Composite buffering

• US 6,971,121 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2002
• Issued: 11/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tech 5 SAS
• Original Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta Incorporated (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rodriguez, Arturo A., West, John Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Srivastava, Vivek
• Application Number:
  US10/102,043
• Publication Number:
  US 20030110514A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,350 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N00.7/16, 725/131, 725/134, 725/139, 725/142, 725/151, 725/37, 725/38, 348/563, 348/564, 348/565, 348/731, 04/N
• US Class Current: 725/142
• 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 21/4263 involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44016 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for substituting a video clip
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/16 Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 involving data reduction

Abstract

A system is provided for managing and accessing media content received via a plurality of display channels and stored in a plurality of buffers in a storage device. The system associates the plurality of buffers with a composite buffer file.

Claims

1. A method for managing and accessing media content corresponding to a plurality of display channels and stored in a storage device coupled to a media client device in a subscriber television system, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving media content at the client device;

storing the media content in a plurality of tuner buffers in the storage device;

associating the plurality of tuner buffers with a composite buffer file;

associating each of the tuner buffers with a corresponding tuner buffer file; and

using the tuner buffer file for associating with the tuner buffer that is storing the currently tuned recorded media content, while using the composite buffer file for associating with the media content from a plurality of surfed display channels.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of accessing and displaying the media content stored among the plurality of tuner buffers from the composite buffer file.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of enabling a user to select the media content from a display of media content instance titles associated with the media content stored in the plurality of tuner buffers and associated with the composite buffer file.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of associating the plurality of tuner buffers with a composite buffer file comprises the step of associating the composite buffer file with the tuner buffers after a threshold is substantially attained.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the threshold includes at least one of viewing time, storage device disk space consumed for the download of the media content, and priority as determined by a user.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of dissociating at least a portion of the tuner buffer file from the tuner bufferafter an event corresponding to at least one of a first display channel change, a second display channel change, and a substantial consumption of tuner buffer capacity.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of using the plurality of tuner buffers for a plurality of tuners.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of associating the tuner buffer file with the tuner buffers after a threshold is substantially attained.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the threshold includes at least one of viewing time, storage device disk space consumed for the download of the media content, and priority as determined by a user.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a user with a user interface screen configured to enable the user to select from which of the buffer files to view the media content.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of configuring the composite buffer file to exclude the media content based on at least one of media content instance rating, media content instance content, existence in a blocked display channel list, and existence in a locked display channel list.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of reading interactive program guide data to determine the rating and the content of the media content.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of using one of the plurality of tuner buffers for signals received from an external media source and associating the one of the tuner buffers with the composite buffer file.

14. A method for managing and accessing media content corresponding to a plurality of display channels and stored in a plurality of tuner buffers on a storage device, the storage device coupled to a media client device in a subscriber television system, said method comprising the steps of:

associating each of the tuner buffers with a corresponding tuner buffer file;

associating the tuner buffers with a composite buffer file;

accessing and displaying the media content received from the plurality of display channels from the composite buffer file; and

using the tuner buffer file for associating with the tuner buffer that is that is storing the currently tuned recorded media content, while using the composite buffer file for associating with the tuner buffer that is storing the media content received from a plurality of surfed display channels.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the steps of accessing and displaying comprises the step of enabling a user to select the media content from a display of media content instance titles associated with the media content stored in the tuner buffers and associated with the composite buffer file.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of associating the tuner buffers with a composite buffer file comprises the step of associating the composite buffer file and the tuner buffer file after a threshold is substantially attained.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the threshold includes at least one of viewing time, storage device disk space consumed for the download of the media content, and priority as determined by a user.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of dissociating at least a portion of the tuner buffer file from the corresponding tuner buffer after an event corresponding to at least one of a first display channel change, a second display channel change, and a substantial consumption of tuner buffer capacity.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of using the tuner buffers for a plurality of tuners.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of accessing and displaying comprises the step of providing a user with a user interface screen configured to enable the user to select from which of the buffer files to view the media content.

21. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of configuring the composite buffer file to exclude the media content based on at least one of media content instance rating, media content instance content, existence in a blocked display channel list, and existence in a locked display channel list.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of reading interactive program guide data to determine the rating and the content of the media content.

23. The method of claim 14, further comprising the steps of using one of the tuner buffers for signals received from an external media source and associating the one of the tuner buffers with the composite buffer file.

24. A method for managing and accessing media content corresponding to a plurality of display channels and stored in a plurality of tuner buffers on a storage device, the storage device coupled to a media client device in a subscriber television system, said method comprising the steps of:

using a plurality of tuner buffers for a plurality of tuners that receive media content from a plurality of display channels;

associating each of the tuner buffers with a corresponding tuner buffer file;

associating the plurality of tuner buffers with a composite buffer file;

associating the composite buffer file and the tuner buffer file after a threshold is substantially attained, wherein the threshold includes at least one of viewing time, storage device disk space consumed for the download of the media content, and priority as determined by a user;

accessing and displaying the media content received from the plurality of display channels from the composite buffer file, wherein the step of accessing further includes selecting the media content from a display of media content instance titles associated with the media content stored in the plurality of tuner buffers and associated with the composite buffer file, and accessing and displaying the media content stored in one of the tuner buffers with the corresponding tuner buffer file;

using the tuner buffer file for associating with the tuner buffer that is storing the currently tuned recorded media content, while using the composite buffer file for associating with the tuner buffer that is storing the media content received from a plurality of surfed display channels;

configuring the composite buffer file to exclude the media content based on at least one of media content instance rating, media content instance content, existence in a blocked display channel list, and existence in a locked display channel list;

reading interactive program guide data to determine the rating and the content of the media content;

using one of the plurality of tuner buffers for signals received from an external media source and associating the one of the tuner buffers with the composite buffer file; and

providing a user with a user interface screen configured to enable the user to select from which of the buffer files to view the media content.

