Multi-channel playback of audio/video content

• US 9,094,724 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2007
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TiVo Solutions Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TiVo Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Lang, Richard A., Walters, Eric H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chevalier, Robert
• Application Number:
  US11/833,863
• Publication Number:
  US 20080069519A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,916 Days
• Field of Search: 386/291, 386/292, 386/296, 386/297, 386/298, 386/251, 386/248, 386/249, 386/328, 386/326, 386/341, 386/353
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42224 Touch pad or touch panel provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• 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 21/47217 for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• 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 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence
• 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 9/8205 involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal

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.

Claims

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.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of audio/video sources is a broadcast television provider, a cable television provider, or a digital signal provider.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of audio/video sources is an Internet content provider.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

continuing to store the compressed first audio/video content in the first portion of the one or more storage devices after the viewer changes from the first channel to the second channel.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising playing back the compressed second audio/video content from a second portion of the one or more storage devices, wherein the playback of the compressed second audio/video content from the second portion occurs substantially simultaneously with the playback of the compressed first audio/video content from the first portion.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the substantially simultaneous playback of the compressed first audio/video content and the compressed second audio/video content includes display of the corresponding audio/video content through a picture-in-picture feature.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

collectively storing at least a portion of the compressed audio/video content in archival memory.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising transferring the portion of the compressed audio/video content from the archival memory to a removable media.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the first audio/video content concurrently with receiving the second audio/video content.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining to compress the first audio/video content at the first data rate based on a selection by the viewer.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining to compress the first audio/video content at the first data rate based on a command included in the first audio/video content.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying values for one or more configuration parameters for compressing the first audio/video content, the configuration parameters including one or more of;

a video quality, a compression method, or a video resolution;

wherein the first data rate is a function of the one or more configuration parameters.

20. The method of claim 1,

wherein compressing the first audio/video content at the first data rate comprises compressing the first audio/video content using a first video resolution;

wherein compressing the second audio/video content at the second data rate comprises compressing the second audio/video content using a second video resolution that is different from the first video resolution.

9. A recording apparatus, comprising:

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.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein at least one of the plurality of audio/video sources is a broadcast television provider, a cable television provider, or a digital signal provider.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein at least one of the plurality of audio/video sources is an Internet content provider.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the one or more storage devices are configured to continue to store the compressed first audio/video content in the first portion after the viewer changes from the first channel to the second channel.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein a second portion of the one or more storage devices is configured to store the compressed second audio/video content for playback, wherein the playback of the compressed second audio/video content from the second portion occurs substantially simultaneously with the playback of the compressed first audio/video content from the first portion.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising archival memory configured to collectively store at least a portion of the compressed audio/video content.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a removable media storage device configured to store a copy of the portion of the compressed audio/video content transferred from the archival memory.

21. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the one or more inputs are further configured to receive the first audio/video content concurrently with receiving the second audio/video content.

22. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the compression subsystem is further configured to determine to compress the first audio/video content at the first data rate based on a selection by the viewer.

23. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the compression subsystem is further configured to determine to compress the first audio/video content at the first data rate based on a command included in the first audio/video content.

24. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the compression subsystem is further configured to:

identify values for one or more configuration parameters for compressing the first audio/video content, the configuration parameters including one or more of;

a video quality, a compression method, or a video resolution;

wherein the first data rate is a function of the one or more configuration parameters.

25. The apparatus of claim 14:

wherein compressing the first audio/video content at the first data rate comprises compressing the first audio/video content using a first video resolution;

wherein compressing the second audio/video content at the second data rate comprises compressing the second audio/video content using a second video resolution that is different from the first video resolution.

26. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause performance of:

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.

27. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 26, wherein at least one of the plurality of audio/video sources is a broadcast television provider, a cable television provider, or a digital signal provider.

28. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 26, wherein at least one of the plurality of audio/video sources is an Internet content provider.

29. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 26, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause performance of:

continuing to store the compressed first audio/video content in the first portion of the one or more storage devices after the viewer changes from the first channel to the second channel.

30. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 26, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause performance of:

playing back the compressed second audio/video content from a second portion of the one or more storage devices, wherein the playback of the compressed second audio/video content from the second portion occurs substantially simultaneously with the playback of the compressed first audio/video content from the first portion.

31. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 30, wherein the substantially simultaneous playback of the compressed first audio/video content and the compressed second audio/video content includes display of the corresponding audio/video content through a picture-in-picture feature.

32. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 26, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause performance of:

collectively storing at least a portion of the compressed audio/video content in archival memory.

33. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 32, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause performance of transferring the portion of the compressed audio/video content from the archival memory to a removable media.

34. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 26, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause performance of receiving the first audio/video content concurrently with receiving the second audio/video content.

35. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 26, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause performance of determining to compress the first audio/video content at the first data rate based on a selection by the viewer.

36. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 26, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause performance of determining to compress the first audio/video content at the first data rate based on a command included in the first audio/video content.

37. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 26, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause performance of:

identifying values for one or more configuration parameters for compressing the first audio/video content, the configuration parameters including one or more of;

a video quality, a compression method, or a video resolution;

wherein the first data rate is a function of the one or more configuration parameters.

38. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 26,

wherein compressing the first audio/video content at the first data rate comprises compressing the first audio/video content using a first video resolution;

wherein compressing the second audio/video content at the second data rate comprises compressing the second audio/video content using a second video resolution that is different from the first video resolution.