Multi-channel playback of audio/video content
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- receiving, at a recording device, audio/video content from a plurality of audio/video sources, wherein each of the plurality of audio/video sources corresponds to a channel;
compressing, at the recording device, audio/video content received from each of the plurality of audio/video sources, the compressing including using a first data rate to compress first audio/video content received from a first audio/video source and using a second data rate that is different from the first data rate to compress second audio/video content received from a second audio/video source;
storing the compressed audio/video content into corresponding portions of one or more storage devices at the recording device; and
playing back, by the recording device, from a first portion of the one or more storage devices, the compressed first audio/video content, wherein the compressed first audio/video content in the first portion is not overwritten when a viewer changes from a first channel that corresponds to the first audio/video source to a second channel that corresponds to the second audio/video source.
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Abstract
A system and method for time-shifted viewing of broadcast television programs is disclosed. Simultaneous recording and playback are provided by using buffer storage as the source and destination of compressed or uncompressed digital video/audio programs. Full VCR-like control is provided for all playback within the buffer storage. Playback and control of recorded programs may be initiated by the user at any time after initiation of the broadcast program with simultaneous continuous recording of the ongoing live broadcast. Larger archival storage and removable is also provided for storing and building a library of programs. Viewer playback control data may be stored as part of the program or used as edit points prior to archival. Numerous options are provided for features such as continuous automatic recording in a circular buffer fashion, program archival, editing, Internet interfaces, multiple-channel recording and more.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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receiving, at a recording device, audio/video content from a plurality of audio/video sources, wherein each of the plurality of audio/video sources corresponds to a channel; compressing, at the recording device, audio/video content received from each of the plurality of audio/video sources, the compressing including using a first data rate to compress first audio/video content received from a first audio/video source and using a second data rate that is different from the first data rate to compress second audio/video content received from a second audio/video source; storing the compressed audio/video content into corresponding portions of one or more storage devices at the recording device; and playing back, by the recording device, from a first portion of the one or more storage devices, the compressed first audio/video content, wherein the compressed first audio/video content in the first portion is not overwritten when a viewer changes from a first channel that corresponds to the first audio/video source to a second channel that corresponds to the second audio/video source. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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9. A recording apparatus, comprising:
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one or more inputs configured to receive audio/video content from a plurality of audio/video sources, wherein each of the plurality of audio/video sources corresponds to a channel; a compression subsystem, implemented at least partially by computing hardware, configured to compress audio/video content received from each of the plurality of audio/video sources, the compressing including using a first data rate to compress first audio/video content received from a first audio/video source and using a second data rate that is different from the first data rate to compress second audio/video content received from a second audio/video source; one or more storage devices configured to store the compressed audio/video content into corresponding portions of the one or more storage devices; and a playback control module, implemented at least partially by computing hardware, configured to play back from a first portion of the one or more storage devices, the compressed first audio/video content, wherein the compressed first audio/video content in the first portion is not overwritten when a viewer changes from a first channel that corresponds to the first audio/video source to a second channel that corresponds to the second audio/video source. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause performance of:
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receiving, at a recording device, audio/video content from a plurality of audio/video sources, wherein each of the plurality of audio/video sources corresponds to a channel; compressing, at the recording device, audio/video content received from each of the plurality of audio/video sources, the compressing including using a first data rate to compress first audio/video content received from a first audio/video source and using a second data rate that is different from the first data rate to compress second audio/video content received from a second audio/video source; storing the compressed audio/video content into corresponding portions of one or more storage devices at the recording device; and playing back, by the recording device, from a first portion of the one or more storage devices, the compressed first audio/video content, wherein the compressed first audio/video content in the first portion is not overwritten when a viewer changes from a first channel that corresponds to the first audio/video source to a second channel that corresponds to the second audio/video source. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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Specification