Personal video recorder systems and methods
DCFirst Claim
1. An interactive television system for providing a user with the ability to record television programming, the interactive television system having user television equipment comprising:
- a personal video recorder compliant device, wherein a first interactive television program guide and personal video recorder extensions are implemented on the personal video recorder compliant device; and
a personal video recorder device coupled to the personal video recorder compliant device, wherein the personal video recorder device comprises a second interactive television program guide and the personal video recorder extensions, and wherein the first interactive television program guide and the second interactive television program guide have the same functions and are distinctly implemented on each of the personal video recorder compliant device and the personal video recorder device.
15 Assignments
Litigations
3 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods are disclosed for providing an interactive television system for recording television programming. The interactive television system may include components for providing personal video recorder (PVR) functionality, such as an interactive television program guide (IPG), PVR extensions, PVR application programming interfaces (APIs), a PVR device, any suitable hardware or software, or a combination thereof. These components may be implemented in, for example, an arrangement having an integrated PVR-compliant device with a PVR device, or in an arrangement having a PVR-compliant device (e.g., a set-top box) coupled to PVR equipment (e.g., a remote PVR server or a PVR sidecar) with a PVR device. The PVR-compliant device may include software and hardware configured to implement the IPG. The PVR APIs may be a library of intelligent vendor-specific and vendor-independent APIs able to determine the type of PVR device being used. The PVR extensions and PVR APIs may be configured to provide a seamless integration of functionality associated with the PVR-compliant device and the PVR device. A full port of the IPG may be implemented in both the PVR-compliant device and the PVR device.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. An interactive television system for providing a user with the ability to record television programming, the interactive television system having user television equipment comprising:
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a personal video recorder compliant device, wherein a first interactive television program guide and personal video recorder extensions are implemented on the personal video recorder compliant device; and a personal video recorder device coupled to the personal video recorder compliant device, wherein the personal video recorder device comprises a second interactive television program guide and the personal video recorder extensions, and wherein the first interactive television program guide and the second interactive television program guide have the same functions and are distinctly implemented on each of the personal video recorder compliant device and the personal video recorder device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An interactive television system for providing a user with the ability to record television programming, the system comprising:
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a personal video recorder compliant device that is used by the user to interact with the interactive television system, the personal video recorder compliant device comprising; software and hardware configured to implement a first interactive television program guide, software and hardware configured to implement personal video recorder extensions, and software and hardware configured to implement a plurality of application programming interfaces; and a personal video recorder device coupled to the personal video recorder compliant device, the personal video recorder device comprising software and hardware configured to implement a second interactive television program guide, wherein the first interactive television program guide and the second interactive television program guide have the same functions and are distinctly implemented, wherein the application programming interfaces are configured to facilitate communications between the personal video recorder device and the personal video recorder compliant device, and wherein the application programming interfaces are used irrespective of where and how the personal video recorder device is implemented. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An interactive television system for providing a user with the ability to record television programming, the system comprising:
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a personal video recorder compliant device that is used by the user to interact with the interactive television system, the personal video recorder compliant device comprising; software and hardware configured to implement a first interactive television program guide, software and hardware configured to implement personal video recorder extensions, and software and hardware configured to implement a plurality of application programming interfaces; and a personal video recorder device coupled to the personal video recorder compliant device, the personal video recorder device comprising software and hardware configured to implement a second interactive television program guide, wherein the first interactive television program guide and the second interactive television program guide have the same functions and are distinctly implemented, wherein the application programming interfaces are configured to facilitate communications between the personal video recorder device and the personal video recorder compliant device, and wherein the personal video recorder extensions and application programming interfaces are configured to provide a seamless integration of personal video recorder functionality with the interactive television program guide. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. An interactive television system for providing a user with the ability to record television programming, the system comprising:
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a personal video recorder device that is used by the user to interact with the interactive television system, the personal video recorder device comprising; software and hardware configured to implement a first interactive television program guide, software and hardware configured to implement personal video recorder extensions, and software and hardware configured to implement a plurality of application programming interfaces; and a personal video recorder compliant device with software and hardware configured to implement a second interactive television program guide, wherein the personal video recorder compliant device is coupled to the personal video recorder device, wherein the first interactive television program guide and the second interactive television program guide have the same functions and are distinctly implemented, and wherein the application programming interfaces are configured to facilitate communications between the personal video recorder device and the personal video recorder compliant device, and wherein the personal video recorder extensions and application programming interfaces are used to provide a seamless integration of personal video recorder functionality to the interactive television program guide. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification