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to receive instructions associated with the first media content that the second media content is available at a specified location.

61. The system of claim 60, wherein the instructions are verbal instructions from a commentator presenting in the first media content.

62. The system of claim 60, wherein the instructions are symbol instructions displayed in the display of the first media content.

63. The system of claim 60, wherein the specified location is a web address.

64. The system of claim 60, wherein the specified location is a media content stream.

65. The system of claim 35, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to provide a user interface on a screen display that indicates where in playing back the recorded first media content the user is relative to the real-time currently tuned location.

66. The system of claim 35, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to display the second media content while recording the first media content.

67. The system of claim 35, wherein the processor and the memory are located in a media client device.

68. The system of claim 35, wherein the processor and the memory are located in a remote service.

69. A media system on a recordable medium, comprising logic configured to transition from first media content to second media content, wherein the logic is further configured with logic to record the first media content responsive to transitioning to the second media content.

70. The media system of claim 69, wherein the logic is further configured to automatically play back the recorded first media content upon exiting the second media content.

71. The media system of claim 69, wherein the logic is further configured to provide a user interface, after exiting the second media content, that presents viewing options.

72. The media system of claim 71, wherein the viewing options includes playing back from the beginning of the recorded first content, returning to the real-time location of currently tuned media content, and transitioning to third media content.

73. The media system of claim 69, wherein the logic is further configured to display the second media content while recording the first media content.