VCR recording timeslot adjustment

• US 6,208,799 B1
• Filed: 04/29/1997
• Issued: 03/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Entertainment Company LP (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Marsh, Richard, Krakirian, Haig, La Joie, Michael Leonard, Edmonds, Joe
• Primary Examiner(s): Garber, Wendy
• Assistant Examiner(s): ONUAKU, CHRISTOPHER O
• Application Number:
  US08/841,262
• Time in Patent Office: 1,428 Days
• Field of Search: 386/83, 348/12, 348/13, 348/731, 348/732, 348/734, 348/906, 455/5.1, 455/185.1, 455/186.1
• US Class Current: 386/292
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2625 for delaying content or additional data distribution, e.g. because of an extended sport event
• 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 21/4334 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 21/4583 Automatically resolving scheduling conflicts, e.g. when a recording by reservation has been programmed for two programs in the same time slot
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• 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 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 TV cable system having one set-top per user. The set-top'"'"'s VCR recording functions are automatically adjusted in a manner to accommodate the occurrence of a program-delay event or a program-cancel event by the TV cable system. The expected begin/stop time-slot during which a program is projected to occur is broadcast by the system'"'"'s head end to each set-top, and this IPG data is stored in each set-top. Within each set-top, the currently stored IPG-data is periodically compared to IPG-data that was recorded in the set-top'"'"'s VCR-record-timers at an earlier time. When the recorded IPG-data does not compare to the current IPG-data, the IPG-data that is recorded in the VCR-record-timer is automatically updated to the current IPG-data. When this automatic updating of one VCR-record-timer produces a time-slot conflict with a different VCR-record-timer, the conflict is resolved, either automatically or by a user-alert-message that enables user intervention to resolve the conflict.

Claims

1. In a cable TV system wherein program data contains a plurality of program identifiers to identify TV programs that are to be transmitted during a future time interval, wherein said program data is periodically sent to a plurality of set-tops that are within the cable TV system, and wherein most recent received new program data is stored at said set-tops for future use in selectively activating one or more record timers to record one or more TV programs by operation of said one or more active record timers, apparatus for automatically correcting stored program data in said active record timers, comprising;

interrogating apparatus operable to detect when new program data is received by a set-top that contains a first active record timer having stored program data therein identifying a given TV program;

comparing apparatus operable to compare said new program data with said stored program data in order to determine whether or not said new program data contains said stored program data;

searching apparatus responsive to said comparing apparatus determining that said new program data does not contain said stored program data;

said searching apparatus operating to search said new program data to determine whether or not said new program data contains a program identifier that identifies said given TV program;

correcting apparatus responsive to said searching apparatus finding a program data item having a program identifier that identifies said given TV program;

said correcting apparatus operating to replace said stored program data in said first active record timer with said found program data item;

cancellation apparatus responsive to said searching apparatus being unable to find a program identifier that identifies said given TV program;

said cancellation apparatus operating to cancel said stored program data within said first active record timer;

message generating apparatus responsive to said cancellation apparatus operating to cancel said stored program data within said first active record timer;

said message generating apparatus operating to provide a user-alert message relating to said cancellation of said stored program data within said first active record timer;

a second active record timer within said set-top;

conflict determining apparatus responsive to said correcting apparatus replacing said stored program data in said first active record timer with said found program data item;

said conflict determining apparatus operating to compare said found program data item with stored program data within said second active record timer to determine if a time conflict is produced by said found program data item; and

message generating apparatus responsive to said conflict determining apparatus determining that a time conflict would be produced by said found program data item and providing a user alert message relating to said time conflict.

2. In a multiple set-top TV system wherein a program schedule contains a plurality of program items that uniquely identify a like plurality of TV programs that are scheduled for transmission to said set-tops during a future time period,

wherein said program schedule is periodically sent to said set-tops for storage thereat as new program data, and

wherein a set-top user may select a program item for storage within an active record timer of a set-top, thereby causing said active record timer to effect a future time recording of a TV program that is identified by said program item;

apparatus for automatically correcting program items stored in active record timers of a set-top, said apparatus comprising;

interrogating apparatus operable to detect when new program data is received by said set-top;

comparing apparatus responsive to said interrogating apparatus determining that new program data has been received by said set-top;

said comparing apparatus operating to compare said new program data with program items stored in active record timers of said set-top;

said comparing apparatus operating to determine whether or not said new program data contains program items that are identical to said program items stored in said active record timers;

searching apparatus responsive to said comparing apparatus determining that a first active record timer stores a program item that is not identical to any program item contained in said new program data;

said searching apparatus operating to search said new program data to determine whether or not said new program data contains a program item that is generally identical to said program item stored in said first active record timer;

correcting apparatus responsive to said searching apparatus finding that said new program data contains a program item that is generally identical to said program item stored in said first active record timer;

said correcting apparatus operating to replace said program item stored in said first active record timer with said generally identical program item;

cancellation apparatus responsive to a second active record timer storing a program item that is neither identical or generally identical to any program item in said new program data;

