Resource management for a networked personal video recording system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for networking a plurality of clients in a personal video recording (“
- PVR”
) system, said method comprising the steps of;
receiving a plurality of television signals;
tuning each of said television signals in one of a plurality of tuners;
buffering said television signals on a storage medium in a PVR media server, wherein the buffered television signals are accessible from the storage medium based on a plurality of independent read taps, and wherein a plurality of clients are coupled, over a network, to said PVR media server;
receiving a request from each of at least two clients for a service in said PVR system;
allocating resources of said PVR system to said clients, as appropriate, to deliver said service to each of said clients, wherein;
resources of the PVR system comprise the plurality of tuners and the plurality of independent read taps,the different clients may share said service to manipulate live television signals using the independent read taps while the live television signals are being recorded, andeach client is configured to modify a position, identifying a storage location within the storage medium, of a respective one of the plurality of independent read taps;
designating one of at least three states to a first tuner of the plurality of tuners based on allocation of the first tuner and usage of the plurality of clients, the at least three states comprising at least;
a busy state, a maybe free state, and a totally free state;
storing, in a memory, the designated state for the first tuner prior to a scheduled event based on said allocating;
detecting a conflict for the first tuner among the requesting clients;
resolving the conflict among the requesting clients based on the designated state of the first tuner stored in the memory, and the availability of the resources of the PVR system comprising the tuners and the plurality of independent read taps; and
when a new PVR media server, not previously connected to the network, is coupled to the network, transmitting information identifying a service available from the new PVR media server over the network to the plurality of clients.
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Abstract
A networked personal video recording (“PVR”) system couples a plurality of clients to one or more PVR media servers over a network. One or more PVR media servers include television tuners to tune television signals. A storage medium buffers the television signals to implement PVR functionality. For example, the PVR media server records television programs for clients. Clients are assigned to television tuners, and the clients display television programs received at the assigned tuner. The network transfers the buffered television signals to the clients.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method for networking a plurality of clients in a personal video recording (“
- PVR”
) system, said method comprising the steps of;receiving a plurality of television signals; tuning each of said television signals in one of a plurality of tuners; buffering said television signals on a storage medium in a PVR media server, wherein the buffered television signals are accessible from the storage medium based on a plurality of independent read taps, and wherein a plurality of clients are coupled, over a network, to said PVR media server; receiving a request from each of at least two clients for a service in said PVR system; allocating resources of said PVR system to said clients, as appropriate, to deliver said service to each of said clients, wherein; resources of the PVR system comprise the plurality of tuners and the plurality of independent read taps, the different clients may share said service to manipulate live television signals using the independent read taps while the live television signals are being recorded, and each client is configured to modify a position, identifying a storage location within the storage medium, of a respective one of the plurality of independent read taps; designating one of at least three states to a first tuner of the plurality of tuners based on allocation of the first tuner and usage of the plurality of clients, the at least three states comprising at least;
a busy state, a maybe free state, and a totally free state;storing, in a memory, the designated state for the first tuner prior to a scheduled event based on said allocating; detecting a conflict for the first tuner among the requesting clients; resolving the conflict among the requesting clients based on the designated state of the first tuner stored in the memory, and the availability of the resources of the PVR system comprising the tuners and the plurality of independent read taps; and when a new PVR media server, not previously connected to the network, is coupled to the network, transmitting information identifying a service available from the new PVR media server over the network to the plurality of clients. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 22, 23)
- PVR”
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9. A personal video recording (“
- PVR”
) media server comprising;an input for receiving a plurality of television signals; a plurality of tuners for tuning each of said television signals; a storage medium for buffering said television signals, wherein the buffered television signals are accessible based on a plurality of independent read taps; a network interface for coupling a plurality of clients, over a network, to said PVR media server; and said PVR media server for receiving a request from each of at least two clients for a service in a PVR system, and for allocating resources of said PVR system to said two clients, as appropriate, to deliver said service to each of said clients, wherein; resources of the PVR system comprise the plurality of tuners and the plurality of independent read taps, the different clients may share a service to manipulate live television signals using the independent read taps while the live television signals are being recorded, and each client is configured to modify a position, identifying a storage location within the storage medium, of a respective one of the plurality of independent read taps; the PVR server configured to designate one of at least three states to a first tuner of the plurality of tuners based on allocation of the first tuner and usage of the plurality of clients, the at least three states comprising at least; a busy state, a maybe free state, and a totally free state, a memory for storing the designated state for the first tuner based on said allocating, the storing prior to a scheduled event; the PVR server further for; detecting a conflict for the first tuner among the requesting clients; and resolving the conflict among the requesting clients based on the designated state of the first tuner stored in the memory and the availability of the resources of the PVR system comprising the tuners and the plurality of independent read taps, wherein, when a new PVR media server, not previously on the network, is coupled to the network, transmitting information identifying a service available from the new PVR media server over the network to the plurality of clients. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 24, 25)
- PVR”
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17. A personal video recording (“
- PVR”
) system comprising;a PVR media server comprising; an input for receiving a plurality of television signals; a plurality of tuners for tuning each of said television signals; a storage medium for buffering said television signals, wherein the buffered television signals are accessible based on a plurality of independent read taps; a network; and a plurality of clients, coupled over said network to said PVR media server, for receiving a request from each of at least two clients for a service in said PVR system, and for allocating resources of said PVR system to said clients, as appropriate, to deliver said service to each of said clients, wherein; resources of the PVR system comprise the plurality of tuners and the plurality of independent read taps, the different clients may share said service to manipulate live television signals using the independent read taps while the live television signals are being recorded, and each client is configured to modify a position, identifying a storage location within the storage medium, of a respective one of the plurality of independent read taps; the PVR system configured to designate one of at least three states to a first tuner of the plurality of tuners based on allocation of the first tuner and usage of the plurality of clients, the at least three states comprising at least;
a busy state, a maybe free state, and a totally free state,a memory for storing the designated state for the first tuner based on said allocating, the storing prior to a scheduled event; the PVR server further for detecting a conflict for the first tuner among the requesting clients; and resolving the conflict among the requesting clients based on the designated state of the first tuner stored in the memory and the availability of the resources of the PVR system comprising the tuners and the plurality of independent read taps, wherein, when a new PVR media server, not previously on the network, is coupled to the network, transmitting information identifying a service available from the new PVR media server over the network to the plurality of clients. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 26, 27)
- PVR”
Specification