Digital video recorder system with an integrated DVD recording device

• US 8,824,865 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2008
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TiVo Solutions Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TiVo Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Barton, James M., Moskowitz, Alan, Goodman, Andrew Martin, Otala, Tapani, Vannier, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): DANG, HUNG Q
• Application Number:
  US12/270,852
• Publication Number:
  US 20090136215A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,119 Days
• Field of Search: 386252-260, 386291-299, 386343-357
• US Class Current: 386/291
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/10527 Audio or video recording; Data buffering arrangements G11B20/12 - G11B20/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/216 Rewritable discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/218 Write-once discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2516 Hard disks
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2575 DVD-RAMs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/41 Flat as opposed to hierarchical combination, e.g. library of tapes or discs, CD changer, or groups of record carriers that together store one title
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/455 said record carriers being in one device and being used as primary and secondary/backup media, e.g. HDD-DVD combo device, or as source and target media, e.g. PC and portable player
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/90 Tape-like record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/002 Programmed access in sequence to a plurality of record carriers or indexed parts, e.g. tracks, thereof, e.g. for editing; transfer of record carriers from magazine G11B15/68, G11B17/10; G11B17/22
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/024 on tapes G11B27/028, G11B27/029 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/032 on tapes G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/3027 used signal is digitally coded
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/3054 Vertical Interval Time code [VITC]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/329 on a disc [VTOC]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• 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 21/426 : Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42615 : involving specific demultiplexing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4263 : involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43072 : of multiple content streams on the same device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/432 : Content retrieval operation from a local storage medium, e.g. hard-disk details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video databases G06F16/739
• 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 21/4341 : Demultiplexing of audio and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4344 : Remultiplexing of multiplex streams, e.g. by modifying time stamps or remapping the packet identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4345 : Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4402 : involving reformatting operations of video signals for household redistribution, storage or real-time display details of conversion of video standards at pixel level H04N7/01; video transcoding H04N19/40; adapting incoming signals to the display format of the display terminal G09G5/005; media handling at the source in data packet switching networks H04L65/764
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440281 : by altering the temporal resolution, e.g. by frame skipping television signal recording using magnetic recording on tape for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate H04N5/783
• 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 21/454 : Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 : End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• 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 21/4884 : for displaying subtitles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8456 : by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8547 : involving timestamps for synchronizing content
• 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 5/781 : on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 : on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 : on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/7921 : for more than one processing mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 : involving data reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8063 : using time division multiplex of the PCM audio and PCM video signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8081 : involving data reduction

Abstract

A digital video recorder (DVR) system with an integrated DVD recording device accepts TV input streams in a multitude of forms. Analog TV streams are converted to an MPEG formatted stream for internal transfer and manipulation, while pre-formatted MPEG streams are extracted from the digital TV signal and presented in a similar format. Indexes within the MPEG stream are determined and saved at predefined intervals and are stored on a hard disk along with the MPEG program material and used to create navigation packets when writing to a DVD inserted in an integrated DVD player/recorder. When a program is requested for display from the hard disk or the integrated DVD player/recorder, the program material are extracted from the appropriate source and reassembled into an MPEG stream which is sent to a decoder. The decoder converts the MPEG stream into TV output signals and delivers the TV output signals to a TV monitor. User control commands are accepted which affect the flow of the MPEG stream allowing the user to view stored programs with special functions: reverse, fast forward, play, pause, index, fast/slow reverse play, and fast/slow play. The user can select program material stored on the hard disk to be written to a DVD and can also select program material stored on a DVD to be transferred to the hard disk.

Claims

1. A method for a digital video recorder (DVR) incorporating an integrated digital video device (DVD) player/recorder, comprising:

accepting analog and/or digital television broadcast signals by a plurality of input signal tuners in a DVR, each of the input signal tuners of the plurality of input signal tuners is individually tuned to a specific broadcast signal;

storing specific broadcast signals as digital program material on at least one storage device at the DVR;

wherein a DVD player/recorder resides in the DVR;

determining pointers to frames within a broadcast signal at specific intervals within the broadcast signal, the broadcast signal received from an input signal tuner among the plurality of input signal tuners, as the broadcast signal is being stored as digital program material;

storing the determined pointers as indexes along with the digital program material on the at least one storage device;

