FACILITATING CONCURRENT RECORDING OF MULTIPLE TELEVISION CHANNELS

• US 20130243402A1
• Filed: 03/13/2013
• Published: 09/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Echostar Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Kummer, David, Martch, Henry Gregg, Kirby, Morgan, Menon, Anand, Schaefer, Germar
• Granted Patent: US 8,989,562 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/297
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2362 Generation or processing of Service Information [SI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; 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 21/262 Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission, generating play-lists scheduling strategies for dispatcher in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/4881; arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/06; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a time schedule or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26283 for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic program guide data
• 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 21/4334 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 21/4583 Automatically resolving scheduling conflicts, e.g. when a recording by reservation has been programmed for two programs in the same time slot
• 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 21/4751 for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6193 involving transmission via a satellite arrangements for data linking, networking or transporting, or for controlling an end to end session in a satellite broadcast system H04B7/18526
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/91 Television signal processing therefor

Abstract

An arrangement for grouping multiple television channels for recording is presented. Television channel usage data indicative of television programs being requested by users of the television receivers may be received. The television channel usage data may provide usage data for television channels being transmitted using a plurality of transponders. The television channel usage data may be analyzed to determine a grouping of television channels. Based on the television channel usage data, a television channel may be reassigned from a first transponder to a second transponder for transmission to the plurality of television receivers such that the grouping of television channels are transmitted using the second transponder.

Claims

1. A system for grouping multiple television channels for recording, comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory communicatively coupled with and readable by the one or more processors and having stored therein processor-readable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

receive from a plurality of television receivers, television channel usage data indicative of television channels being received by the plurality of television receivers, wherein

the television channel usage data comprises usage data for television channels being transmitted using a plurality of transponders;

analyze the television channel usage data to determine a grouping of television channels; and

based on analyzing the television channel usage data, reassign a television channel from a first transponder to a second transponder for transmission to the plurality of television receivers such that the grouping of television channels are transmitted using the second transponder.

2. The system for grouping multiple television channels for recording of claim 1, wherein the processor-readable instructions, when executed, further cause the one or more processors to:

create a table that indicates the television channel is assigned to the second transponder for transmission.

3. The system for grouping multiple television channels for recording of claim 2, wherein the processor-readable instructions, when executed, further cause the one or more processors to:

cause the table to be transmitted to each television receiver of the plurality of television receivers; and

cause the television channel to be transmitted to the plurality of television receivers using the second transponder.

4. The system for grouping multiple television channels for recording of claim 2, wherein the processor-readable instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to reassign the television channel from the first transponder to the second transponder comprise processor-readable instructions, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:

cause the television channel to be simulcast using the first transponder and the second transponder for at least a period of time.

5. The system for grouping multiple television channels for recording of claim 3, wherein the first transponder and the second transponder are on one or more satellites.

6. The system for grouping multiple television channels for recording of claim 1, the system further comprising a television receiver of the plurality of television receivers, configured to:

output for presentation an electronic programming guide (EPG) that indicates the grouping of television channels transmitted by the television service provider via the second transponder.

7. The system for grouping multiple television channels for recording of claim 1, wherein the television receiver is further configured to:

determine a combination of television channels selected to be recorded concurrently cannot be recorded due to the television channel being reassigned from the first transponder to the second transponder.

8. The system for grouping multiple television channels for recording of claim 7, wherein the television receiver is further configured to:

transmit an indication of a recording failure to the television service provider based on determining the combination of television channels selected to be recorded concurrently cannot occur due to the second television channel being reassigned from the first transponder.

9. The system for grouping multiple television channels for recording of claim 8, wherein the television receiver being configured to determine the combination of television channels selected to be recorded concurrently cannot be recorded due to the television channel being reassigned from the first transponder to the second transponder comprises the television receiver being configured to:

determine an available number of tuners is less than a number of transponders to which tuning is concurrently required for the combination of television channels to be recorded.

10. A method for grouping multiple television channels for recording, comprising:

receiving, by a television service provider system, from a plurality of television receivers, television channel usage data indicative of television channels being received by the plurality of television receivers, wherein

the television channel usage data comprises usage data for television channels being transmitted using a plurality of transponders;

analyzing, by the television service provider system, the television channel usage data to determine a grouping of television channels; and

based on analyzing the television channel usage data, reassigning a television channel from a first transponder to a second transponder for transmission to the plurality of television receivers such that the grouping of television channels are transmitted using the second transponder.

11. The method for grouping multiple television channels for recording of claim 10, further comprising:

creating, by the television service provider system, a database that indicates the television channel is assigned to the second transponder for transmission.

12. The method for grouping multiple television channels for recording of claim 11, further comprising:

transmitting, by the television service provider system, the database to each television receiver of the plurality of television receivers; and

transmitting, by the television service provider system, the television channel to the plurality of television receivers using the second transponder.

13. The method for grouping multiple television channels for recording of claim 11, wherein reassigning the television channel from the first transponder to the second transponder comprises simulcasting the television channel using the first transponder and the second transponder for at least a period of time.

14. The method for grouping multiple television channels for recording of claim 12, wherein the first transponder and the second transponder are on one or more satellites.

15. The method for grouping multiple television channels for recording of claim 10, further comprising:

presenting, by a television receiver of the plurality of television receivers, an electronic programming guide (EPG) that indicates the grouping of television channels transmitted by the television service provider via the second transponder.

16. The method for grouping multiple television channels for recording of claim 10, further comprising:

determining, by the television receiver, a combination of television channels selected to be recorded concurrently cannot be recorded due to the television channel being reassigned from the first transponder to the second transponder.

17. The method for grouping multiple television channels for recording of claim 16, further comprising:

transmitting, by the television receiver, an indication of a recording failure to the television service provider based on determining the combination of television channels selected to be recorded concurrently cannot occur due to the second television channel being reassigned from the first transponder.

18. The method for grouping multiple television channels for recording of claim 11, wherein determining the combination of television channels selected to be recorded concurrently cannot be recorded due to the television channel being reassigned from the first transponder to the second transponder is based on:

determining, by the television receiver, an available number of tuners is less than a number of transponders to which tuning is concurrently required for the combination of television channels to be recorded.

19. A non-transitory processor-readable medium for grouping multiple television channels for recording, comprising processor-readable instructions configured to cause one or more processors to:

receive from a plurality of television receivers, television channel usage data indicative of television channels being received by the plurality of television receivers, wherein

the television channel usage data comprises usage data for television channels being transmitted using a plurality of transponders;

analyze the television channel usage data to determine a grouping of television channels; and

based on analyzing the television channel usage data, reassign a television channel from a first transponder to a second transponder for transmission to the plurality of television receivers such that the grouping of television channels are transmitted using the second transponder.

20. The non-transitory processor-readable medium for grouping multiple television channels for recording of claim 19, wherein the processor-readable instructions, when executed, further cause the one or more processors to:

create a table that indicates the television channel is assigned to the second transponder for transmission.