System and method for incorporating previously broadcast content into program recording

• US 6,678,463 B1
• Filed: 08/02/2000
• Issued: 01/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: OpenTV, Inc. (Kudelski SA)
• Original Assignee: OpenTV Corp. (Kudelski SA)
• Inventors: Pierre, Ludovic, Hensgen, Debra
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUY THANH
• Application Number:
  US09/630,646
• Time in Patent Office: 1,259 Days
• Field of Search: 386/46, 386/83, 386/109, 386/112, 386/125, 386/126, 360/5, 369/30, 380/211
• US Class Current: 386/291
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21805 enabling multiple viewpoints, e.g. using a plurality of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4305 Synchronising client clock from received content stream, e.g. locking decoder clock with encoder clock, extraction of the PCR packets arrangements for synchronising receiver with transmitter by comparing receiver clock with transmitter clock H04L7/0012; arrangements for synchronising receiver with transmitter wherein the receiver takes measures against momentary loss of synchronisation H04L7/0083
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• 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 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• 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 21/439 Processing of audio elementary streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8227 the additional signal being at least another television signal

Abstract

A method and system for incorporating previously broadcast content into a program recording. The method includes receiving a broadcast containing a program and automatically recording the broadcast at the start of the program to store a first portion of the program in a first storage area. Space is allocated within a second storage area after the start of the program upon receiving a record command from a viewer. A second portion of the program is recorded in the allocated space of the second storage area and the first and second portions of the program are combined within the second storage area to create a recording of the program.

Claims

1. A method in a television system for incorporating previously broadcast material into a recording, the method comprising:

receiving a broadcast containing a program;

automatically storing a first portion of the received program;

receiving a request to record the program, wherein the request is received subsequent to storing the first portion;

automatically determining whether sufficient space is available for storing the program, wherein said determining is based at least in part on data included in the broadcast which indicates a duration of said program; and

storing a second portion of the program in response to receiving the request and determining sufficient space is available for storing the program.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the method further comprises storing a data structure which identifies the program.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the first portion and the second portion are stored in non-contiguous locations, the data structure identifies the respective locations of the non-contiguous first and second portions, and wherein the method further comprises playing the non-contiguously stored first and second portions as a single continuous stream.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein playing the stream comprises accessing the stored data structure to identify the locations of the first and second portions.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein in response to determining said sufficient space is not available, the method further comprises:

automatically de-fragmenting a plurality of non-contiguous locations to form a single contiguous location sufficient in size to store the program; and

storing the program in the contiguous location.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the method further comprises storing a data structure which identifies the program and the location of said contiguous location.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein in response to determining said sufficient space is not available on a storage device, said method further comprises automatically deleting a previously stored program from the storage device in order to create said sufficient space.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein said previously stored program comprises an oldest recording on the storage device.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said determining comprises:

detecting meta-data in said broadcast, wherein said meta-data is indicative of a maximum bit rate corresponding to the program; and

utilizing said maximum bit rate to calculate a minimum number of bits of storage required to store the program.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the average bit rate of the program is less than said maximum bit rate, and wherein the method further comprises freeing storage which was allocated for storage of the program but remains unused subsequent to storing the program.

11. A receiving device for recording a program comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a broadcast containing said program;

a storage device; and

a processor configured to;

automatically store a first portion of the received program;

receive a request to record the program, wherein the request is received subsequent to storing the first portion;

automatically determine whether sufficient space is available on said storage device for storing the program, wherein said determining is based at least in part on data included in the broadcast which indicates a duration of said program; and

store a second portion of the program in response to receiving the request and determining sufficient space is available for storing the program.

12. The receiving device as recited in claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to store a data structure which identifies the program.

13. The receiving device as recited in claim 12, wherein the first portion and the second portion are stored in non-contiguous locations on the storage device, the data structure identifies the respective locations of the non-contiguous first and second portions, and wherein the processor is further configured to initiate playback of the non-contiguously stored first and second portions as a single continuous stream.

14. The receiving device as recited in claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to access the stored data structure to identify the locations of the first and second portions for retrieval and playback.

15. The receiving device as recited in claim 11, wherein in response to determining said sufficient space is not available, the processor is further configured to:

automatically initiate de-fragmenting of a plurality of non-contiguous locations on the storage device to form a single contiguous location sufficient in size to store the program; and

store the program in the contiguous location.

16. The receiving device as recited in claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to store a data structure which identifies the program and the location of said contiguous location.

17. The receiving device as recited in claim 11, wherein in response to determining said sufficient space is not available on the storage device, said processor is further configured to automatically delete a previously stored program from the storage device in order to create said sufficient space.

18. The receiving device as recited in claim 17, wherein said previously stored program comprises an oldest recording on the storage device.

19. The receiving device as recited in claim 11, wherein in determining whether sufficient space is available, said processor is configured to:

detect meta-data in said broadcast, wherein said meta-data is indicative of a maximum bit rate corresponding to the program; and

utilize said maximum bit rate to calculate a minimum number of bits of storage required to store the program.

20. The receiving device as recited in claim 19, wherein the average bit rate of the program is less than said maximum bit rate, and wherein the processor is further configured to free storage which was allocated for storage of the program but remains unused subsequent to storing the program.

21. The receiving device as recited in claim 11, wherein said broadcast is conveyed from a head-end.

22. A method in a television system for incorporating previously broadcast material into a recording, the method comprising:

receiving a broadcast containing a program;

automatically storing a first portion of the received program;

receiving a request to record the program, wherein the request is received subsequent to storing the first portion;

automatically determining whether sufficient space is available for storing the program, wherein said determining is based at least in part on data included in the broadcast which indicates a maximum bit rate of said program; and

storing a second portion of the program in response to receiving the request and determining sufficient space is available for storing the program.

23. A receiving device for recording a program comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a broadcast containing said program;

a storage device; and

a processor configured to;

automatically store a first portion of the received program;

receive a request to record the program, wherein the request is received subsequent to storing the first portion;

automatically determine whether sufficient space is available on said storage device for storing the program, wherein said determining is based at least in part on data included in the broadcast which indicates a maximum bit rate of said program; and

store a second portion of the program in response to receiving the request and determining sufficient space is available for storing the program.