Multi-DVR Content Management

• US 20080022330A1
• Filed: 06/30/2006
• Published: 01/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Barrett, Peter T.
• Application Number:
  US11/428,292
• Publication Number:
  US 20080022330A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/89
• 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 21/43615 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 21/4583 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 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8352 involving content or source identification data, e.g. Unique Material Identifier [UMID]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

Multi-DVR content management is described. In an embodiment, television-based client devices are each a node of a multi-DVR system where the nodes are implemented for communication with each other. A recording node of the multi-DVR system records media content with a recording media when initiated by a television-based client device at a node of the multi-DVR system. A media content reference is mapped in a content map to the recording media to associate the recorded media content with the television-based client device. The recorded media content can then be rendered from the recording media at a different television-based client device at a node of the multi-DVR system.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

recording media content in a pause buffer when a television-based client device is tuned to render the media content from a content stream;

mapping a media content reference in a content map to the pause buffer to associate the recorded media content with the television-based client device;

receiving a request from an additional television-based client device to record the media content; and

mapping a virtual content reference to the media content reference such that the recorded media content is also associated with the additional television-based client device.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the request is received from the additional television-based client device to record a segment of the media content that is being recorded in the pause buffer, the method further comprising:

tuning the television-based client device to render different media content from an alternate content stream; and

maintaining the media content reference in the content map to the recorded segment of the media content such that the additional television-based client device is associated with the recorded segment of the media content via the virtual content reference.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, further comprising deallocating recorded segments of the pause buffer that do not contain the recorded segment of the media content that is associated with the additional television-based client device.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the television-based client device and the additional television-based client device are each a node of a multi-DVR system that includes multiple nodes configured for communication with each other, the multi-DVR system further including a recording node that records the media content for one or more of the nodes of the multi-DVR system.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein the recording node is a network-based service that records the media content for one or more of the nodes of the multi-DVR system.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the media content reference includes reference metadata that is associated with the recorded media content designated by the media content reference.

7. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein the reference metadata includes a time-based index to a segment of the recorded media content.

8. A method, comprising:

recording media content with a recording media when initiated by a television-based client device;

mapping a media content reference in a content map to the recording media to associate the recorded media content with the television-based client device; and

rendering the recorded media content from the recording media at a different television-based client device.

9. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein:

the media content is recorded in a pause buffer when the television-based client device is tuned to render the media content;

the media content reference is mapped in a content map to the pause buffer to associate the recorded media content with the television-based client device;

the method further comprising;

pausing the media content being rendered at the television-based client device such that the pause buffer continues to record the media content; and

wherein

the different television-based client device renders the media content from the pause buffer from a point at which the media content was paused at the television-based client device.

10. A method as recited in claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a request from an additional television-based client device to record the media content; and

mapping a virtual content reference to the media content reference in the content map such that the recorded media content is also associated with the additional television-based client device, where the recorded media content can be rendered at the television-based client device and at the additional television-based client device.

11. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the television-based client device is a node of a multi-DVR system that includes multiple nodes configured for communication with each other, the multi-DVR system further including a recording node that records the media content for one or more of the nodes of the multi-DVR system.

12. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the recording node is a network-based service that records the media content for one or more of the nodes of the multi-DVR system.

13. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the media content reference includes reference metadata that is associated with the recorded media content designated by the media content reference, the reference metadata including a time-based index to a segment of the recorded media content.

14. A multi-DVR system, comprising:

television-based client devices that are each a node of the multi-DVR system and configured for communication with each other;

a recording node of the multi-DVR system configured to record media content with a recording media for one or more of the television-based client devices;

a content mapping system that includes a content map and the recording media of the recording node, the content map including;

media content references to the recording media, a media content reference designating recorded media content associated with a television-based client device; and

a virtual content reference to the media content reference such that the recorded media content is also associated with an additional television-based client device.

15. A multi-DVR system as recited in claim 14, wherein at least one of the television-based client devices is the recording node of the multi-DVR system to record the media content for one or more of the television-based client devices.

16. A multi-DVR system as recited in claim 14, wherein the recording node is a network-based service configured to record the media content for one or more of the television-based client devices.

17. A multi-DVR system as recited in claim 14, wherein the content mapping system includes a content manager configured to manage the content mapping system and to deallocate segments of the recording media that are not referenced from the content map.

18. A multi-DVR system as recited in claim 14, wherein the content map includes reference metadata that corresponds to the media content reference and which is associated with the recorded media content designated by the media content reference.

19. A multi-DVR system as recited in claim 18, wherein the reference metadata includes a time-based index to a segment of the recorded media content.

20. A multi-DVR system as recited in claim 14, wherein the content map is further configured to map the media content references to associate each of the television-based client devices with the recorded media content.