Content control of broadcast programs

• US 6,351,596 B1
• Filed: 01/07/2000
• Issued: 02/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Warner Bros Home Entertainment Incorporated (Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Entertainment Company LP (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ostrover, Lewis S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Garber, Wendy R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ONUAKU, CHRISTOPHER O
• Application Number:
  US09/479,819
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 386/1, 386/6-8, 386/46, 386/52, 386/67-70, 386/83, 386/94-95, 386/125, 386/126, 386/55, 386/80, 725/14, 725/32, 725/38, 725/58, 725/86, 725/87, 725/88-102, 725/25, 725/27-28, 725/22, 360/7, 360/72.1, 360/72.2
• US Class Current: 386/241
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/3054 Vertical Interval Time code [VITC]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/329 on a disc [VTOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus

Abstract

The invention allows a personal video recorder to store and selectively play a broadcast program whose scenes are tagged with content codes. The personal video recorder utilizes user preferences, derived from user inputs. When a program is broadcast and stored on hard disks in compressed form, simultaneously an associated file is generated and stored. This file characterizes individual scenes in accordance with the respective tagged codes, derived from VBI data, code blocks in a digital transmission, etc. The file includes data from which the starting and ending points of individual scenes can be determined, with the ending point of a scene being conveniently determined by the broadcast receipt of the start of the next scene with a new tagged code. The system consults user preferences and the previously generated file during play of a stored program to determine scenes to be skipped and the starting point of any scene that is to follow a scene that is to be skipped. Viewing of a program cannot begin with its broadcast because if it does, then whenever a scene is to be skipped the following scene will not yet have been received. If seamless play (no gaps between scenes) is desired, then there is need to delay the start of viewing sufficiently for the recording of any scene that follows a scene to be skipped to have already been started before that scene is required for play.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a personal video recorder to receive, store and selectively play a broadcast program whose scenes are tagged with content codes, comprising the steps of storing user preferences in said personal video recorder, receiving and storing the broadcast program and simultaneously generating an associated file that characterizes individual scenes by the respective tagged content codes, said file including data from which the starting and ending points of individual scenes can be determined with the ending point of a scene being determined by the broadcast receipt of the start of the next scene with a new tagged code, and during play of said stored program consulting the stored user preferences and the generated file to determine scenes to be skipped and the starting point of any scene that is to follow a scene that is to be skipped, wherein said broadcast program is preceded by the broadcast of a recommended delay in play thereof that will allow seamless jumps over scenes to be skipped.

2. A method of controlling a personal video recorder in accordance with claim 1 wherein when said personal video recorder deletes any stored program, the associated file is similarly deleted.

3. A method of controlling a personal video recorder in accordance with claim 1 wherein the content codes for individual scenes in said broadcast program are determined as the program is broadcast and the tags are applied at the time of broadcast.

4. A method of storing and selectively playing a broadcast program in accordance with claim 1 wherein the content codes for individual scenes in said broadcast program are determined as the program is broadcast and the tags are applied at the time of broadcast.

5. A personal video recorder for receiving, storing and selectively playing a broadcast program whose scenes are tagged with content codes, comprising means for storing user preferences, means for receiving the broadcast program, means for storing the broadcast program and simultaneously generating an associated file that characterizes individual scenes by the respective tagged codes, said file including data identifying the starting and ending points of individual scenes with the ending point of a scene being determined by the broadcast receipt of the start of the next scene with a new tagged code, and means for consulting said stored user preferences and said generated file during play of said stored program to determine scenes to be skipped and the starting point of any scene that is to follow a scene that is to be skipped, wherein said broadcast program is preceded by the broadcast of a recommended delay in play thereof that will allow seamless jumps over scenes to be skipped.

6. A method of storing and selectively playing a broadcast program whose scenes are tagged with content codes, comprising the steps of receiving and storing the broadcast program in a personal video recorder and generating an associated file that characterizes individual scenes by the respective tagged content codes, said file including data from which the stored locations of successive scenes can be determined, and during play of said stored program utilizing user preferences and the generated file to determine scenes that are to be skipped, wherein said broadcast program is preceded by the broadcast of a recommended delay in play thereof that will allow seamless jumps over scenes to be skipped.

7. A method of storing and selectively playing a broadcast program in accordance with claim 6 wherein when said personal video recorder deletes any stored program, the associated file is similarly deleted.

8. A method of storing and selectively playing a broadcast program in accordance with claim 6 wherein the content codes for individual scenes in said broadcast program are determined as the program is broadcast and the tags are applied at the time of broadcast.

9. A personal video recorder for storing and selectively playing a broadcast program whose scenes are tagged with content codes, comprising means for receiving the broadcast, means for storing the broadcast program and generating an associated file that characterizes individual scenes by the respective tagged codes, said file including data identifying the stored locations of individual scenes, and means for utilizing user preferences and the associated file during play of said stored program to determine scenes to be skipped and the starting point of any scene that is to follow a scene that is to be skipped, wherein said broadcast program is preceded by the broadcast of a recommended delay in play thereof that will allow broadcast of a recommended delay in play thereof that will allow seamless jumps over scenes to be skipped.

10. A method of receiving, storing and selectively playing a broadcast program whose scenes are tagged with content codes, comprising the steps of recording the broadcast program in a personal video recorder together with said content codes, said broadcast program including a recommended delay that allows seamless jumps over scenes to be skipped, playing the recorded program utilizing user preferences to determine scenes that are to be skipped, and delaying the start of play after the start of recording by said recommended delay.

