Systems and methods for recording programs with a network recording device upon failure of a user's equipment

• US 8,731,379 B1
• Filed: 11/04/2005
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• 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): Vaughn, Jr., William C
• Assistant Examiner(s): KHAN, ASHER R
• Application Number:
  US11/267,469
• Time in Patent Office: 3,119 Days
• Field of Search: 386/46
• US Class Current: 386/326
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23113 involving housekeeping operations for stored content, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; snloading stored programs G06F9/445; housekeeping operations in file systems, e.g. deletion policies G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90
• 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 21/4334 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 21/4424 Monitoring of the internal components or processes of the client device, e.g. CPU or memory load, processing speed, timer, counter or percentage of the hard disk space used error monitoring in general G06F11/30; arrangements for monitoring conditions of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/32; diagnosis, testing or measuring for television receivers H04N17/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• 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 21/654 Transmission by server directed to the client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape

Abstract

Systems and methods for performing recordings with a network recording device when a user'"'"'s equipment fails are provided. The network recording device may determine that a user'"'"'s equipment has failed in any suitable manner. In response to determining that the user'"'"'s equipment has failed, the network recording device may perform recordings that were originally scheduled or selected to be performed with the user'"'"'s equipment. The network recording device may identify which recordings to perform by communicating with the user'"'"'s equipment. In some embodiments, the user'"'"'s equipment may anticipate a failure, or fail while maintaining a communications link with the network recording device. In such embodiments, the user'"'"'s equipment may direct the network recording device to perform certain recordings. The network recording device may provide recordings to the user'"'"'s equipment as on-demand offerings, or may transfer the recordings to the user'"'"'s equipment.

Claims

1. A method for performing a recording with a network recording device when a user'"'"'s equipment is unable to perform any recording, the method comprising:

determining that a resource of the user'"'"'s equipment is or will be unable to perform any recording; and

in response to determining that the resource of the user'"'"'s equipment is or will be unable to perform any recording, performing the recording with the network recording device, wherein the network recording device is connected to a plurality of user equipment for performing recordings when at least one of the plurality of user equipment is or will be unable to perform any recording.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving from the user'"'"'s equipment, prior to determining that the user'"'"'s equipment is or will be unable to perform any recording, a communication identifying recordings to be performed with the user'"'"'s equipment; and

wherein performing the recording with the network recording device comprises performing at least one of the identified recordings with the network recording device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein performing the recording with the network recording device comprises holding onto a recording that the network recording device has previously performed.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein determining that the user'"'"'s equipment will be unable to perform any recording comprises anticipating that the user'"'"'s equipment will be unable to perform any recording.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

receiving from the user'"'"'s equipment, in response to anticipating that the user'"'"'s equipment will be unable to perform any recording, a communication identifying recordings to perform with the network recording device; and

wherein performing the recording with the network recording device comprises performing at least one of the identified recordings with the network recording device.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing the recording performed with the network recording device to the user'"'"'s equipment.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein providing the recording performed with the network recording device to the user'"'"'s equipment comprises providing the recording to the user'"'"'s equipment as a video on-demand (VOD) offering.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

receiving an indication from the user'"'"'s equipment that it has sufficient resources to store a recording performed with the network recording device; and

wherein providing the recording performed with the network recording device to the user'"'"'s equipment comprises, in response to receiving the indication from the user'"'"'s equipment, transferring the recording from the network recording device to the user'"'"'s equipment.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving an indication from the user'"'"'s equipment that the inability to perform any recording has been resolved; and

in response to receiving the indication, providing the user'"'"'s equipment with a list of recordings performed with the network recording device.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving an indication from the user'"'"'s equipment that the inability to perform any recording has been resolved;

in response to receiving the indication, canceling recordings scheduled to be performed with the network recording device; and

directing the user'"'"'s equipment to perform the canceled recordings.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the user'"'"'s equipment is located at the user'"'"'s site.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the user'"'"'s equipment device outputs to a display screen; and

the determination of whether the resource of the user'"'"'s equipment is or will be unable to perform any recording is performed without accessing the network;

further comprising in response to the determination, transmitting a communication over the network to instruct the network recording device to perform the recording.

