Broadcast Program Recording Overrun and Underrun Scheduling System

• US 20110154407A1
• Filed: 01/31/2011
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TiVo Solutions Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TiVo Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Waterman, Alan, Beach, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 8,965,182 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/58
• 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 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG 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 5/782 on tape

Abstract

A broadcast program recording overrun and underrun scheduling system provides a system for adjusting the start and end times of a broadcast program'"'"'s recording schedule that has a start and end broadcast time. The viewer selects a particular broadcast program to record from the program guide using a remote input device. The system schedules the broadcast program to be recorded by inserting the program'"'"'s information such as program identifier, start and end times, and storage duration into a recording schedule database. The system allows the viewer to adjust the scheduled start and/or end recording times for a broadcast program by specifying the time increment to add or subtract from the start and/or end recording times of a specific program or series of programs.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

displaying at least one input screen to a user that contains an entry field that allows the user to specify a relative amount of time in the entry field to adjust a program'"'"'s start availability time, the relative amount of time is displayed in the entry field in response to the user specifying the relative amount of time to adjust the program'"'"'s start availability time, the program having a start availability time and an end availability time listed in an electronic program guide;

scheduling a start recording time and end recording time for the program using the program'"'"'s start availability time and end availability time, the scheduling step adjusting the scheduled start recording time for the program using the relative amount of time specified by the user in the entry field;

recording the program on at least one storage device in a digital format.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a program guide to the user;

wherein the program guide lists scheduled availability times of a plurality of programs; and

wherein the program is selected for recording from the program guide.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the user is allowed to specify a desired amount of time to be added or subtracted to/from the scheduled end recording time while the program is being recorded.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the user is allowed to specify a length of time the program is retained on the at least one storage device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

playing the program stored on the at least one storage device to the user.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating a recording schedule for programs scheduled to be recorded;

wherein the recording schedule contains program identifiers and start and end times of programs to be recorded; and

wherein the program recording step records programs on the at least one storage device according to the recording schedule.

7. An apparatus, comprising:

a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that displays at least one input screen to a user that contains an entry field that allows the user to specify a relative amount of time in the entry field to adjust a program'"'"'s start availability time, the relative amount of time is displayed in the entry field in response to the user specifying the relative amount of time to adjust the program'"'"'s start availability time, the program having a start availability time and an end availability time listed in an electronic program guide;

a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that schedules a start recording time and end recording time for the program using the program'"'"'s start availability time and end availability time, the scheduling step adjusting the scheduled start recording time for the program using the relative amount of time specified by the user in the entry field;

a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that records the program on at least one storage device in a digital format.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that displays a program guide to the user;

wherein the program guide lists scheduled availability times of a plurality of programs; and

wherein the program is selected for recording from the program guide.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the user is allowed to specify a desired amount of time to be added or subtracted to/from the scheduled end recording time while the program is being recorded.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the user is allowed to specify a length of time the program is retained on the at least one storage device.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that plays the program stored on the at least one storage device to the user.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

a recording schedule;

wherein the recording schedule contains program identifiers and start and end times of programs to be recorded; and

wherein the program recording subsystem records programs on the at least one storage device according to the recording schedule.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more devices, cause performance of:

displaying at least one input screen to a user that contains an entry field that allows the user to specify a relative amount of time in the entry field to adjust a program'"'"'s start availability time, the relative amount of time is displayed in the entry field in response to the user specifying the relative amount of time to adjust the program'"'"'s start availability time, the program having a start availability time and an end availability time listed in an electronic program guide;

scheduling a start recording time and end recording time for the program using the program'"'"'s start availability time and end availability time, the scheduling step adjusting the scheduled start recording time for the program using the relative amount of time specified by the user in the entry field;

recording the program on at least one storage device in a digital format.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13, further comprising:

displaying a program guide to the user;

wherein the program guide lists scheduled availability times of a plurality of programs; and

wherein the program is selected for recording from the program guide.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the user is allowed to specify a desired amount of time to be added or subtracted to/from the scheduled end recording time while the program is being recorded.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the user is allowed to specify a length of time the program is retained on the at least one storage device.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 13, further comprising:

playing the program stored on the at least one storage device to the user.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 13, further comprising:

creating a recording schedule for programs scheduled to be recorded;

wherein the recording schedule contains program identifiers and start and end times of programs to be recorded; and

wherein the program recording subsystem records programs on the at least one storage device according to the recording schedule.

