System and method for internet access to a personal television service

• US 7,908,635 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2001
• Issued: 03/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TiVo Solutions Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TiVo Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Barton, James M., Platt, David C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lonsberry; Hunter B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SCHNURR, JOHN R
• Application Number:
  US10/220,558
• Publication Number:
  US 20030095791A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,668 Days
• Field of Search: 725/31, 725/38, 725/51, 725/58, 725/105, 725/114, 725/115, 725/134, 725/110, 455/557
• US Class Current: 725/134
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/005 Reproducing at a different information rate from the information rate of recording for television signals H04N5/783
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21815 comprising local storage units
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2221 being a cable television head-end CATV in broadcast systems H04H20/78
• 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 21/4181 for conditional access
• 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 21/4622 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 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 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/7755 the recorder being connected to, or coupled with, the antenna of the television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/79 Processing of colour television signals in connection with recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/87 Regeneration of colour television signals H04N9/80 takes precedence

Abstract

A communication system and a family of methods for remote access to personal television service are disclosed. According to this invention, a remote personal TV service center provides centralized program guide information. A user may access to the personal TV service center through a digital video recorder which is connected to the personal TV service center via telephone modem or a network server. A user may access to the personal TV service center through a remote computer terminal or a personal digital assistant which is connected to a computer network. The user selects program events and programs the digital video recorder by using a graphical user interface installed in the front panel of the digital video recorder in case of local programming, or using a similar GUI which is incorporated into the Web pages presented to remote users by a Web server in case of remote programming. The media stream stored in one digital video recorder may be transferred to another digital video recorder. For data security protection during data transfer, all communication are authenticated and encrypted.

Claims

1. A method for transferring data from a home digital media source to a portable digital media device, comprising:

upon connection of a home digital media source and a portable digital media device, automatically transferring a plurality of media streams comprising media content and descriptive information about the media content stored on one or more storage devices at the home digital media source to the portable digital media device, the media streams having been selected prior to the connection by a user at the home digital media source from media streams stored at the home digital media source, the portable digital media device being a battery driven device that operates independent of the home digital media source;

causing the plurality of media streams transferred from the home digital media source to be stored on one or more storage devices at the portable digital media device, the portable digital media device being configured to play back at least a particular media stream selected by the user via a user interface on the portable digital media device, from the plurality of media streams stored on the one or more storage devices at the portable digital media device transferred from the home digital media source.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, upon connection of the portable digital media device and the home digital media source, software at the portable digital media device is automatically updated by the home digital media source.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of media streams transferred are selected based upon preference information of the user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the associated service data enables control interactions and wherein playing back further comprises the portable digital media device performing the control interactions indicated by the associated service data when the selected media stream is played back.

5. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more devices, cause performance of:

upon connection of a home digital media source and a portable digital media device,

automatically transferring a plurality of media streams comprising media content and descriptive information about the media content stored on one or more storage devices at the home digital media source to the portable digital media device, the media streams having been selected prior to the connection by a user at the home digital media source from media streams stored at the home digital media source, the portable digital media device being a battery driven device that operates independent of the home digital media source;

causing the plurality of media streams transferred from the home digital media source to be stored on one or more storage devices at the portable digital media device, the portable digital media device being configured to play back at least a particular media stream selected by the user via a user interface on the portable digital media device, from the plurality of media streams stored on the one or more storage devices at the portable digital media device transferred from the home digital media source.

6. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 5, wherein, upon connection of the portable digital media device and the home digital media source, software at the portable digital media device is automatically updated by the home digital media source.

7. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 5, wherein the plurality of media streams transferred are selected based upon preference information of the user.

8. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 5, wherein the associated service data enables control interactions and wherein playing back further comprises the portable digital media device performing the control interactions indicated by the associated service data when the selected media stream is played back.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that, upon connection of a home digital media source and a portable digital media device, automatically transfers a plurality of media streams comprising media content and descriptive information about the media content stored on one or more storage devices at the home digital media source to the portable digital media device, the media streams having been selected prior to the connection by a user at the home digital media source from media streams stored at the home digital media source, the portable digital media device being a battery driven device that operates independent of the home digital media source;

a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that, causes the plurality of media streams transferred from the home digital media source to be stored on one or more storage devices at the portable digital media device, the portable digital media device being configured to play back at least a particular media stream selected by the user via a user interface on the portable digital media device, from the plurality of media streams stored on the one or more storage devices at the portable digital media device transferred from the home digital media source.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein, upon connection of the portable digital media device and the home digital media source, software at the portable digital media device is automatically updated by the home digital media source.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the plurality of media streams transferred are selected based upon preference information of the user.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the associated service data enables control interactions and wherein playing back further comprises the portable digital media device performing the control interactions indicated by the associated service data when the selected media stream is played back.