Method and system for extending recording

• US 7,356,246 B1
• Filed: 05/14/2001
• Issued: 04/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DIRECTV, LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Digital Networks North America, Inc. (DEI Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kobb, Michael J
• Primary Examiner(s): BOCCIO, VINCENT F
• Application Number:
  US09/855,813
• Time in Patent Office: 2,521 Days
• Field of Search: 386/46, 386/83, 386/52, 386/55, 725/37, 725/39, 725/58
• US Class Current: 386/291
• 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 21/42661 for reading from or writing on a magnetic storage medium, e.g. hard disk drive
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• 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 21/47217 for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/783 Adaptations for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate

Abstract

A digital video recorder (DVR) is user-configurable to start recording before a scheduled start of a program. The DVR displays an electronic program guide having a graphical indicator that the DVR is configured to start recording a program early. When a user commands the DVR to play back the recorded program, the DVR begins playing the program at the position corresponding to the scheduled start time, as opposed to the actual recording start time. If desired, the user can “rewind” the program and view the portions of the program recorded prior to the scheduled start time. The DVR can display a counter counting the time base for the recorded program. The counter displays time elapsed since the scheduled start time and counts portions of the program recorded before the scheduled start time as negative time.

Claims

1. A method of recording data, comprising:

establishing a scheduled start time to start recording the data;

recording the data, the recording starting at a time prior to the scheduled start time; and

responsive to a single command to play the recorded data, playing the recorded data starting with data recorded at the scheduled start time.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to receiving a command during playback of the data, playing back at least a portion of the data recorded prior to the scheduled start time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the recording step comprises the step of:

recording the data onto a random-access recording medium.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

displaying a counter indicating a time base for the recorded data.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the counter counts a time elapsed since the scheduled start time.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the counter counts data recorded between the record start and the scheduled start time as negative time.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

displaying a user interface allowing selection of a record start time prior to the scheduled start time;

wherein the recording step starts recording at the selected record start time.

8. A digital video recorder (DVR) for digitally recording video data, comprising:

a random-access recording medium;

an input for receiving the video data;

a processor for controlling the operation of the DVR; and

a program logic memory for storing program logic modules for execution by the processor, the modules comprising;

a module for establishing a scheduled start time to start recording the video data to the recording medium;

a module for recording the video data on the recording medium, the recording starting at a time prior to the scheduled start time; and

a module for playing back the recorded data responsive to a single command to play the recorded data received by the DVR, the playback starting with the data recorded at the scheduled start time.

9. The DVR of claim 8, wherein the modules further comprise:

a module for playing back at least a portion of the video data recorded prior to the scheduled start time responsive to a command received during playback of the recorded video data.

10. The DVR of claim 8, wherein the modules further comprise:

a module for displaying a user interface allowing selection of a recording start time prior to the scheduled start time;

wherein the module for recording the video data starts recording at the selected recording start time.

11. The DVR of claim 10, wherein the modules further comprise:

a module for displaying a graphical indication that a recording start time prior to the scheduled start time is selected.

12. The DVR of claim 8, wherein the modules further comprise:

a module for displaying a counter counting a time base for the recorded video data.

13. The DVR of claim 12, wherein the counter counts a time elapsed since the scheduled start time.

14. The DVR of claim 12, wherein the counter counts the time base of data recorded between the record start and the scheduled start time as negative time.

15. The DVR of claim 8, further comprising:

a channel guide database operatively coupled to the processor for storing channel guide data, wherein the scheduled start time is established responsive to the channel guide data.

16. The DVR of claim 15, wherein the channel guide data identifies programs and further comprising:

a criteria database operatively coupled to the processor for storing criteria for selecting one or more of the programs identified by the channel guide data, wherein the scheduled start time is established responsive to the one or more programs identified by the criteria database.

