Dynamic pause buffer sizing

• US 7,640,566 B1
• Filed: 05/06/2002
• Issued: 12/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Taylor, Thomas H., Potrebic, Peter J., Cheng, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shang; Annan Q
• Application Number:
  US10/139,906
• Time in Patent Office: 2,794 Days
• Field of Search: 725 37- 61, 725 88- 90, 725/134, 725/142, 386/1, 386/45, 386/83, 386/125, 386/126
• US Class Current: 725/88
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4333 Processing operations in response to a pause request
• 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

Abstract

Memory is allocated to record a program being broadcast proportional to its remainder in a client device having a processor in communication with a receiver. The processor executes an application to allocate space in the memory to record the remainder of the broadcast of the program being received by the receiver that has a predetermined time length. The executing application obtains the predetermined time length from the broadcast received by the receiver and derives the remainder of the broadcast of the program from the present time and the predetermined time length obtained from the broadcast. The space can be logically erased prior to its allocation. A video recorder records the broadcast of the program being received by the receiver in the space in the memory. A video playback device plays back the recorded broadcast of the program from the space in the memory.

Claims

1. A client device having a memory device storing a plurality of EPG entries each corresponding to a television program of a predetermined time length presently being broadcast on a channel, the client device comprising:

means for selecting a first EPG entry having a corresponding first television program on a corresponding first channel of a broadcast network;

means for determining, from the present time and the predetermined time length of the first television program, a first residual time length that the first television program will be broadcast on the first channel of the broadcast network;

means for estimating a first amount of memory in the memory device sufficient to record the first television program for the first residual time length;

means for logically erasing from the memory device any prerecorded portions therein sufficient to provide the first amount of the memory;

means for receiving, and for outputting a display of, the broadcast of the first television program on the first channel of the broadcast network;

means for recording, for the first residual time length, the first television program in the first amount of the memory in the memory device;

means for stopping, at a first time during the recording of the first television program, the output of the display of the broadcast of the first television program, wherein a first portion of the first amount of memory stores an outputted portion of the first television program, the outputted portion beginning from the start of the recording of the first television program and ending at the first time, and wherein a second portion of the first amount of memory stores an un-outputted portion of the first television program beginning from the first time, wherein the second portion of the first amount of memory comprises at least one byte;

means for selecting a second said EPG entry chronologically following the first said EPG entry and having a corresponding second television program of a predetermined time length being broadcast on a second channel;

means for estimating a second amount of memory in the memory device sufficient to record the predetermined time length of the second television program;

means for logically erasing from the memory device the first portion of the first amount of memory without logically erasing from the memory device the second portion of the first amount of memory;

means for receiving the broadcast of the second television program on the second channel of the broadcast network;

means for recording the second television program in the second amount of memory in the memory device;

means for outputting, after said stopping, the display of the broadcast of the first television program from a play back of the first television program in the second portion of the first amount of the memory in the memory device from a corresponding point therein equal to or chronologically forward of the first time;

means for logically erasing from the memory device parts of the second portion of the first amount of memory corresponding to parts of the first television program that have been played back; and

means for forming a diagnostic corresponding to that which is logically erased by the means for logical erasing of the second portion of the first amount of memory, the diagnostic communicating that the first television program will be erased as it is viewed.

2. The client device as defined in claim 1, wherein the means for logically erasing from the memory device erases any prerecorded portions thereof sufficient to provide the second amount of memory in the memory device.

3. The client device as defined in claim 1, wherein the means for outputting after said stopping and the means for logically erasing of the second portion of the first amount of memory perform substantially simultaneously.

4. The client device as defined in claim 1, wherein the second portion of the first amount of memory has a predetermined time length.

5. The client device as defined in claim 1, wherein forming the diagnostic further comprises means for outputting the diagnostic in a visible display characterizing an availability of the portion of the first television program stored in the second portion of the first amount of memory for a playback thereof.

6. The client device as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

means for fast-forwarding, after said stopping, the display of the broadcast of the first television program from a play back of the first television program in the first amount of the memory in the memory device from a corresponding point therein equal to or chronologically forward of the first time; and

means for logically erasing from the memory device the portion of the recording broadcast that has been fast-forwarded after said stopping.

