Digital Media Device Having Media Content Transfer Capability

• US 20080002951A1
• Filed: 06/30/2006
• Published: 01/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tech 5 SAS
• Original Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta Incorporated (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Russ, Samuel H., Stallings, Christopher L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,978,720 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/124
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/10 Digital recording or reproducing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2516 Hard disks
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/40 Combinations of multiple record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• 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 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4367 Establishing a secure communication between the client and a peripheral device or smart card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4408 involving video stream encryption, e.g. re-encrypting a decrypted video stream for redistribution in a home network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• 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

Abstract

Systems and methods for media content transfer are described. One exemplary embodiment of a method for transferring content from a first digital video recorder (DVR) set-top to a second DVR set-top includes recording instances of media content to a first storage medium located internal to a housing of the first DVR set-top and receiving an indication that the instances of media content stored to the first storage medium are to be made available for playback using the second DVR set-top. One exemplary method further includes, in response to receiving the indication that the instances of media content stored to the first storage medium are to be made available for playback using the second DVR set-top, providing the instances of media content to the second DVR set-top over a communication interface of the second DVR set-top, the communication interface accessible from an external port of the second DVR set-top.

Claims

1. A method for transferring media content from a first digital video recorder (DVR) set-top to a second DVR set-top comprising:

recording instances of media content to a first storage medium located internal to a housing of the first DVR set-top;

receiving an indication that the instances of media content stored to the first storage medium are to be made available for playback using the second DVR set-top; and

in response to receiving the indication that the instances of media content stored to the first storage medium are to be made available for playback, providing the instances of media content to the second DVR set-top over a communication interface of the second DVR set-top, the communication interface accessible from an external port of the second DVR set-top.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

attaching an external storage device to the first DVR set-top, the external storage device configured to write to a second storage medium;

transferring the instances of media content to the second storage medium by reading the media content from the first storage medium and writing the media content, using the external storage device, to the second storage medium;

detaching the external storage device from the first DVR set-top;

attaching the external storage device to the external port of the second DVR set-top; and

providing the instances of media content stored to the second storage medium over the communication interface.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein providing the media content stored to the second storage medium comprises providing access to the instances of media content using at least one of a keying scheme or a trans-encryption scheme.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

removing the first storage medium from the housing of the first DVR set-top;

associating the first storage medium with an external storage device;

communicatively coupling the external storage device to the external port of the second DVR set-top; and

at a time after receiving the indication that instances of media content stored to the first storage medium are to be made available to the second DVR set-top, transferring the media content over the communication interface.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

communicatively coupling the first DVR set-top to the communication interface of the second DVR set-top through the external port of the second DVR set-top, the second DVR set-top having an internal storage device for reading and writing to a second storage medium; and

transferring the media content from the first storage medium to the second storage medium over the communication interface.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication interface of the second DVR set-top is a high-speed communication bus.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication that the instances of media content stored to the first storage medium are to be made available for playback using the second DVR set-top is received in response to a user selection via a graphical user interface.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication that the instances of media content stored to the first storage medium are to be made available for playback using the second DVR set-top is received from a remote server.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication that the instances of media content stored to the first storage medium are to be made available for playback using the second DVR set-top is received in response to attaching the second DVR or an external storage device.

10. A system for transferring media content from a first digital video recorder (DVR) set-top to a second DVR set-top comprising:

logic configured to record instances of media content to a first storage medium located internal to a housing of the first DVR set-top;

logic configured to receive an indication that the instances of media content stored to the first storage medium are to be made available for playback using the second DVR set-top; and

logic configured to, in response to receiving the indication that the instances of media content stored to the first storage medium are to be made available for playback using the second DVR set-top, provide the instances of media content to the second DVR set-top over a communication interface of the second DVR set-top, the communication interface accessible from an external port of the second DVR set-top.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising an external storage device capable of being communicatively coupled to the first DVR set-top and the second DVR set-top, the external storage device configured to write to a second storage medium;