13. A method for performing recordings using a user'"'"'s equipment and a network recording device comprising:

determining that a resource of the user'"'"'s equipment is or will be unable to perform any recording;

in response to determining that the resource of the user'"'"'s equipment is or will be unable to perform any recording, sending a communication, while the user'"'"'s equipment can still send communications, to the network recording device identifying recordings to perform with the network recording device, wherein the network recording device is connected to a plurality of user equipment for performing recordings when at least one of the plurality of user equipment is or will be unable to perform any recording; and

directing the network recording device to perform at least one of the recordings identified in the communication.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein determining that the user'"'"'s equipment is or will be unable to perform any recording comprises anticipating that the user'"'"'s equipment will be unable to perform any recording.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein determining that the user'"'"'s equipment is or will be unable to perform any recording comprises determining that the user'"'"'s equipment is unable to perform any recording and can still communicate with the network recording device.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein:

the user'"'"'s equipment device outputs to a display screen;

the determination of whether the resource of the user'"'"'s equipment is or will be unable to perform any recording is performed without accessing the network; and

the communication sent to the network recording device is sent over the network.

17. A system for performing a recording with a network recording device when a user'"'"'s equipment is unable to perform any recording, the network recording device comprising control circuitry configured to:

determine that a resource of the user'"'"'s equipment is or will be unable to perform any recording; and

in response to determining that the resource of the user'"'"'s equipment is or will be unable to perform any recording, direct the network recording device to perform the recording, wherein the network recording device is connected to a plurality of user equipment for performing recordings when at least one of the plurality of user equipment is or will be unable to perform any recording.

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

receive from the user'"'"'s equipment, prior to determining that the user'"'"'s equipment is unable to perform any recording, a communication identifying recordings to be performed with the user'"'"'s equipment; and

direct the network recording device to perform at least one of the identified recordings.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to direct the network recording device to hold onto a recording that it has previously performed.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to anticipate that the user'"'"'s equipment will be unable to perform any recording.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

receive from the user'"'"'s equipment, in response to anticipating that the user'"'"'s equipment will be unable to perform any recording, a communication identifying recordings to perform with the network recording device; and

direct the network recording device to perform at least one of the identified recordings.

22. The system of claim 17 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to provide the recording performed with the network recording device to the user'"'"'s equipment.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to provide the recording to the user'"'"'s equipment as a video on-demand (VOD) offering.

24. The system of claim 22 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

receive an indication from the user'"'"'s equipment that it has sufficient resources to store a recording performed with the network recording device; and

direct the network recording device to transfer the recording from the network recording device to the user'"'"'s equipment.

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

receive an indication from the user'"'"'s equipment that the inability to perform any recording has been resolved; and

provide the user'"'"'s equipment with a list of recordings performed with the network recording device.

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

receive an indication from the user'"'"'s equipment that the inability to perform any recording has been resolved;

in response to receiving the indication, direct the network recording device to cancel recordings scheduled to be performed; and

direct the user'"'"'s equipment to perform the canceled recordings.

27. The system of claim 17, wherein:

the user'"'"'s equipment device outputs to a display screen; and

the determination of whether the resource of the user'"'"'s equipment is or will be unable to perform any recording is performed without accessing the network;

the control circuitry is further configured to transmit, in response to the determination, a communication over the network to instruct the network recording device to perform the recording.

28. A system for performing a recording with a network recording device when a user'"'"'s equipment is unable to perform any recording, the user'"'"'s equipment comprising control circuitry configured to:

determine that a resource of the user'"'"'s equipment is or will be unable to perform any recording;

in response to determining that the resource of the user'"'"'s equipment is or will be unable to perform any recording, send a communication, while the user'"'"'s equipment can still send communications, to the network recording device identifying recordings to perform with the network recording device, wherein the network recording device is connected to a plurality of user equipment for performing recordings when at least one of the plurality of user equipment is or will be unable to perform any recording; and

direct the network recording device to perform the recordings identified in the communication.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to anticipate that the user'"'"'s equipment will be unable to perform any recording.

30. The system of claim 28 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to determine that the user'"'"'s equipment is unable to perform any recording and can still communicate with the network recording device.

31. The system of claim 28, wherein:

the user'"'"'s equipment device outputs to a display screen;

the determination of whether the resource of the user'"'"'s equipment is or will be unable to perform any recording is performed without accessing the network; and

the communication sent to the network recording device is sent over the network.