SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RESOLVING SCHEDULING CONFLICTS IN MULTI-TUNER DEVICES AND SYSTEMS

• US 20140282741A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Shoykhet, Vitaly
• Granted Patent: US 9,258,614 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/58
• 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 21/4583 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 5/782 on tape

Abstract

A system and method for resolving scheduling conflicts in multi-tuner devices. A multi-tuner device generates an interactive graphical display representing a current schedule for tuner usage. A user may identify a program for viewing or recording and conditionally reserve a tuner to provide the requested service. The multi-tuner device identifies any scheduling conflicts arising from the requested service and provides an updated graphical display showing a new schedule for tuner usage, which schedule is subjet to selection by the requesting user. Upon selection of the new schedule, the new schedule becomes the current schedule.

Claims

1. A method for resolving scheduling conflicts in multi-tuner devices, the method comprising:

scheduling by a multi-tuner device a first program for delivery at a first time by a first tuner;

scheduling by the multi-tuner device a second program for delivery at a second time by a second tuner;

receiving by the multi-tuner device a request to deliver a third program at a third time;

detecting by the multi-tuner device a conflict when delivery of the third program at the third time would permit delivery of only one of the first and second programs;

displaying by the multi-tuner device in response to the detected conflict a graphical display on a display device, wherein the graphical display comprises a first display location, a second display location and a third display location;

generating by the multi-tuner device a first object representing the first program and assigning the first object to the first display location;

generating by the multi-tuner device a second object representing the second program and assigning the second object to the second display location;

generating by the multi-tuner device a third object representing the third program and assigning the third object to the third display location;

detecting by the multi-tuner device a relocation event of the third object from the third display location to a target location selected from the first and second display locations, wherein in response to the relocation of the third object to the target location, an object located at the target location is relocated to the third display location;

scheduling by the multi-tuner device delivery of programs represented by objects located at the first and second display locations; and

canceling by the multi-tuner device delivery of the program represented by the object relocated to the third display location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first program and the second program are scheduled for delivery to devices selected from the group consisting of a digital video recording device and a tunerless video termination device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the third program is available for delivery to a device selected from the group consisting of a digital video recording device and a tunerless video termination device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting by the multi-tuner device a relocation event of the third object comprises receiving by the multi-tuner device an instruction to move the third object from the third display location to the target display location from an input device in communication with the multi-tuner device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting by the multi-tuner device a relocation event of the third object comprises receiving by the multi-tuner device an instruction to move the third object from the third display location to the target display location from a computing device in communication with the multi-tuner device via a network.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the network is the Internet.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the computing device is selected from the group consisting of a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet and a smartphone.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the multi-tuner device is selected from the group consisting of a video termination device and video gateway device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the multi-tuner device comprises a digital video recorder.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying by the multi-tuner device the updated graphical display on a display device comprises displaying by the multi-tuner device the updated graphical display on a display device selected from the group consisting of a television display and a display of a computing device.

11. A system for resolving scheduling conflicts in multi-tuner devices, the system comprising:

a display device;

an input device;

a multi-tuner device comprising a processor configured to perform operations comprising;

scheduling a first program for delivery at a first time by a first tuner;

scheduling a second program for delivery at a second time by a second tuner;

receiving a request to deliver a third program at a third time;

detecting a conflict when delivery of the third program at the third time would permit delivery of only one of the first and second programs;

displaying in response to the detected conflict a graphical display on the display device, wherein the graphical display comprises a first display location, a second display location and a third display location;

generating a first object representing the first program and assigning the first object to the first display location;

generating a second object representing the second program and assigning the second object to the second display location;

generating a third object representing the third program and assigning the third object to the third display location;

detecting a relocation event of the third object from the third display location to a target location selected from the first and second display locations, wherein in response to the relocation of the third object to the target location, an object located at the target location is relocated to the third display location;

scheduling delivery of programs represented by objects located at the first and second display locations; and

canceling delivery of the program represented by the object relocated to the third display location.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first program and the second program are scheduled for delivery to devices selected from the group consisting of a digital video recording device and a tunerless video termination device.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the third program is available for delivery to a device selected from the group consisting of a digital video recording device and a tunerless video termination device.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the input device is in communication with the multi-tuner device.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the input device is in communication with a computing device that is in communication with the multi-tuner device via a network.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the network is the Internet.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the computing device is selected from the group consisting of a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet and a smartphone.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the multi-tuner device is selected from the group consisting of a video termination device and video gateway device.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the multi-tuner device comprises a digital video recorder.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the display device is selected from the group consisting of a television display electrically connected to the multi-tuner device and a display of a computing device in communication with the multi-tuner device via a network.