System and method for interfacing multiple electronic devices

• US 6,507,953 B1
• Filed: 11/30/1998
• Issued: 01/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Thomson Licensing SA (Vantiva SA)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing SA (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Kvintus, Michael Francis Jr., Wehmeyer, Keith Reynolds, Miller, Robert Howard, Horlander, Karl Francis
• Primary Examiner(s): Peeso, Thomas R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): JACK, TODD M
• Application Number:
  US09/117,278
• Time in Patent Office: 1,506 Days
• Field of Search: 713/601, 713/166, 713/152, 713/151, 705/57
• US Class Current: 725/105
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00086 Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00137 involving measures which result in a restriction to contents recorded on or reproduced from a record carrier to authorised users
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00144 involving a user identifier, e.g. a unique customer ID
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00152 involving a password
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/0021 involving encryption or decryption of contents recorded on or reproduced from a record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00543 wherein external data is encrypted, e.g. for secure communication with an external device or for encrypting content on a separate record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00666 involving a step of erasing or nullifying data, e.g. data being overwritten with a random string
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/0071 involving a purchase action
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00753 wherein the usage restriction limits the number of copies that can be made, e.g. CGMS, SCMS, or CCI flags
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/0084 wherein the usage restriction can be expressed as a specific time or date
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/10 Digital recording or reproducing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2805 Home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2809 indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network monitoring functionality H04L43/0817; discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services, H04L67/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2814 Exchanging control software or macros for controlling appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving configuration of the network and network elements H04L41/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40117 Interconnection of audio or video/imaging devices home automation networks H04L12/2803; bitstream network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/403 with centralised control, e.g. polling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/413 with random access, e.g. carrier-sense multiple-access with collision detection [CSMA-CD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 : Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/4026 : Bus for use in automation systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 : Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 : specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 : Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 : Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 : in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/91321 : the copy protection signal being a copy protection control signal, e.g. a record inhibit signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/91328 : the copy protection signal being a copy management signal, e.g. a copy generation management signal [CGMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4112 : having fewer capabilities than the client, e.g. thin client having less processing power or no tuning capabilities
• 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 21/4227 : Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• 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 21/43615 : Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• 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 21/4627 : Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• 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 21/4753 : for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/488 : Data services, e.g. news ticker systems specially adapted for using meteorological information in broadcast systems H04H60/71
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 : for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 : involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 : Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 : between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/7755 : the recorder being connected to, or coupled with, the antenna of the television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 : on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/913 : for scrambling ; for copy protection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/926 : by pulse code modulation H04N5/919 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9305 : involving the mixing of the reproduced video signal with a non-recorded signal, e.g. a text signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 : by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/7921 : for more than one processing mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/7925 : for more than one standard

Abstract

A method for scheduling events between first and second video processing devices coupled together wherein each device having at least one event timer for storing a scheduled event. The method involves programming first event information into the first device, comparing the first event information to each event previously scheduled in the first device for determining conflicts therebetween, sending a message representing the first event information to the second device, comparing the first event information to each event previously scheduled in the second device for determining conflicts therebetween. A user may be provided with information regarding conflicts and may be notified that a password is required for the first event and the respective event timer is enabled in response to receiving the password entered into the first device.

Claims

1. A method for scheduling events between first and second video processing devices coupled together, each device having at least one event timer for storing event information, said method comprising:

a. programming information pertaining to a first event into an available event timer of said first device;

b. comparing said first event information to event information stored in each event timer of said first device for determining conflicts therebetween;

c. sending a message representing said first event information from said first device to said second device; and

d. comparing said first event information to event information stored in each event timer of said second device for determining conflicts therebetween.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of providing to a user information regarding conflicts between said programmed first event information and events previously scheduled in said first and second devices.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of programming said first event into an available event timer of said second device in response to said message.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising the steps of deleting said first event from said first device in response to each event timer of said second device currently containing previously scheduled events, and indicating to said user the absence of an available event timer in said second device for programming of said first event.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of modifying said first event programmed in said first device, comparing said modified first event to event information stored in event timers of said first and said second devices for determining conflicts therebetween, and providing information regarding such conflicts to said user.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said first event is modified in response to an OSD means of said second device.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of providing information to said user comprises using OSD means of said first device.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of providing information to said user comprises using OSD means of said second device.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said first device is a recording device for recording a program corresponding to said first event.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said second device is a receiver.

11. A method for scheduling events between a recording apparatus and a receiving apparatus coupled together, each apparatus having at least one event timer for storing event information, said method comprising:

a. programming information pertaining to a first event into an available event timer of said recording apparatus;

b. sending a message representing said first event information from said recording apparatus to said receiving apparatus;

c. notifying a user that a password is required for enabling said first event;

d. storing said first event in an available event timer of said receiving apparatus in response to receiving, from said user, said password entered into said recording apparatus.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of notifying is in response to copyright information.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of notifying is in response to program rating information.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of notifying is in response to purchase information.

15. A method for scheduling an event in a recording apparatus coupled to a receiving apparatus, each of said recording apparatus and receiving apparatus having at least one event timer for storing event information, said method comprising:

a. programming information pertaining to a first event into an available event timer of said recording apparatus;

b. comparing said first event information to event information stored in each event timer of said recording apparatus for determining conflicts therebetween;

c. sending a first message representing said first event information from said recording apparatus to said receiving apparatus;

d. receiving a second message representing conflicts between said first event information and event information stored in each event timer of said receiving apparatus; and

e. providing to a user information regarding conflicts between said programmed first event information and event information stored in event timers of said first and second devices.