receiving a selection of one or more program material stored on the at least one storage device to be transferred to the DVD player/recorder;

writing the one or more selected program material along with associated indexes stored in periodic navigation packets onto a DVD inserted into the DVD player/recorder, the writing step places a serial number or encoded key specific to the DVR on the inserted DVD; and

upon detection of a recorded DVD being inserted into the DVD player/recorder;

validating the recorded DVD by extracting a serial number or encoded key from the recorded DVD and comparing the extracted serial number or encoded key with a list of serial numbers or encoded keys of DVRs owned by a specific user; and

in response to the extracted serial number or encoded key appearing on the list, allowing the inserted DVD to be read.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving indexes associated with the one or more selected program material; and

wherein the retrieved indexes are used by the writing step to establish navigation packets on the inserted DVD.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a selection of one or more program material stored on a second DVD inserted into the DVD player/recorder to be transferred to the at least one storage device; and

transferring the one or more selected program material from the second DVD onto the at least one storage device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to user input, selecting an individual tuner and the specific broadcast signal for the individual tuner.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the specific broadcast signal for an individual tuner is selected automatically based on a current date and time.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the specific broadcast signal for an individual tuner is selected automatically based on a particular word or phrase in the broadcast signal.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

wherein DVRs that a user owns are registered on a registration server;

wherein the registration server creates the list of serial numbers or encoded keys of DVRs owned by a specific user; and

distributing the list to DVRs on the list.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

extracting a specific program material from the at least one storage device or from the recorded DVD by at least one output device;

decoding the extracted specific program material into a television output signal; and

sending the television output signal to a television monitor.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein a specific program material is selected to be extracted and decoded from the at least one storage device or from the recorded DVD.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving control commands that control decoding rate and direction of the decoding step to perform at least one of;

variable rate fast forward, variable rate rewind, pause, or play functions on the television output signal.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving user selection of a program material stored on the recorded DVD to be played; and

playing the selected program material from the recorded DVD.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the playing step directs an output device to extract the selected program material from the recorded DVD.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the playing step directs an output device to extract the selected program material from the recorded DVD and cache an amount of the selected program material on the at least one storage device, and wherein the output device directs the decoding step to decode the cached program material from the at least one storage device.

19. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the specific broadcast signal for an individual tuner is selected automatically based on a particular word or phrase in the broadcast signal.

14. An apparatus for a digital video recorder (DVR) incorporating an integrated digital video device (DVD) player/recorder, comprising:

a plurality of input signal tuners in a DVR that accept analog and/or digital television broadcast signals, each of the input signal tuners of the plurality of input signal tuners is individually tuned to a specific broadcast signal;

at least one storage device in the DVR;

a storage subsystem that stores specific broadcast signals as digital program material on the at least one storage device;

a DVD player/recorder at the DVR;

an indexing subsystem that determines pointers to frames within a broadcast signal at specific intervals within the broadcast signal, the broadcast signal received from an input signal tuner among the plurality of input signal tuners, as the broadcast signal is being stored as digital program material;

an index storage subsystem that stores the determined pointers as indexes along with the digital program material on the at least one storage device;

a user interface subsystem that receives a selection of one or more program material stored on the at least one storage device to be transferred to the DVD player/recorder;

a DVD writing subsystem that writes the one or more selected program material along with associated indexes stored in periodic navigation packets onto a DVD inserted into the DVD player/recorder, the DVD writing subsystem places a serial number or encoded key specific to the DVR on the inserted DVD; and

upon detection of a recorded DVD being inserted into the DVD player/recorder;

a DVD validation subsystem validates the recorded DVD by extracting a serial number or encoded key from the recorded DVD and comparing the extracted serial number or encoded key with a list of serial numbers or encoded keys of DVRs owned by a specific user; and

the DVD validation subsystem allows the inserted DVD to be read in response to the extracted serial number or encoded key appearing on the list.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

an index retrieval subsystem that retrieves the indexes associated with the one or more selected program material from the at least one storage device; and

wherein the retrieved associated indexes are used by the DVD writing subsystem to establish navigation packets on the inserted DVD.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

a DVD user selection subsystem that receives a selection of one or more program material stored on a second DVD inserted into the DVD player/recorder to be transferred to the at least one storage device; and

a DVD program transfer subsystem that transfers the one or more selected program material from the second DVD onto the at least one storage device.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

a signal selection subsystem that, in response to user input, selects an individual tuner and the specific broadcast signal for the individual tuner.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the specific broadcast signal for an individual tuner is selected automatically based on a current date and time.

20. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

a registration server;

wherein DVRs that a user owns are registered on the registration server;

wherein the registration server creates the list of serial numbers or encoded keys of DVRs owned by a specific user; and

a list distribution subsystem that distributes the list to DVRs on the list.

21. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

at least one output device;

wherein the at least one output device extracts a specific program material from the storage device or from the recorded DVD;

a decoding subsystem that decodes the extracted specific program material into a television output signal; and

a display subsystem that sends the television output signal to a display device.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

a selection subsystem that selects a specific program material to be extracted and decoded from the at least one storage device or from the recorded DVD.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

a command receiving subsystem that receives control commands that control decoding rate and direction of the decoding subsystem to perform at least one of;

variable rate fast forward, variable rate and rewind, pause, or play functions on the television output signal.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

a DVD user selection subsystem that receives user selection of a program material stored on the recorded DVD to be played; and

a DVD program playing subsystem that plays the selected program material from the recorded DVD.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the DVD program playing subsystem directs an output device to extract the selected program material from the recorded DVD.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the DVD program playing subsystem directs an output device to extract the selected program material from the recorded DVD and cache an amount of the selected program material on the at least one storage device, and wherein the output device directs the decoding subsystem to decode the cached program material from the at least one storage device.

27. A method for a digital video recorder (DVR) incorporating an integrated digital video device (DVD) player/recorder, comprising:

storing broadcast signals as digital program material on at least one storage device in a DVR;

wherein a DVD player/recorder resides in the DVR;

determining pointers to frames within a digital representation of a broadcast signal at specific intervals within the digital representation of the broadcast signal as the broadcast signal is being stored as digital program material on the at least one storage device;

storing determined pointers as indexes along with associated digital program material on the at least one storage device;

receiving a selection of one or more program material stored on the at least one storage device to be transferred to the DVD player/recorder; and

writing the one or more selected program material along with associated indexes stored on the at least one storage device onto a DVD inserted into the DVD player/recorder, the associated indexes stored in periodic navigation packets on the DVD, the writing step places a serial number or encoded key specific to the DVR on the inserted DVD; and

upon detection of a recorded DVD being inserted into the DVD player/recorder;

validating the recorded DVD by extracting a serial number or encoded key from the recorded DVD and comparing the extracted serial number or encoded key with a list of serial numbers or encoded keys of DVRs owned by a specific user; and

in response to the extracted serial number or encoded key appearing on the list, allowing the inserted DVD to be read.

28. An apparatus for a digital video recorder (DVR) incorporating an integrated digital video device (DVD) player/recorder, comprising:

at least one storage device residing in a DVR;

a broadcast storage subsystem that stores broadcast signals as digital program material on at least one hard disk in the DVR;

a DVD player/recorder residing in the DVR;

an index determination subsystem that determines pointers to frames within a digital representation of a broadcast signal at specific intervals within the digital representation of the broadcast signal as the broadcast signal is being stored as digital program material on the at least one hard disk;

an index storage subsystem that stores determined pointers as indexes along with associated digital program material on the at least one hard disk;

a user selection receiving subsystem that receives a selection of one or more program material stored on the at least one hard disk to be transferred to the DVD player/recorder; and

a program material writing subsystem that writes the one or more selected program material along with associated indexes stored on the at least one hard disk onto a DVD inserted into the DVD player/recorder, the associated indexes stored in periodic navigation packets on the DVD, the program material writing subsystem places a serial number or encoded key specific to the DVR on the inserted DVD; and

upon detection of a recorded DVD being inserted into the DVD player/recorder;

a DVD validation subsystem validates the recorded DVD by extracting a serial number or encoded key from the recorded DVD and comparing the extracted serial number or encoded key with a list of serial numbers or encoded keys of DVRs owned by a specific user; and

the DVD validation subsystem allows the inserted DVD to be read in response to the extracted serial number or encoded key appearing on the list.