System, method, and apparatus for providing digital video recorder services on a portable wireless device

• US 8,782,731 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2008
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gupta, Shekhar, Roberts, Mike A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Goodarzi, Nasser
• Assistant Examiner(s): Peng, Fred
• Application Number:
  US12/178,462
• Publication Number:
  US 20100023975A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,183 Days
• Field of Search: 725/62
• US Class Current: 725/133
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4126 The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• 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 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• 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 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; 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 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• 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 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/79 Processing of colour television signals in connection with recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/87 Regeneration of colour television signals H04N9/80 takes precedence

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for providing digital video recorder services with a portable wireless device (PWD). The PWD includes at least a transceiver, a processing unit and a memory unit. The transceiver receives a video content signal transmitted from a broadcaster of mobile broadcast digital TV, and an electronic program guide (EPG). The processing unit is in communication with the transceiver and the memory unit and the processing unit: stores the TV programming information on the memory unit; displays, responsive to a first user input, the TV programming information; records on the memory unit, responsive to a second user input, a selected video content signal received by the transceiver; and plays back the selected video content signal, responsive to a third user input, from the memory unit.

Claims

1. A portable wireless device (PWD) for providing digital video recorder services, said PWD comprising:

a transceiver for receiving a video content signal, said video content signal being transmitted from a broadcaster of mobile broadcast digital TV, and an electronic program guide (EPG), said EPG comprising a first data set of TV programming information;

a non-removable memory unit; and

a processing unit in communication with the non-removable memory unit and transceiver, said processing unit configured to execute instructions to;

store the first data set of TV programming information on the non-removable memory unit;

responsive to a first user input, display at least a portion of the first data set;

responsive to a second user input, record on the non-removable memory unit a selected video content signal received by the transceiver;

responsive to a third user input, play back the selected video content signal from the non-removable memory unit;

receive a recording schedule from a set-top box; and

record video content on the non-removable memory unit in accordance with the recording schedule received from the set-top box;

wherein the processing unit is further configured to obtain a second data set of TV programming information by remotely synchronizing with a digital video recorder configured as a set-top box;

wherein the processing unit is further configured to;

compare the first data set with the second data set; and

responsive to a further user input, display an indication of a difference between the first data set and the second data set;

wherein the difference is related to a physical locality of the PWD with respect to the set-top box;

wherein the difference is related to a program schedule for mobile broadcast digital TV at the physical locality of the PWD being different from a program schedule at the set-top box.

2. The PWD of claim 1, wherein the second input by the user comprises programming the processing unit whereby the transceiver receives the selected video content signal on a selected channel at a selected time.

3. The PWD of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is further configured to record user viewing preferences on the non-removable memory unit.

4. The PWD of claim 3, wherein the processing unit is further configured to display tailored command menus to the user based on the recorded user viewing preferences.

5. The PWD of claim 1, wherein the difference is related to a local time at the physical locality of the PWD being different from a local time at the set-top box.

6. The portable wireless device of claim 1, wherein said processing unit is further configured to record all programming for a particular user-specified sports team.

7. A method for providing digital video recorder services, said method comprising:

receiving at least one of a video content signal and an electronic program guide (EPG) at a portable wireless device (PWD), said video content signal being transmitted from a broadcaster of mobile broadcast digital TV, said EPG comprising a first data set of TV programming information;

storing the TV programming information on the PWD on a non-removable data storage unit of the PWD;

in response to a first user input, displaying the TV programming information on the PWD;

in response to a second user input, recording a selected video content signal by the PWD on the non-removable data storage unit of the PWD;

in response to a third user input, playing back the selected video content signal on the PWD;

receiving a recording schedule from a set-top box; and

recording video content on the non-removable memory unit in accordance with the recording schedule received from the set-top box;

wherein the processing unit is further configured to obtain a second data set of TV programming information by remotely synchronizing with a digital video recorder configured as a set-top box;

wherein the processing unit is further configured to;

compare the first data set with the second data set; and

responsive to a further user input, display an indication of a difference between the first data set and the second data set;

wherein the difference is related to a physical locality of the PWD with respect to the set-top box;

wherein the difference is related to a program schedule for mobile broadcast digital TV at the physical locality of the PWD being different from a program schedule at the set-top box.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising receiving the selected video content signal on a selected channel at a selected time by the PWD.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising recording user viewing preferences.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising displaying tailored command menus to the user based on the recorded user viewing preferences.

11. The PWD of claim 7, wherein the difference is related to a local time at the physical locality of the PWD being different from a local time at the set-top box.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising recording all programming for a particular user-specified sports team.