SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INTERNET ACCESS TO A PERSONAL TELEVISION SERVICE

• US 20080247730A1
• Filed: 06/16/2008
• Published: 10/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TiVo Solutions Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TiVo Solutions Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Barton, James M., Platt, David C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,826,273 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/83
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/005 Reproducing at a different information rate from the information rate of recording for television signals H04N5/783
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21815 comprising local storage units
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2221 being a cable television head-end CATV in broadcast systems H04H20/78
• 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 21/4181 for conditional access
• 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 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• 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 21/47217 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 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/7755 the recorder being connected to, or coupled with, the antenna of the television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/79 Processing of colour television signals in connection with recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/87 Regeneration of colour television signals H04N9/80 takes precedence

Abstract

A communication system and a family of methods for remote access to personal television service are disclosed. According to this invention, a remote personal TV service center provides centralized program guide information. A user may access to the personal TV service center through a digital video recorder which is connected to the personal TV service center via telephone modem or a network server. A user may access to the personal TV service center through a remote computer terminal or a personal digital assistant which is connected to a computer network. The user selects program events and programs the digital video recorder by using a graphical user interface installed in the front panel of the digital video recorder in case of local programming, or using a similar GUI which is incorporated into the Web pages presented to remote users by a Web server in case of remote programming. The media stream stored in one digital video recorder may be transferred to another digital video recorder. For data security protection during data transfer, all communication are authenticated and encrypted.

Claims

1. A system for remotely programming a digital video recorder, comprising:

at least one digital video recorder;

wherein the at least one digital video recorder receives multimedia programs;

a server that provides a user interface to a user, accessible via the server, for programming a digital video recorder across a network;

wherein a user selects at least one digital video recorder that is registered to the user on the user interface and selects a program for the selected at least one digital video recorder to record; and

wherein the server instructs the selected at least one digital video recorder to record the selected program.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the server validates that the user is authorized to program the selected at least one digital video recorder before instructing the selected at least one digital video recorder to record the selected program.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the selected at least one digital video recorder downloads the selected program from a source over an Internet connection.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the selected at least one digital video recorder downloads the selected program from another digital video recorder.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the selected at least one digital video recorder records the selected program from a broadcast source.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface displays a program guide to the user and allows the user to select a program from the program guide for recording.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the server stores recording instructions for each user'"'"'s registered digital video recorders in an event list.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the server retrieves an event list and sends information in said event list to a specific digital video recorder

9. A method for remotely programming a digital video recorder, comprising:

allowing a user to select at least one digital video recorder that is registered to the user and to select a program for the selected at least one digital video recorder to record using a user interface that is accessible via a server;

wherein the selected at least one digital video recorder receives multimedia programs;

wherein the selected at least one digital video recorder is among a plurality of digital video recorders accessible over a network by the server; and

instructing, by the server, the selected at least one digital video recorder to record the selected program.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

validating, by the server, that the user is authorized to program the selected at least one digital video recorder before instructing the selected at least one digital video recorder to record the selected program.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the selected at least one digital video recorder downloads the selected program from a source over an Internet connection.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the selected at least one digital video recorder downloads the selected program from another digital video recorder.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the selected at least one digital video recorder records the selected program from a broadcast source.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the user interface displays a program guide to the user and allows the user to select a program from the program guide for recording.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

storing, by the server, recording instructions for each user'"'"'s digital video recorders in an event list.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

retrieving, by the server, an event list and sending information in said event list to a specific digital video recorder

17. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for remotely programming a digital video recorder, which instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

allowing a user to select at least one digital video recorder that is registered to the user and to select a program for the selected at least one digital video recorder to record using a user interface that is accessible via a server;

wherein the selected at least one digital video recorder receives multimedia programs;

wherein the selected at least one digital video recorder is among a plurality of digital video recorders accessible over a network by the server; and

instructing, by the server, the selected at least one digital video recorder to record the selected program.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising:

validating, by the server, that the user is authorized to program the selected at least one digital video recorder before instructing the selected at least one digital video recorder to record the selected program.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the selected at least one digital video recorder downloads the selected program from a source over an Internet connection.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the selected at least one digital video recorder downloads the selected program from another digital video recorder.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the selected at least one digital video recorder records the selected program from a broadcast source.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the user interface displays a program guide to the user and allows the user to select a program from the program guide for recording.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising:

storing, by the server, recording instructions for each user'"'"'s digital video recorders in an event list.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, further comprising:

retrieving, by the server, an event list and sending information in said event list to a specific digital video recorder