Apparatus and Method for Recording Programs and for Replaying them with a Time Offset

• US 20090297129A1
• Filed: 03/30/2007
• Published: 12/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Siemens Networks GmbH & Company KG (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Löbig, Norbert, Jenzowsky, Stefan, Stelzl, Rudolf
• Granted Patent: US 8,233,771 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/353
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44008 involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in the video stream arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/458 Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording

Abstract

Certain exemplary embodiments relate to a device and/or an associated method in which a recorded television or radio program can be played back from a recording of said program without additional programs, such as commercial breaks. A current program can be resumed once the recording has been played back. Processed program segments can be retrieved while repeated segments can be tuned out during playback. The current program can be resumed more quickly if processed program segments are retrieved during playback.

Claims

1-14. -14. (canceled)

15. An apparatus comprising:

a receiving unit (E); and

an output unit (TV) for viewing a plurality of programs (Bx);

said receiving unit (E) is adapted to scan a program (B) from said plurality of programs (Bx);

wherein;

after initiation of a first control function (B1, B2, . . . ) via a control unit, transmission sections (a, b, c, d, . . . ), which do not contain any additional programs are extracted from said (B) and temporarily stored, said transmission sections lacking a plurality of additional programs (W1, W2, W3, . . . ) previously inserted within said program (B);

initiation of a second control function via the control unit, the temporarily stored transmission sections (a, b, c, d, . . . ) are provided to the output unit (TV) after which said program or a subsequent program (Bx, By) is then provided to the output unit (TV); and

the transmission sections (a, b, c, . . . ) are combined on the basis of their information content or event content and stored in a buffer store for access as required.

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein:

said receiving unit (E) comprises a memory unit (M) comprising a first memory section adapted for temporary storage of said transmission sections (a, b, c, . . . ), said memory unit (M) comprising a second memory section adapted for temporary storage of the plurality of additional programs (W1, W2, W3, . . . ).

17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein:

the receiving unit (E) comprises an analysis unit (A) adapted for identification of a start time and an end time of each of then plurality of additional programs (W1, W2, W3, . . . ).

18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein:

said apparatus comprises an access unit (Z) adapted to be coupled to a transmission medium via which information relating to a start time and an end time of each of the plurality of additional programs (W1, W2, W3, . . . ) is provided to the analysis unit (A), and

said analysis unit (A) is adapted to separate said transmission sections (a, b, c . . .) of said program (B) by said start time and end time of each of the plurality of additional programs (W1, W2, W3, . . . ).

19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein:

said receiving unit (E) is adapted to temporarily store any of a plurality additional transmission sections (. . . , d, e, . . . ) of said program (B) that are transmitted while said transmission sections (a, b, c, . . . ) are being replayed.

20. The apparatus as claimed in claim 15, further comprising:

a unit (WER) adapted for identifying a repeat section (B′

, . . . ,) in said transmission sections (a, b, c, . . . ) and adapted for masking out said repeat section from said program (B) by initiation of a third control function.

21. A method for viewing portions of a transmitted programs (B), comprising:

via a first control unction (B1, B2, . . . ) issued by a control unit, initiating temporary storage of transmission sections (a, b, c, d, . . . ), which do not contain any additional programs that have been inserted in the transmitted program and which have been extracted from the transmitted program (B);

via a second control function (B1, B2, . . . ) issued by said control unit, initiating transfer of said temporarily stored transmission sections (a, b, c, d, . . . ) to an output unit (TV);

initiating transfer of the transmitted program or a subsequent program (By) to the output unit (TV); and

providing a summarization of said transmission sections (a, b, c, . . . ) based on their information content or event content.

22. The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein:

said transmission sections (a, b, c, . . . ) and said additional programs (W1, W2, W3, . . . ) are temporarily stored.

23. The method as claimed in claim 21, further comprising:

determining a start time and an end time of each of said additional programs (W1, W2, W3, . . . ).

24. The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein:

an externally determined start time and end time of each of said additional programs (W1, W2, W3, . . . ) are used for separation of transmission sections (a, b, c . . . ).

25. The method as claimed in claim 21, further comprising:

temporarily storing additional transmission sections (. . . , d, e, . . . ) of said program that are transmitted while said transmission sections (a, b, c, . . . ) are being replayed.

26. The method as claimed in claim 21, further comprising:

masking out a repeat section (B′

) from the transmitted program (B.