Apparatus and method using compressed codes for recorder preprogramming

• US 6,049,652 A
• Filed: 03/15/1995
• Issued: 04/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gemstar Development Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Kwoh, Daniel S., Yuen, Henry C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chevalier, Robert
• Application Number:
  US08/404,939
• Time in Patent Office: 1,854 Days
• Field of Search: 358/335, 358/342, 358/310, 360/32, 360/33.1, 360/35.1, 348/114, 348/211, 386/83, 386/46, 386/92, 386/1, 386/52, 386/109, 386/111, 386/112
• US Class Current: 386/296
• 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 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• 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 21/47214 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 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/91 Television signal processing therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/917 for bandwidth reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 involving data reduction

Abstract

Encoded video recorder/player timer preprogramming information listed in a television calendar allows a timer preprogramming feature on a video cassette recorder VCR to be programmed using a compressed coded indication of as few as 1 to 8 digits, which are decoded by a decoder built into either the video cassette recorder or a remote controller to convert the compressed coded indication into channel, date, time and length information. The channel, date, time and length information is communicated to a VCR and used to automatically activate the VCR to record a given television program with the corresponding channel, date, time and length. Alternatively, the channel, date, time and length information is decoded directly in a remote controller and only start record, stop record and channel selection commands are sent to the VCR at the appropriate times. An encoder, which may be implemented on a computer, is used to generate the compressed coded indications. The compressed coded indications associated with each television program can be printed in a television program calendar in advance and used with a VCR or remote controller with the decoding means. Algorithms for decoding the compressed codes can be a function of time to ensure security of the decoding method.

Claims

1. A system for programming and automatically recording video signals, by a video recorder, under control of sets of channel, date, time-of-day and program length commands, the system comprising:

an encoder for encoding and compressing sets of individual channel, date, time-of-day and program length commands into compressed coded indications, each incorporating the data represented in said sets of individual channel, date, time-of-day and program length commands, wherein said compressed coded indications have a length that is less than the length of the concatenation of said individual channel, date, time-of-day and program length commands represented by such compressed coded indications; and

a video recorder controller comprising;

an input for receiving said compressed coded indications into said video recorder controller; and

a decoder for decoding and expanding said compressed coded indications into sets of individual channel, date, time-of-day and program length commands for control of the video recorder.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said input comprises a keyboard.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said compressed coded indications comprise one or more alphanumeric characters.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising the video recorder, which includes said decoder.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said video recorder further includes said input.

6. The system of claim 1 comprising a remote transmitter which includes said input.

7. The system of claim 6 further comprising the video recorder which includes said decoder.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said video recorder comprises:

a second input for receiving compressed coded indications, each representative of, and compressed in length from, a set of individual channel, date, time-of-day and program length commands.

9. The system of claim 6 wherein said remote transmitter further comprises means for transmitting said compressed coded indications to said decoder.

10. The system of claim 6 wherein said remote transmitter further includes said decoder.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said remote transmitter further comprises means for transmitting said individual channel, date, time-of-day and program length commands to a video recorder.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein said remote transmitter further comprises:

means for generating, from each of said sets of individual channel, date, time-of-day and program length commands, a set of control commands comprising control commands for;

selection of a channel of video signals for recording;

starting recording of said channel of video signals; and

stopping recording of said channel of video signals.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein said remote transmitter further comprises:

means for generating, from each of said sets of individual channel, date, time-of-day and program length commands, a set of control commands comprising control commands for;

selection of a channel of video signals for recording according to such individual channel commands;

starting recording of said channel of video signals according to such date and time-of-day commands; and

stopping recording of said channel of video signals according to such time-of-day and program length commands.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein said remote transmitter further comprises:

means for transmitting said control commands generated by said means for generating control commands.

15. The system of any of claims 1-14 wherein said encoder comprises a computer.

16. The system of claim 14 further comprising:

a channel selector for selecting a channel of video signals operative responsive to said control commands for selection of a channel comprising;

a receiver which receives said control commands for selection of a channel, transmitted by said means for transmitting.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein said channel selector comprises a cable box.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein said video recorder comprises:

means for recording said video signals responsive to said control commands for starting recording and said control commands for stopping recording; and

a second receiver which receives said control commands for starting recording and said control commands for stopping recording transmitted by said means for transmitting.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein said channel selector comprises a cable box.

