Content recordation techniques

• US 20060117351A1
• Filed: 07/15/2004
• Published: 06/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Zigmond, Daniel J., Sanders, Scott D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,021,529 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• 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 21/4583 Automatically resolving scheduling conflicts, e.g. when a recording by reservation has been programmed for two programs in the same time slot
• 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 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• 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 5/782 on tape

Abstract

Content recordation techniques are described. In an implementation, a method includes querying electronic program guide (EPG) data to determine if a content item described in a recording document is available for recording. If the content item is available, a reference is added to a recording list for causing recordation of the content item.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

querying electronic program guide (EPG) data to determine if a content item described in a recording document is available for recording; and

if the content item is available, adding a reference in a recording list for causing recordation of the content item.

2. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the querying is performed by execution of a parser module on a head end.

3. A method as described in claim 1, wherein:

the querying is performed by execution of a parser module on a head end; and

the reference in the recording list is for causing recordation of the content item by a client.

4. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the querying is performed by execution of a parser module on a client.

5. A method as described in claim 1, wherein:

the query is performed at a client; and

the reference in the recording list is for causing recordation of the content item at a head end.

6. A method as described in claim 1, further comprising determining if the available content item conflicts with another content item in the recording list.

7. A method as described in claim 1, further comprising examining client state data that describes conditional access rights of a plurality of clients to determine if recordation of the content item for a particular said client is permitted.

8. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the recording document describes the content item through at least one of a restrictive criterion, a service, a time, or a genre.

9. A method as described in claim 1, further comprising generating the recording document from a textual description of the content item.

10. A method as described in claim 9, wherein the textual description is selected from the group consisting of:

one or more words entered by a user via a user interface;

an article;

a text message;

an email; and

another content item.

11. One or more computer readable media comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed by a computer, direct the computer to perform the method as described in claim 1.

12. A method comprising:

examining a textual description to locate one or more words that describe a content item;

comparing the one or more words with electronic program guide (EPG) data to determine if the content item is available for recording; and

if the content item is available, adding a reference in a recording list to cause recordation of the content item.

13. A method as described in claim 12, wherein the textual description is selected from the group consisting of:

one or more words entered by a user via a user interface;

an article;

a text message;

an email; and

another content item.

14. A method as described in claim 12, wherein the content item is selected from the group consisting of:

a television program;

a movie;

a picture;

a music file; and

media.

15. A method as described in claim 12, wherein:

the examining is performed by executing a recording module on a client; and

the comparing and the adding are performed by executing a parser module on a head end.

16. A method as described in claim 12, wherein the examining, the comparing, and the adding are performed by executing a recording module and a parser module on a client.

17. A method as described in claim 12, further comprising generating a recording document that includes the located one or more words.

18. A method as described in claim 12, further comprising:

generating a recording document that includes the located one or more words;

communicating the recording document to a head end which executes a parser module to perform the comparing and the adding; and

communicating the recording list to a client to cause recordation of the content item described in the EPG data through execution of a navigation module on the client.

19. A method as described in claim 12, further comprising determining if the client is authorized to record the content item.

20. A method as described in claim 19, wherein the determining is performed at a head end using client state data that is stored on the head end.

21. One or more computer readable media comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed by a computer, direct the computer to perform the method as described in claim 12.

22. One or more computer readable media comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed by a computer, direct the computer to:

examine a textual description to locate one or more words that describe a content item;

generate a recording document having the one or more words; and

form a communication for communicating the recording document for comparison with electronic program guide (EPG) data to determine if the content item described by the recording document is available for recording.

23. One or more computer readable media as described in claim 22, wherein the computer executable instructions further direct the computer to:

determine if the content item described by the recording document is available for recording; and

if the content item is available, add a reference to the available content item to a recording list.

24. One or more computer readable media as described in claim 22, wherein the computer executable instructions further direct the computer to examine client state data that describes conditional access rights of a plurality of clients to determine if recordation of the content item for a particular said client is permitted.

25. One or more computer readable media as described in claim 22, wherein the computer executable instructions further direct the computer to determine if the available content item conflicts with another content item in a recording list.

26. One or more computer readable media as described in claim 22, wherein the textual description is selected from the group consisting of:

one or more words entered by a user via a user interface;

an article;

a text message;

an email; and

another content item.

27. A head end comprising:

a processor; and

memory configured to maintain;

electronic program guide (EPG) data;

a recording document having a plurality of elements which describe a content item; and

a parser module that is executable on the processor to;

determine if the content item described in the recording document is available for recording by comparing at least one said element with the electronic program guide (EPG) data; and

if the content item is available, add a reference to a recording list for causing recordation of the content item.

28. A head end as described in claim 27, wherein the reference in the recording list is for causing recordation of the content item in the memory.

29. A head end as described in claim 27, wherein the reference in the recording list is for causing recordation of the content item at a client.

30. A head end as described in claim 27, wherein the parser module is further executable on the processor to generate the recording document from a textual description of the content item.

31. A head end as described in claim 30, wherein the textual description is selected from the group consisting of:

one or more words entered by a user via a user interface;

an article;

a text message;

an email; and

another content item.

32. A head end as described in claim 27, wherein the parser module is further executable on the processor to examine client state data that describes conditional access rights of a plurality of clients to determine if recordation of the content item for a particular said client is permitted.

33. A head end as described in claim 27, wherein the parser module is further executable on the processor to determine if the available content item conflicts with another content item referenced in the recording list.

34. A client comprising:

a processor; and

memory configured to maintain;

an electronic program guide (EPG) formed from a plurality of EPG data;

a recording document having a plurality of elements which describe a content item; and

a parser module that is executable on the processor to;

determine if the content item described in the recording document is available for recording by comparing at least one said element with the electronic program guide (EPG) data; and

if the content item is available, add a reference in a recording list, based on the query, for causing recordation of the content item.

35. A client as described in claim 34, wherein the reference in the recording list is for causing recordation of the content item at a head end.

36. A client as described in claim 34, wherein the reference in the recording list is for causing recordation of the content item through execution of a navigation module on the client.

37. A client as described in claim 34, wherein the parser module is further executable on the processor to generate the recording document from a textual description of the content item.

38. A head end as described in claim 37, wherein the textual description is selected from the group consisting of:

one or more words entered by a user via a user interface;

an article;

a text message;

an email; and

another content item.

39. A client as described in claim 34, wherein the parser module is further executable on the processor to examine client state data, which describes conditional access rights, to determine if recordation of the content item is permitted.

40. A client as described in claim 34, wherein the parser module is further executable on the processor to determine if the available content item conflicts with another content item in the recording list.

41. A system comprising:

a network;

a head end that is communicatively coupled to the network, includes a database having electronic program guide (EPG) data, and has a parser module that is executable thereon to;

query the EPG data to determine if a content item described in a recording document received from over the network is available for recording;

if the content item is available, examine client state data that describes conditional access rights of a plurality of clients to determine if recordation of the content item for a particular said client is permitted;

if recordation of the content item for the particular said client is permitted, add a reference in a recording list for causing recordation of the content item; and

form a communication for communicating the recording list via the network; and

the particular said client that is communicatively coupled to the network and includes a navigation module that is executable thereon to;

receive the communication having the recording list; and

record the referenced content item.