7. The client device as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

means for playing, after said stopping, the display of the broadcast of the first television program from a play back of the first television program in the first amount of the memory in the memory device from a corresponding point therein equal to or chronologically forward of the first time; and

means for logically erasing from the memory device the portion of the recording broadcast that has been played after said stopping.

8. In a client device having a memory device storing a plurality of EPG entries each corresponding to a television program of a predetermined time length presently being broadcast on a channel, a receiver for receiving any said television program having a corresponding said EPG entry, and a video recorder for recording any received said television program, a method comprising:

selecting a first EPG entry having a corresponding first television program on a corresponding first channel of a broadcast network;

determining, from the present time and the predetermined time length of the first television program, a first residual time length that the first television program will be broadcast on the first channel of the broadcast network;

estimating a first amount of memory in the memory device sufficient to record the first television program for the first residual time length;

logically erasing from the memory device any prerecorded portions therein sufficient to provide the first amount of the memory;

receiving, and outputting a display of, the broadcast of the first television program on the first channel of the broadcast network;

recording, for the first residual time length, the first television program in the first amount of the memory in the memory device;

stopping, at a first time during the recording of the first television program, the output of the display of the broadcast of the first television program, wherein a first portion of the first amount of memory stores an outputted portion of the first television program from the beginning of the recording of the first television program to the first time, and wherein a second portion of the first amount of memory stores an un-outputted portion of the first television program beginning from the first time, and wherein the second portion of the first amount of memory comprises at least one byte;

selecting a second said EPG entry chronologically following the first said EPG entry and having a corresponding second television program of a predetermined time length being broadcast on a second channel;

estimating a second amount of memory in the memory device sufficient to record the predetermined time length of the second television program;

logically erasing from the memory device the first portion of the first amount of memory without logically erasing from the memory device the second portion of the first amount of memory;

receiving the broadcast of the second television program on the second channel of the broadcast network;

recording the second television program in the second amount of memory in the memory device with the video recorder; and

outputting, after said stopping, the display of the broadcast of the first television program from a play back of the first television program in the first amount of the memory in the memory device from a corresponding point therein equal to or chronologically forward of the first time;

logically erasing from the memory device the second portion of the first amount of memory corresponding to the play back thereof; and

forming a diagnostic corresponding to the logical erasing of the second portion of the first amount of memory, the diagnostic communicating the first television recording will be deleted to reclaim memory for use recording the second television program.

9. The method as defined in claim 8, further comprising:

outputting for display a diagnostic characterizing any said television program recorded by the video recorder that is stored in the memory device; and

receiving an input instruction to prevent logical erasure of one said television program recorded by the video recorder that is stored in the memory device and that corresponds to any said television program in the diagnostic.

10. The method as defined in claim 9, further comprising forming an indicator to mark the any said television program in the diagnostic as a portion of the memory device that is not be logically erased.

11. The method as defined in claim 8 wherein the logically erasing from the memory device further comprises:

any prerecorded first portions of the first amount of memory sufficient to provide the second amount of memory in the memory device.

12. The method as defined in claim 8, wherein the outputting after said stopping and the logically erasing of the second portion of the first amount of memory are substantially simultaneous.

13. The method as defined in claim 8, wherein the second portion of the first amount of memory has a predetermined time length.

14. The method as defined in claim 8, wherein forming the diagnostic further comprises outputting the diagnostic in a visible display characterizing an availability of the portion of the first television program stored in the second portion of the first amount of memory for a playback thereof.

15. One or more computer-readable storage media comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, direct a computing system to perform the method of claim 8.

16. One or more computer-readable storage media comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed on one or more processors, perform acts comprising:

selecting a first EPG from a plurality of EPG entries each corresponding to a television program of a predetermined time length presently being broadcast on a channel, the entry having a corresponding first television program on a corresponding first channel of a broadcast network;

determining, from the present time and the predetermined time length of the first television program, a first residual time length that the first television program will be broadcast on the first channel of the broadcast network;

estimating a first amount of memory in the memory device sufficient to record the first television program for the first residual time length;

logically erasing from the memory device any prerecorded portions therein sufficient to provide the first amount of the memory;

receiving, and outputting a display of, the broadcast of the first television program on the first channel of the broadcast network;

recording, for the first residual time length, the first television program in the first amount of the memory in the memory device;

