Method of adding titles to a directory of television programs recorded on a video tape

• US 6,125,231 A
• Filed: 08/22/1997
• Issued: 09/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Index Systems Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Index Systems Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Hindman, Carl, Mankovitz, Roy J., Kwoh, Daniel S., Yuen, Henry C., Leung, Elsie Y., Ng, Yee Kong, Ngai, Hing Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUY THANH
• Application Number:
  US08/916,618
• Time in Patent Office: 1,131 Days
• Field of Search: 386/46, 386/83, 386/95, 348/906
• US Class Current: 386/248
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/023 remotely controlled
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/65 wherein solid state memory is used for storing indexing information or metadata
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/90 Tape-like record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/107 of operating tapes
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/328 on a tape [TTOC]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• 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 21/4334 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 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• 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 5/782 on tape

Abstract

A method for recording on video tape and indexing programs carried by a television signal. The title of some, but not all, of the programs is embedded real time in the television signal. A video tape cassette is loaded in a VCR for recording. A data file corresponding to a plurality of television program listings is stored in memory. The data file includes the channel and start time of each program listing, and the title if available. The program listings are displayed on a video monitor. One of the displayed program listings is selected for recording. The data corresponding to the program listing selected for recording is transferred from the data file to a VCR recording stack so the VCR records the program represented by the program listing selected for recording. A directory of programs recorded on the video tape, including program titles and tape locations, is created. If the title of the program being recorded is embedded real time in the television signal, it is added to the directory as the program title. If the title of the program being recorded is not embedded real time in the television signal, the title from the data file corresponding to the program listing selected for recording is added to the directory as the program title. The tape location of the video tape in the VCR at the beginning of the recording of the program represented by the program listing selected for recording is measured and added to the directory.

Claims

1. A method for recording on video tape and indexing programs carried by a television signal, the title of some, but not all, of the programs being embedded real time in the television signal, the method comprising the steps of:

loading a video tape cassette in a VCR for recording;

storing in memory a data file corresponding to a plurality of television program listings, the data file including the title, channel, and start time of each program listing;

displaying the program listings stored in memory;

selecting one of the displayed program listings for recording;

transferring from the data file to a VCR recording stack the data corresponding to the program listing selected for recording so the VCR records the program represented by the program listing selected for recording;

creating a directory of programs recorded on the video tape, the directory including program titles and tape locations;

determining if the title of each program being recorded is embedded real time in the television signal;

if the title of the program being recorded is embedded real time in the television signal, adding to the directory as the program title the embedded title;

if the title of the program being recorded is not embedded real time in the television signal, adding to the directory as the program title the title from the data file corresponding to the program listing selected for recording;

measuring the tape location of the video tape in the VCR; and

adding to the directory the measured tape location at the beginning of the recording of the program represented by the program listing selected for recording.

2. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising the steps of:

loading a video tape in the VCR for playback;

displaying the directory of the loaded video tape;

selecting for playback a program listing from the displayed directory; and

transporting the video tape to the tape location at the beginning of the recorded program represented by the program listing selected for playback.