19. A method, comprising:

displaying at least one input screen to a user that contains an entry field that allows the user to specify a relative amount of time in the entry field to adjust a program'"'"'s end availability time, the relative amount of time is displayed in the entry field in response to the user specifying the relative amount of time to adjust the program'"'"'s end availability time, the program having a start availability time and an end availability time listed in an electronic program guide;

scheduling a start recording time and end recording time for the program using the program'"'"'s start availability time and end availability time, the scheduling step adjusting the scheduled end recording time for the program using the relative amount of time specified by the user in the entry field;

recording the program on at least one storage device in a digital format.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

displaying a program guide to the user;

wherein the program guide lists scheduled availability times of a plurality of programs; and

wherein the program is selected for recording from the program guide.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the user is allowed to specify a desired amount of time to be added or subtracted to/from the scheduled end recording time while the program is being recorded.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the user is allowed to specify a length of time the program is retained on the at least one storage device.

23. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

playing the program stored on the at least one storage device to the user.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

creating a recording schedule for programs scheduled to be recorded;

wherein the recording schedule contains program identifiers and start and end times of programs to be recorded; and

wherein the program recording step records programs on the at least one storage device according to the recording schedule.

25. An apparatus, comprising:

a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that displays at least one input screen to a user that contains an entry field that allows the user to specify a relative amount of time in the entry field to adjust a program'"'"'s end availability time, the relative amount of time is displayed in the entry field in response to the user specifying the relative amount of time to adjust the program'"'"'s end availability time, the program having a start availability time and an end availability time listed in an electronic program guide;

a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that schedules a start recording time and end recording time for the program using the program'"'"'s start availability time and end availability time, the scheduling subsystem adjusting the scheduled end recording time for the program using the relative amount of time specified by the user in the entry field;

a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that records the program on at least one storage device in a digital format.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising:

a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that displays a program guide to the user;

wherein the program guide lists scheduled availability times of a plurality of programs; and

wherein the program is selected for recording from the program guide.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the user is allowed to specify a desired amount of time to be added or subtracted to/from the scheduled end recording time while the program is being recorded.

28. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the user is allowed to specify a length of time the program is retained on the at least one storage device.

29. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising:

a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that plays the program stored on the at least one storage device to the user.

30. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising:

a recording schedule;

wherein the recording schedule contains program identifiers and start and end times of programs to be recorded; and

wherein the program recording subsystem records programs on the at least one storage device according to the recording schedule.

31. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more devices, cause performance of:

displaying at least one input screen to a user that contains an entry field that allows the user to specify a relative amount of time in the entry field to adjust a program'"'"'s end availability time, the relative amount of time is displayed in the entry field in response to the user specifying the relative amount of time to adjust the program'"'"'s end availability time, the program having a start availability time and an end availability time listed in an electronic program guide;

scheduling a start recording time and end recording time for the program using the program'"'"'s start availability time and end availability time, the scheduling step adjusting the scheduled end recording time for the program using the relative amount of time specified by the user in the entry field;

recording the program on at least one storage device in a digital format.

32. The computer readable medium of claim 31, further comprising:

displaying a program guide to the user;

wherein the program guide lists scheduled availability times of a plurality of programs; and

wherein the program is selected for recording from the program guide.

33. The computer readable medium of claim 31, wherein the user is allowed to specify a desired amount of time to be added or subtracted to/from the scheduled end recording time while the program is being recorded.

34. The computer readable medium of claim 31, wherein the user is allowed to specify a length of time the program is retained on the at least one storage device.

35. The computer readable medium of claim 31, further comprising:

playing the program stored on the at least one storage device to the user.

36. The computer readable medium of claim 31, further comprising:

creating a recording schedule for programs scheduled to be recorded;

wherein the recording schedule contains program identifiers and start and end times of programs to be recorded; and

wherein the program recording subsystem records programs on the at least one storage device according to the recording schedule.

