SYSTEMS AND METHODS TO SCHEDULE RECORDING OF MEDIA CONTENT

• US 20100131988A1
• Filed: 11/21/2008
• Published: 05/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Daigle, Brian K., Kent, Larry G. JR.
• Granted Patent: US 8,826,331 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/72 using electronic programme guides [EPG] focusing on identifying broadcast space time H04H60/39 ; menu type display of EPG in television receivers H04N21/47
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26283 for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic program guide data
• 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 21/4334 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 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• 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 21/8405 represented by keywords
• 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 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8205 involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal

Abstract

Systems and methods to schedule recording of media content are provided. A particular method includes accessing at least one recording rule that specifies a first condition. The at least one recording rule indicates that a program of media content is to be scheduled for recording when the program satisfies the first condition. The method also includes accessing at least one recording exception that specifies a second condition. The at least one recording exception prohibits recording media content that satisfies the second condition. The method further includes determining a recording schedule by analyzing information regarding a plurality of programs of media content with respect to the at least one recording rule and the at least one recording exception.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

accessing at least one recording rule that specifies a first condition, wherein the at least one recording rule indicates that a program of media content is to be scheduled for recording when the program satisfies the first condition;

accessing at least one recording exception that specifies a second condition, wherein the at least one recording exception prohibits recording media content that satisfies the second condition; and

determining a recording schedule by analyzing information regarding a plurality of programs of media content with respect to the at least one recording rule and the at least one recording exception.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the recording schedule by analyzing the information regarding the plurality of programs of media content with respect to the at least one recording rule and the at least one recording exception includes:

searching electronic program guide (EPG) data to identify a first set of programs that satisfy the first condition;

searching the first set of programs to identify a second set of programs that satisfy the second condition; and

scheduling programs of the first set of programs that are not in the second set of programs for recording.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the recording schedule by analyzing the information regarding the plurality of programs of media content with respect to the at least one recording rule and the at least one recording exception includes:

searching electronic program guide (EPG) data to identify a first set of programs that do not satisfy the second condition;

searching the first set of programs to identify a second set of programs that satisfy the first condition; and

scheduling programs of the second set of programs for recording.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing a data record specifying the recording schedule, wherein the data record is accessible by a media recording device to cause the media recording device to automatically record programs of media content identified in the recording schedule.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving user input at a media recording device, wherein the user input specifies the at least one recording rule and the at least one recording exception.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first condition is satisfied by a particular program when information descriptive of the particular program includes a specified keyword.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first condition is satisfied by a particular program when the particular program is associated with a specified genre.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first condition is satisfied by a particular program when the particular program has a specified title.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first condition is satisfied by a particular program when the particular program is associated with a particular media channel.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second condition is satisfied by a particular program when information descriptive of the particular program includes a specified keyword.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving electronic program guide (EPG) data, wherein the EPG data includes metadata associated with a plurality of programs of media content;

wherein analyzing the information regarding the plurality of programs of media content with respect to the at least one recording exception includes performing a keyword search of the metadata to determine whether at least one of the plurality of programs satisfies the second condition.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the recording schedule is determined at a network device associated with a media service provider.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

recording media content based on the recording schedule at a network-based recording device; and

sending the recorded media content from the network-based recording device to a set-top box device at a subscriber residence in response to a request to access the recorded media content.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising sending the recording schedule from the network device to a set-top box device at a subscriber residence.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising recording media content at the set-top box device at the subscriber residence based on the recording schedule.

16. A system, comprising:

a memory to store first data specifying at least one recording rule and second data specifying at least one recording exception; and

a scheduling module to generate a recording schedule based on the first data and the second data;

wherein the at least one recording rule specifies a first condition and indicates that a program of media content is to be scheduled for recording when the program satisfies the first condition; and

wherein the at least one recording exception specifies a second condition and prohibits recording media content that satisfies the second condition.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising a recording module to record media content based on the recording schedule.

18. The system of claim 16, further comprising a user interface module to generate a user interface display that enables a user to specify the at least one recording rule and the at least one exception.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the user interface display further enables the user to modify the recording schedule.

20. The system of claim 16, further comprising an electronic program guide (EPG) module to receive EPG data descriptive of a plurality of programs of media content, wherein the scheduling module analyzes the EPG data with respect to the first data and the second data to generate the recording schedule.

21. A computer-readable storage medium comprising:

operational instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to access at least one recording rule that specifies a first condition, wherein the at least one recording rule indicates that a particular program of media content is to be scheduled for recording when the particular program satisfies the first condition;

operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to access at least one recording exception that specifies a second condition, wherein the at least one recording exception prohibits recording media content that satisfies the second condition; and

operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine a recording schedule by analyzing information regarding a plurality of programs of media content with respect to the at least one recording rule and the at least one recording exception.

22. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the at least one recording exception prohibits recording of media content that includes a flashback or revisit episode of a program.

23. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the at least one recording exception prohibits recording of media content that deals with specified topics.

24. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the at least one recording exception prohibits recording of media content that has a release date that satisfies the second condition.