Networked personal video recording system

• US 7,603,022 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2003
• Issued: 10/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ROVI Product Corporation (Xperi Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Macrovision Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Putterman, Daniel, Dietrich, Brad, Freitas, Pedro, Grimm, James, Legrand, Ludovic, McCaffrey, Shawn, Jin, Lijia, Toeman, Jeremy, Novaes, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Thai
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zhao; Daquan
• Application Number:
  US10/613,470
• Publication Number:
  US 20050002640A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,295 Days
• Field of Search: 386/1, 386/45, 386/46, 386125-126, 725/74, 725/76, 725/78, 725 80- 83, 725/85
• US Class Current: 386/291
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/274 Storing end-user multimedia data in response to end-user request , e.g. network recorder
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• 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 21/4334 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 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43632 involving a wired protocol, e.g. IEEE 1394 high-speed IEEE 1394 serial bus H04L12/40052
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440281 by altering the temporal resolution, e.g. by frame skipping television signal recording using magnetic recording on tape for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate H04N5/783
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4583 Automatically resolving scheduling conflicts, e.g. when a recording by reservation has been programmed for two programs in the same time slot
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• 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 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

A networked personal video recording (“PVR”) system couples a plurality of clients to one or more PVR media servers over a network. One or more PVR media servers include television tuners to tune television signals. A storage medium buffers the television signals to implement PVR functionality. For example, the PVR media server records television programs for clients. Clients are assigned to television tuners, and the clients display television programs received at the assigned tuner. The network transfers the buffered television signals to the clients.

Claims

1. A method for networking a plurality of television recording devices, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving a plurality of television signals;

selecting a set of tuners from a plurality of tuners available on a home-based network, the selected set of tuners residing within the home-based network;

tuning each of said television signals in one of the tuners selected from the plurality of tuners;

buffering said television signals on a storage medium in at least one PVR media server, the PVR media server configured for maintaining a read position and a write position for the buffering,

the PVR media server residing within the home-based networks,

the buffering comprising a configurable type buffer that has a configurable size for permitting storage of a selectable time duration of the television signals,

the configurable type buffer for providing buffering of the television signals continuously by using the selectable time duration;

setting a set of boundary conditions for the read position and the write position;

generating an event when the read position falls behind the write position an amount greater than the buffer size;

advancing the read position in response to the generated event while the write position advanced as a television signal is received;

coupling a plurality of clients, over the home-based network, to said PVR media server;

assigning at least two of said clients to one or more of said tuners; and

transferring, over said home-based network, buffered television signals to said clients.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of tuning each of said television signals in one of a plurality of tuners comprises the step of tuning said television signals in a plurality of tuners located in a single PVR media server.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of tuning each of said television signals in one of a plurality of tuners comprises the step of tuning said television signals in a plurality of tuners located in plurality PVR media servers.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of buffering said television signals on a storage medium comprises the step of storing at least one television signal on a storage medium in at least one PVR media server for a client so as to record at least one television program for said client.

5. The method as set forth in claim 4, wherein the step of storing at least one television signal comprises the steps of:

assigning a tuner to said client;

allocating space on said storage medium to record said television program; and

storing said television signal on said storage medium during a time scheduled for said television program.

6. The method as set forth in claim 4, wherein the step of storing at least one television signal comprises the step of resolving any conflicts to assign an available tuner for said television signal.

7. The method as set forth in claim 6, wherein the step of resolving any conflicts to assign an available tuner for said television program comprises the steps of:

determining whether one of said tuners is available to receive said television signal;

if so, assigning said tuner to receive said television signal;

if not, determining which tuners are potentially available;

querying clients assigned to said tuners potentially available to determine whether said clients desire to cancel recordation of said television program; and

assigning a tuner potentially available to receive said television signal if no clients cancel recordation of said television program.

8. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

generating a. first position to identify a location within a selected one of said buffered television signals for a first client; and

generating a second position to identify a location within said selected buffered television signal for a second client, said second position being independent from said first position.

