Multi-Channel Playback of Audio/Video Content

• US 20080069519A1
• Filed: 08/03/2007
• Published: 03/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TiVo Solutions Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TiVo Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Lang, Richard, Walters, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 9,094,724 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/83
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42224 Touch pad or touch panel provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• 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 21/47217 for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• 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
• 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 9/7921 for more than one processing mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 involving data reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8205 involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal

Abstract

A system and method for time-shifted viewing of broadcast television programs is disclosed. Simultaneous recording and playback are provided by using buffer storage as the source and destination of compressed or uncompressed digital video/audio programs. Full VCR-like control is provided for all playback within the buffer storage. Playback and control of recorded programs may be initiated by the user at any time after initiation of the broadcast program with simultaneous continuous recording of the ongoing live broadcast. Larger archival storage and removable is also provided for storing and building a library of programs. Viewer playback control data may be stored as part of the program or used as edit points prior to archival. Numerous options are provided for features such as continuous automatic recording in a circular buffer fashion, program archival, editing, Internet interfaces, multiple-channel recording and more.

Claims

1. A method for time-delayed viewing of audio/video content, comprising:

simultaneously receiving audio/video content from a plurality of audio/video sources, wherein each of the plurality of audio/video sources corresponds to a channel and each of the channels corresponds to a dedicated portion of buffer memory at a digital recorder device;

simultaneously storing audio/video content received from each of the plurality of audio/video sources in the corresponding portion of buffer memory at the digital recorder device; and

playing back from a first dedicated portion of buffer memory the corresponding stored audio/video content received from a first channel corresponding to a first of the plurality of audio/video sources, wherein the audio/video content in the first dedicated portion of buffer memory is not simultaneously overwritten when a viewer changes from the first channel to a second channel corresponding to a second of the plurality of audio/video sources.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of audio/video sources includes an RF-modulated analog signal provider.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the RF-analog signal provider is a broadcast television provider.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the RF-analog signal provider is a cable television provider.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of audio/video sources includes a digital signal provider.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the digital signal provider is a high-definition television provider.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the digital signal provider is a satellite provider.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the digital signal provider is an Internet content provider.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein audio/video content received on the first channel continues to be stored in the first dedicated portion of buffer memory after the viewer changes from the first channel to the second channel.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein audio/video content received from the plurality of audio/video sources continues to be stored in the corresponding portions of buffer memory after the viewer changes from a first channel to a second channel.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising playing back audio/video content from a second dedicated portion of buffer memory corresponding to the second channel, wherein the playback of the audio/video content from the second dedicated portion of buffer memory occurs simultaneously with the playback of the audio/video content from the first dedicated portion of buffer memory corresponding to the first channel.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the simultaneous playback of the audio/video content from the first and second dedicated portions of buffer memory includes display of the corresponding audio/video content through a picture-in-picture feature.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a playback control command from the viewer of the audio/video content provided by the plurality of audio/video sources, the playback control command received in response to the viewer having viewed at least a portion of the audio/video content provided by two or more of the plurality of audio/video sources; and

collectively storing at least a portion of the audio/video content provided by the two or more of the plurality of audio/video sources in archival memory, wherein the collectively stored portion of the audio/video content includes a control code corresponding to the received playback control command and that may be used to control subsequent playback of the collectively stored portion of the audio/video content provided by the two or more of the plurality of audio/video sources.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising subsequently playing back from archival memory the collectively stored audio/video content provided by the two or more of the plurality of audio/video sources, wherein the playback of the stored audio/video content includes automatic execution of the playback control command identified by the corresponding control code.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the collectively stored audio/video content includes a first edit point and a second edit point, the first and second edit points corresponding to the commencement and termination of the playback control command received from the viewer.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the playback control command includes automatically fast forwarding from the first edit point to the second edit point.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first and second edit points correspond to the beginning and end of a commercial.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the collectively stored portion of the audio/video content provided by the two or more of the plurality of audio/video source represents the entirety of a viewing session of the viewer.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising transferring the collectively stored portion of the audio/video content that represents the entirety of the viewing session to a removable media.

