Method and system for accessing video data
First Claim
1. A video recorder unit, comprising:
- a housing for the unit;
storage means within said housing for storing video data making up a plurality of video programmes;
reading means within said housing coupled to the storage means for reading video data from said storage means and applying it to a video signal output;
preview signal generating means within said housing coupled to said reading means for access to said storage means and adapted to generate a preview display signal for application to said video signal output, said preview display signal comprising a plurality of video sequences extracted respectively from a plurality of video programmes stored on said storage means; and
programme selecting means for selecting for application to said video signal output a selected one of said plurality of video programmes and said preview display signal.
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Abstract
A method and system are described for accessing video data stored on a storage device 16. A processor 22 is used to generate a preview sequence comprising video sequences extracted from each video programme in the storage device. The preview sequence may be provided as a grid containing a plurality of video sequences and other textual or graphical data related to the programmes displayed, or may be provided as a sequence of video sequences.
The processor also generates a graphical user interface to allow a user to select a video programme from the video sequences that are displayed. Once selected the programme corresponding to the video sequence may be viewed, deleted or edited. Furthermore, data related to the programme may be displayed.
The processor can generate the preview sequence, or update the existing preview sequence, as a background process.
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Citations
57 Claims
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1. A video recorder unit, comprising:
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a housing for the unit;
storage means within said housing for storing video data making up a plurality of video programmes;
reading means within said housing coupled to the storage means for reading video data from said storage means and applying it to a video signal output;
preview signal generating means within said housing coupled to said reading means for access to said storage means and adapted to generate a preview display signal for application to said video signal output, said preview display signal comprising a plurality of video sequences extracted respectively from a plurality of video programmes stored on said storage means; and
programme selecting means for selecting for application to said video signal output a selected one of said plurality of video programmes and said preview display signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. Apparatus for accessing the video data of one or more video programmes stored in memory, comprising:
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a memory for storing video data making up a plurality of video programmes; and
a processor, having access to said memory, for generating a preview sequence comprising video sequences extracted from the video programmes stored in memory and for providing a user interface;
wherein said processor includes means operable to perform the steps of;
a) extracting a video sequence from each of said stored video programmes in memory;
b) combining the video sequences into said preview sequence, said preview sequence displaying one or more video sequences of video programmes; and
c) storing the preview sequence in memory, such that it can be displayed to a user to provide a video representation of said video programmes stored in memory; and
d) providing said user interface to a user such that they can select a video programme from the preview sequence for access. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 34)
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32. Apparatus for recording video data comprising:
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a memory for storing video data making up one or more video programmes;
a receiver for receiving a broadcast comprising video preview information relating to programmes that have yet to be broadcast;
a processor, having access to said memory, for generating a preview sequence comprising video sequences and for providing a user interface;
wherein said processor includes means operable to perform the steps of a) extracting from said preview information one or more video sequences for a video programme that has yet to be broadcast;
b) combining said one or more video sequences into a preview sequence, said preview sequence displaying one or more video sequences of programmes;
c) storing the preview sequence in memory, such that it can be displayed to a user to provide a video representation of the programmes that have yet to be broadcast; and
d) providing means for a user to select a programme from the preview sequence displayed, that is to be recorded, the selected video programme being subsequently recorded in memory when it is broadcast. - View Dependent Claims (33)
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35. A method of accessing the video data of one or more video programmes stored in memory, comprising the steps of:
a) extracting a video sequence from each of the stored video programmes;
b) combining the video sequences into a preview sequence, said preview sequence displaying one or more video sequences of video programmes;
c) storing said preview sequence in memory, such that it can be displayed to a user to provide a video representation of the video programmes stored in memory; and
d) providing means for a user to select a video programme from a displayed preview sequence such that the user can access the video data for the selected video programme. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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52. A method of recording video data comprising the steps of:
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a) receiving a broadcast comprising video preview information relating to programmes that have vet to be broadcast;
b) extracting from the preview information one or more video sequences for a video programme that has yet to be broadcast;
c) combining said one or more video sequences into a preview sequence, said preview sequence displaying one or more video sequences of the programmes;
d) storing said preview sequence in memory, such that it can be displayed to a user to provide a video representation of the programmes that have yet to be broadcast; and
e) providing means for a user to select a programme from said preview sequence displayed that is to be recorded, the selected video programme being subsequently recorded in memory when it is broadcast. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54)
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55. A video recorder unit, comprising:
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a housing for the unit;
a storage device within said housing for storing video data making up a plurality of video programmes;
a reading device within said housing coupled to said storage device for reading video data from said storage device and applying it to a video signal output;
a preview signal generator within said housing coupled to said reading device for access to said storage device and adapted to generate a preview display signal for application to said video signal output said preview display signal comprising a plurality of video sequences extracted respectively from a plurality of video programmes stored on said storage device; and
a programme selector for selecting for application to said video signal output a selected one of said plurality of video programmes and said preview display signal.
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56. Apparatus for accessing the video data of one or more video programmes stored in memory, comprising:
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storage means for storing video data making up a plurality of video programmes; and
processing means, having access to said storage means, for generating a preview sequence comprising video sequences extracted from the video programmes stored in said storage means and for providing a user interface;
wherein said processing means includes means operable to perform the steps of;
a) extracting a video sequence from each of the stored video programmes in said storage means;
b) combining the video sequences into a preview sequence, said preview sequence displaying one or more video sequences of video programmes;
c) storing the preview sequence in said storage device, such that it can be displayed to a user to provide a video representation of the video programmes stored in said storage device; and
d) providing said user interface to a user such that they can select a video programme from said preview sequence for access.
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57. Apparatus for recording video data comprising:
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storage means for storing video data making up one or more video programmes;
receiving means for receiving a broadcast comprising video preview information relating to programmes that have yet to be broadcast;
processing means, having access to said storage means, for generating a preview sequence comprising video sequences and for providing a user interface;
wherein said processing means is operable to perform the steps of;
a) extracting from said video preview information one or more video sequences for a video programme that has yet to be broadcast;
b) combining the video sequences into a preview sequence, said preview sequence displaying one or more video sequences of programmes;
c) storing the preview sequence in said storage means, such that it can be displayed to a user to provide a video representation of the programmes that have yet to be broadcast; and
d) providing means for a user to select a programme from said preview sequence displayed that is to be recorded, the selected video programme being subsequently recorded in said storage means when it is broadcast.
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Specification