SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INTERNET ACCESS TO A PERSONAL TELEVISION SERVICE

• US 20110179441A1
• Filed: 04/04/2011
• Published: 07/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TiVo Solutions Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: David C. Platt, James M. Barton
• Inventors: Barton, James M., Platt, David C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,336,077 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/25
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/005 Reproducing at a different information rate from the information rate of recording for television signals H04N5/783
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21815 comprising local storage units
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2221 being a cable television head-end CATV in broadcast systems H04H20/78
• 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 21/4181 for conditional access
• 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 21/4622 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 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/7755 the recorder being connected to, or coupled with, the antenna of the television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/79 Processing of colour television signals in connection with recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/87 Regeneration of colour television signals H04N9/80 takes precedence

Abstract

A communication system and a family of methods for remote access to personal television service are disclosed. According to this invention, a remote personal TV service center provides centralized program guide information. A user may access to the personal TV service center through a digital video recorder which is connected to the personal TV service center via telephone modem or a network server. A user may access to the personal TV service center through a remote computer terminal or a personal digital assistant which is connected to a computer network. The user selects program events and programs the digital video recorder by using a graphical user interface installed in the front panel of the digital video recorder in case of local programming, or using a similar GUI which is incorporated into the Web pages presented to remote users by a Web server in case of remote programming. The media stream stored in one digital video recorder may be transferred to another digital video recorder. For data security protection during data transfer, all communication are authenticated and encrypted.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

upon connection of a home digital media source and a portable digital media device, automatically transferring media content from the home digital media source to the portable digital media device, the media content having been selected prior to the connection at the home digital media source from media content available to the home digital media source, the portable digital media device being a battery driven device that operates independent of the home digital media source;

causing the media content transferred from the home digital media source to be stored on one or more storage devices at the portable digital media device, the portable digital media device being configured to present at least particular media content selected via an interface on the portable digital media device, from the media content stored on the one or more storage devices at the portable digital media device and transferred from the home digital media source.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, upon connection of the portable digital media device and the home digital media source, software at the portable digital media device is automatically updated by the home digital media source.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to the connection of the home digital media source and a portable digital media device, receiving an explicit selection of the media content from a user.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to the connection of the home digital media source and a portable digital media device, receiving input at the home digital media source that selects the media content by indicating criteria for choosing the media content to transfer from the media receiver to a portable media playback device; and

upon the connection, the home digital media source automatically choosing the media content to transfer to the portable media playback device based on the criteria.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein choosing the media content based on the criteria comprises comparing user preferences specified in the criteria to at least one of a title, description, content length, or rating associated with the media content.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the home digital media source downloading the media content from another device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the home digital media source recording the media content from a broadcast source.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the home digital media source is a server to which the portable digital media device connects over a network or at a cable head end.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the connection is a network connection facilitated by a service center.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the connection is established by a user plugging the portable digital media device into the home digital media source.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable digital media device is communicatively connected to the home digital media source.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically transferring, with the media content, descriptive information about the media content.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically transferring, with the media content, rules that cause the portable digital media device to enforce a copy protection scheme with respect to the home digital media source.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising, upon a subsequent connection of the home digital media source and the portable digital media device, the home digital media source receiving operational information from the portable digital media device.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising the home digital media source transferring the operational information to a server.

16. A method comprising:

upon connection of a home digital media source and a portable digital media device, automatically receiving media content from the home digital media source at the portable digital media device, the media content having been selected prior to the connection at the home digital media source from media content available to the home digital media source, the portable digital media device being a battery driven device that operates independent of the home digital media source;

storing the media content transferred from the home digital media source on one or more storage devices at the portable digital media device;

presenting, at the portable digital media device, at least particular media content selected via an interface on the portable digital media device, from the media content stored on the one or more storage devices at the portable digital media device and transferred from the home digital media source.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein, upon connection of the portable digital media device and the home digital media source, software at the portable digital media device is automatically updated by the home digital media source.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

automatically receiving, with the media content, rules for enforcing a copy protection scheme with respect to the home digital media source;

enforcing the copy protection scheme at the portable digital media device.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

automatically receiving, with the media content, descriptive information about the media content;

displaying, at the portable digital media device, particular descriptive information of the transferred description associated with the particular media content while presenting the particular media content.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the connection is a network connection facilitated by a service center.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the connection is established by a user plugging the portable digital media device into the home digital media source.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein the portable digital media device is communicatively connected to the home digital media source.

