Method for managing audiovisual broadcast recordings and associated devices

• US 20040049794A1
• Filed: 06/27/2003
• Published: 03/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Thomson Licensing SA (Vantiva SA)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing SA (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Maetz, Yves, Shao, Jiang
• Application Number:
  US10/451,899
• Publication Number:
  US 20040049794A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/89
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2805 Home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2821 Avoiding conflicts related to the use of home appliances cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; protocols for network security H04L63/00
• 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 21/43615 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 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• 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 5/782 on tape

Abstract

The invention relates to a process for managing recordings of data originating from a broadcasting network. The process analyses whether recording resources are available at the moment envisaged for executing the task envisaged, and as appropriate, for reporting the execution of this task during a next re-broadcasting of the data. An improvement consists in instigating a search for the equivalent resources, then instigating a negotiation with the current users of the resources when no equivalent resource is available. The invention also relates to a device and a centre for the implementation of the process.

Claims

1. Process for managing recordings within a communication network, the said communication network comprising at least one means for receiving audiovisual programs (STB) and service information broadcast by a broadcasting network;

the process comprising

a) a preliminary step of entering parameters for programming a recording of an audiovisual program at a specified moment and into a specified recording device,

b) at the specified moment, testing whether the specified storage device is available (10);

c) in the case of negative response to step a), searching for at least one other moment of broadcasting of the program (16, 17) in the broadcast service information;

d) if the program is broadcast later, modification of the specified moment with a view to recording during a later broadcast (18)

characterized in that the network comprises a plurality of devices (VCR1, VCR2, DD) for recording the said audiovisual programs and in that the process furthermore comprises the step;

e) if the program is not broadcast later, searching for another recording device connected to the network and execution of the recording at the specified moment (21,21) in an available device.

2. Process for managing recording according to claim 1 characterized in that it furthermore comprises the steps of:

f) if no recording device is available, negotiating with the users or the applications using the missing devices so as to determine whether the latter can release the said missing devices (22,23);

g) if the missing devices are obtained, instigating the recording on the device thus released (11).

3. Process for managing recording according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, if at the moment of a re-broadcasting of the program, the specified device is not available, the process searches for another equivalent recording device (VCR1, VCR2, DD) for performing the recording.

4. Process for managing recording according to any one of the preceding claims;

characterized in that following the recording of the program (11), it furthermore comprises the steps;

h) of verifying the recording (12);

i) if the recording ran badly, of a step of searching for at least one other moment of broadcasting of the said program and of a step of programming a new recording (13, 14, 15).

5. Process for managing recording according to any one of the preceding claims;

characterized in that the audiovisual programs are of digital kind.

6. Device (VCR1, VCR2, DD) for recording audiovisual programs received through a broadcasting network comprising a means (K1) of entering parameters for programming a recording, the said parameters comprising at least a specified moment of recording corresponding to a broadcast, a memory (M) for storing the said parameters, and a means (DEMUX) for receiving service information specifying the broadcasts on the broadcasting network of the said audiovisual programs, characterized in that it furthermore comprises a means (μ

P1, M1) for selecting another broadcast when the recording device is not available at the specified moment, and a means for modifying in the memory (M1) the moment of recording, so as to write the selected moment of broadcasting, of a means for searching for another recording device when the device is not available during the broadcasting of the program, and a means for sending new programming data so as to activate the recording on this other device if the latter is available.

7. Recording device according to claim 6 characterized in that it furthermore comprises a negotiation means (22) activated when no recording device is available to record the program, the said negotiation means receiving a cue of release of a recording device and instigating the execution of the recording of the program on the device thus released.

8. Recording device according to any one of claims 6 or 7 characterized in that it comprises a means (12) for verifying the recording performed and a means (13, 14, 15) for searching for another moment of broadcasting of the said program so as to record the program again, if the first recording ran badly.

9. Recording device according to any one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that the recording device is a digital video recorder.