25. A system for managing and accessing media content corresponding to a plurality of display channels and stored in a plurality of tuner buffers on a storage device, the storage device coupled to a media client device in a subscriber television system, said system comprising:

a memory with logic; and

a processor configured with the logic to associate the plurality of tuner buffers with a composite buffer file, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to associate each of the tuner buffers with a corresponding tuner buffer file, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to use the tuner buffer file for associating with the tuner buffer that is storing the currently tuned recorded media content, while use the composite buffer file for associating with the media content received from a plurality of surfed display channels.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to access and display the media content stored among the plurality of tuner buffers from the composite buffer file.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to enable a user to select the media content from a display of media content instance titles associated with the media content stored in the plurality of tuner buffers and associated with the composite buffer file.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to associate the composite buffer file with the tuner buffers after a threshold is substantially attained.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the threshold includes at least one of viewing time, storage device disk space consumed for the download of the media content, and priority as determined by a user.

30. The system of claim 25, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to dissociate at least a portion of the tuner buffer file from the tuner buffer after an event corresponding to at least one of a first display channel change, a second display channel change, and a substantial consumption of tuner buffer capacity.

31. The system of claim 25, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to use the plurality of tuner buffers for a plurality of tuners.

32. The system of claim 25, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to associate the tuner buffer file with the tuner buffers after a threshold is substantially attained.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the threshold includes at least one of viewing time, storage device disk space consumed for the download of the media content, and priority as determined by a user.

34. The system of claim 25, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to provide a user with a user interface screen configured to enable the user to select from which of the buffer files to view the media content.

35. The system of claim 25, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to configure the composite buffer file to exclude media content based on at least one of media content instance rating, media content instance content, existence in a blocked display channel list, and existence in a locked display channel list.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to read interactive program guide data to determine the rating and the content of the media content.

37. The system of claim 25, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to use one of the plurality of tuner buffers for signals received from an external media source and associating the one of the tuner buffers with the composite buffer file.

38. A system for managing and accessing media content corresponding to a plurality of display channels and stored in a plurality of tuner buffers on a storage device, the storage device coupled to a media client device in a subscriber television system, said system comprising:

a memory with logic; and

a processor configured with the logic to associate each of the tuner buffers with a corresponding tuner buffer file, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to associate the tuner buffers with a composite buffer file, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to access and display the media content received from the plurality of display channels from the composite buffer file, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to use the tuner buffer file for associating with the tuner buffer that is storing currently tuned recorded media content, and use the composite buffer file for associating with the media content received from a plurality of surfed display channels.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to enable the user to select the media content from a display of media content instance titles associated with the media content stored in the tuner buffers and associated with the composite buffer file.

40. The system of claim 38, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to associate the composite buffer file and the tuner buffer file after a threshold is substantially attained.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the threshold includes at least one of viewing time, storage device disk space consumed for the download of the media content, and priority as determined by a user.

42. The system of claim 38, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to dissociate at least a portion of the tuner buffer file from the corresponding tuner bufferafter an event corresponding to at least one of a first display channel change, a second display channel change, and a substantial consumption of tuner buffer capacity.

43. The system of claim 38, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to use the plurality of the tuner buffers for a plurality of tuners.

44. The system of claim 38, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to provide a user with a user interface screen configured to enable the user to select from which of the buffer files to view the media content.

45. The system of claim 38, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to configure the composite buffer file to exclude media content based on at least one of media content instance rating, media content instance content, existence in a blocked display channel list, and existence in a locked display channel list.

46. The system of claim 45, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to read interactive program guide data to determine the rating and the content of the media content.

47. The system of claim 38, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to use one of the plurality of tuner buffers for signals received from an external media source and associating the one of the tuner buffers with the composite buffer file.

48. A system for managing and accessing media content corresponding to a plurality of display channels and stored in a plurality of tuner buffers on a storage device, the storage device coupled to a media client device in a subscriber television system, said system comprising:

a memory with logic; and

a processor configured with the logic to use a plurality of tuner buffers for a plurality of tuners that receive media content from a plurality of display channels, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to associate each of the tuner buffers with a corresponding tuner buffer file, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to associate the plurality of tuner buffers with a composite buffer file, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to associate the composite buffer file and the tuner buffer file after a threshold is substantially attained, wherein the threshold includes at least one of viewing time, storage device disk space consumed for the download of the media content, and priority as determined by a user, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to access and display the media content received from the plurality of display channels from the composite buffer file, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to select the media content from a display of media content instance titles associated with the media content stored in the plurality of tuner buffers and associated with the composite buffer file, and access and display the media content stored in one of the tuner buffers with the corresponding tuner buffer file, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to use the tuner buffer file for associating with the tuner buffer that is storing currently tuned recorded media content, while using the composite buffer file for associating with the tuner buffer that is storing the media content received from a plurality of surfed display channels, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to dissociate at least a portion of the tuner buffer file from the corresponding tuner buffer after an event corresponding to at least one of a first display channel change, a second display channel change, and a substantial consumption of tuner buffer capacity, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to provide a user with a user interface screen configured to enable the user to select from which of the buffer files to view the media content, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to configure the composite buffer file to exclude media content based on at least one of media content instance rating, media content instance content, existence in a blocked display channel list, and existence in a locked display channel list, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to read interactive program guide data to determine the rating and the content of the media content, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to use one of the plurality of tuner buffers for signals received from an external media source and associating the one of the tuner buffers with the composite buffer file.