20. The system of claim 14 wherein said video recorder comprises:

means for recording said video signals responsive to said control commands for starting recording and said control commands for stopping recording; and

a receiver which receives said control commands for starting recording and said control commands for stopping recording transmitted by said means for transmitting.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein said video recorder further comprises:

a channel selector for selecting a channel of video signals operative responsive to said control commands for selection of a channel; and

wherein said receiver receives said control commands for selection of a channel transmitted by said means for transmitting.

22. The system of claim 1 comprising:

a clock for providing an output as a function of time; and

wherein said decoder decodes and expands said compressed coded indications as a function of the output of the clock.

23. A method of programming and automatically recording video signals, by a video recorder, under control of sets of channel, date, time-of-day and program length commands, the method comprising the steps of:

encoding and compressing sets of individual channel, date, time-of-day and program length commands into compressed coded indications, incorporating the data represented in said sets of individual channel, date, time-of-day and program length commands, wherein said compressed coded indications have a length that is less than the length of the concatenation of said individual channel, date, time-of-day and program length commands represented by such compressed coded indications;

receiving said compressed coded indications into a video recorder controller; and

decoding and expanding said compressed coded indications into sets of individual channel, date, time-of-day and program length commands for control of the video recorder wherein said step of decoding and expanding is performed by said video recorder controller.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein said step of receiving compressed coded indications comprises the step of receiving said compressed coded indication through a keyboard.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein said compressed coded indications comprise one or more alphanumeric characters.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein said step of decoding and expanding comprises performing said step of decoding and expanding in said video recorder.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein said step of receiving compressed coded indications comprises performing said step of receiving such coded indications in said video recorder.

28. The method of claim 23 wherein said step of receiving compressed coded indications comprises performing said step of receiving the coded indications in a remote transmitter.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein said step of decoding and expanding comprises performing said step of decoding and expanding in said video recorder.

30. The method of claim 23:

wherein said step of decoding and expanding comprises performing said step of decoding and expanding in said video recorder; and

wherein said step of receiving compressed coded indications comprises performing said step of receiving compressed coded indications in either a remote transmitter or said video recorder.

31. The method of claim 28 further comprising the step of transmitting said compressed coded indications by said remote transmitter.

32. The method of claim 28:

wherein said step of decoding and expanding comprises performing said step of decoding and expanding in said remote transmitter.

33. The method of claim 32 further comprising the step of transmitting said individual channel, date, time-of-day and program length commands by said remote transmitter to said video recorder.

34. The method of claim 32 further comprising the step of:

generating, from each of said sets of individual channel, date, time-of-day and program length commands, a set of control commands comprising control commands for;

selection of a channel of video signals for recording;

starting recording of said channel of video signals; and

stopping recording of said channel of video signals.

35. The method of claim 32 further comprising the step of:

generating, from each of said sets of individual channel, date, time-of-day and program length commands, a set of control commands comprising control commands for;

selection of a channel of video signals for recording according to such individual channel commands;

starting recording of said channel of video signals according to such date and time-of-day commands; and

stopping recording of said channel of video signals according to such time-of-day and program length commands.

36. The method of claim 34 further comprising the step of:

transmitting, by said remote transmitter, said control commands.

37. The method of any of claims 23-36 wherein said step of encoding and compressing is performed by a computer.

38. The method of claim 36 wherein said step of transmitting further comprises:

transmitting said control commands for selection of a channel of video signals to a channel selector.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein said step of transmitting further comprises:

transmitting said control commands for starting recording and said control commands for stopping recording to said video recorder.

40. The method of claim 36 wherein said step of transmitting further comprises:

transmitting said control commands for selection of a channel of video signals to a cable box.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein said step of transmitting further comprises:

transmitting said control commands for starting recording and said control commands for stopping recording to said video recorder.

42. The method of claim 36 wherein said step of transmitting further comprises:

transmitting said control commands for starting recording and said control command for stopping recording to said video recorder.

43. The method of claim 42 wherein said step of transmitting further comprises:

transmitting said control commands for selection of a channel of video signals to said video recorder.

44. The method of claim 23 wherein said step of decoding and expanding comprises performing said step of decoding and expanding as a function of the output of a clock.