Time shifting by concurrently recording and playing a data stream

• US 20030165324A1
• Filed: 03/07/2003
• Published: 09/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boon-Lock Yeo, Mark P. Chuang, Oʼconnor, Dennis M., Robert L. Davies
• Original Assignee: Boon-Lock Yeo, Mark P. Chuang, Oʼconnor, Dennis M., Robert L. Davies
• Inventors: Yeo, Boon-Lock, Chuang, Mark P., Davies, Robert L., OʼConnor, Dennis M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,486,871 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/69
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10962 wherein both recording and playback take place simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/218 Write-once discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2516 Hard disks
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2545 CDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/455 said record carriers being in one device and being used as primary and secondary/backup media, e.g. HDD-DVD combo device, or as source and target media, e.g. PC and portable player
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/61 wherein solid state memory is used for storing A/V content storing computer data in solid state memories G06F
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/005 Reproducing at a different information rate from the information rate of recording for television signals H04N5/783
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• 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 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• 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 21/4382 Demodulation or channel decoding, e.g. QPSK demodulation analog front ends or means for connecting modulators, demodulators or transceivers to a transmission line H04L27/0002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44008 involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in the video stream arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4402 involving reformatting operations of video signals for household redistribution, storage or real-time display details of conversion of video standards at pixel level H04N7/01; video transcoding H04N19/40; adapting incoming signals to the display format of the display terminal G09G5/005; media handling at the source in data packet switching networks H04L65/764
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• 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 5/91 : Television signal processing therefor

Abstract

A video stream may include portions that are stored while other portions are being displayed. In one embodiment, a portion of the video stream may be stored in digital storage media at one instance while in the next instance another portion of the stream is being read out of the storage media.

Claims

1. A method of displaying and recording a video transmission comprising:

requesting scene change time information; and

using said scene change time information to identify scenes in stored video information.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein requesting scene change time information includes issuing a request from a video receiver, and transmitting said request to a source of scene change time information.

3. The method of claim 2 including receiving scene change time information from a source of scene change time information external to said receiver.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein using said scene change time information includes matching said scene change time information to time information associated with a plurality of video files.

5. The method of claim 1 further including storing video information, matching said stored video information to said scene change time information, and displaying representative frames of said video information which correspond to said scene change times.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein using said scene change time information includes receiving scene change time information corresponding to scene change times in a transmitted video presentation, storing said transmitted video presentation received on a receiver together with information about the time when the video information was received, and matching said presentation stored on said receiver to the corresponding times in said scene change time information.

7. A method of detecting shots or scene changes in video information comprising:

receiving compressed video information from a transmission source;

extracting DC image information from said compressed video information;

detecting a shot or scene change using said DC image information; and

storing said compressed video information in a randomly accessible memory.

8. The method of claim 7 including detecting said shot or scene change without decompressing said video information.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein extracting DC image information includes extracting said information from one or more of the I, B or P frames of the compressed video information.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein extracting said DC information includes using only the P and B frame information.

11. A method of detecting shots or scene changes in compressed video information comprising:

identifying a shot or scene change information developed by the algorithm used to compress said video information;

using said shots or scene change information to identify a shot or scene change;

marking the location of said shot or scene change to facilitate identifying the video frame where the shot or scene change occurs; and

storing said compressed video in a randomly accessible memory.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein identifying shot or scene change information includes identifying I-frames developed by a compression algorithm.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein marking the location of said shot or scene change includes comparing the location of said shot or scene change to information stored in association with said video frames indicative of the time when the video frames were received.

14. The method of claim 11 further including displaying a plurality of frames representative of the scene changes which have been identified.

15. A method for identifying whether digital or analog video information has been received comprising:

attempting to demodulate the information using a digital technique; and

based on the results of the demodulation attempt, determining the format of said information.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein attempting to demodulate the information includes using a vertical side band demodulation technique to demodulate the information.

17. The method of claim 15 further including converting analog information to digital information.

18. The method of claim 17 further including compressing said digital information.

19. The method of claim 15 further including determining whether a plurality of programs have been broadcast on a single channel.

20. The method of claim 19 further including automatically storing each of said programs broadcast on a single channel.

21. A method of storing and playing digital video information comprising:

receiving a plurality of programs on a single channel;

storing each of said programs in association with an identifier;

playing a first program;

stopping the play of a first program;

storing information concerning the first program and the point when the play was stopped; and

playing a second program.

22. The method of claim 21 further including receiving a request to return to said first program and automatically returning to said first program at the point when play was stopped.

23. The method of claim 22 further including automatically storing each of said programs on a single channel.

24. An article comprising a medium for storing instructions that cause a processor-based system to:

request scene change time information; and

use the scene change time information to identify scenes in stored video information.

25. An article comprising a medium for storing instructions that cause a processor-based system to:

use a first technique to identify a scene change in video and audio information; and

use audio information to assist in identifying a scene change.

26. An article comprising a medium for storing instructions that cause a processor-based system to:

identify shot or scene change information developed by the algorithm used to compress that video information;

use said shot or scene change information to identify a shot or scene change; and

mark the location of said shot or scene change to facilitate identifying the video frame where the scene change occurs.

27. An article comprising a medium for storing instructions that cause a processor-based system to:

attempt to demodulate received digital or analog video information using a digital technique; and

based on the results of said demodulation attempt, determine the format of said information.

28. An article comprising a medium for storing instructions that cause a processor-based system to:

receive a plurality of programs on a single channel;

store each of said programs in association with an identifier;

play a first program;

stop the play of a first program;

store information concerning the first program and the point where the play was stopped; and

play a second program.

29. A system for identifying scene change information in received video information comprising:

a processor;

a randomly accessible memory coupled to said processor, said processor adapted to extract DC images from said video information; and

said processor adapted to extract the DC image information, detect shot or scene change information and store the compressed video in said memory without full frame decompression of said compressed video.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein said processor is adapted to use one or more of the I, B and P frames to extract said DC image information.