Acquisition and transmission system for a recorder and a computer center
First Claim
1. An acquisition and transmission system between a video/audio recorder and a server computer center of special data related to a scheduling of a recorder, comprising:
- a computer center (1) including memories, codes A being stored in said memories for establishing a link between an interface (5) and said computer center;
an interactive data network (2) to which is connected said computer center (1);
said computer center (1) including memories in which are stored input language codes (B1) and output language codes (B2) of said interface (5);
said computer center including additional memories in which are stored a data base (W) which contains characteristics of TV or radio programs of next weeks, such as a channel reference, a forecast hour and, optionally, an identification code (F) of a real time start/stop broadcast code (E);
said computer center including further memories in which are stored a set of instructions describing different methods of implementing the system;
each user including;
a modem (3) connected to said data network (2),a terminal (4) including means for data acquisition, means for data display, and means for connection to said modem (3),means (6) for receiving and recording independently video or audio programs broadcast by television or radio companies, respectively, and including a timer (7), andsaid interface (5) interfacing said timer (7) with either said modem (3) or said terminal (4).
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to a system transmitting special signals and data between a computer center and an appliance which is able to receive and record independently video and/or audio programs produced by television or radio companies.
The system has two inter-related components: data-acquisition system which helps the user in the scheduling task, and an additional real time start/stop recording system. The data-acquisition system includes a computer center, an interactive data network to which is connected a modem. The modem is connected through an interface to the timer of the videorecorder, and also to a terminal with a screen and a keyboard. Special codes are sent by the computer center to the interface in order that the timer is scheduled to record the programs that the user have selected while accessing to the computer center. Among the codes are included special identification codes used by the real time start/stop system and which are defined by the computer.
435 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An acquisition and transmission system between a video/audio recorder and a server computer center of special data related to a scheduling of a recorder, comprising:
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a computer center (1) including memories, codes A being stored in said memories for establishing a link between an interface (5) and said computer center; an interactive data network (2) to which is connected said computer center (1); said computer center (1) including memories in which are stored input language codes (B1) and output language codes (B2) of said interface (5); said computer center including additional memories in which are stored a data base (W) which contains characteristics of TV or radio programs of next weeks, such as a channel reference, a forecast hour and, optionally, an identification code (F) of a real time start/stop broadcast code (E); said computer center including further memories in which are stored a set of instructions describing different methods of implementing the system; each user including; a modem (3) connected to said data network (2), a terminal (4) including means for data acquisition, means for data display, and means for connection to said modem (3), means (6) for receiving and recording independently video or audio programs broadcast by television or radio companies, respectively, and including a timer (7), and said interface (5) interfacing said timer (7) with either said modem (3) or said terminal (4). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of acquiring and transmitting special data related to scheduling of a recorder between a video/audio recorder, comprising the steps of:
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establishing a link between a computer center (1) and an interface (5) with addressing codes (A); reading a data subset (w) of a data base (W), wherein said subset (w) describes characteristics of a scheduled program selection to be recorded; preparing and assembling (operation T1) control codes (c) of said interface (5) and a timer (7), with codes (B1), wherein the control codes (c) are related to a subset (w); and transmitting the control codes (c) over a network (2) to the interface (5) through a modem (3). - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A system for providing scheduling signals exchange by means of a network linkage between a host facility and a user terminal and a recorder, comprising:
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(A) a host facility, including; (1) a host computer having an index memory for retaining characteristics of television or radio programs for a selected future period with textual data descriptive of television or radio programs for the selected future period, one of the retained characteristics being a channel reference, another of the retained characteristics being a planned start time, a further of the retained characteristics being a planned termination time or duration of the television or radio programs, said host computer being under control of host programs for effecting signals transmitted over said network; and (2) a host network connection means coupled between said host computer and said network linkage; (B) a user terminal and recorder, comprising; (1) a terminal computer means including terminal processor means, terminal display means, terminal key acquisition means, and terminal local peripheral interface means; (2) a terminal network connection means coupled between said terminal computer means and said network linkage; (3) means placing said terminal processor means under control of a terminal input program receiving signals from said terminal network connection means, said terminal input program being configured for directing incoming signals either to said terminal display means or to said terminal local peripheral interface means or both of them, by said terminal network connection means of a predetermined command code sent by said host computer over said network linkage; and (4) means placing said terminal processor means under control of a terminal output program, transmitting incoming signals toward said terminal network connection means for transmission over the network to said host network connection means, said terminal output program being configured for receiving aid incoming signals either from said terminal local peripheral interface means or from user key acquisition means by said terminal network connection means of a predetermined command code sent by said host computer over said network linkage;
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(5) user program receiver for receiving video or audio programs broadcast through air or cable by television or radio emitting facilities;(6) user recording means connected to an output of said user program receiver, for recording autonomously video or audio programs, including a timer, recorder interface means, and having a timer memory for retaining said characteristics of the programs scheduled to be recorded; and (7) means connecting said recorder interface means between said timer and said terminal local peripheral interface, for exchanging signals with said terminal local peripheral interface, said timer being responsive to predetermined scheduling timer command codes received through said recorder interface means, for writing in said timer memory specific characteristics of television or radio programs, arriving at said recorder interface means, assembled with said predetermined scheduling timer command codes; C. said host computer including; (1) a memory for retaining said scheduling timer command codes; (2) an interactive display program for controlling said host computer for selectively retrieving said textual data descriptive of said television or radio programs for a selected future period in said index memory, and for sending the retrieved textual data over the network by said host network connection means, by said terminal connection means, onto said user display means, said interactive display program being configured to be responsive to signals coming from said user key acquisition means for selecting a user specific subset of said television or radio programs; (3) a timer control program associated with said interactive display program, for retrieving in said index memory the characteristics of the television or radio programs which belong to the above-selected said user specific subset of programs; and (4) said timer control program being configured for retrieving in memory said scheduling timer command codes, for sending a predetermined code to said terminal processor means under the control of said terminal input program for directing signals arriving at said terminal network connection means toward said terminal local peripheral means, and subsequently for sending the characteristics of above-selected said user specific subset of programs, assembled with said scheduling timer command codes, by said host network connection means, over said network linkage, by said user terminal network connection means, by said user terminal local peripheral interface means, to said recorder interface means. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification