Method and apparatus for managing digital video recorders

• US 8,750,687 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2010
• Issued: 06/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Hubner, Paul, Hoover, Scott J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thai
• Assistant Examiner(s): YANG, NIEN
• Application Number:
  US12/816,849
• Publication Number:
  US 20110311206A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,455 Days
• Field of Search: 725/112, 725/87, 386/124, 386/299, 386/297, 386/E5.003
• US Class Current: 386/299
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• 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 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• 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 21/4335 Housekeeping operations, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; unloading stored programs G06F9/445; storage management in file systems G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90
• 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 21/6547 comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
• 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

An approach is provided for managing digital video recorders. One or more parameters related to a digital video recorder are retrieved. A configuration message is generated, at a set-top box, for transmission over a data network to a data repository. The set-top box is coupled to the digital video recorder. The configuration message specifies the one or more parameters.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

retrieving one or more parameters related to a digital video recorder, the one or more parameters including a user recording schedule to record a plurality of programs available via the set-top box that a user has previously programmed into the digital video recorder, the digital video recorder being remote from and coupled to a set-top box;

generating a configuration message for transmission over a data network to a data repository,

wherein the data repository is remote from both the digital video recorder and the set-top box, and

wherein the configuration message specifies the one or more parameters related to the digital video recorder, including the user recording schedule;

generating a request to retrieve the one or more parameters, including the user recording schedule, from the data repository; and

receiving the one or more parameters, including the user recording schedule, from the depository for storage in the digital video reorder,

wherein the one or more parameters further include digital video recorder configuration information for the digital video recorder including monitor size, audio/video interface setup, audio settings, and time zone.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the one or more parameters, including the user recording schedule, further include programming guide information relating to the programs available via the set-top box.

3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving one or more parameters related to another digital video recorder, the digital video recorder and the other digital video recorder being associated with a common user account and residing within a common user premises, the one or more parameters related to the other digital video recorder including another recording schedule to record another plurality of programs available via the set-top box that another user has previously programmed into the other digital video recorder;

generating another configuration message for transmission over the data network to the data repository,

wherein the other configuration message specifies the one or more parameters related to the other digital video recorder, including the other user recording schedule,

wherein the one or more parameters related to another digital video recorder further include digital video recorder configuration information for the other digital video recorder including monitor size, audio/video interface setup, audio settings, and time zone, and

wherein the data repository merges the recording schedule and the other recording schedule into a single list and associates the corresponding digital video recorder and a corresponding user digital video recorder profile.

16. A method according to claim 1,

wherein the remote data repository is connected to a digital video recorder platform that is in communication with the set-top box,

wherein the user subscribes to two or more different service provides, and

wherein digital video recorder platform maps program scheduling information corresponding to a record request for one of the two or more different service providers to identify an identical program in another of the two or more different service providers.

4. An apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to retrieve one or more parameters related to a digital video recorder, the one or more parameters including a user recording schedule to record a plurality of programs available via the set-top box that a user has previously programmed into the digital video recorder the digital video recorder being remote from and coupled to the set-top box, wherein the processor is further configured to generate a configuration message for transmission; and

a communication interface configured to transmit the configuration message over a data network to a data repository,

wherein the data repository is remote from both the digital video recorder and the set-top box, and

wherein the configuration message specifies the one or more parameters related to the digital video recorder, including the user recording schedule,

the processor is further configured to generate a request to retrieve the one or more parameters, including the user recording schedule, from the data repository; and

the communication interface is further configured to receive the one or more parameters, including the user recording schedule, from the depository for storage in the digital video recorder,

wherein the one or more parameters further include digital video recorder configuration information for the digital video recorder including monitor size, audio/video interface setup, audio settings, and time zone.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the one or more parameters, including the user recording schedule, further include programming guide information relating to the programs available via the set-top box.

6. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the processor is further configured to retrieve one or more parameters related to another digital video recorder, the digital video recorder and the other digital video recorder being associated with a common user account and residing within a common user premises, the one or more parameters related to the other digital video recorder including another recording schedule to record another plurality of programs available via the set-top box that another user has previously programmed into the digital video recorder;

the communication interface is further configured to transmit another configuration message for transmission over the data network to the data repository,

wherein the other configuration message specifies the one or more parameters related to the other digital video recorder, including the other user recording schedule,

wherein the one or more parameters related to another digital video recorder further include digital video recorder configuration information for the other digital video recorder including monitor size, audio/video interface setup, audio settings, and time zone, and

wherein the data repository merges the recording schedule and the other recording schedule into a single list and associates the corresponding digital video recorder and a corresponding user digital video recorder profile.

7. A method comprising:

receiving one or more parameters over a communication network from a set-top box, wherein the one or more parameters include a user recording schedule to record a plurality of programs available via the set-top box that a user has previously programmed into a digital video recorder and further include digital video recorder configuration information for the digital video recorder including monitor size, audio/video interface setup, audio settings, and time zone, the digital video recorder being remote from and coupled to a set-top box;

storing the one or more parameters, including the user recording schedule, in a data repository that is managed by a service provider;

receiving a request from the set-top box to send the stored one or more parameters, including the user recording schedule, to the set-top box, and

sending the stored one or more parameters, including the user recording schedule, to the set-top box in response to the request.

8. A method according to claim 7, further comprising:

receiving, from another set-top box, one or more parameters, including another user recording schedule of another digital video recorder;

receiving a merge request from one of the digital video recorders to merge the one or more parameters, including the user recording schedule and the other user recording schedule of both digital video recorders; and

merging the one or more parameters, including the user recording schedule and the other user recording schedule of both the digital video recorders in response to the merge request,

wherein the merging includes associating the corresponding digital video recorder and corresponding user digital video recorder profile.

9. A method according to claim 7, wherein there are a plurality of digital video recorders associated with a common user account.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of digital video recorders is a separate device having its own memory, the method further comprising:

receiving a record request from one of the digital video recorders; and

determining an available record slot among the plurality of digital video recorders in response to the record request.

11. A method according to claim 7, further comprising:

initiating recording of a program on one of the digital video recorders;

ceasing the recording of the program on the one digital video recorder;

resuming the recording of the program on another one of the digital video recorders;

retrieving the recordings within each of the digital video recorders; and

bonding the recordings.

12. A method according to claim 7, further comprising:

generating recommendation information relating to a program, wherein the recommendation information provided by the set-top box for transmission to another set-top box.

13. A method according to claim 7, further comprising:

mapping a program request corresponding to the service provider from one of the set-top boxes to another program request corresponding to another service provider.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a communication interface configured to receive one or more parameters over a communication network from a set-top box, wherein the one or more parameters include a user recording schedule to record a plurality of programs available via the set-top box that a user has previously programmed into a digital video recorder and further include digital video recorder configuration information for the digital video recorder including monitor size, audio/video interface setup, audio settings, and time zone, the digital video recorder being remote from and coupled to a set-top box; and

a processor configured to initiate storage of the parameters in a data repository that is managed by a service provider,

wherein the communication interface is further configured to receive a request from the set-top box to send the stored one or more parameters, including the user recording schedule, to the set-top box, and

wherein the processor is further configured to initiate sending the stored one or more parameters, including the user recording schedule, to the set-top box in response to the request.

15. An Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the communication interface is further configured to receive, from another set-top box, one or more parameters, including another user recording schedule of another digital video recorder, and to receive a merge request from one of the digital video recorders to merge the one or more parameters, including the user recording schedule and the other user recording schedule of both digital video recorders, and

the processor being further configured to merge the one or more parameters, including the user recording schedule and the other user recording schedule of both digital video recorders,

wherein the merge includes associating the corresponding digital video recorder and corresponding user digital video recorder profile.