9. A system comprising:

a plurality of clients for displaying television signals;

at least one PVR media server coupled to receive a plurality of television signals, said PVR media server comprising;

a plurality of television tuners for tuning each of said television signals, so as to assign at least two of said clients to one or more of said tuners, thereby generating a set of assigned clients;

a storage medium, coupled to said television tuners, for buffering said television signals, the PVR media server configured for maintaining a read position and a write position for the buffering,

a configurable type buffer that has a configurable size for permitting storage of a selectable time duration of the television signals, the configurable type buffer for providing buffering of the television signals continuously by using the selectable time duration;

a set of boundary conditions for the read position and the write position, the boundary conditions for generating an event when the read position falls behind the write position an amount greater than the buffer size, the event configured for causing the read position to advance in response to the generated event while the write position advanced as a television signal is received; and

a home-based network for coupling said clients to said PVR media server and for transferring said buffered television signals to said assigned clients,

wherein the system is configured for selecting a set of tuners for tuning the received signals, wherein the selected set of tuners is located within the home-based network,

wherein the selected set of tuners are coupled to storage media for buffering the signals for the assigned clients, the storage media located within the home-based network.

10. The system as set forth in claim 9, wherein said at least one PVR media server comprises a single PVR media server comprising a plurality of tuners.

11. The system as set forth in claim 9, wherein said at least one PVR media server comprises a plurality of tuners located in a plurality of PVR media servers.

12. The system as set forth in claim 9, wherein said PVR media server further comprising storage medium for storing at least one television signal so as to record said television program.

13. The system as set forth in claim 12, wherein said system further comprises software for assigning a tuner to said client, for allocating space on said storage medium to record said television program, and for storing said television signal on said storage medium during a time scheduled for said television program.

14. The system as set forth in claim 12, wherein said system further comprises software for resolving any conflicts to assign an available tuner for said television signal.

15. The system as set forth in claim 14, further comprising software for determining whether one of said tuners is available to receive said television signal;

if so, for assigning said tuner to receive said television signal;

if not, for determining which tuners are potentially available, for querying clients assigned to said tuners potentially available to determine whether said clients desire to cancel recordation of said television program, and for assigning a tuner potentially available to receive said television signal if no clients cancel recordation of said television program.

16. The system as set forth in claim 12, further comprising software for generating a first position to identify a location within a selected one of said buffered television signals for a first client, and for generating a second position to identify a location within, said selected buffered television signal for a second client, said second position being independent from said first position.

17. A method of networking video recording devices, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of signals, thereby generating a set of received signals;

selecting a plurality of tuners located within a home-based network;

tuning the received signals by using the tuners selected within the home-based network;

coupling the tuners to a plurality of storage media located within the home-based network;

buffering the received signals by using a first storage medium in at least a first PVR media server thereby generating a set of buffered signals, the first PYR media server configured for maintaining a read position and a write position for the buffering,

the buffering comprising a configurable type buffer that has a configurable size for permitting storage of a selectable time duration of the television signals,

the configurable type buffer for providing buffering of the television signals continuously by using the selectable time duration,

the first PVR media server located within the home-based network;

setting a set of boundary conditions for the read position and the write position;

generating an event when the read position falls behind the write position an amount greater than the buffer size; and

advancing the read position in response to the generated event while the write position advanced as a television signal is received.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

selecting a first tuner for a first received signal, wherein the step of selecting comprises the step of resolving conflicts relating to the selecting, wherein the first tuner comprises an available tuner on the network;

coupling the first tuner to the first storage medium;

allocating space on the first storage medium to record received signals; and

storing the first received signal on the first storage medium during a predetermined time.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of resolving conflicts to select an available tuner comprises the steps of:

determining whether the first tuner is available to receive a signal;

if so, selecting the first tuner to receive the signal;

if not, determining a second tuner that is potentially available for selection;

determining whether the second tuner has assigned clients;

if the second tuner has assigned clients, querying the clients assigned to the second tuner to determine whether the assigned clients permit reassignment of the second tuner; and

if reassignment is permitted, selecting the second tuner to receive the received signal,

if reassignment is not permitted, then searching for a third tuner available for selection on the network.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

selecting tuners located within the first PVR media server within the network, the first PVR media server comprising a plurality of tuners;

coupling a plurality of clients, by using the network, to the first PVR media server;

assigning at least a first client and a second client to at least a first tuner and a second tuner; and

transferring, over the network, the buffered signals to the first and second clients.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of selecting a plurality of tuners located in a plurality of PVR media servers distributed over the network.