Method and apparatus for controlling a television program recording device

• US 5,293,357 A
• Filed: 09/10/1990
• Issued: 03/08/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Superguide Corporation
• Original Assignee: Superguide Corporation
• Inventors: Hallenbeck, Peter D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Powell, Mark R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Murrell, Jeffrey S.
• Application Number:
  US07/580,380
• Time in Patent Office: 1,275 Days
• Field of Search: 358/194.1, 358/191.1, 358/188, 358/903, 358/335
• US Class Current: 725/39
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape

Abstract

A method and apparatus for controlling a VCR or other television program recording device for unattended recording of television programs based upon user selections from an on-line television program schedule system, converts the on-line television schedule listings for the user selected programs into event timer information and loads the event timer information into an event timer. The event timer, which may be located in the VCR or external to the VCR, controls the VCR for unattended recording in the customary manner. Since the VCR is controlled by the event timer information, rather than directly from the on-line program schedule listings, the VCR may be controlled for unattended recording even if the on-line listings are lost. Accordingly, the on-line listings may be stored in low cost volatile memory (dynamic RAM). Only the event timer information should be stored in non-volatile memory (static RAM), which can be kept small due to the limited information contained in the event timer information. A commercially viable system is thereby provided.

Claims

1. A method for setting an event timer to control a recording device for recording television programs, comprising the steps of:

electronically storing television program schedule listings comprising a time, a channel and a title for a plurality of television programs;

accepting user designation of selected ones of the electronically stored television program schedule listings for recording;

automatically electronically converting the selected ones of said television program schedule listings into event timer information sequences for directly controlling a recording device to record television programs in response to the user designation of selected ones of the electronically stored television program schedule listings for recording, said event timer information sequences including a television program start time, a television program end time or duration and a television program channel for each of the user selected ones of the television program schedule listings; and

loading the event timer information sequences into an event timer, such that the event timer information sequences in the event timer are used to control a recording device for recording television programs corresponding to the selected ones of the electronically stored television program schedule listings.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of controlling the recording device from the event timer information in the event timer.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said controlling step comprises the step of transmitting commands to control the recording device based upon the event timer information in the event timer.

4. The method of claim 2 adapted for use with a recording device having a recording device event timer contained therein, and wherein said controlling step comprises the step of transferring the event timer information to the recording device event timer.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said transferring step comprises the step of transmitting the event timer information to the recording device event timer via remote control.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said loading step comprises the step of transmitting the event timer information to said event timer via remote control.

7. A method for setting an event timer to control a recording device for recording television programs, comprising the steps of:

electronically storing television program schedule listings comprising a time, a channel and a title for a plurality of television programs;

accepting user designation of selected ones of the electronically stored television program schedule listings for recording;

automatically electronically converting the selected ones of said television program schedule listings into event timer information sequences for directly controlling a recording device to record television programs in response to the user designation of selected ones of the electronically stored television program schedule listings for recording, said event timer information sequences including a television program start time, a television program end time or duration and a television program channel for each of the user selected ones of the television program schedule listings; and

loading the event timer information sequences into an event timer;

wherein said loading step comprises the step of transferring the event timer information sequences to said event timer over a data bus, such that the event timer information sequences in the event timer are used to control a recording device for recording television programs corresponding to the selected ones of the electronically stored television program schedule listings.

8. A method for setting an event timer to control a recording device for recording television programs, comprising the steps of:

electronically storing television program schedule listings comprising a time, a channel and a title for a plurality of television programs;

accepting user designation of selected ones of the electronically stored television program schedule listings for recording;

automatically electronically converting the selected ones of said television program schedule listings into event timer information sequences for directly controlling a recording device to record television programs in response to the user designation of selected ones of the electronically stored television program schedule listings for recording, said event timer information sequences including a television program start time, a television program end time or duration and a television program channel for each of the user selected ones of the television program schedule listings;

loading the event timer information sequences into an event timer; and

controlling a recording device from the event timer information sequences in the event timer;

wherein said controlling step comprises the step of transmitting commands to control the recording device based upon the event timer information sequences in the event timer;

wherein the recording device has a recording device having a recording device event timer contained therein, and wherein said controlling step comprises the step of transferring the event timer information sequences to the recording device event timer; and

wherein said transferring step comprises the step of transferring the event timer information sequences to the recording device event timer over a data bus.