23. One or more computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause performance of:

upon connection of a home digital media source and a portable digital media device, automatically transferring media content from the home digital media source to the portable digital media device, the media content having been selected prior to the connection at the home digital media source from media content available to the home digital media source, the portable digital media device being a battery driven device that operates independent of the home digital media source;

causing the media content transferred from the home digital media source to be stored on one or more storage devices at the portable digital media device, the portable digital media device being configured to present at least particular media content selected via an interface on the portable digital media device, from the media content stored on the one or more storage devices at the portable digital media device and transferred from the home digital media source.

24. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 23, wherein, upon connection of the portable digital media device and the home digital media source, software at the portable digital media device is automatically updated by the home digital media source.

25. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 23, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause performance of, prior to the connection of the home digital media source and a portable digital media device, receiving an explicit selection of the media content from a user.

26. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 23, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause performance of:

prior to the connection of the home digital media source and a portable digital media device, receiving input at the home digital media source that selects the media content by indicating criteria for choosing the media content to transfer from the media receiver to a portable media playback device; and

upon the connection, the home digital media source automatically choosing the media content to transfer to the portable media playback device based on the criteria.

27. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 26, wherein choosing the media content based on the criteria comprises comparing user preferences specified in the criteria to at least one of a title, description, content length, or rating associated with the media content.

28. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 23, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause performance of the home digital media source downloading the media content from another device.

29. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 23, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause performance of the home digital media source recording the media content from a broadcast source.

30. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 23, wherein the home digital media source is a server to which the portable digital media device connects over a network or at a cable head end.

31. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 23, wherein the connection is a network connection facilitated by a service center.

32. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 23, wherein the connection is established by a user plugging the portable digital media device into the home digital media source.

33. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 23, wherein the portable digital media device is communicatively connected to the home digital media source.

34. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 23, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause performance of automatically transferring, with the media content, descriptive information about the media content.

35. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 23, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause performance of automatically transferring, with the media content, rules that cause the portable digital media device to enforce a copy protection scheme with respect to the home digital media source.

36. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 23, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause performance of, upon a subsequent connection of the home digital media source and the portable digital media device, the home digital media source receiving operational information from the portable digital media device.

37. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 35, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause performance of the home digital media source transferring the operational information to a server.

38. One or more computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause performance of:

upon connection of a home digital media source and a portable digital media device, automatically receiving media content from the home digital media source at the portable digital media device, the media content having been selected prior to the connection at the home digital media source from media content available to the home digital media source, the portable digital media device being a battery driven device that operates independent of the home digital media source;

storing the media content transferred from the home digital media source on one or more storage devices at the portable digital media device;

presenting, at the portable digital media device, at least particular media content selected via an interface on the portable digital media device, from the media content stored on the one or more storage devices at the portable digital media device and transferred from the home digital media source.

39. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 38, wherein, upon connection of the portable digital media device and the home digital media source, software at the portable digital media device is automatically updated by the home digital media source.

40. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 38, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause performance of:

automatically receiving, with the media content, rules for enforcing a copy protection scheme with respect to the home digital media source;

enforcing the copy protection scheme at the portable digital media device.

41. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 38, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause performance of:

automatically receiving, with the media content, descriptive information about the media content;

displaying, at the portable digital media device, particular descriptive information of the transferred description associated with the particular media content while presenting the particular media content.

42. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 38, wherein the connection is a network connection facilitated by a service center.

43. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 38, wherein the connection is established by a user plugging the portable digital media device into the home digital media source.

44. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 38, wherein the portable digital media device is communicatively connected to the home digital media source.

