Method of Sharing Personal Media Using a Digital Recorder

• US 20100175093A1
• Filed: 02/11/2010
• Published: 07/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TiVo Solutions Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TiVo Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Barton, James M., Arnold, Matt
• Granted Patent: US 10,080,063 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/74
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25866 Management of end-user data customer care in data networks H04L41/5077
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26613 for generating or managing keys in general key distribution for secret or secure communication involving central third party, e.g. key distribution center [KDC] or trusted third party [TTP] H04L9/083; network support of key management H04L63/06; key management for network security in communication control or processing H04W12/04
• 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 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42676 for modulating an analogue carrier signal to encode digital information or demodulating it to decode digital information, e.g. ADSL or cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42684 Client identification by a unique number or address, e.g. serial number, MAC address, socket ID network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• 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 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4367 Establishing a secure communication between the client and a peripheral device or smart card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• 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 21/4786 e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6175 : involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 : for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6547 : comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 : Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38

Abstract

A method and apparatus for sharing personal media using a digital recorder allows a plurality of multimedia devices to view content stored on a DVR across a local network. The DVR records video content from broadcast signals and records video content downloaded via the Internet.

Claims

1. A method for sharing multimedia content using a digital video recorder (DVR), comprising:

receiving, by a multimedia device among a plurality of multimedia devices in communication with a DVR via a local network, a user command to play a multimedia content stored on the DVR;

in response to the user command, retrieving, at the multimedia device, the multimedia content stored on the DVR, the DVR receiving at least a portion of a plurality of stored multimedia content via an input tuner;

playing, by the multimedia device, the multimedia content to a user, the multimedia device processing the multimedia content prior to playing the multimedia content to the user.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the multimedia content is not stored at the multimedia device.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the multimedia device decodes and plays the multimedia content as the multimedia content is received.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the user specifies a position within the multimedia content from which to start the retrieval of the multimedia content stored on the DVR.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving, by the multimedia device, a list of multimedia content stored on the DVR;

displaying, by the multimedia device, the list to the user.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the DVR records multimedia content from broadcast signals and records multimedia content downloaded via the Internet.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the multimedia device stores at least a portion of the multimedia content on at least one storage device before displaying the multimedia content to the user.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the multimedia device, metadata relating to the multimedia content from the DVR.

9. A method for sharing multimedia content from a digital video recorder (DVR) among a plurality of multimedia devices, comprising:

receiving, by a multimedia device among the plurality of multimedia devices, a user command to view a video content stored on the DVR, the plurality of multimedia devices in communication with the DVR via a local network;

in response to the user command, retrieving, at the multimedia device, the video content stored on the DVR, the DVR receiving at least a portion of a plurality of stored video content via an input tuner;

sending, by the multimedia device, the video content for display to a user, the multimedia device processing the video content prior to sending the video content for display to the user.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein the video content is not stored at the multimedia device.

11. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein the multimedia device decodes and displays the video content as the video content is received.

12. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein the user specifies a position within the video content from which to start the retrieval of the video content stored on the DVR.

13. A method as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

retrieving, by the multimedia device, a list of video content stored on the DVR;

sending, by the multimedia device, the list for display to the user.

14. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein the DVR records video content from broadcast signals and records video content downloaded via the Internet.

15. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein the multimedia device stores at least a portion of the video content on at least one storage device before displaying the video content to the user.

16. A method as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

receiving, by the multimedia device, metadata relating to the video content from the DVR.

17. A system for sharing multimedia content using a digital video recorder (DVR), comprising:

a DVR;

a plurality of multimedia devices, the plurality of multimedia devices in communication with the DVR via a local network;

a user command receiving subsystem, at a multimedia device among the plurality of multimedia devices, that receives a user command to view a video content stored on the DVR;

a video content retrieval subsystem, at the multimedia device, that, in response to the user command, retrieves the video content stored on the DVR;

a video content display subsystem, at the multimedia device, that sends the video content for display to a user, the video content display subsystem processes the video content prior to sending the video content for display to the user.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the multimedia content is not stored at the multimedia device.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the multimedia device decodes and plays the multimedia content as the multimedia content is received.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the user specifies a position within the multimedia content from which to start the retrieval of the multimedia content stored on the DVR.

21. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

a DVR video content list retrieval subsystem, at the multimedia device, that retrieves a list of video content stored on the DVR;

a DVR video content list display subsystem, at the multimedia device, that sends the list for display to the user.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the DVR records video content from broadcast signals and records video content downloaded via the Internet.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the video content retrieval subsystem stores at least a portion of the video content on at least one storage device before the video content display subsystem displays the video content to the user.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein the video content retrieval subsystem receives metadata relating to the video content from the DVR.

25. A computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for sharing multimedia content using a digital video recorder (DVR), which instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

receiving, by a multimedia device among a plurality of multimedia devices in communication with a DVR via a local network, a user command to play a multimedia content stored on the DVR;

in response to the user command, retrieving, at the multimedia device, the multimedia content stored on the DVR, the DVR receiving at least a portion of a plurality of stored multimedia content via an input tuner;

playing, by the multimedia device, the multimedia content to a user, the multimedia device processing the multimedia content prior to playing the multimedia content to the user.

26. A computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 25, wherein the multimedia content is not stored at the multimedia device.

27. computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 25, wherein the multimedia device decodes and plays the multimedia content as the multimedia content is received.

28. A computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 25, wherein the user specifies a position within the multimedia content from which to start the retrieval of the multimedia content stored on the DVR.

29. A computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 25, further comprising:

retrieving, by the multimedia device, a list of multimedia content stored on the DVR;

displaying, by the multimedia device, the list to the user.

30. A computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 25, wherein the DVR records video content from broadcast signals and records video content downloaded via the Internet.

31. A computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 25, wherein the multimedia device stores at least a portion of the video content on at least one storage device before displaying the video content to the user.

32. A computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 25, further comprising:

receiving, by the multimedia device, metadata relating to the video content from the DVR.