Convenient video program start over system and method for a video entertainment distribution network

• US 8,707,376 B1
• Filed: 07/21/2005
• Issued: 04/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast IP Holdings I LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast IP Holdings I LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Hannum, Sandi, Sheedy, Peter, Albrecht, James R., Wong, Matt, Bradley, Bruce R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Ricky
• Application Number:
  US11/186,170
• Time in Patent Office: 3,197 Days
• Field of Search: 725/114
• US Class Current: 725/88
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2387 Stream processing in response to a playback request from an end-user, e.g. for trick-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2393 involving handling client requests scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47217 for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/79 Processing of colour television signals in connection with recording

Abstract

A system and method are described herein for providing an convenient video program start over system and method for a video entertainment distribution network whereby a user may interactively revert back to the beginning of an ongoing video program that is currently broadcasted over the video distribution network. The novel system and method may be implemented on any video network having interactive television (ITV) capabilities, wherein user requests from a client are serviceable at an upstream head end, and video storage means exist for the purpose of storage of time based broadcast video programs. The system preferably utilizes a process that involves a minimally complicated sequence of commands that are easily understood and remembered by virtually any user, thereby enhancing the probability of consumer acceptance. The start over system and method may be embodied as a program of instructions, defining a controller, that are executed by a micro-processor located in the STB (client) or head end (server). Optional means are also provided for allowing only a subset of all available broadcast video programs that emanate from a plurality of programming sources to be used with the start over system.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a video storage device configured to record a plurality of video programs received from at least one programming source; and

a controller, in communication with the video storage device, configured to;

determine whether to record a video program based on information included with the video program from the at least one programming source, the information indicating whether the apparatus is permitted to record the video program,

cause the video storage device to record the video program when the video program is being received by the apparatus from the at least one programming source,

independently provide the recorded video program to each of a plurality of client devices requesting replay of the video program from its beginning,

update a flag corresponding to the recorded video program in response to providing the recorded video program to one of the plurality of client devices, the flag indicating that one or more of the plurality of client devices is accessing the recorded video program,

update the flag in response to determining that none of the plurality of client devices is accessing the recorded video program,

determine whether a runtime of the video program has elapsed, and

remove the recorded video program from the video storage device based on the flag and in response to determining that the runtime of the video program has elapsed.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

determining whether a runtime of the video program has elapsed comprises determining whether the at least one programming source is broadcasting the video program at a time of the determining whether the runtime of the video program has elapsed.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to cause the video storage device to record the video program only during the runtime.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to communicate with the plurality of client devices via a distribution network.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to transmit a graphical icon with the video program, the graphical icon indicating that replay of the video program from its beginning is available.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to simultaneously receive a plurality of requests to replay the video program from its beginning from the plurality of client devices.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the graphical icon is transmitted with the video program independently of a raster image of the video program.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said graphical icon is embedded in a raster image of the video program.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to transmit a graphical icon with an electronic programming guide, the graphical icon indicating that replay of the video program from its beginning is available.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to transmit a graphical icon overlaid upon a portion of an electronic programming guide, the graphical icon indicating that replay of the video program from its beginning is available.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to transmit a graphical icon overlaid upon a portion of an information bar, the graphical icon indicating that replay of the video program from its beginning is available.

12. A network comprising:

a video storage device configured to record a plurality of video programs received from at least one programming source;

a first controller, in communication with said video storage device, configured to;

determine whether to record a video program based on information included with the video program from the at least one programming source, the information indicating whether the video storage device is permitted to record the video program,

cause the video storage device to record the video program, and

determine whether the video program is still being received by the video storage device;

a plurality of client devices each configured to operatively couple the video storage device to a corresponding display, and to present the plurality of video programs and the recorded video program on the corresponding display; and

a second controller, in communication with coupled to each of the plurality of client devices, the second controller configured to;

independently provide the recorded video program to each of the plurality of client devices requesting replay of the video program from its beginning,

update a flag corresponding to the recorded video program in response to providing the recorded video program to one of the plurality of client devices, the flag indicating that one or more of the plurality of client devices is accessing the recorded video program,

update the flag in response to determining that none of the plurality of client devices is accessing the recorded video program,

determine whether a runtime of the video program has elapsed, and

remove the recorded video program from the video storage device based on the flag and in response to determining that the runtime has elapsed.

13. The network of claim 12, wherein:

determining whether a runtime of the video program has elapsed comprises determining whether the at least one programming source is broadcasting the video program at a time of the determining whether the runtime of the video program has elapsed.

14. The network of claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of client devices is further configured to receive a graphical icon for presentation on the corresponding display, and to revert from presenting the video program to presenting the recorded video program from its beginning when the graphical icon is selected.

15. The network of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of client devices is further configured to receive a selection of the graphical icon from a remote control device.

