Multimedia signal processing system

• US 7,668,435 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2008
• Issued: 02/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TiVo Solutions Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TiVo Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Goodman, Andrew Martin, McInnis, Roderick James, Lockett, David, Chow, Ching Tong, Kao, Jean Swey, Barton, James M., Heaton, Kurtis G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chevalier; Robert
• Application Number:
  US12/125,002
• Publication Number:
  US 20080288998A1
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• Field of Search: 386/92, 386/125, 386/124, 386/46, 386/1, 386/52, 386/113
• US Class Current: 386/213
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/216 Rewritable discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2575 DVD-RAMs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/90 Tape-like record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/002 Programmed access in sequence to a plurality of record carriers or indexed parts, e.g. tracks, thereof, e.g. for editing; transfer of record carriers from magazine G11B15/68, G11B17/10; G11B17/22
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/024 on tapes G11B27/028, G11B27/029 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/032 on tapes G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/252 Processing of multiple end-users' preferences to derive collaborative data
• 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 21/4333 Processing operations in response to a pause request
• 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 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• 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 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/7921 : for more than one processing mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/7925 : for more than one standard
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/87 : Regeneration of colour television signals H04N9/80 takes precedence

Abstract

A multimedia signal processing system utilizes an easily manipulated, low-cost storage and display system that allows the user to view a television program and instantly review previous scenes within the program. The invention also allows the user to store selected programs while simultaneously watching or reviewing another. A versatile system architecture enables providing the invention in multiple configurations, each adapted to receive input signals from a different source. At the highest level, the system includes an input section and an output section. Across all configurations, the output section remains substantially the same, while the input section varies according to the signal type and the source. Thus, several configurations are provided, each one requiring only minor system board modifications. The system architecture thus simplifies the design and manufacturing challenge presented by producing units to serve different markets, such as digital satellite, digital cable and analog cable.

Claims

1. A system for processing a media stream across several channels simultaneously, comprising:

a data stream observation subsystem that observes a data stream on a data bus;

a media stream identification subsystem that identifies media streams from other data within the data stream in order to identify data that can be processed;

a data object association subsystem that associates media stream data with their respective media streams by tagging media stream data with associative tags;

a multi channel media stream processor, the multi channel media stream processor processes data from media streams across a plurality of channels, in parallel; and

a processor state monitor that monitors and saves state of the multi channel media stream processor as the multi channel media stream processor switches from processing data from a first media stream to processing data from a second media stream, when the multi channel media stream processor switches back to processing data from the first media stream, a multi channel media stream processor state associated with the first media stream is reloaded to the multi channel media stream processor and the multi channel media stream processor resumes processing the first media stream.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the data stream observation subsystem further comprises:

a system interface, the system interface is a passive, slave client on the bus, wherein the system interface observes the data stream without interfering with data flow.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the system interface is tailored to a particular system type, the tailoring being accomplished by one of:

programming switches or hardwired elements.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the data bus is one of:

a system bus or a memory bus.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the media stream identification subsystem further comprises:

a media stream identifier, wherein the media stream identifier distinguishes media streams within the data stream using address information contained in data in the data stream.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the data object association subsystem further comprises:

a media identification generator, the media identification generator assigns tags to media stream data objects, so that a media stream data is associated with its media stream of origin.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor state monitor further comprises:

a multi channel state engine, the multi channel state engine monitors a plurality of media streams and saves the multi channel media stream processor state when the multi channel media stream processor switches processing of data between a plurality of media streams, the saved multi channel media stream processor state comprising a first state that is associated with a media stream.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the multi channel state engine reloads the first state to the multi channel media stream processor if the multi channel media stream processor switches to a media stream identifier associated with the first state.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein a processed media stream is saved to at least one storage device.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is implemented in a programmable logic device.

11. A method of processing a media stream across several channels simultaneously, comprising:

observing a data stream on a data bus

identifying media streams from other data within the data stream in order to identify data that can be processed;

associating media stream data with their respective media streams by tagging media stream data with associative tags;

processing data from media streams across a plurality of channels, in parallel;

monitoring and saving a media processor state as a media processor switches from processing data from a first media stream to processing data from a second media stream; and

reloading the media processor state associated with the first media stream to the media processor when the media processor switches back to processing data from the first media stream allowing the media processor to resume processing the first media stream.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of observing the data stream further comprises:

observing, by a system interface, the data stream without interfering with data flow, the system interface is a passive, slave client on the bus.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the system interface is tailored to a particular system type, the tailoring being accomplished by one of:

programming switches or hardwired elements.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the data bus is one of:

a system bus or a memory bus.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of identifying a media stream comprises:

distinguishing media streams within the data stream using address information contained in data in the data stream.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of associating media data with their respective media streams further comprises:

assigning tags to media stream data, so that a media stream data is associated with its media stream of origin.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of monitoring and saving the processor state further comprises:

monitoring media stream identifiers; and

saving the media processor state when the media processor switches processing of data between a plurality of media streams, the saved media processor state comprising a first state that is associated with a media stream.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of monitoring and saving the processor state further comprises:

reloading the first state to the media processor if the media processor switches to a media stream identifier associated with the first state.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

saving a processed media stream to at least one storage device.

20. The method of claim 11, the method implemented by means of a programmable logic device.

21. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions, which instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

observing a data stream on a data bus

identifying media streams from other data within the data stream in order to identify data that can be processed;

associating media stream data with their respective media streams by tagging media stream data with associative tags;

processing data from media streams across a plurality of channels, in parallel;

monitoring and saving a media processor state as a media processor switches from processing data from a first media stream to processing data from a second media stream; and

reloading the media processor state associated with the first media stream to the media processor when the media processor switches back to processing data from the first media stream allowing the media processor to resume processing the first media stream.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the step of observing the data stream comprises the steps of:

observing, by a system interface, the data stream without interfering with data flow, the system interface is a passive, slave client on the bus.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the system interface is tailored to a particular system type, the tailoring being accomplished by one of:

programming switches or hardwired elements.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the data bus is one of:

a system bus or a memory bus.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the step of identifying a media stream comprises:

distinguishing media streams within the data stream using address information contained in data in the data stream.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the step of associating media data with their respective media streams further comprises:

assigning tags to media stream data, so that a media stream data is associated with its media stream of origin.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the step of monitoring and saving the processor state further comprises:

monitoring media stream identifiers; and

saving the media processor state when the media processor switches processing of data between a plurality of media streams, the saved media processor state comprising a first state that is associated with a media stream.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the step of monitoring and saving the processor state further comprises:

reloading the first state to the media processor if the media processor switches to a media stream identifier associated with the first state.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, further comprising:

saving a processed media stream to at least one storage device.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, the method implemented by means of a programmable logic device.