Controlling record/playback devices with a computer

• US 6,212,327 B1
• Filed: 11/24/1997
• Issued: 04/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Berstis, Viktors, Hoffman, Richard Dale
• Primary Examiner(s): Chevalier, Robert
• Application Number:
  US08/977,295
• Time in Patent Office: 1,226 Days
• Field of Search: 386/83, 386/46, 386/1, 386/52, 386/4, 386/92, 386/7, 386/95, 348/211, 348/213, 348/734, 348/460, 360/32
• US Class Current: 386/291
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• 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 21/47 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 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/926 by pulse code modulation H04N5/919 takes precedence

Abstract

A data processing system connected to and controlling an infrared emitter may be utilized to control remote control devices such as video cassette recorders and cassette recorders, allowing the data processing system to program recording by such devices. The data processing system may, for example, be a set-top box located in proximity to remote controlled record/playback devices, relying on line-of-sight or reflected infrared signal transmission, or may be utilized in connection with suitably placed infrared repeaters. The data processing system may also be employed in conjunction with the “server push” network technique, in which a data stream is transmitted to a subscribing client without intervention by the client. The data stream is monitored for user-defined data items. When detected, the data processing automatically controls the appropriate record/playback device to record a broadcast associated with the detected data item.

Claims

1. A method of programming a remote controlled infrared device, comprising:

receiving a data stream containing information associated with a plurality of programs at a controlling device coupled to and controlling an infrared emitter;

searching the data stream utilizing the controlling device for user selected keywords and programming codes; and

responsive to detecting user selected keywords or programming codes within the data stream, employing the controlling device to automatically generate infrared signals signaling a remote controlled recording device to record a program within the plurality of programs which is associated with the user selected keywords or programming codes.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving a data stream containing information associated with a plurality of programs further comprises:

receiving text descriptive of the plurality of programs.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving a data stream containing information associated with a plurality of programs further comprises:

receiving VCR programming codes associated with the plurality of programs.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of automatically generating infrared signals signaling a remote controlled recording device to record a program within the plurality of programs associated with the user selected keywords or programming codes further comprises:

generating infrared signals at a start time of the program actuating the recording device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of automatically generating infrared signals signaling a remote controlled recording device to record a program within the plurality of programs associated with the user selected keywords or programming codes further comprises:

generating infrared signals at an end time of the program stopping the recording device.

6. A mechanism for programming a remote controlled infrared device, comprising:

a data processing system receiving a data stream containing information associated with a plurality of programs and searching the data stream for a user selected keywords and programming codes;

an infrared emitter connected to and controlled by the data processing system; and

a remote controlled recording device receiving infrared signals generated by the infrared emitter,

wherein the infrared emitter automatically generates infrared signals signaling the remote controlled recording device to record a program within the plurality of programs associated with user selected keywords or programming codes in response to the data processing system detecting the user selected keywords or programming codes within the data stream.

7. The mechanism of claim 6, wherein the data processing system further comprises:

means for receiving text descriptive of the plurality of programs.

8. The mechanism of claim 6, wherein the data processing system further comprises:

means for receiving VCR programming codes associated with the plurality of programs.

9. The mechanism of claim 6, wherein the data processing system further comprises:

means for generating infrared signals at a start time of the program actuating the recording device.

10. The mechanism of claim 9, wherein the data processing system further comprises:

means for generating infrared signals at an end time of the program stopping the recording device.

11. A computer program product within a computer usable medium, comprising:

instructions within the computer usable medium for receiving a data stream at a controlling device containing information associated with a plurality of programs;

instructions within the computer usable medium for searching the data stream for user selected keywords and programming codes utilizing the controlling device; and

instructions within the computer usable medium, responsive to detecting user selected keywords or programming codes within the data stream, for automatically generating infrared signals, utilizing the controlling device, which signal a remote controlled recording device to record a program within the plurality of programs associated with the user selected keywords or programming codes.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the instructions for receiving a data stream containing information associated with a plurality of programs further comprise:

instructions for receiving text descriptive of the plurality of programs.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the instructions for receiving a data stream containing information associated with a plurality of programs further comprise:

instructions for receiving VCR programming codes associated with the plurality of programs.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the instructions for automatically generating infrared signals signaling a remote controlled recording device to record a program within the plurality of programs associated with the data item further comprise:

instructions for generating infrared signals at a start time of the program actuating the recording device;

instructions for generating infrared signals at a stop time of the program stopping the recording device.