Time-shift recording buffer as home network objects
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for operating a television program recording service comprising:
- creating a non-temporary home network electronic program guide (EPG) object for any television program selected for recording by the television program recording service;
creating a temporary home network electronic program guide (EPG) object for a television program currently stored in a time-shift buffer of a first home network-enabled device, wherein the temporary home network EPG object is distinct from the television program stored in the time shift buffer and indicates whether the television program is fully in the time shift buffer, is ongoing or has ended and wherein the first home network-enabled device is located in a first home network and is capable of playing the television program, wherein the television program currently stored in the time-shift buffer has not been selected for recording by the television program recording service, and wherein the time-shift buffer is a block of memory that temporarily records a limited amount of currently tuned signals regardless of whether the currently tuned signals are actually being recorded and without explicit action required to enable temporary recording to take place;
inserting a network addressing element in the temporary home network electronic program guide object; and
storing an identifier for the temporary home network electronic program guide object in an object for a channel;
receiving a request, from a second home network-enabled device, to display available programs stored in the time-shift buffer of the first home network-enabled device, wherein the request involves a UPnP protocol;
receiving a selection, from the second home network-enabled device of one of the available programs stored in the time-shift buffer of the first home network-enabled device; and
sending the selected program from the time-shift buffer of the first home network-enabled device to the second home network-enabled device for display.
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Abstract
In a first embodiment of the present invention, a method is provided comprising: creating a temporary home network electronic program guide object for a television program currently stored in a time-shift buffer of a home network-enabled device; and storing an identifier for the temporary home network electronic program guide object in an object for a channel.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for operating a television program recording service comprising:
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creating a non-temporary home network electronic program guide (EPG) object for any television program selected for recording by the television program recording service; creating a temporary home network electronic program guide (EPG) object for a television program currently stored in a time-shift buffer of a first home network-enabled device, wherein the temporary home network EPG object is distinct from the television program stored in the time shift buffer and indicates whether the television program is fully in the time shift buffer, is ongoing or has ended and wherein the first home network-enabled device is located in a first home network and is capable of playing the television program, wherein the television program currently stored in the time-shift buffer has not been selected for recording by the television program recording service, and wherein the time-shift buffer is a block of memory that temporarily records a limited amount of currently tuned signals regardless of whether the currently tuned signals are actually being recorded and without explicit action required to enable temporary recording to take place; inserting a network addressing element in the temporary home network electronic program guide object; and storing an identifier for the temporary home network electronic program guide object in an object for a channel; receiving a request, from a second home network-enabled device, to display available programs stored in the time-shift buffer of the first home network-enabled device, wherein the request involves a UPnP protocol; receiving a selection, from the second home network-enabled device of one of the available programs stored in the time-shift buffer of the first home network-enabled device; and sending the selected program from the time-shift buffer of the first home network-enabled device to the second home network-enabled device for display. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method comprising:
providing a first temporary UPnP EPG object, wherein the first temporary UPnP EPG object contains metadata regarding a first television program stored in a time-shift buffer in a first personal video recorder, wherein the first temporary UPnP EPG object is distinct from the television program stored in the time shift buffer and indicates whether the television program is fully in the time shift buffer, is ongoing or has ended and wherein the first personal video recorder is located in a first home network and is capable of playing the first television program, wherein the first temporary UPnP EPG object further contains a network addressing element allowing a second personal video recorder to access the first television program stored in the time shift buffer in the first personal video recorder, wherein the television program currently stored in the time-shift buffer is not selected for recording by a television program recording service, and wherein the time-shift buffer is a block of memory that temporarily records a limited amount of currently tuned signals regardless of whether the currently tuned signals are actually being recorded without explicit action required to enable temporary recording to take place. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A home network-enabled device located in a home network and capable of playing a television program, comprising:
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a time-shift buffer, wherein the time-shift buffer is a block of memory that temporarily records a limited amount of currently tuned signals regardless of whether the currently tuned signals are actually being recorded and without explicit action required to enable temporary recording to take place; a content directory service capable of; creating a non-temporary home network electronic program guide object for any television program selected for recording by a television program recording service; creating a temporary home network electronic program guide (EPG) object for television program currently stored in a time-shift buffer of a first home network-enabled device, wherein the temporary home network EPG object is distinct from the television program stored in the time shift buffer and indicates whether the television program is fully in the time shift buffer, is ongoing or has ended and wherein the television program currently stored in the time-shift buffer is not selected for recording by the television program recording service; inserting a network addressing element in the temporary home network electronic program guide object; storing an identifier for the temporary home network electronic program guide object in an object for a channel; receiving a request, from a second home network-enabled device, to display available programs stored in the time-shift buffer of the first home network-enabled device; receiving a selection, from the second home network-enabled device of one of the available programs stored in the time-shift buffer of the first home network- enabled device; and sending the selected program from the time-shift buffer of the first home network-enabled device to the second home network-enabled device for display. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A program storage device readable by a machine tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method comprising:
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creating a non-temporary home network electronic program guide object for any television program selected for recording by a television program recording service; creating a temporary home network electronic program guide (EPG) object for a television program currently stored in a time-shift buffer of a first home network-enabled device, wherein the temporary home network EPG object is distinct from the television program stored in the time shift buffer and indicates whether the television program is fully in the time shift buffer, is ongoing or has ended and wherein the first home network-enabled device is located in a first home network and is capable of playing the television program, wherein the television program currently stored in the time-shift buffer has not been selected for recording by the television program recording service, and wherein the time-shift buffer is a block of memory that temporarily records a limited amount of currently tuned signals without explicit action required to enable temporary recording to take place; inserting a network addressing element in the temporary home network electronic program guide object; and storing an identifier for the temporary home network electronic program guide object in an object for a channel; receiving a request, from a second home network-enabled device, to display available programs stored in the time-shift buffer of the first home network-enabled device; receiving a selection, from the second home network-enabled device of one of the available programs stored in the time-shift buffer of the first home network-enabled device; and sending the selected program from the time-shift buffer of the first home network- enabled device to the second home network-enabled device for display.
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Specification