System and method for recording television content at a set top box

• US 20060117374A1
• Filed: 12/01/2004
• Published: 06/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chanyu Holdings LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Sbc Knowledge Ventures, L.P.
• Inventors: Sullivan, Marc Andrew, Kortum, Philip Ted
• Granted Patent: US 7,716,714 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/139
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• 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 21/466 Learning process for intelligent management, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies services using the results of monitoring in broadcast systems H04H60/61
• 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 21/84 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 5/782 on tape

Abstract

A method of recording content at a set top box is provided and includes receiving a request to record multiple episodes of a television program. When a copy of a particular episode that has been previously stored in the memory of the set top box is received, a set top box selectively fails to record that particular episode of the television program. Further, the method includes monitoring metadata within an electronic program guide received at the set top box. Using the metadata, a set top box can determine when the particular episode of the television program is to be received and recorded at the set top box.

Claims

1. A method of recording content at a set top box, the method comprising:

receiving a request to record multiple episodes of a television program; and

selectively failing to record a particular episode of the television program when a copy of the particular episode has been previously stored in the memory of the set top box.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring metadata within an electronic program guide received at the set top box.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising determining when the particular episode of the television program is to be received and recorded at the set top box at least partially based on the monitored metadata.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising determining if the particular episode of the television program scheduled for recording is presently recorded and stored at the set top box.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising detecting a duplicate episode and selectively failing to record the duplicate episode.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising determining if an episode was previously recorded at the set top box.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising determining if the previously recorded episode was viewed at a television coupled to the set top box.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising selectively failing to record an episode that was previously recorded and viewed.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising selectively recording an episode of a television program that is not presently recorded and stored at the set top box.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising recording an episode of a television program, wherein the episode has not been previously recorded.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising recording an episode of a television program, wherein the episode has been previously recorded and deleted, but not viewed.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising adding a title corresponding to each of the episodes of the television program recorded at the set top box to a recorded program list.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising sorting the titles of the recorded program list by original air dates.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising sorting the titles of the recorded program list alphabetically.

15. A set top box, comprising:

a processor;

a memory device accessible by the processor; and

a computer program embedded within the memory device, the computer program comprising;

instructions to detect a request to record multiple episodes of a television program;

instructions to detect a received episode that is a duplicate of an episode stored in the memory device; and

instructions to selectively fail to record the duplicate episode of the television program.

16. The set top box of claim 15, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to monitor metadata within an electronic program guide received at the set top box.

17. The set top box of claim 16, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to record an episode of a television program that is not stored in the memory device.

18. The set top box of claim 17, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to record an episode of a television program that has not been previously recorded.

19. The set top box of claim 18, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to record an episode of a television program that has been previously recorded, but not viewed.

20. The set top box of claim 19, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to add a title corresponding to each recorded episode of a television program to a recorded program list.

21. The set top box of claim 20, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to sort the recorded program list.

22. The set top box of claim 21, wherein the recorded program list is sorted by original air dates of episodes.

23. The set top box of claim 21, wherein the recorded program list is sorted alphabetically.

24. A home entertainment system, comprising:

at least one television;

a set top box coupled to the television, the set top box comprising;

a processor;

a memory device accessible by the processor; and

a computer program embedded within the memory device, the computer program comprising;

instructions to detect a request to record all episodes of a television program; and

instructions to selectively fail to record one or more duplicate episodes of the television program, when the one or more duplicate episode is received at the set top box.

25. The set top box of claim 24, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to monitor metadata within an electronic program guide.

26. The set top box of claim 25, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to record an episode of a television program that is not presently recorded and stored at the set top box.

27. The set top box of claim 26, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to record an episode of a television program that has not been previously recorded.

28. The set top box of claim 27, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to record an episode of a television program that has been previously recorded and deleted, but not viewed.

29. The set top box of claim 28, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to add a title corresponding to each episode recorded at the set top box to a recorded program list.

30. The set top box of claim 29, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to sort the recorded program list.

31. The set top box of claim 30, wherein the recorded program list is sorted by original broadcast dates.

32. The set top box of claim 30, wherein the recorded program list is sorted alphabetically.