Systems and methods for recording programs using a network recording device as supplemental storage

• US 8,582,946 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2005
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Craner, Michael L
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Huy T
• Assistant Examiner(s): KHAN, ASHER R
• Application Number:
  US11/267,200
• Publication Number:
  US 20070104456A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,930 Days
• Field of Search: 386/46
• US Class Current: 386/200
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2747 Remote storage of video programs received via the downstream path, e.g. from the server
• 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 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• 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 21/44231 Monitoring of peripheral device or external card, e.g. to detect processing problems in a handheld device or the failure of an external recording device configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network H04L12/2823; monitoring the status of connected device in data switched networks H04L43/0817
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• 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 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs 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

Abstract

Systems and methods for recording programs using a user'"'"'s equipment and a network recording device are provided. An interactive television application may determine whether the user'"'"'s equipment has sufficient resources (e.g., tuners or space) to record a program selected for recording. If the interactive television application determines that the user'"'"'s equipment does not have sufficient resources, the interactive television application may select, automatically or in response to a user instruction, the program for recording with a network recording device. In some embodiments, the user may have to pay for the use of the network recording device, or may be required to purchase a given tier level of service. The interactive television application may play back programs from the network recording device as VOD offerings, or may direct the network recording device to transfer recorded programs to the user'"'"'s equipment when it has sufficient resources.

Claims

1. A method for recording programs using a user'"'"'s equipment and a network recording device, the method comprising:

determining whether performing a plurality of recordings will exceed the resources of the user'"'"'s equipment, wherein the determining comprises determining whether the user'"'"'s equipment includes enough tuners for the recording;

selecting, in response to determining that performing the plurality of recordings will exceed the resources of the user'"'"'s equipment, a first group of at least one of the plurality of recordings and a second group of at least one of the plurality of recordings;

automatically selecting at least one recording for inclusion in the first or second group based on one or more criteria;

performing the selected first group of recordings with the user'"'"'s equipment and performing the selected second group of recordings with the network recording device;

receiving from the network recording device a list of recordings that the network recording device has already performed;

comparing the list received from the network recording device with the recordings selected to be performed with the user'"'"'s equipment; and

directing the network recording device to hold recordings selected to be performed with the user'"'"'s equipment that the network recording device has already performed.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the resources include space for performing recordings.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining whether the user'"'"'s equipment has sufficient resources to perform the recording; and

in response to determining that the user'"'"'s equipment has sufficient resources to perform the recording, canceling performing the recording with the network recording device and performing the recording with the user'"'"'s equipment.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting the first and second groups of recordings comprises receiving a user selection of at least one recording for inclusion in the first or second groups of recordings.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more criteria are at least one of a recording priority, a program attribute, and whether the recording has already been performed with the network recording device.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a user request to play back a program recorded with the network recording device;

receiving the requested program at the user'"'"'s equipment as a VOD offering from the network recording device; and

playing back the program at the user'"'"'s equipment.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transferring a recording originally performed with the network recording device to the user'"'"'s equipment; and

deleting the transferred recording from the network recording device.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

determining whether the user'"'"'s equipment has sufficient resources to receive the recording; and

wherein transferring the recording to the user'"'"'s equipment comprises transferring the recording to the user'"'"'s equipment in response to determining that the user'"'"'s equipment has sufficient resources to receive the recording.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a user instruction to purchase space in the network recording device to perform the recording.

10. A system for recording programs, the system comprising a user'"'"'s equipment, a network recording device and control circuitry, the control circuitry configured to:

determine whether performing a plurality of recordings will exceed the resources of the user'"'"'s equipment, wherein the determining comprises determining whether the user'"'"'s equipment includes enough tuners for the recording;

select, in response to determining that performing the plurality of recordings will exceed the resources of the user'"'"'s equipment, a first group of at least one of the plurality of recordings and a second group of at least one of the plurality of recordings;

automatically select at least one recording for inclusion in the first or second group based on one or more criteria;

direct the user'"'"'s equipment to perform the selected first group of recordings and direct the network recording device to perform the selected second group of recordings;

receive from the network recording device a list of recordings that the network recording device has already performed;

compare the list received from the network recording device with the recordings selected to be performed with the user'"'"'s equipment; and

direct the network recording device to hold recordings selected to be performed with the user'"'"'s equipment that the network recording device has already performed.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the resources include space for performing recordings.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

determine whether the user'"'"'s equipment has sufficient resources to perform the recording; and

direct, in response to determining that the user'"'"'s equipment has sufficient resources to perform the recording, the network recording device to cancel performing the recording and direct the user'"'"'s equipment to perform the recording.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to receive a user selection of at least one recording for inclusion in the first or second groups of recordings.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein the one or more criteria are at least one of a recording priority, a program attribute, and whether the recording has already been performed with the network recording device.

15. The system of claim 10 further comprising a display adapter, and wherein the control circuitry further configured to:

receive a user request to play back a program recorded with the network recording device;

receive the requested program at the user'"'"'s equipment as a VOD offering from the network recording device; and

direct the display adapter to output the program at the user'"'"'s equipment.

16. The system of claim 10 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

transfer a recording originally performed with the network recording device to the user'"'"'s equipment; and

delete the transferred recording from the network recording device.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

determine whether the user'"'"'s equipment has sufficient resources to receive the recording; and

transfer the recording to the user'"'"'s equipment in response to determining that the user'"'"'s equipment has sufficient resources to receive the recording.

18. The system of claim 10 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to receive a user instruction to purchase space in the network recording device to perform the recording.