45. An apparatus comprising:

a subsystem that, upon connection of a home digital media source and a portable digital media device, automatically transfers media content from the home digital media source to the portable digital media device, the media content having been selected prior to the connection at the home digital media source from media content available to the home digital media source, the portable digital media device being a battery driven device that operates independent of the home digital media source;

a subsystem that causes the media content transferred from the home digital media source to be stored on one or more storage devices at the portable digital media device, the portable digital media device being configured to present at least particular media content selected via an interface on the portable digital media device, from the media content stored on the one or more storage devices at the portable digital media device and transferred from the home digital media source.

46. The apparatus of claim 45, further comprising a subsystem that, upon connection of the portable digital media device and the home digital media source, causes software at the portable digital media device is automatically updated by the home digital media source.

47. The apparatus of claim 45, further comprising a subsystem that, prior to the connection of the home digital media source and a portable digital media device, receives an explicit selection of the media content from a user.

48. The apparatus of claim 45, further comprising:

a subsystem that, prior to the connection of the home digital media source and a portable digital media device, receives input at the home digital media source that selects the media content by indicating criteria for choosing the media content to transfer from the media receiver to a portable media playback device; and

a subsystem that, upon the connection, causes the home digital media source to automatically choose the media content to transfer to the portable media playback device based on the criteria.

49. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein choosing the media content based on the criteria comprises comparing user preferences specified in the criteria to at least one of a title, description, content length, or rating associated with the media content.

50. The apparatus of claim 45, further comprising a subsystem that downloads to the home digital media source the media content from another device.

51. The apparatus of claim 45, further comprising a subsystem that causes the home digital media source recording the media content from a broadcast source.

52. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the home digital media source is a server to which the portable digital media device connects over a network or at a cable head end.

53. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the connection is a network connection facilitated by a service center.

54. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the connection is established by a user plugging the portable digital media device into the home digital media source.

55. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the portable digital media device is communicatively connected to the home digital media source.

56. The apparatus of claim 45, further comprising a subsystem that automatically transfers, with the media content, descriptive information about the media content.

57. The apparatus of claim 45, further comprising a subsystem that automatically transfers, with the media content, rules that cause the portable digital media device to enforce a copy protection scheme with respect to the home digital media source.

58. The apparatus of claim 45, further comprising a subsystem that, upon a subsequent connection of the home digital media source and the portable digital media device, receives operational information from the portable digital media device at the home digital media source.

59. The apparatus of claim 57, further comprising a subsystem that transfers the operational information from the home digital media source to a server.

60. An apparatus comprising:

a subsystem that, upon connection of a home digital media source and a portable digital media device, automatically receives media content from the home digital media source at the portable digital media device, the media content having been selected prior to the connection at the home digital media source from media content available to the home digital media source, the portable digital media device being a battery driven device that operates independent of the home digital media source;

a subsystem that stores the media content transferred from the home digital media source on one or more storage devices at the portable digital media device;

a subsystem that presents, at the portable digital media device, at least particular media content selected via an interface on the portable digital media device, from the media content stored on the one or more storage devices at the portable digital media device and transferred from the home digital media source.

61. The apparatus of claim 60, further comprising a subsystem that causes, upon connection of the portable digital media device and the home digital media source, software at the portable digital media device to be automatically updated by the home digital media source.

62. The apparatus of claim 60, further comprising:

a subsystem that automatically receives, with the media content, rules for enforcing a copy protection scheme with respect to the home digital media source;

a subsystem that enforces the copy protection scheme at the portable digital media device.

63. The apparatus of claim 60, further comprising:

a subsystem that automatically receives, with the media content, descriptive information about the media content;

a subsystem that displays, at the portable digital media device, particular descriptive information of the transferred description associated with the particular media content while presenting the particular media content.

64. The apparatus of claim 60, wherein the connection is a network connection facilitated by a service center.

65. The apparatus of claim 60, wherein the connection is established by a user plugging the portable digital media device into the home digital media source.

66. The apparatus of claim 60, wherein the portable digital media device is communicatively connected to the home digital media source.