said cancellation apparatus operating to cancel a program item stored within said second active record timer, thereby causing said second active record timer to become an inactive record timer;

message generating apparatus responsive to said cancellation apparatus operating to cancel said program item stored within said second active record timer;

said message generating apparatus operating to provide a user-alert message relating to said second record timer

a third active record timer;

conflict determining apparatus responsive to said correcting apparatus replacing said stored program item in said first active record timer with said generally identical program item;

said conflict determining apparatus operating to compare said generally identical program item with a program item stored within said third active record timer to determine if a conflict is produced by use of said generally identical program item, and

message generating apparatus responsive to said conflict determining apparatus determining that a conflict will be produced by use of said generally identical program item;

said message generating apparatus operating to provide a user alert message relating to said time slot conflict.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said set-top includes:

message generating apparatus responsive to said comparing apparatus determining that a given active record timer stores a program item that is neither identical to nor generally identical to any program item contained in said new program data; and

said message generating apparatus operating to provide a user-alert message relating to said given active record timer.

4. A TV set-top having an input that is adapted to receive TV programs that are transmitted on a plurality of channels, and to periodically receive a program schedule that contains a plurality of individual data items, one data item for each of said TV programs, wherein each data item contains a unique identifier of a TV program, a channel over which said identified TV program is scheduled to be transmitted to said set-top, and a time slot during which said identified TV program is scheduled to be transmitted to said set-top, said set-top having a first output adapted to be connected to a TV set, said set-top having a second output adapted to be connected to a recorder, and said set-top having logic apparatus facilitating user programming of said set-top to supply TV programs to said recorder at future times, said logic apparatus comprising:

storage logic including a memory for storing said program schedule;

a plurality of record timers, each of said record timers being adapted to store one data item from said stored program schedule;

control logic operable by said user to select one data item from said stored program schedule for storage in one inactive record timer in which a data item is not currently stored, said inactive record timer thereafter becoming an active record timer;

update logic responsive to storage of a later-received program schedule in said memory;

compare logic controlled by said update logic in response to said storage of said later received program schedule;

said compare logic operating to compare data items then stored in active record timers to data items in said later received program schedule to,

(1) determine when a given data item stored in a given active record timer is identical to a data item in said later received program schedule, and when it is determined that said given data item is not identical to any data item in said later-received program schedule, then to

(2) determine if said given data item identifies a TV program that is generally similar to a data item in said later-received program schedule,

cancellation logic responsive to said compare logic determining that said given data item is neither identical to a data item in said later received program schedule or generally similar to any data item in said later received program schedule;

said cancellation logic being operable to cancel said given data item stored in said given active record timer, thereby rendering said given active record timer an inactive record timer;

replacement logic responsive to said compare logic determining that said given data item is identical to a data item in said later received program schedule, or that said given data item is generally similar to a data item in said later received program schedule;

said replacement logic operating to replace said given data item stored in said given active record timer with said data item;

recorder activating logic controlled by said given active record timer operable to supply a TV program to said second set-top output in accordance with a TV program, a TV channel, and a time slot identified by said data item; and

first message generating logic responsive to said cancellation logic, and operable to generate a visual recording cancellation message on a TV set connected to said first set-top output;

second message generating logic responsive to said replacement logic, and operable to generate a visual recording replacement message on a TV set connected to said first set-top output;

determining logic responsive to said replacement logic operating to replace said given data item stored in said given active record timer with said data item;

said conflict determining logic operating to compare said data item with data items stored in all other active record timers in order to determine if usage of said data item will produce a recording conflict with any data items stored in said all other active record timers; and

conflict message generating logic responsive to said conflict determining logic finding that usage of said data item will produce a recording conflict, and operable to generate a visual conflict message on a TV set connected to said first set-top output.

5. A method for updating active record timers within a set-top when a multiple data item program update schedule is received by the set top, comprising the steps of:

sensing when said program update schedule is received;

determining if said received program update schedule contains data items that are identical to data items contained in said active record timers;

when it is determined that said received program update schedule contains data items that are identical to data items contained in said active record timers, and ending said method;

when it is determined that said received program update schedule does not contain a data item that is identical to a data item that is contained in at least one active record timer, determining if said program update schedule contains a data item that is generally the same as said data item contained in said at least one active record timer;

when it is determined that said received program update schedule contains a data item that is generally the same as said data item contained in said at least one active record timer, replacing said data item contained in said at least one active record timer with said generally the same data item, and ending said method;

when said data item contained in said at least one active record timer is replaced with said generally the same data item, comparing said generally the same data item with data items contained in all other active record timers to determine if a recording conflict will result from use of said generally the same data item; and

when it is determined that a recording conflict will result, canceling said data item contained in said at least one active record timer, and ending said method; and

when it is determined that said received program update schedule does not contain a data item that is generally the same as said data item contained in said at least one active record timer, canceling said data item contained in said at least one active record timer, and ending said method wherein said step of canceling said data item contained in said at least one active record timer includes the step of generating a cancellation message to a user of said set-top.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said cancellation message is presented to a TV output of said set-top utilizing a frame buffer.