17. A computer program product comprising:

a computer-usable medium storing instructions executed by a computer controlling a digital video recorder (DVR), the DVR adapted to receive video data, the computer-readable code comprising;

a module establishing a scheduled time to start recording the video data;

a module recording the video data starting at a time prior to the scheduled start time; and

a module playing back the recorded data responsive to a single command to play the recorded data received by the DVR, the playback starting with the data recorded at the scheduled start time.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, the computer-readable code further comprising:

a module for playing back at least a portion of the video data recorded prior to the scheduled start time responsive to a command received during playback of the recorded video data.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, the computer-readable code further comprising:

a module for displaying a user interface allowing selection of a recording start time prior to the scheduled start time;

wherein the module for recording the video data starts recording at the selected recording start time.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, the computer-readable code further comprising:

a module for displaying a graphical indication that a recording start time prior to the scheduled start time is selected.

21. The computer program product of claim 17, the computer-readable code further comprising:

a module for displaying a counter counting a time base for the recorded video data.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the counter counts a time elapsed since the scheduled start time.

23. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the counter counts the time base of data recorded between the record start and the scheduled start time as negative time.

24. A method of recording data, comprising:

establishing a scheduled start time to start recording the data;

recording the data, the recording starting at a time prior to the scheduled start time;

responsive to a command to play the recorded data from a beginning, playing the recorded data starting with data recorded at the scheduled start time; and

,

displaying a counter indicating a time base for the recorded data, wherein the counter counts a time elapsed since the scheduled start time.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

responsive to receiving a command during playback of the data, playing back at least a portion of the data recorded prior to the scheduled start time.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the recording step comprises the step of:

recording the data onto a random-access recording medium.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the counter counts data recorded between the record start and the scheduled start time as negative time.

28. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of:

displaying a user interface allowing selection of a record start time prior to the scheduled start time;

wherein the recording step starts recording at the selected record start time.

29. A digital video recorder (DVR) for digitally recording video data, comprising:

a random-access recording medium;

an input for receiving the video data;

a processor for controlling the operation of the DVR, and

a program logic memory for storing program logic modules for execution by the processor, the modules comprising;

a module for establishing a scheduled start time to start recording the video data to the recording medium;

a module for recording the video data on the recording medium, the recording starting at a time prior to the scheduled start time;

a module for playing back the recorded data responsive to a command received by the DVR, the playback starting with the data recorded at the scheduled start time;

a module for displaying a counter counting a time base for the recorded video data, wherein the counter counts a time elapsed since the scheduled start time.

30. The DVR of claim 29, wherein the modules further comprise:

a module for displaying a user interface allowing selection of a recording start time prior to the scheduled start time;

wherein the module for recording the video data starts recording at the selected recording start time.

31. The DVR of claim 29, wherein the modules further comprise:

a module for displaying a graphical indication that a recording start time prior to the scheduled start time is selected.

32. The DVR of claim 29, wherein the counter counts the time base of data recorded between the record start and the scheduled start time as negative time.

33. The DVR of claim 29, further comprising:

a channel guide database operatively coupled to the processor for storing channel guide data, wherein the scheduled start time is established responsive to the channel guide data.

34. The DVR of claim 29, wherein the channel guide data identifies programs and further comprising:

a criteria database operatively coupled to the processor for storing criteria for selecting one or more of the programs identified by the channel guide data, wherein the scheduled start time is established responsive to the one or more programs identified by the criteria database.

35. A computer program product comprising:

a computer-usable medium storing instructions executed by a computer controlling a digital video recorder (DVR), the DVR adapted to receive video data, the computer-readable code comprising;

a module establishing a scheduled time to start recording the video data;

a module recording the video data starting at a time prior to the scheduled start time;

a module playing back the recorded data responsive to a command received by the DVR, the playback starting with the data recorded at the scheduled start time;

a module playing back at least a portion of the video data recorded prior to the scheduled start time responsive to a command received during playback of the recorded video data; and

,

a module displaying a counter counting a time base for the recorded video data, wherein the counter counts a time elapsed since the scheduled start time.

36. The computer program product of claim 35, the computer-readable code further comprising:

a module for displaying a user interface allowing selection of a recording start time prior to the scheduled start time;

wherein the module for recording the video data starts recording at the selected recording start time.

37. The computer program product of claim 35, the computer-readable code further comprising:

a module for displaying a graphical indication that a recording start time prior to the scheduled start time is selected.

38. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein the counter counts the time base of data recorded between the record start and the scheduled start time as negative time.