Navigating to a particular program or specific time increment in a personal video recorder

• US 20040018000A1
• Filed: 07/24/2002
• Published: 01/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Benderloch Technologies LLC (IP Edge LLC)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Mears, Mark Gilmore, Johnson, Carolynn Rae
• Granted Patent: US 7,272,296 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/69
• 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 21/44222 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47217 for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• 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 5/77 between a recording apparatus and a television camera
• 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 5/85 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 9/8042 involving data reduction

Abstract

A method and a system for accessing recorded video programming, which can be displayed while the programming is being recorded to a storage medium (148). Program information can be automatically stored in a memory location. The program information can be determined by accessing an on-line program guide and monitoring a user video channel selection. The program information can include a program identifier (315) and a recording time (310). At least a portion of the program information can be displayed in a time-line (300) and sub-divided into a plurality of time increments (320, 325, 330). Responsive to a user input, playback of a portion of the programming corresponding to a user selection can begin. The user selection can be a selected portion of the program information that has been marked by the user. The user selection also can be identified by a recording time, which can include a start time and a stop time.

Claims

1. In a video recorder device, a method for accessing recorded video programming, comprising the steps of:

recording programming to a storage medium;

automatically storing in a memory location a program information for each video program of said programming, said program information comprising for each video program, a program identifier and a recording time;

displaying the program identifier and a recording time for each video program.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

displaying at least a portion of said program information for said programming that has been recorded; and

responsive to a user input, beginning playback of a portion of said programming corresponding to a user selection.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said displaying step is further comprised of displaying said program information in a time-line.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said displaying step further comprises sub-dividing said time-line into a plurality of time increments.

5. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of determining said user selection based on a selected portion of said program information that has been marked by a user.

6. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of determining said user selection based on a recording time value input by a user.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of determining said program information by accessing an on-line program guide and monitoring a user video channel selection.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said recording time comprises at least one of a start time and a stop time for each said video program.

9. The method according to claim 2, wherein said displaying step is performed concurrently with said playback step.

10. A video recorder device, comprising:

a storage medium for recording programming;

a memory location for automatically storing program information for each video program of said programming, said program information comprising for each video program, a program identifier and a recording time;

a user interface presenting the program identifier and the recording time.

11. The device according to claim 10, further comprising:

a display output for providing to a display at least a portion of said program information for said programming that has been recorded; and

a user interface for receiving a user input to begin playback of a portion of said programming corresponding to a user selection.

12. The device according to claim 11, configured to provide to said display said program information in a time-line.

13. The device according to claim 12, configured to provide to said display said time-line sub-divided into a plurality of time increments.

14. The device according to claim 11, configured to determine said user selection based on a selected portion of said program information that has been marked by a user.

15. The device according to claim 11, configured to determine said user selection based on a recording time value input by a user into said user interface.

16. The device according to claim 11, configured to provide an on-line program guide at said display output and to monitor a user video channel selection entered into said user interface.

17. The device according to claim 10, wherein said recording time comprises at least one of a start time and a stop time for each said video program.

18. The device according to claim 11, configured to provide said at least a portion of said program information to said display output concurrently with said playback of a portion of said programming corresponding to a user selection.