stopping, at a first time during the recording of the first television program, the output of the display of the broadcast of the first television program, wherein a first portion of the first amount of memory stores an outputted portion of the first television program from the beginning of the recording of the first television program to the first time, and wherein a second portion of the first amount of memory stores an un-outputted portion of the first television program beginning from the first time, and wherein the second portion of the first amount of memory comprises at least one byte;

selecting a second said EPG entry chronologically following the first said EPG entry and having a corresponding second television program of a predetermined time length being broadcast on a second channel;

estimating a second amount of memory in the memory device sufficient to record the predetermined time length of the second television program;

logically erasing from the memory device the first portion of the first amount of memory without logically erasing from the memory device the second portion of the first amount of memory;

receiving the broadcast of the second television program on the second channel of the broadcast network;

recording the second television program in the second amount of memory in the memory device;

outputting, after said stopping, the display of the broadcast of the first television program from a play back of the first television program in the first amount of the memory in the memory device from a corresponding point therein equal to or chronologically forward of the first time;

logically erasing from the memory device the second portion of the first amount of memory corresponding to the play back of the first television program; and

forming a diagnostic corresponding to the logical erasing of the second portion of the first amount of memory, the diagnostic communicating a pause buffer inventory stored in the first amount of memory.

17. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 16, wherein the logically erasing from the memory device further comprises:

logically erasing any prerecorded first portions of the first amount of memory sufficient to provide the second amount of memory in the memory device.

18. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 16, wherein the outputting after said stopping and the logically erasing of the second portion of the first amount of memory are substantially simultaneous.

19. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 16, wherein the second portion of the first amount of memory has a predetermined time length.

20. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 16, wherein forming the diagnostic further comprises outputting the diagnostic in a visible display characterizing an availability of the portion of the first television program stored in the second portion of the first amount of memory for a playback thereof.

21. A system comprising:

one or more computer-readable storage media;

one or more processors; and

computer-readable instructions on the computer-readable storage media which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to implement a method comprising;

selecting a first EPG from a plurality of EPG entries each corresponding to a television program of a predetermined time length presently being broadcast on a channel, the entry having a corresponding first television program on a corresponding first channel of a broadcast network;

determining, from the present time and the predetermined time length of the first television program, a first residual time length that the first television program will be broadcast on the first channel of the broadcast network;

estimating a first amount of memory in the memory device sufficient to record the first television program for the first residual time length;

logically erasing from the memory device any prerecorded portions therein sufficient to provide the first amount of the memory;

receiving, and outputting a display of, the broadcast of the first television program on the first channel of the broadcast network;

recording, for the first residual time length, the first television program in the first amount of the memory in the memory device;

stopping, at a first time during the recording of the first television program, the output of the display of the broadcast of the first television program, wherein a first portion of the first amount of memory stores an outputted portion of the first television program from the beginning of the recording of the first television program to the first time, and wherein a second portion of the first amount of memory stores an un-outputted portion of the first television program beginning from the first time, and wherein the second portion of the first amount of memory comprises at least one byte;

selecting a second said EPG entry chronologically following the first said EPG entry and having a corresponding second television program of a predetermined time length being broadcast on a second channel;

estimating a second amount of memory in the memory device sufficient to record the predetermined time length of the second television program;

logically erasing from the memory device the first portion of the first amount of memory without logically erasing from the memory device the second portion of the first amount of memory;

receiving the broadcast of the second television program on the second channel of the broadcast network;

recording the second television program in the second amount of memory in the memory device;

outputting, after said stopping, the display of the broadcast of the first television program from a play back of the first television program in the first amount of the memory in the memory device from a corresponding point therein equal to or chronologically forward of the first time;

logically erasing from the memory device the second portion of the first amount of memory corresponding to the play back of the first television program; and

forming a diagnostic corresponding to the logical erasing of the second portion of the first amount of memory, the diagnostic communicating a pause buffer inventory stored in the first amount of memory.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the logically erasing from the memory device further comprises:

logically erasing any prerecorded first portions of the first amount of memory sufficient to provide the second amount of memory in the memory device.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the outputting after said stopping and the logically erasing of the second portion of the first amount of memory are substantially simultaneous.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the second portion of the first amount of memory has a predetermined time length.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein forming the diagnostic further comprises outputting the diagnostic in a visible display characterizing an availability of the portion of the first television program stored in the second portion of the first amount of memory for a playback thereof.