Systems and methods for networking digital video recorders

• US 20070058924A1
• Filed: 09/13/2005
• Published: 03/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cyberlink Corporation
• Original Assignee: Cyberlink Corporation
• Inventors: Yeh, Shih-Hsien
• Granted Patent: US 7,805,741 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/237
• 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: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2812 describing content present in a home automation network, e.g. audio video content retrieval from the Internet G06F16/95
• 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 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/254 Management at additional data server, e.g. shopping server, rights management server arrangements for maintenance or administration in data networks H04L41/00; network services using third party service providers H04L67/53
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• 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 21/44227 Monitoring of local network, e.g. connection or bandwidth variations; Detecting new devices in the local network configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; monitoring connectivity in data switched networks H04L43/0811
• 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 21/4583 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 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• 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 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• 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

Abstract

A digital video recording system is provided that comprises a plurality of digital video recorders in communication with a digital video recorder proxy system. Each of the plurality of digital video recorders is connected to a network and the digital video recorders are configured to send its status to the digital video recorder proxy system when a status change to its local resources occurs. The system further includes a digital video recorder proxy system configured to consolidate program guide information from each of the plurality of digital video recorders. The program guide information is stored in a database. Finally, the digital video recorder proxy system is configured to display the consolidated program guide information.

Claims

1. A method associated with the execution of an application on a digital video recorder proxy system comprising the steps of:

receiving a status update from at least one of a plurality of digital video recorders when a change in a resource occurs;

storing the status updates received in a database;

consolidating dissimilar program guide information from the at least one of the plurality of digital video recorders;

presenting the consolidated program guide information to a client; and

receiving viewing, recording or browsing requests from the client.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the consolidated program guide information is displayed via a user interface.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the user interface allows an entity to submit viewing, recording or browsing requests to the digital video recorder proxy system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein upon initialization, the digital video recorder proxy system polls the plurality of digital video recorders for each digital video recorder'"'"'s status and stores the status in the database.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the consolidating of program guide information is performed independently of the format of the program guide information.

6. The method of claim 1, further including managing all digital video recorder resources by the digital video recorder proxy system.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

searching the digital video recorder proxy system database and identifying an available digital video recorder;

forwarding the recording request to the identified digital video recorder;

reserving a recording resource on the identified digital video recorder; and

sending an acknowledgment back to the client.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

searching the database and identifying recorded content that matches search criteria specified by the client;

generating a list of recorded content that matches the search criteria; and

sending the same list of content to the client.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of searching the database and identifying recorded content is comprised of searching metadata of recorded content.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving viewing requests further comprises the steps of:

searching the database and identifying a digital video recorder storing requested content;

forwarding the viewing request to the identified digital video recorder;

reserving a viewing resource on the digital recorder; and

streaming the requested content to the client.

11. A computer-readable medium having a computer program for providing management of a network of digital video recorders comprising:

logic configured to communicate with a digital video recorder proxy system, wherein each of the plurality of digital video recorders is connected to a network and the digital video recorders are configured to send its status to the digital video recorder proxy system upon any status change to its local resources; and

logic configured to consolidate dissimilar program guide information from each of the plurality of digital video recorders, wherein the program guide information is stored in a database, the digital video recorder proxy system further configured to display the consolidated program guide information.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the digital video recorder proxy system is comprised of:

logic configured to receive a recording request from a client;

logic configured to search the database and identify an available digital video recorder;

logic configured to forward the recording request to the identified digital video recorder;

logic configured to reserve a recording resource on the identified digital video recorder; and

logic configured to send an acknowledgment back to the client.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the digital video recorder proxy system is further comprised of:

logic configured to receive a browsing request from a client;

logic configured to search the database and identify recorded content that matches search criteria specified by the client;

logic configured to generate a list of recorded content that matches the search criteria; and

logic configured to send the same list of content to the client.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the digital video recorder proxy system is further comprised of:

logic configured to receive a viewing request from a client;

logic configured to search the database and identify a digital video recorder resource storing requested content;

logic configured to forward the viewing request to the identified digital video recorder;

logic configured to reserve a viewing resource on the identified digital video recorder; and

logic configured to stream the requested content to the client.

15. A digital video recorder proxy system, comprising:

a plurality of digital video recorders in communication with a digital video recorder proxy system, wherein each of the plurality of digital video recorders is connected to a network and the digital video recorders are configured to send its status to the digital video recorder proxy system upon any status change to its local resources; and

a digital video recorder proxy system configured to consolidate dissimilar program guide information from each of the plurality of digital video recorders, wherein the program guide information is stored in a database, the digital video recorder proxy system further configured to display the consolidated program guide information.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the program guide information is displayed as a graphical user interface.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the digital video recorder proxy system is further configured to receive status updates from at least one of the digital video recorders.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the digital video recorder proxy system is a computer.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the digital video recorder proxy system is a digital video recorder.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the program guide information is downloaded from at least two different program guide providers.