System and method for automatically recording television programs in television systems with tuners external to video recorders

• US 5,987,213 A
• Filed: 05/07/1996
• Issued: 11/16/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gemstar Development Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gemstar Development Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Mankovitz, Roy J., Yuen, Henry C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsan, Thai
• Application Number:
  US08/647,443
• Time in Patent Office: 1,288 Days
• Field of Search: 386/83, 386/1, 348/731, 348/732, 348/734, 455/4.1, 455/179.1, 455/185.1, 455/186.1, 455/186.2
• US Class Current: 386/296
• 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 system capable of automatically recording television programs broadcast on different cable television channels. The system includes a cable box, a video recorder and a cable programmer. The consumer enters sets of channel, date, time-of-day and length commands ("CDTL information") or compressed codes representative of such sets of commands into the video recorder. From each set of commands, subsets of date, time-of-day and length ("DTL information") are stored in the video recorder'"'"'s memory. At the same time or shortly thereafter, a subset of channel, date and time-of-day commands ("CDT information") from the same set of commands is transmitted to the cable programmer. The cable programmer and video recorder have independent control circuits the control certain aspects of the recording process according to the subsets of commands stored in their memories. The control circuits of the video recorder control the starting and stopping of recording while the control circuits of the cable programmer tune the channel on the cable box. Information is transferred from the video recorder to the cable programmer and from the cable programmer to the cable box via IR links or other remote control technique.

Claims

1. In a system, comprising a video signal tuner and a video recorder, for automatically recording television programs corresponding to sets of program identification data, the control system comprising:

a recorder timer/controller comprising;

a recorder timer memory for storing at least a recorder control portion of at least one set of program identification data for use in controlling the recording of a television program by a video recorder;

a recorder timer clock having an output; and

means for communicating recording commands to a video recorder when a predetermined relationship exists between the portion of the at least one set of program identification data and the output of the recorder timer clock; and

a tuner timer/controller separate from the recorder timer/controller comprising;

a tuner timer memory for storing at least a tuner control portion of at least one set of program identification data for use in controlling the tuning of a channel for the recording of a television program;

a tuner timer clock having an output; and

means for communicating tuning commands to a video signal tuner when a predetermined relationship exists between the second portion of the at least one set of program identification data and the output of the tuner timer clock; and

means for transferring at least a portion of at least one set of program identification data between the recorder timer/controller and the tuner timer/recorder.

2. The control system of claim 1 further comprising means for synchronizing the outputs of the recorder timer clock and the tuner timer clock.

3. The control system of claim 1 wherein the means for communication tuning commands comprises means for transmitting tuning commands to a cable box.

4. The control system of claim 1 wherein the means for communication tuning commands comprises means for transmitting tuning commands to a satellite receiver.