11. A method of storing and selectively playing a broadcast program whose scenes are tagged with content codes, comprising the steps of storing the broadcast program and generating an associated file that characterizes individual scenes by the respective tagged content codes, said file including data from which the stored locations of successive scenes can be determined, and during play of said stored program utilizing user preferences and the generated file to determine scenes that are to be skipped, wherein said broadcast program is preceded by the broadcast of a recommended delay in play thereof that will allow seamless jumps over scenes to be skipped.

12. A method of storing and selectively playing a broadcast program in accordance with claim 11 wherein when any stored program is deleted, the associated file is similarly deleted.

13. A system for storing and selectively playing a broadcast program whose scenes are tagged with content codes, comprising means for receiving the broadcast program, means for storing the broadcast program and generating an associated file that characterizes individual scenes by the respective tagged codes, said file including data identifying the stored locations of individual scenes, and means for utilizing user preferences and the associated file during play of said stored program to determine scenes to be skipped and the starting point of any scene that is to follow a scene that is to be skipped, wherein said broadcast program is preceded by the broadcast of a recommended delay in play thereof that will allow seamless jumps over scenes to be skipped and wherein said means for utilizing user preferences delays playing the program by said recommended delay.

14. A method of receiving, storing and selectively playing a broadcast program whose scenes are tagged with content codes, wherein said broadcast program is preceded by the broadcast of a recommended delay in play thereof that will allow seamless jumps over scenes to be skipped comprising the steps comprising the steps of recording the broadcast program together with said content codes, playing the recorded program utilizing user preferences to determine scenes that are to be skipped, and delaying the start of play after the start of recording by a time interval equal to or greater than said recommended delay.

15. A personal video recorder for storing and selectively playing a broadcast program with scenes that are tagged with content codes, comprising:

a receiver adapted to receive said broadcast program;

a memory adapted to store said broadcast program and said content codes;

an output adapted to generate video signals corresponding to at least some of the scenes from said broadcast program; and

a processor adapted to retrieve for said output sequentially scenes that have content codes matching a customer'"'"'s preferences

wherein at least one scene has a first content code which does not match said customer'"'"'s preferences and said processor is adapted to omit said one scene and to delay after the start of said broadcast program the retrieval of all the other scenes by at least the duration of said one scene.

16. The recorder of claim 15 wherein said broadcast program has a predetermined number of scenes, and wherein said processor is adapted to retrieve scenes before all of said predetermined number of scenes have been stored in said memory.

17. The recorder of claim 15 wherein a first number of scenes have said first content code and a first duration, and said processor after the start of said broadcast program delays retrieving the other scenes by said first duration.

18. The recorder of claim 15 further comprising an input device used by a customer to provide his preferences.

19. A method of recording and playing a broadcast program consisting of sequential scenes, said program being associated with a recommended delay, each scene being tagged with content codes, comprising:

receiving the scenes;

storing the scenes;

storing the content codes of said scenes;

sequentially retrieving scenes having content codes meeting predetermined criteria while scenes which do not have content codes meeting said predetermined criteria are skipped; and

playing the retrieved scenes after a delay time corresponding to said recommend delay to allow seamless jumps over scenes to be skipped.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of delaying after the start of the receipt of scenes the playing of the retrieved scenes by at least the total duration of the scenes to be skipped.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising receiving said total duration as part of said broadcast program.

22. A method of controlling a personal video recorder to store and selectively play a broadcast program with scenes that are tagged with content codes, comprising the steps of:

storing user preferences in said personal video recorder;

storing the broadcast program and generating an associated file that characterizes individual scenes by their respective content codes, said file including data from which the starting points of individual scenes can be determined; and

during play of said stored program consulting the stored user preferences and the generated file to determine scenes to be skipped and the starting point of any scene that is to follow a scene that is to be skipped, and

wherein said broadcast program is preceded by the broadcast of a recommended delay in play thereof that will allow seamless jumps over scenes to be skipped.

23. A method of storing and selectively playing a broadcast program whose scenes are tagged with content codes, comprising the steps of:

storing the broadcast program in a personal video recorder and generating an associated file that characterizes individual scenes by their respective content codes, said file including data from which the stored locations of successive scenes can be determined, and during play of said stored program utilizing the user preferences and the generated file to determine scenes that are to be skipped; and

wherein said broadcast program is preceded by the broadcast of a recommended delay in play thereof that will allow seamless jumps over scenes to be skipped.

24. A method of storing and selectively playing a broadcast program whose scenes are tagged with content codes, comprising the steps of:

storing the broadcast program and generating an associated file that characterizes individual scenes by the respective tagged content codes, said file including data from which the stored locations of successive scenes can be determined, and during play of said stored program utilizing user preferences and the generated file to determine scenes that are to be skipped; and

wherein said broadcast program is preceded by the broadcast of a recommended delay in play thereof that will allow seamless jumps over scenes to be skipped.

25. A method of storing and selectively playing a broadcast program whose scenes are tagged with content codes, comprising the steps of:

recording the broadcast program in a personal video recorder together with said content codes;

playing the recorded program utilizing user preferences to determine scenes that are to be skipped; and

automatically delaying the start of play after the start of recording by a time interval at least equal to the sum of the durations of the scenes to be skipped.

26. A method of storing and selectively playing a broadcast program whose scenes are tagged with content codes, comprising the steps of recording the broadcast program together with said content codes, playing the recorded program utilizing user preferences to determine scenes that are to be skipped, and automatically delaying the start of play after the start of recording by a time interval at least equal to the sum of the durations of the scenes to be skipped.