PROXY DIGITAL VIDEO RECORDER

• US 20120134652A1
• Filed: 11/29/2010
• Published: 05/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Boss, Gregory J., Hamilton, Rick A. II, O'Connell, Brian M., Bhogul, Kulvir S.
• Application Number:
  US12/955,723
• Publication Number:
  US 20120134652A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/299
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2343 involving reformatting operations of video signals for distribution or compliance with end-user requests or end-user device requirements video transcoding H04N19/40; media packet handling at the source H04L65/762
• 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 21/2747 Remote storage of video programs received via the downstream path, e.g. from the server
• 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 21/42684 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 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV

Abstract

A proxy-based digital video recording system and method, including receiving a request to record a video program from a requesting user and transmitting a request for the video program over a network to a first provider server. The requested video program is received and stored in memory according to a first provider format. A digital video format of a digital video recorder associated with the requesting user is determined, the stored video program is converted from the first provider format to the digital video format, and the converted video program is transmitted to the digital video recorder.

Claims

1. A proxy digital video recording system, comprising:

a processor; and

memory comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are executable by the processor to;

receive a request to record a video program from a requesting user;

request the video program from a server associated with a first provider;

receive and store the requested video program according to a first provider format;

determine a digital video format of a digital video recorder associated with the requesting user;

convert the stored video program from the first provider format to the digital video format; and

transmit the converted video program to the digital video recorder.

2. The proxy digital video recording system of claim 1, further comprising a cloud-based system for storing the requested video program so that only a single instance of the requested video program is stored for multiple requesting users.

3. The proxy digital video recording system of claim 1, wherein the program instructions are executable by the processor to:

identify one of a plurality of digital video recorders associated with the requesting user to which the requested video program is to be transmitted; and

transmit the converted video program to the identified one of a plurality of digital video recorders associated with the requesting user.

4. The proxy digital video recording system of claim 3, wherein the program instructions are executable by the processor to identify one of a plurality of digital video recorders associated with the requesting user to which the requested video program is to be transmitted based on a preference set by the requesting user.

5. The proxy digital video recording system of claim 1, wherein the preference set by the requesting user is based on content of the requested video program.

6. The proxy digital video recording system of claim 1, wherein the program instructions are executable by the processor to:

determine a second digital video format of a second digital video recorder associated with the requesting user;

convert the stored video program from the first provider format to the second digital video format; and

transmit the converted video program stored in the second digital video format to the second digital video recorder.

7. The proxy digital video recording system of claim 1, wherein the request to record a video program is generated when the requesting user selects a link on a web page.

8. The proxy digital video recording system of claim 7, wherein the link is an HTML link embedded in the web page and includes instructions for scheduling the requested video program.

9. The proxy digital video recording system of claim 8, further comprising a scheduling component for receiving the selected link, the scheduling component including:

an identification component for determining the identity of the requesting user; and

a link analysis component for parsing the instructions included within the link.

10. The proxy digital video recording system of claim 9, wherein the identification component determines the digital video format of a digital video recorder associated with the requesting user.

11. The proxy digital video recording system of claim 7, wherein the program instructions are further executable by the processor to determine whether the requesting user subscribes to the first provider.

12. The proxy digital video recording system of claim 11, wherein the program instructions are executable by the processor to obtain a license from the first provider before requesting and storing the video program from the first provider according to the first provider format if the requesting user is not a subscriber to the first provider.

13. A computer-implemented method for proxy-based digital video recording, the method being implemented on a computer system having a processor and memory, the method comprising:

receiving with the processor a request to record a video program from a requesting user;

transmitting with the processor a request for the video program over a network to a first provider server;

receiving with the processor and storing in memory the requested video program according to a first provider format;

determining with the processor a digital video format of a digital video recorder associated with the requesting user;

converting with the processor the stored video program from the first provider format to the digital video format; and

transmitting with processor the converted video program to the digital video recorder.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising storing the requested video program in a cloud-based system so that only a single instance of the requested video program is stored for multiple requesting users.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

identifying with the processor one of a plurality of digital video recorders associated with the requesting user to which the requested video program is to be transmitted; and

transmitting the converted video program to the identified one of a plurality of digital video recorders associated with the requesting user.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the processor identifies one of a plurality of digital video recorders associated with the requesting user to which the requested video program is to be transmitted based on a preference set by the requesting user.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the preference set by the requesting user is based on content of the requested video program.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining with the processor a second digital video format of a second digital video recorder associated with the requesting user;

converting with the processor the stored video program from the first provider format to the second digital video format; and

transmitting with the processor the converted video program stored in the second digital video format to the second digital video recorder.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the request to record a video program is generated when the requesting user selects a link on a web page.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the link is an HTML link embedded in the web page and includes instructions for scheduling the requested video program.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising

providing a scheduling component for receiving the requested link, the scheduling component including an identification component and a link analysis component;

determining the identity of the requesting user with the identification component; and

parsing the instructions included within the link with the link analysis component.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the identification component determines the digital video format of a digital video recorder associated with the requesting user.

23. The method of claim 19, further comprising determining with the processor whether the requesting user subscribes to the first provider.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising obtaining with the processor a license from the first provider before requesting and storing the video program from the first provider server according to the first provider format if the requesting user is not a subscriber to the first provider.