Method and system for a distributed digital video recorder

• US 20030188320A1
• Filed: 04/02/2002
• Published: 10/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: Intervideo Incorporated (Corel Holdings LP)
• Inventors: Shing, Honda
• Application Number:
  US10/115,843
• Publication Number:
  US 20030188320A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/131
• 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 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• 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 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

Abstract

A system and method, for remote display and control of an audio/video data stream from a capture device, e.g., a TV capture card, audio/visual capture card or digital camera capture card in a PC. In an exemplary embodiment there are some components of a software DVR player executing on at least one client device and other components on at least one server device. Users can view and/or control the audio/video data from a server device, having a capture device, on client devices located anywhere as long as they are connected to the server through a network. In addition, a server device with a capture device can support display of the video data at multiple client devices at the same time.

Claims

1. A method for a first device displaying video data provided by a capture device at a second device, said method comprising:

receiving encoded video data, from said second device, said video data provided by said capture device and encoded by said second device;

decoding said encoded video data by said first device; and

processing said video data for display at said first device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said capture device is selected from a group consisting of a TV capture card, a digital camera capture card, and an audio/video capture card.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising time shifting said encoded video data.

4. A method for a first device displaying video data provided by a capture device at a second device said method comprising:

receiving encoded video data from said second device, wherein said video data is captured by said capture device and encoded by said second device;

storing said encoded video data in a memory;

decoding said encoded video data by said first device; and

processing said video data for display at said first device.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said capture device is selected from a group consisting of a TV capture card, a digital camera capture card, and an audio/video capture card.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein said storing comprises time shifting said video data.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising demultiplexing said time shifted video data.

8. The method of claim 4 wherein said storing comprises recording said video data.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising demultiplexing said recorded video data.

10. The method of claim 4 further comprising sending a user command from a graphical user interface at said first device to a remote command handler operating on said second device.

11. A method for providing video data from a first device, comprising a TV or video capture card, to a second device, comprising a GUI remote control, said method comprising:

receiving a command from said GUI remote control;

responsive to said command, capturing an video data from said TV or video capture card; and

sending said captured video data to said second device for display.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising time shifting said video data.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising recording said video data.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein said GUI remote control comprises a predetermined graphic comprising predetermined selection buttons.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising multiplexing said video data with audio data.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising sending said video data to a third device.

17. A server computer system, comprising a video capture module, for sending video data from said video capture module to a client computer, comprising:

a remote command handler for receiving a command from a graphical user interface displayed at said client computer and controlling said video data from said video capture module;

a video encoder for encoding said video data;

a time shift module for time shifting said encoded video data; and

a multicast module for sending said encoded video data to said client computer via a communications network.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein said video capture module is selected from a group consisting of a TV capture card, a video capture card, and a audio/video capture card.

19. The system of claim 17 further comprising recording said encoded video data in a memory.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein said memory includes a hard disk.

21. The system of claim 17 wherein said multicast module sends said encoded video data to another client computer via said communications network.

22. A client system for remotely displaying a video data stream from a server computer, said client system connected to said server computer via a communications network, comprising:

a network interface module for receiving said video data stream from said server computer;

a memory module connected to said network interface module for time shifting said video data stream;

a decoder connected to said memory module for decoding said video data stream; and

a display for displaying said decoded video data stream.

23. The client system of claim 22 further comprising:

a graphical user interface shown on a display for receiving a command from a user.

24. The client system of claim 22 further comprising:

another memory module connected to said network interface module for recording said data stream.

25. A system for providing server and client functions for playback of video data, comprising:

a memory for storing playback of said video data by a local client or a remote client;

a remote command handler for receiving commands from said remote client;

a network interface for receiving video data from said remote server; and

a multicast module for sending video data to one or more remote clients.

26. A home networking system for a user remotely viewing video data on a display, comprising:

a server computer comprising a TV or video capture card for capturing said video data;

a remote device comprising a decoder for decoding said video data for said display; and

a networking device connecting said server computer to said remote device.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein said networking device is a wireless network hub.

28. The system of claim 26 wherein said networking device is a Home Phoneline Networking Alliance (HPNA) device.

29. The system of claim 26 wherein said networking device is an Ethernet device.

30. The system of claim 26 wherein said remote device further comprises a memory for time shifting said video data.

31. A home networking system for a user viewing video data on a display, comprising:

a first system, comprising a processor and a memory, for sending said video data;

a thin client for receiving said video data, comprising a decoder for decoding said video data for said display; and

a wireless network for connecting said first system to said thin client.

32. A method for displaying a portion of a TV program received by a first computer at a second computer, said first computer coupled to said second computer by a network, said method comprising:

selecting from a graphic displayed at said second computer, said portion of said TV program from a plurality of TV programs received by said first computer;

receiving at said second computer said portion;

time shifting said portion by said second computer; and

displaying said portion.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein said graphic comprises a plurality of icons generated independently from said first computer.

34. The method of claim 32 further comprising time shifting said portion by said first computer.

35. The method of claim 32 further comprising recording said portion by said first computer.

36. The method of claim 32 further comprising time shifting said portion by said second computer.

37. The method of claim 32 further comprising recording said portion by said second computer.

38. A method for displaying a portion of a TV program captured by a first computer at a second computer, said first computer coupled to said second computer by a network, said method comprising:

selecting from a graphic displayed at said second computer, said portion of said TV program from a plurality of TV programs captured by said first computer;

receiving at said second computer said portion; and

displaying said portion.

39. The method of claim 38 further comprising saving said portion in a memory on said second computer.

40. A computer program product stored on a computer readable medium for a first computer remotely displaying video data provided by a capture device in a second computer said method comprising:

code for receiving encoded video data, from said second computer, said video data provided by said capture device and encoded by said second computer;

code for storing said encoded video data in a memory;

code for decoding said encoded video data by said first computer; and

code for processing said decoded video data for display at said first computer.