16. The network of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of client devices is configured to present the graphical icon over the video program.

17. The network of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of client devices is configured to present the graphical icon over a portion of an electronic programming guide.

18. The network of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of client devices is configured to present the graphical icon over a portion of an information bar.

19. The network of claim 12, wherein the first controller is further configured to select a subset of available programming sources from which to record the video program in the video storage device.

20. The network of claim 12, wherein the first controller is further configured to select a subset of the plurality of the video programs for recording in the video storage device.

21. The network of claim 12, wherein the video storage device exists in a head end.

22. A method comprising:

recording, on a storage device, at least one video program of a plurality of video programs received from at least one programming source in response to determining that the storage device is permitted to record the at least one video program based on information received with the at least one video program;

transmitting, from the storage device, the at least one recorded video program to any of a plurality of client devices to play the at least one recorded video program from its beginning;

updating a flag corresponding to the at least one recorded video program in response to transmitting the at least one recorded video program, the flag indicating that one or more of the plurality of client devices is accessing the at least one recorded video program;

updating the flag in response to determining that presentation of the at least one recorded video program is complete and none of the plurality of client devices is accessing the at least one recorded video program;

determining whether a runtime of the at least one video program has elapsed; and

removing the at least one recorded video program from the storage device based on the flag and in response to determining that the runtime of the at least one video program has elapsed.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein:

determining whether a runtime of the at least one video program has elapsed comprises determining whether the at least one video program is being received by the storage device from the at least one programming source.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the at least one programming source comprises a plurality of programming sources, the method further comprising:

selecting a subset of the plurality of programming sources from which to record the at least one video program on the storage device.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the at least one video program comprises a plurality of video programs, the method further comprising:

selecting a subset of the plurality of video programs to record on the storage device.

26. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

generating a graphical icon indicating that replay of the at least one video program from its beginning is available; and

transmitting the graphical icon to the plurality of client devices.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the graphical icon is transmitted with the at least one video program.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein generating the graphical icon comprises embedding the graphical icon in the at least one video program.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein transmitting the graphical icon comprises transmitting the graphical icon independently of the at least one video program.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein transmitting the graphical icon comprises transmitting the graphical icon overlaid upon a portion of an electronic programming guide.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein transmitting the graphical icon comprises transmitting the graphical icon overlaid upon a portion of an information bar.

32. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

receiving a request to play the at least one recorded video program, the request comprising a content identifier associated with the at least one recorded video program.

33. A method comprising:

receiving a video program from at least one programming source;

recording the video program on a storage device;

receiving a request from a client device to present the video program from its beginning;

reverting play of the video program by transmitting the recorded video program configured to be played from the beginning thereof;

updating, by a computing device, a flag corresponding to the recorded video program in response to transmitting the recorded video program, the flag indicating that one or more of a plurality of client devices is accessing the recorded video program;

updating, by the computing device, the flag in response to determining that presentation of the recorded video program is completed and none of the plurality of client devices is accessing the recorded video program;

determining whether a runtime of the video program has elapsed; and

removing the recorded video program from the storage device based on the flag and in response to determining that the runtime of the video program has elapsed.

34. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a computing device having a storage device, a video program having a predetermined broadcast window from a content source;

determining whether to record the video program based on information included with the video program from the content source, the information indicating whether the computing device is permitted to record the video program;

recording the video program on the storage device upon receiving the video program in response to determining that the video program is to be recorded;

broadcasting the video program to a plurality of client devices;

transmitting, by the computing device, the recorded video program to a particular client device in response to receiving a request to play the video program from its beginning from the particular client device;

updating, by the computing device, a flag corresponding to the recorded video program in response to transmitting the recorded video program to the particular client device, the flag indicating that one or more of the plurality of client devices is accessing the recorded video program;

updating, by the computing device, the flag in response to determining that the particular client device has completed presentation of the recorded video program and none of the plurality of client devices is accessing the recorded video program;

determining whether the predetermined broadcast window has ended; and

removing the recorded video program from the storage device based on the flag and in response to determining that the predetermined broadcast window has ended.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising transmitting a graphical icon to the plurality of client devices, the graphical icon indicating that replay of the video program from its beginning is available.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein broadcasting the video program to the plurality of client devices comprises establishing a video stream between the content source and the plurality of client devices, and wherein transmitting the recorded video program to the particular client device comprises establishing a video stream between the storage device and the particular client device.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein transmitting the recorded video program to the particular client device comprises disconnecting the content source from the particular client device.

38. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

configuring a graphical icon to be presented for a persistency time following a moment at which a client device tunes to the video program, the graphical icon indicating that replay of the video program from its beginning is available.

39. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

configuring a graphical icon to be presented in response to a client device tuning to the video program after the video program has partially elapsed, the graphical icon indicating that replay of the video program from its beginning is available.