VIDEO RECORDER HAVING USER EXTENDED AND AUTOMATICALLY EXTENDED TIME SLOTS

• US 20100166386A1
• Filed: 11/25/2009
• Published: 07/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Aptiv Digital Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Ward, Daniel T., Bumgardner, James A., Krakirian, Haig H., Ombao, Geoffrey Z.
• Granted Patent: US 8,176,516 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/291
• 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 5/782 on tape

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a video recorder having user extended and automatically extended time slots. An embodiment of the present invention includes a set-top box having an internal storage device, such as a hard drive where broadcasts are transferred from a broadcast input source to the storage device. The set-top box is connected to an output device such as a television, which displays a graphical user interface (GUI) and an interactive program guide (IPG). The user has the option to extend a chosen time slot, in which a show is scheduled to be transferred to the storage device. A dialog box is used when certain types of shows are selected that commonly require timeslot extensions at the end of the show.

Claims

1-19. -19. (canceled)

20. A method for transferring a broadcast signal to a storage device, the method comprising:

receiving a request to transfer a first show in a timeslot to said storage device;

processing text of a title or description field associated with the first show to extract one or more keywords;

determining whether said extracted one or more keywords indicate that said first show is of a specific type where it is common for said specific type to extend beyond said timeslot;

alerting a user of an opportunity to add a user extended trailing timeslot of a certain length to said timeslot based on a determination that said first show is of said specific type;

receiving a user indication to add said user extended trailing timeslot to said timeslot after determining that said first show is of said specific type; and

providing for the transfer of said first show in said timeslot along with said user extended trailing timeslot responsive to receiving the indication to add said user extended trailing timeslot to said timeslot.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said specific type is sports.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein said certain length is set by said user.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein said step of receiving a user indication further comprises, providing said user an opportunity to always add said user extended trailing timeslot to shows determined to be of said specific type automatically.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein said step of processing further comprises:

providing a database having a show title field; and

matching all entries in said show title field to said specific type.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein said step of processing further comprises:

providing a database having a show description field; and

matching a keyword in said show description field to said specific type.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein said specific type is set by said user.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein said step of processing further comprises:

providing a database having a show title field; and

matching a keyword in said show title field to said specific type.

28. The method of claim 20 further comprising:

generating a list of keywords that include words or combinations of words that indicate type of a show;

providing a database having a title field and a description field for each entry corresponding to a show, wherein the title field and the description field include text relating to the title field and the description field, respectively;

retrieving from the database the text from the title field or the description field in the entry corresponding to the first show;

matching words in the text retrieved from the database entry to the list of keywords to determine whether the first show is of the specific type.

29. An apparatus comprising:

a set-top box for receiving a request to transfer a first show in a timeslot to a storage device;

a processor configured to;

process text of a title or description field associated with the first show to extract one or more keywords;

search a database to determine whether said extracted one or more keywords indicate that said first show is of a specific type where it is common for said first show to extend beyond said timeslot;

display on a display screen a dialog box to alert a user of an opportunity to add a user extended trailing timeslot of a certain length to said timeslot based on a determination that said first show is of said specific type; and

receive a user indication to add said user extended trailing timeslot to said timeslot after the search determines that said show is of said specific type; and

a storage device for receiving the transfer of said first show in said timeslot along with said user extended trailing timeslot responsive to receiving the user indication to add said user extended trailing timeslot to said timeslot.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein said specific type is sports.

31. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein said certain length is set by said user.

32. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein said dialog box further provides said user an opportunity to always add said user extended trailing timeslot to shows determined to be of said specific type automatically.

33. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein said database has a show type field, wherein the processor is further configured to match all entries in said show type field to said specific type.

34. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein said database has a show description field, wherein the processor is further configured to match a keyword in said show description field to said specific type.

35. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein said specific type is set by said user.

36. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein said database has a show title field, wherein the processor is further configured to match a keyword in said show title field to said specific type.

37. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein said processor is further configured to:

generate a list of keywords that include words or combinations of words that indicate type of a show;

search the database having a title field and a description field for each entry corresponding to a show, wherein the title field and the description field include text relating to the title field and the description field, respectively;

retrieve from the database the text from the title field or the description field in the entry corresponding to the first show;

match words in the text retrieved from the database entry to the list of keywords to determine whether the first show is of the specific type.