37. A method, comprising:

accepting user input, the user indicates a particular program series that the user desires to record multiple episodes of, each episode of the program series has a start availability time and an end availability time;

displaying at least one input screen to the user that contains an entry field that allows the user to specify a relative amount of time in the entry field to adjust start availability times for all episodes of the program series to be recorded, the relative amount of time is displayed in the entry field in response to the user specifying the relative amount of time to adjust the start availability times for all episodes of the program series to be recorded;

scheduling a start recording time and end recording time for an episode of the program series using the episode'"'"'s start availability time and end availability time, the scheduling step adjusting the scheduled start recording time for the program using the relative amount of time specified by the user in the entry field;

recording the episode of the program series on at least one storage device in a digital format.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

displaying a program guide to the user;

wherein the program guide lists scheduled availability times of a plurality of programs; and

wherein the program series is selected for recording from the program guide.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein the user is allowed to specify a desired amount of time to be added or subtracted to/from the end recording time while the episode of the program series is being recorded.

40. The method of claim 37, wherein the user is allowed to specify a length of time the episode of the program series is retained on the at least one storage device.

41. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

playing the episode of the program series stored on the at least one storage device to the user.

42. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

creating a recording schedule for programs scheduled to be recorded;

wherein the recording schedule contains program identifiers and start and end times of programs to be recorded; and

wherein the episode recording step records programs on the at least one storage device according to the recording schedule.

43. An apparatus, comprising:

a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that accepts user input, the user indicates a particular program series that the user desires to record multiple episodes of, each episode of the program series has a start availability time and an end availability time;

a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that displays at least one input screen to the user that contains an entry field that allows the user to specify a relative amount of time in the entry field to adjust start availability times for all episodes of the program series to be recorded, the relative amount of time is displayed in the entry field in response to the user specifying the relative amount of time to adjust the start availability times for all episodes of the program series to be recorded;

a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that schedules a start recording time and end recording time for an episode of the program series using the episode'"'"'s start availability time and end availability time, the scheduling step adjusting the scheduled start recording time for the program using the relative amount of time specified by the user in the entry field;

a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that records the episode of the program series on at least one storage device in a digital format.

44. The apparatus of claim 43, further comprising:

a program guide;

wherein the program guide lists scheduled availability times of a plurality of programs; and

wherein the program series is selected for recording from the program guide.

45. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the user is allowed to specify a desired amount of time to be added or subtracted to/from the end recording time while the episode of the program series is being recorded.

46. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the user is allowed to specify a length of time the episode of the program series is retained on the at least one storage device.

47. The apparatus of claim 43, further comprising:

a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that plays the episode of the program series stored on the at least one storage device to the user.

48. The apparatus of claim 43, further comprising:

a recording schedule for programs scheduled to be recorded;

wherein the recording schedule contains program identifiers and start and end times of programs to be recorded; and

wherein the episode recording subsystem records programs on the at least one storage device according to the recording schedule.

49. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more devices, cause performance of:

accepting user input, the user indicates a particular program series that the user desires to record multiple episodes of, each episode of the program series has a start availability time and an end availability time;

displaying at least one input screen to the user that contains an entry field that allows the user to specify a relative amount of time in the entry field to adjust start availability times for all episodes of the program series to be recorded, the relative amount of time is displayed in the entry field in response to the user specifying the relative amount of time to adjust the start availability times for all episodes of the program series to be recorded;

scheduling a start recording time and end recording time for an episode of the program series using the episode'"'"'s start availability time and end availability time, the scheduling step adjusting the scheduled start recording time for the program using the relative amount of time specified by the user in the entry field;

recording the episode of the program series on at least one storage device in a digital format.

50. The computer readable medium of claim 49, further comprising:

displaying a program guide to the user;

wherein the program guide lists scheduled availability times of a plurality of programs; and

wherein the program series is selected for recording from the program guide.

51. The computer readable medium of claim 49, wherein the user is allowed to specify a desired amount of time to be added or subtracted to/from the end recording time while the episode of the program series is being recorded.

52. The computer readable medium of claim 49, wherein the user is allowed to specify a length of time the episode of the program series is retained on the at least one storage device.

53. The computer readable medium of claim 49, further comprising:

playing the episode of the program series stored on the at least one storage device to the user.

54. The computer readable medium of claim 49, further comprising:

creating a recording schedule for programs scheduled to be recorded;

wherein the recording schedule contains program identifiers and start and end times of programs to be recorded; and

wherein the episode recording step records programs on the at least one storage device according to the recording schedule.

