APPARATUS, SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR AUTOMATICALLY PRESENTING STORED MEDIA CONTENT AT ITS BEGINNING

• US 20120117596A1
• Filed: 11/05/2010
• Published: 05/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Eldon Technology Limited (Dish Network Corporation)
• Inventors: Mountain, Dale, Capless, Jonathan
• Granted Patent: US 8,930,996 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/39
• 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 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• 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 21/44004 involving video buffer management, e.g. video decoder buffer or video display buffer
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• 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 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP

Abstract

Media device systems and methods are operable to automatically present a program at its beginning while a remaining portion of the program is being received at the media device. An exemplary embodiment receives a program in a media content stream; receives a presentation request to present the program, wherein the presentation request is received after an initial portion of the program has been received and wherein the presentation request is received before a conclusion of the program; accesses a stored initial portion of the program from a memory medium; and initiates presentation at a beginning of the program residing in the accessed initial portion of the program.

Claims

1. A method for presenting a program, the method comprising:

receiving a program in a media content stream;

receiving a presentation request to present the program, wherein the presentation request is received after an initial portion of the program has been received and wherein the presentation request is received before a conclusion of the program;

accessing a stored initial portion of the program from a memory medium; and

initiating presentation at a beginning of the program residing in the accessed initial portion of the program.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing at least the initial portion of the program in the memory medium as the initial portion is received in the media content stream,

wherein the storing of the initial portion of the program occurs prior to receiving the presentation request.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing a remaining portion of the program received in the media content stream in a second memory medium,

wherein the stored remaining portion of the program is accessed from the second memory medium and presented upon conclusion of presentation of the initial portion of the program.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing a remaining portion of the program in the memory medium,

wherein the stored remaining portion of the program is accessed from the memory medium and presented upon conclusion of presentation of the initial portion of the program.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing at least the initial portion of the program in an external device prior to receiving the presentation request;

communicating a request to the external device to access the stored initial portion of the program, wherein the request to the external device is communicated in response to receiving the presentation request; and

receiving at least the initial portion of the program from the external device.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

storing a remaining portion of the program in the external device; and

receiving the stored remaining portion of the program from the external device upon conclusion of presentation of the received initial portion of the program.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

storing a remaining portion of the program received in the media content stream in a digital video recorder (DVR); and

presenting the stored remaining portion of the program upon conclusion of presentation of the initial portion of the program.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the program is stored in the memory medium in its entirety prior to receiving the presentation request, and wherein initiating presentation at the beginning of the program further comprises:

presenting the entire stored program.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting an electronic guide (EPG), wherein the EPG indicates that the program is currently available for presentation,

wherein the presentation request corresponds to a user selection of the program.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting a user selection interface, wherein the user selection interface confirms the presentation request to begin presentation at the beginning of the program.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting a user selection interface, wherein the user selection interface is configured to receive user selection between one of beginning presentation of the program at the beginning and presenting a currently received portion of the program.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting an indicator, wherein the indicator is configured to indicate presentation of the accessed initial portion of the program.

13. A media device, comprising:

a program content stream interface configured to receive a media content stream, wherein the media content stream includes a program;

a memory medium communicatively coupled to the program content stream interface and configured to store the program as the program is received at the program content stream interface; and

a processor system communicatively coupled to the memory medium, configured to automatically access the initial portion of the program from the memory medium in response to a received presentation request, wherein the presentation request is received after an initial portion of the program has been received, and wherein the presentation request is received before a remaining portion of the program is received.

14. The media device of claim 13, wherein the memory medium comprises:

a digital video recorder (DVR) memory medium communicatively coupled to the processor system, wherein the memory medium is configured to store the initial portion of the program as the program is received in the media content stream,

wherein the processor system automatically accesses the initial portion of the program from the DVR memory medium.

15. The media device of claim 13, wherein the memory medium is a remote memory medium communicatively coupled to the media device, and further comprising:

an interface communicatively coupled to the processor system,

wherein the processor system is further configured to communicate a request to the remote memory medium that at least the stored initial portion of the program be communicated to the media device, and

wherein the request to the remote memory medium is communicated in response to the receiving the presentation request.

16. The medium device of claim 13, wherein the memory medium is configured to store the remaining portion of the program received at the program content stream interface.

17. A method for presenting a program that is currently received in a media content stream, the method comprising:

storing an initial portion of the program in a memory medium;

receiving a presentation request to present the program while a remaining portion of the program is being received;

accessing the initial portion of the program from the memory medium in response to receiving the presentation request; and

presenting a beginning of the program residing in the accessed initial portion of the program.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

storing the remaining portion of the program in the memory medium,

wherein the stored remaining portion of the program is presented upon conclusion of presentation of the initial portion of the program.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the memory medium is an external memory medium accessible by an external device, and further comprising:

communicating a request to the external device that the stored initial portion of the program be accessed from the external memory medium; and

receiving the accessed initial portion of the program from the external device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the memory medium is a first memory medium, and further comprising:

storing the remaining portion of the program received in the media content stream in a second memory medium,

accessing the remaining portion of the program from the second memory medium upon conclusion of presentation of the initial portion of the program; and

presenting the remaining portion of the program.