logic configured to transfer the instances of media content to the second storage medium by reading the media content from the first storage medium of the first DVR set-top and writing the media content, using the external storage device, to the second storage medium; and

logic configured to provide the instances of media content stored to the second storage medium over the communication interface of the second DVR set-top at a time after detaching the external storage device from the first DVR set-top and attaching the external storage device to the external port of the second DVR set-top.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the logic configured to provide the media content stored to the second storage medium comprises logic configured to provide access to the instances of media content using at least one of a keying scheme or a trans-encryption scheme.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the first storage medium is removable from the housing of the first DVR set-top and the system further includes:

an external storage device configured to receive the first storage medium at a time after the first storage medium is removed from the first DVR set-top and configured for attachment to the second DVR set-top,

wherein the second DVR set-top further comprises logic configured to, at a time after attaching the external storage device to the second DVR set-top and after receiving the indication that instances of media content stored to the first storage medium are to be made available to the second DVR set-top, providing the media content from the first storage medium to the second DVR set-top over the communication interface of the second DVR set-top.

14. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

logic configured to transfer the media content from the first storage medium to a second storage medium over the communication interface of the second DVR at a time after communicatively coupling the first DVR set-top to the communication interface of the second DVR set-top through the external port of the second DVR set-top, the second DVR set-top having an internal storage device for reading and writing to the second storage medium.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the communication interface of the second DVR set-top is a high-speed communication bus.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the indication that the instances of media content stored to the first storage medium are to be made available for playback using the second DVR set-top is received in response to:

a user selection via a graphical user interface, a message from a remote server, attaching the first DVR to the second DVR, or attaching an external storage device to the first DVR.

17. A system for transferring media content comprising:

a first digital video recorder (DVR) set-top configured to record instances of media content to a first storage medium located internal to a housing of the first DVR set-top; and

a second DVR set-top having a communication interface accessible from an external port of the second DVR set-top, at least one of the first and second DVR set-tops configured to receive an indication that the instances of media content stored to the first storage medium are to be made available for playback on the second DVR set top, the instances of media content provided to the second DVR set-top over the communication interface at a time after receiving the indication that the instances of media content stored to the first storage medium are to be made available for playback on the second DVR set top.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

an external storage device having a second storage medium and a communication interface capable of being communicatively coupled to the first and second DVR set-top,

the first DVR set-top being configured to transfer the instances of media content to the second storage medium of the external storage device at a time when the external storage device is communicatively coupled to the first DVR, the transfer performed by reading the media content from the first storage medium and writing the media content to the second storage medium, and

the second DVR set-top being configured access to the instances of media content stored to the second storage medium over the communication interface of the second DVR at a time after the communication interface of the external storage device is communicatively coupled through the external port of the second DVR set-top.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein at least one of the first and second DVRs are configured to provide the media content stored to the second storage medium by providing access to the instances of media content using at least one of a keying scheme or a trans-encryption scheme.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the first storage medium is removable from the housing of the first DVR set-top and the system further includes:

an external storage device configured to receive the first storage medium at a time after the first storage medium is removed from the first DVR set-top and configured for attachment to the second DVR set-top, and

the second DVR set-top is configured to, at a time after attaching the external storage device to the second DVR set-top and after receiving the indication that instances of media content stored to the first storage medium are to be made available to the second DVR set-top, providing the media content from the first storage medium to the second DVR set-top over the communication interface of the second DVR set-top.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the second DVR set-top includes an internal storage device for reading and writing to a second storage medium and at least one of the first and second DVRs are configured to transfer the media content from the first storage medium to the second storage medium over the communication interface of the second DVR at a time after communicatively coupling the first DVR set-top to the communication interface of the second DVR set-top through the external port of the second DVR set-top.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the communication interface of the second DVR set-top is a high-speed communication bus.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the indication that the instances of media content stored to the first storage medium are to be made available for playback using the second DVR set-top is received in response to:

a user selection via a graphical user interface, a message from a remote server, attaching the first DVR to the second DVR, or attaching an external storage device to the first DVR.