MULTI-TUNER MULTI-BUFFER DIGITAL HOME COMMUNICATION TERMINAL

• US 20080138033A1
• Filed: 02/19/2008
• Published: 06/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NDS Limited (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: NDS Limited (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nallur, Ramesh, Rodriguez, Arturo A.
• Application Number:
  US12/033,203
• Publication Number:
  US 20080138033A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/92
• 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 21/4263 involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners
• 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 21/47214 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 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/783 Adaptations for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate

Abstract

A method for receiving media content of multiple display channels at a digital home communication terminal (DHCT), comprising receiving first media content corresponding to a first display channel at a first tuner of the DHCT, receiving second media content corresponding to a second display channel at a second tuner of the DHCT, and presenting to a user of the DHCT a plurality of options to receive third media content using one of the first and second tuners at a time overlapping at least in part with a time in which the first and second media content are received.

Claims

1. A method for receiving media content of multiple display channels at a digital home communication terminal (DHCT), comprising:

receiving first media content corresponding to a first display channel at a first tuner of the DHCT;

receiving second media content corresponding to a second display channel at a second tuner of the DHCT; and

presenting to a user of the DHCT a plurality of options to receive third media content using one of the first and second tuners at a time overlapping at least in part with a time in which the first and second media content are received.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the first and second media content comprises receiving the first media content at a first carrier frequency and receiving the second media content at a second carrier frequency.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the first and second media content comprises receiving the first media content corresponding to a first packet identifier (PID) and receiving the second media content corresponding to a second PID.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the first and second media content comprises receiving one or more signals carrying the first and second media content.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the one or more signals comprises an analog transmission signal.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the one or more signals comprises a digital transmission signal.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising buffering the first media content into a first buffer space and buffering the second media content into a second buffer space.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first buffer space and the second buffer space reside in separate storage devices.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the first buffer space and the second buffer space reside in a single storage device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the single storage device comprises a hard disk drive.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting comprises displaying a graphical user interface that provides the user an option which, when selected, effectuates the reception of the third content using either the first or second tuner.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting comprises displaying a graphical user interface that provides the user an option which, when selected, effectuates which of the first media content or second media content to delete to receive the third content.

13. A digital home communication terminal (DHCT), comprising:

a first tuner configured to receive first media content corresponding to a first display channel;

a second tuner configured to receive second media content corresponding to a second display channel;

a memory with logic; and

a processor configured with the logic to enable a user of the DHCT to effectuate reception by the DHCT of third media content using one of the first and second tuners at a time overlapping at least in part with a time in which the first and second media content are received.

14. The DHCT of claim 13, wherein the first tuner is configured to receive the first media content at a first carrier frequency, and wherein the second tuner is configured to receive the second media content at a second carrier frequency.

15. The DHCT of claim 13, wherein the first tuner is configured to receive the first media content corresponding to a first packet identifier (PID), and wherein the second tuner is configured to receive the second media content corresponding to a second PID.

16. The DHCT of claim 13, further comprising first and second buffers corresponding to the first and second tuners, respectively, the first buffer configured to receive the first media content, the second buffer configured to receive the second media content.

17. The DHCT of claim 16, wherein the first buffer and the second buffer reside in one of separate storage devices and a single storage device.

18. The DHCT of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to provide a video output signal comprising information corresponding to a graphical user interface, the graphical user interface configured to provide the user an option which, when selected, effectuates the reception of the third content using either the first or second tuner.

19. The DHCT of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to provide a video output signal comprising information corresponding to a graphical user interface, the graphical user interface configured to provide the user an option which, when selected, effectuates which of the first media content or second media content to delete to receive the third content.

20. A system, comprising:

a digital home communication terminal (DHCT) residing in a subscriber television system (STS), the DHCT comprising;

a first tuner configured to receive first media content corresponding to a first display channel;

a second tuner configured to receive second media content corresponding to a second display channel;

a memory with logic; and

a processor configured with the logic to provide a graphical user interface (GUI) that enables a user of the DHCT to effectuate reception by the DHCT of third media content using one of the first and second tuners at a time overlapping at least in part with a time in which the first and second media content are received; and

a television configured to present the GUI, the GUI configured to provide the user an option which, when selected, effectuates which of the first media content or second media content to delete to receive the third content.