Remote broadcast recording

• US 7,130,623 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2003
• Issued: 10/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Kirkeby, Ole, Pyhälammi, Seppo
• Primary Examiner(s): VO, NGUYEN THANH
• Application Number:
  US10/417,230
• Publication Number:
  US 20040209592A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,293 Days
• Field of Search: 455418-420, 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455/550.1, 455/66.1, 725/38, 725/61, 725/62
• US Class Current: 455/420
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/37 for identifying segments of broadcast information, e.g. scenes or extracting programme ID
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/43 for identifying broadcast channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/58 of audio determination or detection of speech characteristics in general G10L25/00; speech recognition in general G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/91 Mobile communication networks for accessing the Internet H04H60/85
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality

Abstract

A mobile communication terminal allows a user to receive broadcast programming. A separate recording unit, which can be remote from the communication terminal, records that programming. One or more signals from the mobile terminal identify the broadcast frequency to which the mobile terminal is tuned and cause the recording unit to tune to the identified broadcast frequency. The signals from the mobile terminal also cause the recording unit to record at least a portion of a program being broadcast on the frequency to which the mobile terminal is tuned. The recording unit may buffer portions of broadcast programming being received on the identified frequency. A portion of the buffer contents can subsequently be transmitted to the mobile terminal, permitting the terminal user to replay the portion and identify a start point for the broadcast program. A signal from the mobile terminal can also cause the recording unit to automatically identify the start point in the buffer contents. After the start point is identified by the user or automatically by the recording unit, the recording unit is able to record substantially an entire broadcast program that is identified by the user after the program begins.

Claims

1. A method of remotely storing broadcast programming received by a mobile communication terminal, comprising:

receiving a broadcast program on a mobile communication terminal; and

transmitting one or more signals from the mobile communication terminal, the signals;

identifying a broadcast frequency on which the broadcast program is received by the mobile terminal,

causing a recording unit to tune to the broadcast frequency, and

causing the recording unit to record at least a portion of the broadcast program.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting one or more signals comprises transmitting an activation signal, and wherein the activation signal identifies the broadcast frequency and causes the recording unit to tune to the broadcast frequency.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising transmitting a stop recording signal automatically upon deactivation of the mobile terminal, the stop recording signal causing the recording unit to cease recording the at least a portion of the broadcast program.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

tuning the mobile terminal to a second broadcast frequency; and

transmitting a second activation signal, the second activation signal identifying the second broadcast frequency and causing the recording unit to tune to the second broadcast frequency.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more signals further comprise a recording signal, wherein the activation signal further causes the recording unit to commence writing programming received on the broadcast frequency into a buffer, and wherein the recording signal indicates that a portion of the buffer contents are to be stored in a separate memory location.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving at the mobile communication terminal a portion of the buffer contents;

identifying within the buffer contents portion a starting point for the at least a portion of a broadcast program; and

transmitting a second recording signal containing the starting point.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising transmitting a stop recording signal, the stop recording signal indicating to the recording unit that no additional portions of the broadcast program are to be stored in the separate memory location.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the recording signal is transmitted after commencement of the at least a portion of a broadcast program, and wherein the recording signal causes the recording unit to identify a start point in the buffer contents, the start point corresponding to the commencement of the at least a portion of a broadcast program.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the recording signal further causes the recording unit to store in the separate memory location buffer contents written subsequent to the writing of the start point.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the recording signal causes the recording unit to identify the conclusion of the at least a portion of a broadcast program, and

the recording signal causes the recording unit to store in the separate memory location substantially the entire at least a portion of a broadcast program.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying a broadcast frequency comprises determining that the mobile communication terminal has been tuned to the frequency for a predetermined time period.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a transfer signal causing the recording unit to transfer the recorded at least a portion of the broadcast program to a second recording unit.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein sending a transfer signal comprises sending a signal indicative of the mobile communication terminal no longer operating within a first wireless network, and wherein the transfer signal causes the recording unit to transfer the recorded at least a portion of the broadcast program to a second recording unit in a second wireless network.

14. A mobile communication terminal, comprising:

a communications interface adapted to provide two-way communication via a wireless network between the mobile communication terminal and other locations;

an input device;

a receiver for tuning to broadcast radio frequencies and receiving broadcast programming; and

a processor configured to transmit, via the communications interface, one or more signals;

identifying a broadcast frequency on which a broadcast program is being received by the mobile terminal,

causing a recording unit to tune to the broadcast frequency, and

causing the recording unit to record at least a portion of the broadcast program.

