Personal Video Recording With Further Compression Of Recorded Shows

• US 20070286581A1
• Filed: 06/29/2007
• Published: 12/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Paolini, Michael, Hately, Andrew, Brown, Michael, Blaschke, David, Boston, Stephen
• Granted Patent: US 8,849,099 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/294
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• 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 21/440254 by altering signal-to-noise parameters, e.g. requantization
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4751 for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• 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 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 involving data reduction

Abstract

Automated personal video recording on a personal video recorder, including recording shows, each show having an original compression level; further compressing a recorded show to a new compression level, the new compression level being higher than the recorded show'"'"'s original compression level, thereby making available free space; and recording at least part of a new show in free space made available by further compressing the recorded show. Embodiments include recording a show having a compression level and increasing the show'"'"'s compression level while recording.

Claims

1. A method for administration of storage space requirements on a personal video recorder, the method comprising:

recording a show having a compression level, wherein the show further comprises a duration; and

increasing the show'"'"'s compression level while recording, including tracking a recording period for the show and actual storage space used during the recording period, when the tracked recording period is at least equal to a space check threshold multiplied by the duration, comparing the storage space used with an amount of storage space projected to be used during the tracked recording period, and increasing the show'"'"'s compression level if the storage space used is greater than the storage space projected to be used.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

recording a show includes encoding a video stream to a first video file, wherein the encoding is carried out in dependence upon the values of factors affecting compression level, and

increasing the show'"'"'s compression level further comprises;

changing the values of the factors affecting compression level, changing the compression level of the second video file; and

redirecting the video stream to a second video file.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

further compressing the first video file to the compression level of the second video file; and

concatenating the second video file to the first video file.

4. A personal video recorder (“

PVR”

) comprising;

means for recording a show having a compression level, wherein the show further comprises a duration; and

means for increasing the show'"'"'s compression level while recording, including means for tracking a recording period for the show and actual storage space used during the recording period, when the tracked recording period is at least equal to a space check threshold multiplied by the duration, means for comparing the storage space used with an amount of storage space projected to be used during the tracked recording period, and means for increasing the show'"'"'s compression level if the storage space used is greater than the storage space projected to be used.

5. The PVR of claim 4 wherein:

means for recording a show includes means for encoding a video stream to a first video file, wherein the encoding is carried out in dependence upon the values of factors affecting compression level, and

means for increasing the show'"'"'s compression level further comprises;

means for changing the values of the factors affecting compression level, including means for changing the compression level of the second video file; and

means for redirecting the video stream to a second video file.

6. The PVR of claim 5 further comprising:

means for further compressing the first video file to the compression level of the second video file; and

means for concatenating the second video file to the first video file.

7. A computer program product for administration of storage space requirements on a personal video recorder, the computer program product comprising:

a recording medium;

means, recorded on the recording medium, for recording a show having a compression level, wherein the show further comprises a duration; and

means, recorded on the recording medium, for increasing the show'"'"'s compression level while recording, including means, recorded on the recording medium, for tracking a recording period for the show and actual storage space used during the recording period, when the tracked recording period is at least equal to a space check threshold multiplied by the duration, means, recorded on the recording medium, for comparing the storage space used with an amount of storage space projected to be used during the tracked recording period, and means, recorded on the recording medium, for increasing the show'"'"'s compression level if the storage space used is greater than the storage space projected to be used.

8. The computer program product of claim 7 wherein:

means, recorded on the recording medium, for recording a show includes means, recorded on the recording medium, for encoding a video stream to a first video file, wherein the encoding is carried out in dependence upon the values of factors affecting compression level, and

means, recorded on the recording medium, for increasing the show'"'"'s compression level further comprises;

means, recorded on the recording medium, for changing the values of the factors affecting compression level, including means, recorded on the recording medium, for changing the compression level of the second video file; and

means, recorded on the recording medium, for redirecting the video stream to a second video file.

9. The computer program product of claim 8 further comprising:

means, recorded on the recording medium, for further compressing the first video file to the compression level of the second video file; and

means, recorded on the recording medium, for concatenating the second video file to the first video file.