Program viewing apparatus and method

• US 8,769,601 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2010
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pixel Instruments Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pixel Instruments Corporation
• Inventors: Cooper, J. Carl, Anderson, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, NGOC K
• Application Number:
  US12/718,162
• Publication Number:
  US 20100247065A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,579 Days
• Field of Search: 725131-134, 725139-142, 725151-153, 348/725, 348/731
• US Class Current: 725/142
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/04 Time compression or expansion
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00007 Time or data compression or expansion audio compression based on psychoacoustics G10L19/00; data processing for reproducing audio data at different playback speeds G10L21/04; video compression H04N19/00; data compression per se H03M7/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/662 using a time/frequency relationship, e.g. time compression or expansion
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4126 The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
• 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 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42209 for displaying non-command information, e.g. electronic program guide [EPG], e-mail, messages or a second television channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42222 Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42227 the keys being reprogrammable, e.g. soft keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• 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 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4333 Processing operations in response to a pause request
• 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 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/783 Adaptations for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 : involving data reduction

Abstract

Improvements in program viewing apparatus and methods, some of which are now commonly referred to as personal video recorder (PVR) and program guide features in television sets, set top boxes and other video devices. The invention provides for a user display such as a flat panel program display device, a user remote for the user to control operations and features, program data storage for storing programs and related information, removable data storage for storing programs and related information on removable storage media. Also included is a data manager which functions include response to the user'"'"'s desires via the user remote to control receiving and storing programs and select received or stored programs to be displayed on the user display device. The data manager may also be responsive to receive, store and display other services such as programming guide services to provide enhanced program viewing and storage management as directed by the user.

Claims

1. In-home television program control apparatus, comprising:

a first television tuner configured to receive a 30 minute long first television program including video data and audio data;

a second television tuner configured to receive a 30 minute long second television program including video data and audio data;

processing structure coupled to said first and second television tuners and configured to receive the first and second television programs from said first and second television tuners, respectively;

memory structure coupled to said processing structure and configured to store the received first and second television programs; and

remote control structure configured to control said processing structure;

said processing structure also configured to, in response to one or more signals from said remote control structure,

(i) simultaneously store the received first television program in said memory structure and output the video and audio data of the received second television program for use by a television display without passing said received second television program to said memory structure,

(ii) simultaneously store the received second television program in said memory structure and output the video and audio data of the received first television program for use by the television display without passing said received first television program to said memory structure,

(iii) simultaneously store the received first television program in said memory structure and output the video and audio data of the second television program for use by the television display from said memory structure, and

(iv) simultaneously store the received second television program in said memory structure and output the video and audio data of the first television program for use by the television display from said memory structure.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said processing structure is configured to, in response to one or more signals from respective first and second remote control structures (i) output video and audio data of the first television program for use by a first television display, and (ii) output video and audio data of the second television program for use by a second television display.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said processing structure is configured to:

output the video and audio data of the first television program for use by the first television display from one of (i) the memory structure, and (ii) the first television tuner without passing said received first television program to said memory structure; and

output the video and audio data of the second television program for use by the second television display from one of (i) the memory structure, and (ii) the second television tuner without passing said received second television program to said memory structure.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said processing structure is configured to, in response to one or more signals from said remote control structure, pause outputting video and audio data for use by the television display and answer a phone.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said processing structure is configured to, in response to a pause signal from said remote control structure, (i) pause outputting video and audio data of the first television program, which has bypassed said memory structure, for use by the television display, and (ii) begin storing the video and audio data of the first television program in said memory structure from the point where the pause signal was received by said processing structure.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said processing structure is configured to, in response to a disable-pause signal from said remote control structure, output the video and audio data of the first television program from said memory structure for use by the television display, from the point where the pause signal was received by said processing structure.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said processing structure is configured to delete video and audio data from said memory structure when storage capacity in said memory structure is unable to store an incoming 30 minute television program.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said processing structure is configured to delete video and audio data from said memory structure in accordance with a predetermined set of priorities.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said predetermined set of priorities is set through one or more signals provided by said remote control structure.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said predetermined set of priorities may be changed by one or more signals provided by said remote control structure.

11. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said predetermined set of priorities includes deleting at least one of:

(i) a particular television program, (ii) a particular television network, and (iii) a particular television service.

12. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said predetermined set of priorities includes storing at least one of:

(i) a particular television program, (ii) a particular television network, and (iii) a particular television service, while deleting previously stored data not in the predetermined set of priorities.

13. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said predetermined set of priorities includes giving higher priority to a first user over a second user.

14. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said processing structure is configured to provide a warning signal when storage capacity in said memory structure is unable to store an incoming program.

15. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said memory structure includes a user-removable data storage media.

16. In-home television program control apparatus, comprising:

a first television tuner configured to receive at least 30 minute long television programs including a first television program having video data and audio data;

a second television tuner configured to receive at least 30 minute long television programs including a second television program having video data and audio data;

processing structure coupled to said first and second television tuners and configured to receive the first and second television programs from said first and second television tuners, respectively;

memory structure coupled to said processing structure and configured to store the received first and second television programs;

remote control structure configured to control said processing structure;

in response to one or more signals from said remote control structure, said processing structure also configured to;

(i) store one of the received first television program or the received second television program in said memory structure and simultaneously output the video and audio data of the other of the received first television program or the received second television program for use by a television display without passing said other television program to said memory structure, and

(ii) store one of the received first television program or the received second television program in said memory structure and simultaneously output the video and audio data of the other of the received first television program or the received second television program from memory for use by a television display.

17. Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said processing structure is configured to, in response to one or more signals from respective first and second remote control structures (i) output video and audio data of the first television program for use by a first television display, and (ii) output video and audio data of the second television program for use by a second television display.

18. Apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said processing structure is configured to:

output the video and audio data of the first television program for use by the first television display from one of (i) the memory structure, and (ii) the first television tuner without passing said received first television program to said memory structure; and

output the video and audio data of the second television program for use by the second television display from one of (i) the memory structure, and (ii) the second television tuner without passing said received second television program to said memory structure.

19. Apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said processing structure is configured to, in response to one or more signals from said remote control structure, pause outputting video and audio data for use by the television display and answer a phone.

20. Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said processing structure is configured to, in response to a pause signal from said remote control structure, (i) pause outputting video and audio data of the first television program, which has bypassed said memory structure, for use by the television display, and (ii) begin storing the video and audio data of the first television program in said memory structure from the point where the pause signal was received by said processing structure.

21. Apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said processing structure is configured to, in response to a disable-pause signal from said remote control structure, output the video and audio data of the first television program from said memory structure faster or slower than normal without audio pitch shift artifacts for use by the television display, from the point where the pause signal was received by said processing structure.

22. Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said processing structure is configured to delete video and audio data from said memory structure when storage capacity in said memory structure is unable to store an incoming 30 minute television program.

23. Apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said processing structure is configured to delete video and audio data from said memory structure in accordance with a predetermined set of priorities.

24. Apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said predetermined set of priorities is set through one or more signals provided by said remote control structure.

25. Apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said predetermined set of priorities includes deleting at least one of:

(i) a particular television program, (ii) a particular television network, and (iii) a particular television service.

26. Apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said predetermined set of priorities includes giving higher priority to a first user over a second user.

27. In-home television program control apparatus, comprising:

a first television tuner configured to receive at least 30 minute long television programs including a first television program having video data and audio data;

a second television tuner configured to receive at least 30 minute long television programs including a second television program having video data and audio data;

processing structure coupled to said first and second television tuners and configured to receive the first and second television programs from said first and second television tuners, respectively;

memory structure coupled to said processing structure and configured to store the received first and second television programs;

remote control structure including a flat panel display said remote control structure configured to control said processing structure;

in response to one or more signals from said remote control, said processing structure also configured to;

(i) store one of the received first television program or the received second television program in said memory structure and simultaneously output the video and audio data of the other of the received first television program or the received second television program for use by a television display without passing said other television program to said memory structure,

(ii) store one of the received first television program or the received second television program in said memory structure and simultaneously output the video and audio data of the other of the received first television program or the received second television program from memory for use by a television display; and

said television program control apparatus suitable for in-home use.

28. Apparatus according to claim 27 wherein said remote control structure includes a speaker and said flat panel display is capable of displaying text messages, graphics and images such that when said first television program or said second television program is displayed it is displayed on said remote control structure via said flat panel display and said speaker.

31. Apparatus according to claim 28 or 29, wherein said processing structure is configured to:

output the video and audio data of the first television program for display on said remote control structure via said flat panel display and said speaker from one of (i) the memory structure, and (ii) the first television tuner without passing said received first television program to said memory structure; and

output the video and audio data of the second television program for display on said remote control structure via said flat panel display and said speaker from one of (i) the memory structure, and (ii) the second television tuner without passing said received second television program to said memory structure.

32. Apparatus according to claim 28 or 29, wherein audio interaction with a user is provided by said remote control structure via said speaker providing sound and a microphone receiving sound.

33. Apparatus according to claim 28 or 29, wherein said processing structure is configured to, in response to one or more signals from said remote control structure, pause outputting video and audio data for display on said remote control structure via said flat panel display and said audio speaker and answer a phone.

34. Apparatus according to claim 27 or 29, wherein said processing structure is configured to, in response to a pause signal from said remote control structure, pause outputting video data from said memory structure and in response to a disable-pause signal from said remote control structure, output video data from said memory structure for use by said flat panel display, from the point where the pause signal was received by said processing structure.

29. In-home television program control apparatus, comprising:

a first television tuner configured to receive at least 30 minute long television programs including a first television program having video data and audio data;

a second television tuner configured to receive at least 30 minute long television programs including a second television program having video data and audio data;

processing structure coupled to said first and second television tuners and configured to receive the first and second television programs from said first and second television tuners, respectively;

memory structure coupled to said processing structure and configured to store the received first and second television programs;

remote control structure including a speaker providing sound and a flat panel display capable of displaying text messages, graphics and images, said remote control structure configured to control said processing structure;

said processing structure also configured to, in response to one or more signals from said remote control,

(i) simultaneously store the received first television program in said memory structure and output the video and audio data of the received second television program for display without passing said received second television program to said memory structure,

(ii) simultaneously store the received second television program in said memory structure and output the video and audio data of the received first television program for display without passing said received first television program to said memory structure,

(iii) simultaneously store the received first television program in said memory structure and output the video and audio data of the second television program for display from said memory structure;

(iv) simultaneously store the received second television program in said memory structure and output the video and audio data of the first television program for display from said memory structure; and

said television program control apparatus suitable for in-home use.

30. Apparatus according to claim 29, wherein when said first television program or said second television program is displayed it is displayed on said remote control structure via said flat panel display and said speaker.