15. The mobile communication terminal of claim 14, wherein the one or more signals comprise an activation signal, and wherein the activation signal identifies the broadcast frequency and causes the recording unit to tune to the broadcast frequency.

16. The mobile communication terminal of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to transmit a stop recording signal automatically upon deactivation of the mobile terminal, the stop recording signal causing the recording unit to cease recording the at least a portion of the broadcast program.

17. The mobile communication terminal of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured, upon tuning the receiver to a second broadcast frequency, to transmit a second activation signal, the second activation signal identifying the second broadcast frequency and causing the recording unit to tune to the second broadcast frequency.

18. The mobile communication terminal of claim 15, wherein the one or more signals further comprise a recording signal, wherein the activation signal further causes the recording unit to commence writing programming received on the broadcast frequency into a buffer, and wherein the recording signal indicates that a portion of the buffer contents are to be stored in a separate memory location.

19. The mobile communication terminal of claim 18, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a portion of the buffer contents;

identify, in response to a user instruction and from within the buffer contents portion, a starting point for the at least a portion of a broadcast program; and

transmit a second recording signal containing the starting point.

20. The mobile communication terminal of claim 19, wherein the processor is further configured to transmit a stop recording signal upon receipt of a user instruction, the stop recording signal indicating to the recording unit that no additional portions of the broadcast program are to be stored in the separate memory location.

21. The mobile communication terminal of claim 18, wherein the processor is configured to transmit a play signal causing at least a portion of a broadcast program stored in the separate memory location to be played by the mobile communication terminal.

22. The mobile communication terminal of claim 18, wherein the processor is configured to transmit the recording signal after commencement of the at least a portion of a broadcast program, and wherein the recording signal causes the recording unit to automatically identify a start point in the buffer contents, the start point corresponding to the commencement of the at least a portion of a broadcast program.

23. The mobile communication terminal of claim 22, wherein the recording signal further causes the recording unit to store in the separate memory location buffer contents written subsequent to the writing of the start point.

24. The mobile communication terminal of claim 22, wherein:

the recording signal causes the recording unit to automatically identify the conclusion of the at least a portion of a broadcast program, and

the recording signal causes the recording unit to automatically store in the separate memory location substantially the entire at least a portion of a broadcast program.

25. The mobile communication terminal of claim 18, wherein the processor is configured to transmit multiple types of recording signals, and wherein the processor is further configured to:

transmit a manual recording signal, the manual recording signal causing transmission of at least a portion of the buffer contents to the mobile communication terminal,

replay on the mobile communication terminal, in response to a user instruction, a portion of the at least a portion of a broadcast program corresponding to the portion of the buffer contents,

transmit, in response to a user instruction, a second manual recording signal containing a starting point for the at least a portion of a broadcast program from within the buffer contents portion, and

transmit an automatic recording signal after commencement of a broadcast program, the automatic recording signal causing the recording unit to automatically identify a start point in the buffer contents.

26. The mobile communication terminal of claim 14, wherein the processor is configured to identify a broadcast frequency based upon the receiver being tuned to the frequency for a predetermined time period.

27. A recording unit for remotely recording broadcast programming in response to signals received from a mobile communication terminal, comprising:

an interface adapted to provide a communication link to a wireless communication network;

a receiver for tuning to broadcast radio frequencies and receiving broadcast programming;

a memory; and

a processor configured to, in response to one or more signals transmitted by a mobile communication terminal via the wireless communication network;

determine a broadcast frequency from at least one of the one or more signals on which the mobile communication terminal received a broadcast program,

tune the receiver to the broadcast frequency identified by the mobile communication terminal, and

store in the memory at least a portion of the broadcast program being transmitted on the broadcast frequency.

28. The recording unit of claim 27, wherein the one or more signals comprise an activation signal, and wherein the processor is configured to tune to the identified broadcast frequency in response the activation signal.

29. The recording unit of claim 28, wherein the memory comprises a buffer memory, and wherein the processor is configured to commence, in response to the activation signal, writing programming received on the broadcast frequency into the buffer memory.

