ACCESSING PROGRAMS USING NETWORKED DIGITAL VIDEO RECORDING DEVICES

• US 20170142475A1
• Filed: 01/27/2017
• Published: 05/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DIRECTV, LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: WILLIAMS, M. KENT, LEE, ROBERT N., GARCIA, BRUCE A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,142,673 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• 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 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus

Abstract

Access to programs using network connected digital video recording devices is disclosed. A DVR causes display of a content guide including a unit identification area. When the unit identification area is updated, the content guide also updates to reflect programs available on the currently selected DVR. The content guide of a remotely connected DVR can thus be displayed, from which programs are selected for playback. Playback can be resumed from a point at which a viewer terminated viewing, either at the local or remote location, or from the beginning of the program.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a processing system including a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, comprising;

presenting, at a display device, a first content guide of first programs stored at the memory;

detecting a first request to receive information associated with network video storage that is accessible via a network;

receiving a second content guide of second programs stored at the network video storage responsive to the first request associated with the network video storage;

presenting, at the display device, the second content guide of second programs stored at the network video storage;

detecting a second request to view a selected program from the second content guide of second programs;

receiving the selected program from the network video storage responsive to the second request; and

presenting, at the display device, the selected program that is received from the network video storage.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the network video storage comprises a digital video recorder accessible via a local area network.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise presenting an indicator associating a storage location of programs and a currently displayed content guide.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the indicator includes user-programmable text.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise requesting information from the network video storage to populate the second content guide.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise retrieving a viewing termination location identifier from the network video storage responsive the second request to view the selected program, wherein the viewing termination location identifier identifies a viewing termination location at which a prior viewing of the selected program via the network video storage was paused or stopped.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the selected program is received from the network video storage starting from the viewing termination location.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein the viewing termination location identifier is determined by a pause or stop command received at the network video storage.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise transmitting a command to the network video storage via the network to cause the network video storage to play the selected program.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the network video storage is in a location that is remote from the device.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the network video storage presents video via a second display device that is in a location that is remote from the display device.

12. A network video storage device, comprising

a processing system including a processor;

and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, comprising;

receiving a first request for content information associated with content that is stored in the memory;

transmitting the content information to a digital video recorder via a wide area network connection responsive to the first request;

receiving a second request for a selected program that is selected at the digital video recorder according to the content information; and

responsive to the second request;

transmitting a viewing termination location identifier to the digital video recorder via the wide area network connection, wherein the viewing termination location identifier identifies a viewing termination location at which a prior viewing of the selected program via the network video storage device was paused or stopped; and

transmitting the selected program to the digital video recorder via the wide area network connection, wherein the digital video recorder presents the selected program at a display device starting from the viewing termination location.

13. The network video storage device of claim 12, wherein the digital video recorder aggregates a content guide based on the content information, and wherein the digital video recorder presents the content guide at the display device.

14. The network video storage device of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise transmitting an identifier to the digital video recorder, wherein the digital video recorder presents an indicator of a source of the content guide based on the identifier.

15. The network video storage device of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise presenting video via a second display device that is in a location that is remote from the display device.

16. The network video storage device of claim 12, wherein the viewing termination location identifier is determined by a pause or stop command received at the network video storage device.

17. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a processing system including processor, a first request for content information associated with content that is stored at a network video storage;

transmitting, by the processing system, the content information to a digital video recorder via a wide area network connection responsive to the first request;

receiving, by the processing system, a second request for a selected program that is selected at the digital video recorder according to the content information; and

transmitting, by the processing system, the selected program to the digital video recorder via the wide area network connection, wherein the digital video recorder presents the selected program at a display device starting from a viewing termination location.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising transmitting a viewing termination location identifier to the digital video recorder via the wide area network connection, wherein the viewing termination location identifier identifies the viewing termination location at which a prior viewing of the selected program via the network video storage was paused or stopped.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the digital video recorder aggregates a content guide based on the content information, and wherein the digital video recorder presents the content guide at the display device.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising transmitting an identifier to the digital video recorder, wherein the digital video recorder presents an indicator of a source of the content guide based on the identifier.