Providing remote access to segments of a transmitted program
First Claim
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1. A method executable by a communication server to provide remote access to segments of a television program, the method comprising:
- receiving the television program, and storing a first copy of the television program at the communication server;
receiving, by the communication server, first information specifying a beginning and an end of a first segment of the television program from a first communication device, wherein the first information is defined by a user of the first communication device viewing a second copy of the television program received by the first communication device, wherein the television program is received via a television broadcast received by both the communication server and the first communication device;
subsequently receiving, by the communication server, a first request for access to the first segment defined by the user of the first communication device, wherein the first request is received from a second communication device; and
in response to the first request, extracting the first segment of the television program from the first copy of the television program stored by the communication server and forwarding the extracted first segment of the television program to the second communication device.
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Abstract
A method for providing remote access to segments of a transmitted program is presented. The program is recorded, and then stored at a communication server. Information specifying a segment of the stored program is transferred from a communication device to the communication server. Also, a request for access to the specified segment of the stored program is transferred from another communication device to the communication server. In response to the request, the specified segment of the program is transferred from the communication server to the requesting communication device.
30 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method executable by a communication server to provide remote access to segments of a television program, the method comprising:
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receiving the television program, and storing a first copy of the television program at the communication server; receiving, by the communication server, first information specifying a beginning and an end of a first segment of the television program from a first communication device, wherein the first information is defined by a user of the first communication device viewing a second copy of the television program received by the first communication device, wherein the television program is received via a television broadcast received by both the communication server and the first communication device; subsequently receiving, by the communication server, a first request for access to the first segment defined by the user of the first communication device, wherein the first request is received from a second communication device; and in response to the first request, extracting the first segment of the television program from the first copy of the television program stored by the communication server and forwarding the extracted first segment of the television program to the second communication device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A communication server, comprising:
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a memory configured to store a first copy of a television program; a communication interface configured to receive first information from a television receiver, wherein the first information defines a beginning and an end of a first segment of the television program and is defined by a first user who is viewing a second copy of the television program via the television receiver, wherein the television program is received via a television broadcast received by both the communication server and the television receiver, and wherein the communication interface is further configured to receive a first request for access to the first segment of the television program from a second device; and a processor configured to process the first request and, in response, extract the first segment of the television program from the first copy of the television program and transfer the extracted first segment of the television program to the second device over the communication interface. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A communication device operable by a user, the device comprising:
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a television receiver configured to receive a television broadcast of a television program; a user interface configured to receive inputs from the user comprising a first indication of a starting point of a first segment of the television program, and a second indication of an ending point of the first segment of the television program; a communication interface; and a processor configured to process the first indication and the second indication to generate first information specifying the first segment of the television program, and to transfer the first information over the communication interface to a communication server to thereby permit the communication server to, in response to a request from a second communication device, extract the first segment indicated by the user from a separate copy of the television program stored at the communication server, wherein the separate copy of the television program is received via the television broadcast received by both the communication server and the television receiver, and to transfer the extracted first segment of the television program to the second communication device. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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Specification