30. The recording unit of claim 29, wherein the one or more signals further comprise first and second recording signals, and wherein the processor is further configured to:

transmit to the mobile communication terminal, in response to the first recording signal and via the communication link, a portion of the buffer memory contents, and

mark, in the buffer memory and in response to the second recording signal, a starting point for the at least a portion of a broadcast program.

31. The recording unit of claim 29, wherein the processor is further configured to automatically identify, in response to a recording signal transmitted by the mobile communication terminal subsequent to commencement of the at least a portion of a broadcast program, a start point in the buffer memory contents, the start point corresponding to the commencement of the at least a portion of a broadcast program.

32. The recording unit of claim 31, wherein the memory further includes a storage memory, and wherein the processor is further configured to automatically store in the storage memory a portion of the buffer memory contents written subsequent to the writing of the start point.

33. The recording unit of claim 31, wherein the memory further includes a storage memory, and wherein the processor is further configured to:

automatically identify the conclusion of the at least a portion of a broadcast program, and

store in the storage memory substantially the entire at least a portion of a broadcast program.

34. A machine-readable medium having machine-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

receiving one or more signals from a mobile communication terminal via a wireless communication network, wherein the one or more signals includes a broadcast frequency on which the mobile communication terminal is receiving a broadcast program;

tuning, in response to the one or more signals transmitted by the mobile communication terminal, a receiver of a recording unit to the broadcast frequency identified by the one or more signals; and

storing in a memory at least a portion of the broadcast program being transmitted on the identified broadcast frequency.

35. The machine-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the one or more signals comprise an activation signal, and wherein tuning the receiver comprises tuning to the identified broadcast frequency in response the activation signal.

36. The machine-readable medium of claim 35, wherein storing in a memory comprises writing programming received on the identified broadcast frequency into a buffer memory.

37. The machine-readable medium of claim 36, comprising further machine-executable instructions for performing the steps of:

transmitting to the mobile communication terminal via a communication link to the wireless network, in response to a first recording signal from the mobile communication terminal, a portion of the buffer memory contents; and

marking, in the buffer memory and in response to a second recording signal from the mobile communication terminal, a starting point for the at least a portion of a broadcast program.

38. The machine-readable medium of claim 36, comprising further machine-executable instructions for performing the step of automatically identifying, in response to a recording signal transmitted by the mobile communication terminal subsequent to commencement of the at least a portion of a broadcast program, a start point in the buffer memory contents, the start point corresponding to the commencement of the at least a portion of a broadcast program.

39. The machine-readable medium of claim 38, comprising further machine-executable instructions for performing the step of automatically storing in a storage memory a portion of the buffer memory contents written subsequent to the writing of the start point.

40. The machine-readable medium of claim 38, comprising further machine-executable instructions for performing the steps of:

automatically identifying the conclusion of the at least a portion of a broadcast program, and

storing in a storage memory substantially the entire at least a portion of a broadcast program.

41. A system for remotely recording audio broadcasts, comprising:

a mobile communication terminal, including;

a communications interface adapted to provide two-way communication between the mobile communication terminal and other locations via a wireless communication network,

an input device,

a receiver for tuning to broadcast radio frequencies and receiving a broadcast program broadcast on one of the frequencies, and

a processor configured to;

transmit an activation signal identifying a broadcast frequency to which the terminal receiver is tuned and on which the terminal receiver is receiving the broadcast program,

transmit a first manual recording signal,

replay a portion of the broadcast program received in response to the first manual recording signal,

transmit a second manual recording signal identifying the broadcast program start point within the replayed portion,

transmit a stop recording signal, and

transmit an automatic recording signal; and

a recording unit for remotely recording broadcast programming received by the mobile communication terminal and in response to signals received from the mobile communication terminal, the recording unit including;

an interface adapted to provide a communication link to the wireless communication network,

a receiver for tuning to broadcast radio frequencies and receiving the broadcast program,

a buffer memory,

a storage memory, and

a processor configured to;

tune the recording unit receiver to the broadcast frequency identified in the activation signal,

commence, in response to the activation signal, writing at least a portion of the broadcast program into the buffer memory,

transmit to the mobile communication terminal, in response to the first manual recording signal and via the communication link, a portion of the buffer memory contents,

mark in the buffer memory contents, in response to the second manual recording signal, the starting point of the broadcast program,

identify in the buffer memory contents, in response to the automatic recording signal, a start point of the broadcast program,

identify the conclusion of the broadcast program, and

store in the storage memory substantially the entire broadcast program.