Interface for resolving recording conflicts with network devices

• US 7,917,008 B1
• Filed: 04/16/2002
• Issued: 03/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DIRECTV, LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fuller, Benjamin, Lee, Robert N., Ellis, Patrick M.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN BA, HOANG VU A
• Application Number:
  US10/124,064
• Time in Patent Office: 3,269 Days
• Field of Search: 725/58, 725/61, 386/291, 386/295, 386/297
• 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 21/4334 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 21/4583 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 21/47214 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 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape

Abstract

Communication and resolution of potential recording conflicts are disclosed. In one aspect, a request for recording a new program is received, and recording schedules are examined to determine whether another program had been previously scheduled for recording at the same time. If so, a display that illustrates and allows resolution of the conflict is automatically provided. In another aspect, a recording queue and an exception list provide efficient identification of conflicts and management of scheduled recordings. The recording queue lists each program to be recorded, and the exception list identifies conflicting pairs in the recording queue and indicates which item in each pair is respectively retained (preempting) and deferred (preempted). Canceling a preempting recording removes it from the recording queue and the conflict from the exception list to reinstate a preempted program. Channel guides that illustrate recording conflicts are also provided.

Claims

1. A method for a first digital video recorder resolving conflicts in scheduling the recording of programs, the method comprising:

receiving a request to schedule a recording of a first program;

determining a conflict between the request to schedule the recording of the first program and a previous request to schedule a recording of a second program;

automatically presenting the conflict by providing an identification of the first program, an identification of the second program, and an interface for resolving the conflict in recording the first program and the second program; and

requesting a second digital video recorder network connected to the first digital video recorder to obtain a second recording queue maintained on the second digital video recorder to determine whether the second recording queue could include the second program without conflict, and

presenting an interface providing the option of recording the second program at the second digital video recorder for resolving the conflict.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the conflict is determined where there is an overlap in a recording time of the first program and a recording time of the second program.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving confirmation of the request to schedule the recording of the first program through the interface for resolving the conflict.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

providing a recording queue that includes a list of programs to be recorded, the recording queue including the second program; and

adding the first program to the recording queue and removing the second program from the recording queue upon receiving confirmation of the request to schedule the recording of the first program.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

providing a recording queue that includes a list of programs to be recorded, the recording queue including the first program and the second program; and

providing an exception list that identifies the conflict and indicates that the recording of the second program is preempted.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

providing a recording procedure that examines the recording queue to identify a candidate program for recording, and examines the exception list to determine whether the recording of the candidate program is preempted.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving a cancellation of the request to record the first program; and

removing the identification of the conflict from the exception list, whereby the request to record the second program is automatically reinstated.

8. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

providing a recording queue that includes a list of programs to be recorded, the recording queue including the second program;

determining that the second program belongs to a set of programs scheduled as a repeat record;

adding the first program to the recording queue and providing an exception list that identifies the conflict and indicates that the recording of the second program is preempted, whereby programs other than the second program that belong to the set of programs remain scheduled for recording.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

providing a content guide display having a first entry for the first program and a second entry for the second program;

providing a first visual indicator within the first entry, the first visual indicator indicating that the first program is scheduled for recording; and

providing a second visual indicator within the second entry, the second visual indicator indicating that the second program was scheduled for recording, but has been preempted from recording.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the conflict is determined based upon an examination of a first recording queue corresponding to a first digital video recorder, the first recording queue including the second program, and a chronological overlap between the first program and the second program is determined upon receipt of the request to record the first program.

11. A computer program product for a first digital video recorder resolving conflicts in scheduling the recording of programs, the computer program product stored on a computer readable medium to perform operations comprising:

receiving a request to schedule a recording of a first program;

determining a conflict between the request to schedule the recording of the first program and a previous request to schedule a recording of a second program;

automatically presenting the conflict by providing an identification of the first program, an identification of the second program, and an interface for resolving the conflict in recording the first program and the second program; and

requesting a second digital video recorder is network connected to the first digital video recorder to obtain a second recording queue maintained on the second digital video recorder to determine whether the second recording queue could include the second program without conflict, and

presenting an option of recording the second program at the second digital video recorder for resolving the conflict.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the conflict is determined where there is an overlap in a recording time of the first program and a recording time of the second program.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving confirmation of the request to schedule the recording of the first program through the interface for resolving the conflict.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise:

providing a recording queue that includes a list of programs to be recorded, the recording queue including the second program; and

adding the first program to the recording queue and removing the second program from the recording queue upon receiving confirmation of the request to schedule the recording of the first program.

15. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise:

providing a recording queue that includes a list of programs to be recorded, the recording queue including the first program and the second program; and

providing an exception list that identifies the conflict and indicates that the recording of the second program is preempted.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:

providing a recording procedure that examines the recording queue to identify a candidate program for recording, and examines the exception list to determine whether the recording of the candidate program is preempted.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a cancellation of the request to record the first program; and

removing the identification of the conflict from the exception list, whereby the request to record the second program is automatically reinstated.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:

providing a content guide display having a first entry for the first program and a second entry for the second program;

providing a first visual indicator within the first entry, the first visual indicator indicating that the first program is scheduled for recording; and

providing a second visual indicator within the second entry, the second visual indicator indicating that the second program was scheduled for recording, but has been preempted from recording.

19. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise:

providing a recording queue that includes a list of programs to be recorded, the recording queue including the second program;

determining that the second program belongs to a set of programs scheduled as a repeat record;

adding the first program to the recording queue and providing an exception list that identifies the conflict and indicates that the recording of the second program is preempted, whereby programs other than the second program that belong to the set of programs remain scheduled for recording.

20. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the conflict is determined based upon an examination of a first recording queue corresponding to a first digital video recorder, the first recording queue including the second program, and a chronological overlap between the first program and the second program is determined upon receipt of the request to record the first program.

21. An apparatus for a first digital video recorder resolving conflicts in scheduling the recording of programs, the apparatus comprising:

a recording candidate identifying module, configured to receive a request to schedule a recording of a first program;

a conflict handling module, in communication with the recording candidate identifying module, configured to determine a conflict between the request to schedule the recording of the first program and a previous request to schedule a recording of a second program;

a conflict reporting module, in communication with the conflict handling module, configured to automatically present the conflict by providing an identification of the first program, an identification of the second program, and an interface for resolving the conflict in recording the first program and the second program;

a second digital video recorder network connected to the first digital video recorder, and

a second recording queue maintained on the second digital video recorder, the second recording queue requested by the first digital video recorder to determine whether the second recording queue could include the second program without conflict, and the interface presents an option of recording the second program at the second digital video recorder for resolving the conflict.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the conflict handling module determines the conflict where there is an overlap in a recording time of the first program and a recording time of the second program.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the conflict reporting module is configured to receive confirmation of the request to schedule the recording of the first program through the interface for resolving the conflict.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising:

a recording queue module, configured to provide a recording queue that includes a list of programs to be recorded, the recording queue including the second program; and

wherein the conflict handling module is configured to add the first program to the recording queue and remove the second program from the recording queue upon receiving confirmation of the request to schedule the recording of the first program.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising:

a recording queue module, configured to provide a recording queue that includes a list of programs to be recorded, the recording queue including the first program and the second program, and an exception list that identifies the conflict and indicates that the recording of the second program is preempted.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein a recording procedure examines the recording queue to identify a candidate program for recording, and examines the exception list to determine whether the recording of the candidate program is preempted.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein a cancellation of the request to record the first program causes the removal of the identification of the conflict from the exception list, whereby the request to record the second program is automatically reinstated.

28. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the conflict reporting module provides a content guide display having a first entry for the first program and a second entry for the second program, with a first visual indicator within the first entry, the first visual indicator indicating that the first program is scheduled for recording, and a second visual indicator within the second entry, the second visual indicator indicating that the second program was scheduled for recording, but has been preempted from recording.

29. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising:

a recording queue module, configured to provide a recording queue that includes a list of programs to be recorded, the list including the second program, and to provide an exception list;

wherein the second program belongs to a set of programs scheduled as a repeat record; and

wherein the conflict handling module adds the first program to the recording queue, and updates the exception list to identify the conflict and indicate that the recording of the second program is preempted, whereby programs other than the second program that belong to the set of programs remain scheduled for recording.

30. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the conflict is determined based upon an examination of a first recording queue corresponding to a first digital video recorder, the first recording queue including the second program, and a chronological overlap between the first program and the second program is determined upon receipt of the request to record the first program.