20. An apparatus for time-delayed viewing of audio/video content, comprising:

one or more inputs configured to simultaneously receive audio/video content from a plurality of audio/video sources, wherein each of the plurality of audio/video sources corresponds to a channel;

buffer memory configured to simultaneously store audio/video content received from each of the plurality of audio/video sources in a corresponding portion of buffer memory, wherein each of the channels corresponds to a dedicated portion of buffer memory; and

a playback control software module executable by a processor, the software module configured to play back from a first dedicated portion of buffer memory the corresponding stored audio/video content received from a first channel corresponding to a first of the plurality of audio/video sources, wherein the audio/video content in the first dedicated portion of buffer memory is not simultaneously overwritten when a viewer changes from the first channel to a second channel corresponding to a second of the plurality of audio/video sources.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein at least one of the one or more inputs is configured to receive an RF-modulated analog signal.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the RF-analog signal comprises a broadcast television signal.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the RF-analog signal comprises a cable television signal.

24. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein at least one of the one or more inputs is configured to receive a digital signal.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the digital signal comprises a high-definition television signal.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the digital signal comprises a satellite signal.

27. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the digital signal comprises a transmission received over the Internet.

28. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the first dedicated portion of buffer memory is configured to store audio/video content received on the first channel after the viewer changes from the first channel to the second channel.

29. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the corresponding portions of buffer memory are configured to store audio/video content received from the plurality of audio/video sources after the viewer changes from a first channel to a second channel.

30. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein a second dedicated portion of buffer memory corresponding to the second channel is configured to store audio/video content for playback, wherein the playback of the audio/video content from the second dedicated portion of buffer memory occurs simultaneously with the playback of the audio/video content from the first dedicated portion of buffer memory corresponding to the first channel.

31. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising archival memory configured to collectively store at least a portion of the audio/video content provided by two or more of the plurality of audio/video sources, and wherein the playback control software module is further configured to interpret and execute a playback control command received from the viewer of the audio/video content provided by the plurality of audio/video sources, the playback control command received in response to the viewer having viewed at least a portion of the audio/video content provided by the two or more of the plurality of audio/video sources and wherein the collectively stored portion of the audio/video content includes a control code corresponding to the received playback control command and that may be used to control subsequent playback of the collectively stored portion of the audio/video content provided by the two or more of the plurality of audio/video sources.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the archival memory is further configured to provide for the subsequent playback of the collectively stored audio/video content provided by the two or more of the plurality of audio/video sources, wherein the playback of the stored audio/video content includes automatic execution of the playback control command identified by the corresponding control code.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the collectively stored audio/video content includes a first edit point and a second edit point, the first and second edit points corresponding to the commencement and termination of the playback control command received from the viewer.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the playback control command includes automatically fast forwarding from the first edit point to the second edit point.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the first and second edit points correspond to the beginning and end of a commercial.

36. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the collectively stored portion of the audio/video content provided by the two or more of the plurality of audio/video source represents the entirety of a viewing session of the viewer.

37. The apparatus of claim 31, further comprising a removable media storage device configured to store the collective portion of the audio/video content that represents the entirety of the viewing session.

38. A computer-readable storage medium having embodied thereon a program, the program being executable by a processor to perform a method for time-delayed viewing of audio/video content, the method comprising:

simultaneously receiving audio/video content from a plurality of audio/video sources, wherein each of the plurality of audio/video sources corresponds to a channel and each of the channels corresponds to a dedicated portion of buffer memory at a digital recorder device;

simultaneously storing audio/video content received from each of the plurality of audio/video sources in the corresponding portion of buffer memory at the digital recorder device; and

playing back from a first dedicated portion of buffer memory the corresponding stored audio/video content received from a first channel corresponding to a first of the plurality of audio/video sources, wherein the audio/video content in the first dedicated portion of buffer memory is not simultaneously overwritten when a viewer changes from the first channel to a second channel corresponding to a second of the plurality of audio/video sources.

39. An apparatus for time-delayed viewing of audio/video content, comprising:

means for simultaneously receiving audio/video content from a plurality of audio/video sources, wherein each of the plurality of audio/video sources corresponds to a channel;

means for simultaneously storing audio/video content received from each of the plurality of audio/video sources in a corresponding portion of buffer memory, wherein each of the channels corresponds to a dedicated portion of buffer memory; and

means for playing back stored audio/video content received from a first channel corresponding to a first of the plurality of audio/video sources, wherein the audio/video content in the means for simultaneously storing is not simultaneously overwritten when a viewer changes from the first channel to a second channel corresponding to a second of the plurality of audio/video sources.