Video data recorder with personal channels

• US 20050047752A1
• Filed: 03/11/2003
• Published: 03/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DIRECTV, LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Digital Networks North America, Inc. (DEI Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Shannon, Douglas, Townsend, Karl, Wood, Anthony, Shanson, Spencer, Kessler, Edward, Woodward, Donald Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,773,860 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/296
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/20 Disc-shaped record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/036 Insert-editing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• 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 21/4335 Housekeeping operations, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; unloading stored programs G06F9/445; storage management in file systems G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4424 Monitoring of the internal components or processes of the client device, e.g. CPU or memory load, processing speed, timer, counter or percentage of the hard disk space used error monitoring in general G06F11/30; arrangements for monitoring conditions of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/32; diagnosis, testing or measuring for television receivers H04N17/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4661 Deriving a combined profile for a plurality of end-users of the same client, e.g. for family members within a home user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4668 for recommending content, e.g. movies
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• 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 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 21/4756 for rating content, e.g. scoring a recommended movie
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4826 using recommendation lists, e.g. of programs or channels sorted out according to their score
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape

Abstract

A video data recordable having integrated channel guides allowing a user to control recording and storage of television signals into personal channels for later playback and viewing. In the described embodiment, the user may specify criteria for recording of shows from an input source such as a broadcast signal and shows are then selected based on the user specified criteria and recorded for later playback. Storage of the shows may be organized into personal channels in order to facilitate later playback, e.g., the user may specify a channel of action movies, a channel of nature programming, a channel for sports, etc. The shows to be recorded may also have a predefined format which may be used to ease playback of recorded programming by allowing the user to easily locate and playback sections of programming of interest.

Claims

1. A method of logically organizing video programming comprising the steps of:

a) allowing a user to specify a logical name for a personal channel for video program organization; and

b) allowing a user to specify selection criteria for selection of video programming for inclusion in the personal channel.

2. The method as recited by claim 1 wherein the user specifies a logical name for a personal channel by selecting a show from a channel guide and utilizing the show name as the logical name.

3. The method as recited by claim 1 further comprising the step of recording programming meeting the user specified criteria for including in the personal channel.

4. The method as recited by claim 1 wherein a size may be specified for the personal channel indicating an amount of recording media which may be used by the personal channel.

5. The method as recited by claim 4 wherein the size specifies the number of minutes of recording time allocated to the personal channel.

The method as recited by claim 4 wherein the size specifies the number of episodes of video programming which may be recorded in the personal channel.

7. The method as recited by claim 4 wherein the system allocates recording media corresponding to the size when the personal channel is created.

8. The method as recited by claim 4 further comprising the step of automatically deleting from the personal channel the oldest video programming in the personal channel in the event the personal channel becomes full.

9. A method of logically organizing recorded video programming comprising the steps of:

a) allowing a user to specify a logical name for a personal channel for video program organization; and

b) allowing a user to specify selection criteria for recording of video programming for inclusion in the personal channel.

10. The method as recited by claim 9 wherein the user specifies a logical name for a personal channel by selecting a show from a channel guide and utilizing the show name as the logical name.

11. The method as recited by claim 9 further comprising the step of recording programming meeting the user specified criteria for including in the personal channel.

12. The method as recited by claim 9 wherein a size may be specified for the personal channel indicating an amount of recording media which may be used by the personal channel.

13. The method as recited by claim 12 wherein the size specifies the number of minutes of recording time allocated to the personal channel.

14. The method as recited by claim 12 wherein the size specifies the number of episodes of video programming which may be recorded in the personal channel.

15. The method as recited by claim 12 further comprising the step of automatically deleting from the personal channel the oldest video programming in the personal channel in the event the personal channel becomes full.

16. A video recorder comprising:

a) a data input device allowing a user to specify a personal channel label for recording and to specify selection criteria for selection of video programming for recording in the personal channel; and

b) personal channel data storage storing programming meeting the user specified criteria.

17. The video recorder as recited by claim 16 further comprising channel guide data storage storing programming information.

18. The video recorder as recited by claim 16 wherein the personal channel data storage has a limited size indicating an amount of recording media which may be used by the personal channel.

19. The video recorder as recited by claim 18 wherein the size is limited to a specified number of minutes of recording time.

20. The video recorder as recited by claim 18 wherein the size is limited to a number of episodes of video programming which may be recorded in the personal channel.

21. A display displaying an index of recorded information comprising:

a) a first area on the display displaying a first personal channel containing recorded information;

b) a second area on the display displaying a second personal channel containing recorded information.

22. The display as recited by claim 21 further comprising a third area displaying broadcast channel information.

23. The display as recited by claim 22 wherein the display includes an indication of programming in third area selected for recording.

24. The display as recited by claim 22 wherein the display includes an indication in the third area indicating all programming in a series has been selected for recording.

25. The display as recited by claim 22 further comprising an indicator indicating the first personal channel includes new content.

26. The display as recited by claim 22 wherein characteristics of the recorded information is recorded with the recorded information.

27. The display as recited by claim 26 wherein the characteristics include one or more of actor/actress names, show ratings, awards received, director name, keywords and descriptions.

28. A method of allowing a user to view programming comprising the steps of:

a) recording at least a portion of a video program;

b) allowing the user to view the portion of the video program;

c) allowing the user to view an earlier segment of the video program by initiating an instant replay function.

29. The method as recited by claim 28 wherein the instant replay function moves the user to a segment in the video program a predetermined amount of time earlier than the segment being viewed at the time of initiating the instant replay function.

30. A method of establishing a personal channel for recording and playback of programming comprising the steps of:

a) a user viewing a show as the show is being received by a video system;

b) the user selecting a record function;

c) the video system establishing a personal channel for recording the show responsive to the user selecting the record function and starting to record the show.

31. The method as recited by claim 30 wherein the system allows the user to select whether a single show or a series will be recorded in the personal channel.

32. The method as recited by claim 30 wherein the user may continue to view the show while it is being recorded.

33. The method as recited by claim 32 wherein the user may rewind the show while it is being recorded.

34. The method as recited by claim 33 wherein the user may fast forward the show while it is being recorded.

35. A method of allocating space on a recording media for recording programming comprising:

a) a user selecting a show for recording;

b) a video data recorder setting up a personal channel for recording the show; and

c) allocating space on a recording media sufficient for recording the show.

36. The method as recited by claim 35 wherein the user may select the show by selecting the show from a channel guide and selecting a record function.

37. The method as recited by claim 35 wherein the user may select the show by selecting a record function while viewing the show.

38. The method as recited by claim 35 wherein the user may select to allocate space for a single episode for a show or multiple episodes for the show.

39. A method of indicating a show is to be recorded comprising:

a) selecting the show;

b) selecting a record function a single time to indicate a single episode of the show is to be recorded; and

c) selecting a record function a second time to indicate all shows in the episode are to be recorded.

40. The method as recited by claim 39 wherein a personal channel is created for the show when the record function is selected.

41. The method as recited by claim 39 further comprising the step of selecting the record function a third time to cancel recording of the show.

42. The method as recited by claim 40 wherein space is allocated for recording the show when the personal channel is created.