55. A method, comprising:

accepting user input, the user indicates a particular program series that the user desires to record multiple episodes of, each episode of the program series has a start availability time and an end availability time;

displaying at least one input screen to the user that contains an entry field that allows the user to specify a relative amount of time in the entry field to adjust end availability times for all episodes of the program series to be recorded, the relative amount of time is displayed in the entry field in response to the user specifying the relative amount of time to adjust the end availability times for all episodes of the program series to be recorded;

scheduling a start recording time and end recording time for an episode of the program series using the episode'"'"'s start availability time and end availability time, the scheduling step adjusting the scheduled end recording time for the program using the relative amount of time specified by the user in the entry field;

recording the episode of the program series on at least one storage device in a digital format.

56. The method of claim 55, further comprising:

displaying a program guide to the user;

wherein the program guide lists scheduled availability times of a plurality of programs; and

wherein the program series is selected for recording from the program guide.

57. The method of claim 55, wherein the user is allowed to specify a desired amount of time to be added or subtracted to/from the end recording time while the episode of the program series is being recorded.

58. The method of claim 55, wherein the user is allowed to specify a length of time the episode of the program series is retained on the at least one storage device.

59. The method of claim 55, further comprising:

playing the episode of the program series stored on the at least one storage device to the user.

60. The method of claim 55, further comprising:

creating a recording schedule for programs scheduled to be recorded;

wherein the recording schedule contains program identifiers and start and end times of programs to be recorded; and

wherein the episode recording step records programs on the at least one storage device according to the recording schedule.

61. An apparatus, comprising:

a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that accepts user input, the user indicates a particular program series that the user desires to record multiple episodes of, each episode of the program series has a start availability time and an end availability time;

a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that displays at least one input screen to the user that contains an entry field that allows the user to specify a relative amount of time in the entry field to adjust end availability times for all episodes of the program series to be recorded, the relative amount of time is displayed in the entry field in response to the user specifying the relative amount of time to adjust the end availability times for all episodes of the program series to be recorded;

a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that schedules a start recording time and end recording time for an episode of the program series using the episode'"'"'s start availability time and end availability time, the scheduling step adjusting the scheduled end recording time for the program using the relative amount of time specified by the user in the entry field;

a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that records the episode of the program series on at least one storage device in a digital format.

62. The apparatus of claim 61, further comprising:

a program guide;

wherein the program guide lists scheduled availability times of a plurality of programs; and

wherein the program series is selected for recording from the program guide.

63. The apparatus of claim 61, wherein the user is allowed to specify a desired amount of time to be added or subtracted to/from the end recording time while the episode of the program series is being recorded.

64. The apparatus of claim 61, wherein the user is allowed to specify a length of time the episode of the program series is retained on the at least one storage device.

65. The apparatus of claim 61, further comprising:

a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that plays the episode of the program series stored on the at least one storage device to the user.

66. The apparatus of claim 61, further comprising:

a recording schedule for programs scheduled to be recorded;

wherein the recording schedule contains program identifiers and start and end times of programs to be recorded; and

wherein the episode recording subsystem records programs on the at least one storage device according to the recording schedule.

67. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more devices, cause performance of:

accepting user input, the user indicates a particular program series that the user desires to record multiple episodes of, each episode of the program series has a start availability time and an end availability time;

displaying at least one input screen to the user that contains an entry field that allows the user to specify a relative amount of time in the entry field to adjust end availability times for all episodes of the program series to be recorded, the relative amount of time is displayed in the entry field in response to the user specifying the relative amount of time to adjust the end availability times for all episodes of the program series to be recorded;

scheduling a start recording time and end recording time for an episode of the program series using the episode'"'"'s start availability time and end availability time, the scheduling step adjusting the scheduled end recording time for the program using the relative amount of time specified by the user in the entry field;

recording the episode of the program series on at least one storage device in a digital format.

68. The computer readable medium of claim 67, further comprising:

displaying a program guide to the user;

wherein the program guide lists scheduled availability times of a plurality of programs; and

wherein the program series is selected for recording from the program guide.

69. The computer readable medium of claim 67, wherein the user is allowed to specify a desired amount of time to be added or subtracted to/from the end recording time while the episode of the program series is being recorded.

70. The computer readable medium of claim 67, wherein the user is allowed to specify a length of time the episode of the program series is retained on the at least one storage device.

71. The computer readable medium of claim 67, further comprising:

playing the episode of the program series stored on the at least one storage device to the user.

72. The computer readable medium of claim 67, further comprising:

creating a recording schedule for programs scheduled to be recorded;

wherein the recording schedule contains program identifiers and start and end times of programs to be recorded; and

wherein the episode recording step records programs on the at least one storage device according to the recording schedule.