Transportable Digital Video Recorder System

• US 20130163954A1
• Filed: 02/19/2013
• Published: 06/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1998
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: TiVo Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TiVo Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Ramsay, Mike, Barton, James M
• Application Number:
  US13/771,067
• Publication Number:
  US 20130163954A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/231
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/216 Rewritable discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2575 DVD-RAMs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/90 Tape-like record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/002 Programmed access in sequence to a plurality of record carriers or indexed parts, e.g. tracks, thereof, e.g. for editing; transfer of record carriers from magazine G11B15/68, G11B17/10; G11B17/22
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/024 on tapes G11B27/028, G11B27/029 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/032 on tapes G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• 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 21/418 External card to be used in combination with the client device, e.g. for conditional access
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4263 involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners
• 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 21/436 Interfacing a local distribution network, e.g. communicating with another STB or one or more peripheral devices inside the home
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4367 Establishing a secure communication between the client and a peripheral device or smart card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; 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 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 involving data reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8063 using time division multiplex of the PCM audio and PCM video signals

Abstract

A transportable digital video recorder system provides a transportable DVR containing a processor and persistent storage device storing a plurality of digital streams and is inserted into an authorized receiving device or a docking station. The system allows a receiving device to select a specific digital stream from the persistent storage device which is output to the receiving device and displayed to a user. User control commands are accepted via the receiving device and sent through the system and allow the user to view and listen to stored digital streams with at least the following functions: variable rate fast forward and rewind, frame step, index, pause, variable rate reverse play, variable rate play, and play.

Claims

1. A method for a small form factor transportable digital video recorder (DVR), comprising:

storing at least two digital streams on a storage device in a small form factor transportable DVR the small form factor transportable DVR is communicatively connected to a receiving device, a processor in the small form factor transportable DVR communicates with the receiving device;

upon the small form factor transportable DVR being communicatively connected to the receiving device, the small form factor transportable DVR authenticating the receiving device;

receiving, by the small form factor transportable DVR, a selection, from the receiving device, of a specific digital stream among the plurality of digital streams stored on the storage device in the small form factor transportable DVR;

selecting, by the small form factor transportable DVR, the specific digital stream from the storage device among the at least two digital streams stored on the storage device;

sending, by the small form factor transportable DVR, the specific digital stream to the receiving device;

in response to receiving a user command via the receiving device, the small form factor transportable DVR controlling a delivery rate and direction of the specific digital stream to the receiving device to perform at least one of;

variable rate fast forward, variable rate rewind, pause, or play functions.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving analog signals from the receiving device;

converting, by the small form factor transportable DVR, the analog signals into a digital stream; and

storing the digital stream on the storage device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving digital video signals from the receiving device;

converting, by the small form factor transportable DVR, the digital video signals into a digital stream; and

storing the digital stream on the storage device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accepting digital television broadcast signals using a plurality of input signal tuners in the small form factor transportable DVR;

wherein each of the tuners is individually tuned to a specific broadcast signal;

converting digital television broadcast signals into a digital stream; and

storing the digital stream on the storage device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the small form factor transportable DVR will only allow access to digital streams on the storage device by an authorized receiving device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing an electronic program guide on the storage device in the small form factor transportable DVR; and

wherein the small form factor transportable DVR delivers portions of the electronic program guide to the receiving device upon request from the receiving device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

upon the small form factor transportable DVR being communicatively connected to the receiving device, the small form factor transportable DVR authenticating the receiving device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the storage device is at least one microdrive.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the small form factor transportable DVR is communicatively connected to the receiving device via at least one of:

USB, Firewire, or docking station.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the storage device is at least one solid state memory device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the small form factor transportable DVR is a plug-in module.

12. An apparatus for a small form factor transportable digital video recorder (DVR), comprising:

a storage device in a small form factor transportable DVR;

a processor on the small form factor transportable DVR, the small form factor transportable DVR is communicatively connected to a receiving device, the processor in the small form factor transportable DVR communicates with the receiving device;

at least two digital streams stored on the storage device;

a command receiving subsystem in the small form factor transportable DVR that receives a selection from the receiving device of a specific digital stream among the plurality of digital streams stored on the storage device in the small form factor transportable DVR;

a digital stream selection subsystem in the small form factor transportable DVR that selects the specific digital stream from the storage device among the at least two digital streams stored on the storage device and sends the specific digital stream to the receiving device;

in response to receiving a user command via the receiving device, the command receiving subsystem controls a delivery rate and direction of the specific digital stream to the receiving device to perform at least one of;

variable rate fast forward, variable rate rewind, pause, or play functions.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

an analog signal receiver that receives analog signals from the receiving device;

an analog signal to digital signal converter that converts the analog signals into a digital stream; and

a storing subsystem that stores the digital stream on the storage device.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

a digital signal receiver that receives digital video signals from the receiving device;

a digital signal converter that converts the digital video signals into a digital stream; and

a storing subsystem that stores the digital stream on the storage device.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

a plurality of input signal tuners on the small form factor transportable DVR;

wherein the plurality of tuners accept digital television broadcast signals;

wherein each of the tuners is individually tuned to a specific broadcast signal;

a digital signal converter that converts digital television broadcast signals into a digital stream; and

a storing subsystem that stores the digital stream on the persistent storage device.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the small form factor transportable DVR will only allow access to digital streams on the persistent storage device by an authorized receiving device.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

an electronic program guide stored on the persistent storage device; and

wherein the small form factor transportable DVR delivers portions of the electronic program guide to the receiving device upon request from the receiving device.

18. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

an authentication device in the small form factor transportable DVR that, upon the small form factor transportable DVR being communicatively connected to the receiving device, authenticates the receiving device.

19. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the small form factor transportable DVR is communicatively connected to the receiving device via at least one of:

USB, Firewire, or docking station.

20. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the storage device is at least one microdrive.

21. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the storage device is at least one solid state memory device.

22. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the small form factor transportable DVR is a plug-in module.