Method and device for recording and reading on a large-capacity medium

• US 6,654,540 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2000
• Issued: 11/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Thomson Licensing SA (Vantiva SA)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing SA (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Staron, Alain, Artigalas, Max, Meunier, Paul-Louis
• Primary Examiner(s): Chevalier, Robert
• Application Number:
  US09/498,566
• Publication Number:
  US 20010014206A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,390 Days
• Field of Search: 386/109, 386/111, 386/112, 386/83, 386/92, 386/46, 386/52, 386/1, 386/4, 386/27, 386/33, 386/95, 386/96, 386/104, 386/39, 386/40, 386/94, 360/32, 725/87, 725/88, 725/101, 725/102
• US Class Current: 386/291
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/41 Flat as opposed to hierarchical combination, e.g. library of tapes or discs, CD changer, or groups of record carriers that together store one title
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/90 Tape-like record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/032 on tapes G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/107 of operating tapes
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/28 by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording G11B27/22 takes precedence
• 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: H04H 60/16 on playing information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/23 using cryptography, e.g. encryption, authentication, key distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/25 Arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2747 Remote storage of video programs received via the downstream path, e.g. from the server
• 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 21/4335 Housekeeping operations, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; unloading stored programs G06F9/445; storage management in file systems G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90
• 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 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9205 the additional signal being at least another television signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a recording and reading apparatus constituting a kind of video reservoir in the home of the consumer. Thanks to a large-capacity storing technique with suitable technical means, broadcasters transmit numerous programs via specific channels and the consumer may control the content of his reservoir (by recording, reading and erasing programs). The invention is applicable to on-demand video in the consumer'"'"'s home with a video reservoir constituting a video-library that is regularly updated by broadcasters and/or by the consumer himself.

Claims

1. A method for constituting a personal multimedia datafile library, comprising:

downloading from one server, through a network, a first plurality of multimedia datafiles;

storing the first plurality of multimedia datafiles on a personal data carrier;

selecting a determined datafile among the stored multimedia datafiles;

enabling a payment mechanism to pay for the determined datafile so as to exploit a content of the determined datafile.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising locking the determined datafile such as to prevent the determined datafile to be erased from the data carrier.

3. The method according to claim 1 further comprising downloading a second plurality of multimedia datafiles, and storing the second plurality of multimedia datafiles on the data carrier.

4. The method according to claim 3 further comprising:

selecting an erasable multimedia datafile among the multimedia datafiles stored on the data carrier; and

erasing the selected erasable multimedia datafile prior to storing the second plurality of multimedia datafiles.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the storing of the first and the second plurality of multimedia datafiles is operated simultaneously.

6. Device for constituting a personal multimedia datafile library, comprising:

means of reception frequency selection enabling reception of one or more broadcasting channels simultaneously;

means of recording and reading a plurality of multimedia datafiles received through the broadcasting channels, including a data carrier and a writing head allowing to record received multimedia datafiles;

means for selection for selecting a determined multimedia datafile among the plurality of multimedia datafiles recorded on the data carrier;

means of payment for enabling a payment for the determined multimedia datafile; and

means of exploitation to exploit and or perform reading of a content of the determined datafile.

7. A device for constituting a personal multimedia datafile library according to claim 6 wherein the means of recording and reading multimedia datafiles comprises:

a recording medium in the form of at least one magnetic tape with N longitudinal parallel tracks (N=2);

a magnetic recording head composed of N×

M recording elements (M=1); and

a magneto-optic read head capable of reading the N tracks simultaneoysly.

8. The device for constituting a personal multimedia datafile library according to claim 7, further comprising:

means of control enabling the recording and reading of programs to be controlled independently.

9. The device for constituting a personal multimedia datafile library according to claim 6, wherein:

the means of payment comprises means of access control to enable reading of the determined datafile after identification of an access code.

10. The device for constituting a personal multimedia datafile according to claim 6, wherein:

the means of payment comprises a locking key generator to prevent a direct erasure of the recorded determined datafile.