Content Recorder Multi-Angle Viewing and Playback

• US 20100254670A1
• Filed: 04/06/2009
• Published: 10/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Boss, Gregory, Amsterdam, Jeffrey, Hamilton, Rick II, O'Connell, Brian, Bhogal, Kulvir S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,280,226 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: N/A
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21805 enabling multiple viewpoints, e.g. using a plurality of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; 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 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• 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 21/4347 Demultiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• 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 21/4758 for providing answers, e.g. voting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/50 Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape

Abstract

A method, system, and computer program product for selecting, in real time, a leading view of a multi-angle television program. A video recorder receives a program view selection. The video recorder then transmits a viewer data request for the currently selected program view to a service provider. The video recorder may then receive requested viewer data of the selected program view and one or more alternate views of the selected program. The video recorder may then determine if the selected program view is the leading view of the selected program. When the selected view is not the leading view and the video recorder is configured for automatic view switching, the video recorder may autonomously switch to the leading view of the selected program. Alternatively, the video recorder may present vote totals of all views of the selected program and enable a selection of a desired alternate view.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating multi-angle viewing of a selected program on a video recorder, the method comprising:

receiving a program view selection;

transmitting a request for viewer data to a service provider;

receiving the viewer data, wherein the viewer data contains information of one or more alternate views of a selected program;

determining if the selected program view is a leading view of the selected program; and

in response to determining that the selected program view is not the leading view, autonomously switching to the leading view of the selected program.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

autonomously transmitting selected program view data to the service provider at a predetermined time interval.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining if the video recorder is configured for automatic view switching; and

in response to determining that the video recorder is configured for automatic view switching, autonomously requesting updated viewer data from the service provider at the predetermined time interval.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to determining that the video recorder is not configured for automatic view switching, displaying a vote total of the selected view and each alternate view of the selected program;

prompting for a selection of a desired program view; and

in response to receiving a selection of a desired program view, tuning to a program view displaying the desired program view.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to displaying the selected program view for a pre-established amount of time, autonomously transmitting a vote for the selected program view to the service provider.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

requesting a vote from for the selected program view; and

in response to receiving the vote, autonomously transmitting the vote to the service provider.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to determining that the video recorder is configured for automatic view switching and the selected program is set for recording, recording an optimized viewing of the selected program, wherein the optimized view is a dynamic recording of the leading view of the selected program, wherein the video recorder may autonomously switch between a plurality of views of the selected program so that the leading view of the selected program is always recorded for the duration of the optimized viewing.

8. A system comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor;

processing logic for;

receiving a program view selection;

transmitting a request for viewer data to a service provider;

receiving the viewer data, wherein the viewer data contains information of one or more alternate views of a selected program;

determining if the selected program view is a leading view of the selected program; and

in response to determining that the selected program view is not the leading view, autonomously switching to the leading view of the selected program.

9. The system of claim 8, the processing logic further comprising logic for:

autonomously transmitting selected program view data to the service provider at a predetermined time interval.

10. The system of claim 9, the processing logic further comprising logic for:

determining if the video recorder is configured for automatic view switching; and

in response to determining that the video recorder is configured for automatic view switching, autonomously requesting updated viewer data from the service provider at the predetermined time interval.

11. The system of claim 8, the processing logic further comprising logic for:

in response to determining that the video recorder is not configured for automatic view switching, displaying a vote total of the selected view and each alternate view of the selected program;

prompting for a selection of a desired program view; and

in response to receiving a selection of a desired program view, tuning to a program view displaying the desired program view.

12. The system of claim 8, the processing logic further comprising logic for:

in response to displaying the selected program view for a pre-established amount of time, autonomously transmitting a vote for the selected program view to the service provider.

13. The system of claim 8, the processing logic further comprising logic for:

requesting a vote from for the selected program view; and

in response to receiving the vote, autonomously transmitting the vote to the service provider.

14. The system of claim 8, the processing logic further comprising logic for, in response to determining that the video recorder is configured for automatic view switching and the selected program is set for recording, recording an optimized viewing of the selected program, wherein the optimized view is a dynamic recording of the leading view of the selected program, wherein the video recorder may autonomously switch between a plurality of views of the selected program so that the leading view of the selected program is always recorded for the duration of the optimized viewing.

15. A computer-readable medium having a plurality of instructions embodied therein, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by a processing device, allows a machine to:

receive a program view selection;

transmit a request for viewer data to a service provider;

receive the viewer data, wherein the viewer data contains information of one or more alternate views of a selected program;

determine if the selected program view is a leading view of the selected program; and

in response to determining that the selected program view is not the leading view, autonomously switch to the leading view of the selected program.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, the plurality of instructions further comprising instructions for enabling the machine to:

autonomously transmit selected program view data to the service provider at a predetermined time interval.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, the plurality of instructions further comprising instructions for enabling the machine to:

determine if the video recorder is configured for automatic view switching; and

in response to determining that the video recorder is configured for automatic view switching, autonomously request updated viewer data from the service provider at the predetermined time interval.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, the plurality of instructions further comprising instructions for enabling the machine to:

in response to determining that the video recorder is not configured for automatic view switching, display a vote total of the selected view and each alternate view of the selected program;

prompt for a selection of a desired program view; and

in response to receiving a selection of a desired program view, tune to a program view displaying the desired program view.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, the plurality of instructions further comprising instructions for enabling the machine to:

in response to displaying the selected program view for a pre-established amount of time, autonomously transmitting a vote for the selected program view to the service provider.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, the plurality of instructions further comprising instructions for enabling the machine to, in response to determining that the video recorder is configured for automatic view switching and the selected program is set for recording, record an optimized viewing of the selected program, wherein the optimized view is a dynamic recording of the leading view of the selected program, wherein the video recorder may autonomously switch between a plurality of views of the selected program so that the leading view of the selected program is always recorded for the duration of the optimized viewing.