RESOURCE SHARING SYSTEM OF SET-TOP BOXES

• US 20050102698A1
• Filed: 03/10/2004
• Published: 05/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Digital Technologies, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Krakirian, Haig H., Bumgardner, Jim
• Granted Patent: US 8,528,015 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4263 involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/433 Content storage operation, e.g. storage operation in response to a pause request, caching operations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• 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 21/44231 Monitoring of peripheral device or external card, e.g. to detect processing problems in a handheld device or the failure of an external recording device configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network H04L12/2823; monitoring the status of connected device in data switched networks H04L43/0817
• 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 21/47214 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 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• 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 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a resource sharing system of set-top boxes. The set-top boxes are arranged in a network. The resources of each set-top box in the network are potentially available to another set-top box in the network that has run out of resources. When a user needs a tuner resource, the set-top box determines if it has a local tuner available. If not, the set-top box attempts to use the tuner of another set-top box in the network. In one embodiment all of the tuners in the network are pooled together and used as a global resource of tuners for all of the set-tops. Alternatively, if a set-top box runs out of resource space on a storage device, it attempts to use the storage device on another set-top box before deleting shows locally to make room for the new show.

Claims

1. a method for using a network of set-top boxes, comprising:

connecting at least a first and a second set-top box in a network;

making one or more resources in each of said first and second set-top boxes available to said network;

receiving a command in said first set-top box which requires some or all of said resources; and

using said resources in said first or said second set-top box.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said resources include tuners or storage devices.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said first set-top box uses said resources in said first set-top box if available, and attempts to use said resources in said second set-top box if not available.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said first set-top box determines whether a first storage device of said storage devices in said first set-top box or a second storage device of said storage devices in said second set-top box has more space available and uses one of said first or second storage devices that has more space available.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein said command is for scheduling a show.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein said command is for transferring a show to one of said storage devices.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

determining a time slot for said show;

examining said resources to determine if a specific tuner of said tuners is available during said time slot; and

reserving said tuner for said show.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

examining said resources to determine if a first storage device in said first set-top box has enough space available for said show;

transferring said show to said first storage device, if there is enough space available for said show;

examining said resources to determine if a second storage device of said storage devices in said second set-top has sufficient space available, if enough space was not available on said first storage device; and

transferring said show to said second storage device, if there is sufficient space available for said show on said second storage device and not on said first storage device.

9. A network of set-top boxes, comprising:

at least a first and a second set-top box connected in a network;

one or more resources in each of said first and second set-top boxes; and

a command received by said first set-top box which requires one or more of said resources to be used, wherein said first set-top box uses said resources in said first set-top box or said second set-top box.

10. The network of claim 9 wherein said resources include tuners or storage devices.

11. The network of claim 10 wherein said first set-top box uses said resources in said first set-top box if available, and attempts to use said resources in said second set-top box if not available.

12. The network of claim 10 wherein said first set-top box determines whether a first storage device of said storage devices in said first set-top box or a second storage device of said storage devices in said second set-top box has more space available and uses one of said first or second storage devices that has more space available.

13. The network of claim 10 wherein said command is for scheduling a show.

14. The network of claim 10 wherein said command is for transferring a show to one of said storage devices.

15. The network of claim 13 further comprising:

a time slot for said show wherein said resources are examined to determine if a specific tuner is available during said time slot; and

a list for reserving said tuner for said show.

16. A network of set-top boxes, comprising:

means for connecting at least a first and a second set-top box in a network;

means for sharing one or more resources in each of said first and second set-top boxes; and

means for receiving a command by said first set-top box which requires one or more of said resources to be used; and

means for responding where said first set-top box uses said resources of said first or second set-top boxes.

17. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing a computer to use a network of set-top boxes, comprising,

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to connect at least a first and a second set-top box in a network;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to make one or more resources in each of said first and second set-top boxes available to said network;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to receive a command in said first set-top box which requires some or all of said resources; and

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to use said resources in said first or said second set-top box.

18. The computer program product of claim 17 wherein said resources include tuners or storage devices.

19. The computer program product of claim 18 wherein said first set-top box uses said resources in said first set-top box if available, and attempts to use said resources in said second set-top box if not available.

20. The computer program product of claim 18 wherein said first set-top box determines whether a first storage device of said storage devices in said first set-top box or a second storage device of said storage devices in said second set-top box has more space available and uses one of said first or second storage devices that has more space available.

21. The computer program product of claim 18 wherein said command is for scheduling a show.

22. The computer program product of claim 18 wherein said command is for transferring a show to one of said storage devices.

23. The computer program product method of claim 21 further comprising:

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to determine a time slot for said show;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to examine said resources to determine if a specific tuner is available during said time slot; and

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to reserve said tuner for said show.

24. The computer program product method of claim 22 further comprising:

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to examine said resources to determine if a first storage device in said first set-top box has enough space available for said show;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to transfer said show to said first storage device, if there is enough space available for said show;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to examine said resources to determine if a second storage device in said second set-top has enough space available, if enough space was not available on said first storage device; and

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to transfer said show to said second storage device, if there is enough space available for said show on said second storage device and not on said first storage device.

25. A resource sharing system, comprising:

a set-top box;

means for connecting said set-top box to one or more resources, at least some of said resources being external to said set-top box; and

means for receiving user input by said set-top box which requires one or more of said resources to be used; and

means for using said resources in response.

26. A method for using a network of set-top boxes, comprising:

connecting at least a first and a second set-top box in a network;

making a foreground tuner and a background tuner in each of said first and second set-top boxes available to said network;

receiving a command in said first set-top box which requires said foreground tuner or said background tuner in said second set-top box; and

using said foreground tuner or said background tuner in said second set-top box based on a priority rule.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein said priority rule comprises a background tuner taking precedence over a foreground tuner.