System and method for time shifting at least a portion of a program

• US 9,538,122 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2014
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digital Broadcasting Solutions LLC
• Original Assignee: Todd Fitzsimmons
• Inventors: Fitzsimmons, Todd
• Primary Examiner(s): Vaughn, Jr., William C
• Assistant Examiner(s): TEKLE, DANIEL T
• Application Number:
  US14/543,753
• Publication Number:
  US 20150071602A1
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 386/230
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• 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 21/4263 involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• 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 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• 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 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8126 involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8456 by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/783 Adaptations for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate

Abstract

A system and method is provided for time shifting a video program. In one embodiment of the present invention, a receiver, which may be configured to function as both a receiver and a DVR, is configured to receive a video program having both primary and secondary portions. The receiving device is further configured to play both portions of the video program if the program is being watched (a) during a first period of time or (b) during a second period of time and a user desires to watch both portions, and to play only the primary portions if the program is being watched during the second period of time and the user desires to watch only the primary portions. By doing this, the user can avoid the secondary portions when those portions have a diminished value to the user, the content owner, the content provider and/or advertisers.

Claims

1. A digital video recorder (DVR) for time shifting at least one video program, said video program being transmitted over a data distribution system, comprising:

a tuner for receiving a plurality of video programs, wherein (i) said plurality of video programs are transmitted at the same time on a single channel within said data distribution system, (ii) said tuner can be tuned to said single channel to receive said plurality of video programs, and (iii) at least one of said plurality of video programs includes at least first, second and third portions, wherein said second portion as transmitted is configured to follow said first portion, and said third portion as transmitted is configured to follow said second portion;

a memory device for storing said plurality of video programs, allowing said one of said plurality of video programs to be played back at a later time;

a controller configured to receive commands from a user of said DVR, wherein a first command changes said DVR from a first playback state to a second playback state, a second command initiates playback of said one of said plurality of video programs from said memory device, and a third command instructs said DVR to receive and store said plurality of video programs; and

at least one processor configured to (i) provide said one of said plurality of video programs in its entirety to a display device in response to receiving said second command during a first period of time, (ii) provide said one of said plurality of video programs in its entirety to said display device in response to receiving said second command during a second period of time if said DVR is in said first playback state, and (iii) provide only a portion of said one of said plurality of video programs to said display device in response to receiving said second command during said second period of time if said DVR is in said second playback state, said portion of said one of said plurality of video programs including at least said first and third portions of said one of said plurality of video programs, wherein said third portion is provided to said display device immediately following said first portion if said second command is received during said second period of time and said DVR is in said second playback state;

wherein said second period of time is a period of time after said first period of time.

2. The DVR of claim 1, further comprising a wireless transmitter in communication with said at least one processor and said memory device, said wireless transmitter being configured to transmit said one of said plurality of video programs in its entirety or said portion of said one of said plurality of programs at least indirectly to said display device, said display device being remotely located from said DVR.

3. The DVR of claim 1, further comprising at least one other tuner, wherein said at least one other tuner allows said DVR to receive at least one other video program while said tuner is being used to receive said plurality of video programs, said at least one other video program being selected by said user.

4. The DVR of claim 1, wherein said one of said plurality of video programs includes at least primary and secondary video content, and said first and third portions of said one of said plurality of video programs consists of said primary video content.

5. The DVR of claim 4, wherein said second portion of said one of said plurality of video programs consists of said secondary video content and said memory device is further configured to store at least one time when said second portion begins and at least one time when said second portion ends.

6. The DVR of claim 1, wherein said first period of time is a period of time that begins when said one of said plurality of video programs is stored on said memory device and available to be viewed and ends within a predetermined time thereafter, said predetermined time being less than one week.

7. The DVR of claim 1, wherein said single channel is stored in said memory and said at least one processor is configured to tune said tuner to said single channel in response to said controller receiving said third command.

8. The DVR of claim 1, wherein data communicated via said single channel is compressed prior to transmission and said at least one processor is configured to decompress said data after its have been received so that said one of said plurality of video programs or said portion of said one of said plurality of video programs can be displayed, depending on when said second command is received and said playback state of said DVR.

9. The DVR of claim 5, wherein said secondary video content comprises at least one advertisement.

10. The DVR of claim 1, wherein said at least one processor is further configured to (i) retrieve said portion of said one of said plurality of video programs from said memory if said second command is received during said second period of time and said DVR is in said second playback state, and (ii) retrieve said one of said plurality of video programs in its entirety from said memory device if another second command is received at a time thereafter and said DVR is switched to said first playback state at or before said time thereafter.

11. A method for time shifting at least one video program transmitted to a digital video recorder (DVR) over a data distribution system, comprising:

receiving a plurality of video programs, wherein said plurality of video programs are transmitted as the same time and are received by a single tuner in said DVR, and at least one of said plurality of video programs includes at least first, second and third portions, wherein said second portion as transmitted is configured to follow said first portion, and said third portion as transmitted is configured to follow said second portion;

receiving a third command from at least one user of said DVR, said third command indicating a desire to use said single tuner to receive said plurality of video programs and to store said plurality of video programs on at least one memory device in said DVR;

storing said plurality of video programs on said at least one memory device in said DVR in response to receiving said third command from said at least one user of said DVR;

receiving a second command from said at least one user of said DVR, said second command indicating a desire to playback at least a portion of said one of said plurality of video programs;

receiving a first command from said at least one user of said DVR, said first command indicating a playback state of said DVR; and

providing said at least a portion of said one of said plurality of video programs to a display device in response to receiving said second command from said at least one user of said DVR;

wherein said step of providing said at least a portion of said one of said plurality of video programs to said display device further comprises (i) providing said one of said plurality of video programs to said display device in response to receiving said second command during a first period of time, (ii) providing said one of said plurality of video programs to said display device in response to receiving said second command during said second period of time if said DVR is in said first playback state, and (iii) providing only a portion of said one of said plurality of video programs to said display device in response to receiving said second command during said second period of time if said DVR is in said second playback state, said portion of said one of said plurality of video programs including at least said first and third portions of said video program, wherein said third portion is provided to said display device immediately following said first portion if said second command is received during said second period of time and said DVR is in said second playback state;

wherein said second period of time is a period of time after said first period of time.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said step of providing said at least a portion of said one of said plurality of video programs to a display device further comprises transmitting said at least a portion of said one of said plurality of video programs to said display device via a transmission path that includes at least one wireless connection, said display device being remotely located from said DVR.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said step of storing said plurality of video programs on said at least one memory device in said DVR further comprises storing at least one time of when said second portion of said video program begins and at least one time of when said second portion of said video program ends.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein said one of said plurality of video programs includes at least primary and secondary video content, said portion of said video program that is provided to said display device if said second command is received during said second period of time and said DVR is in said second playback state consists of said primary video content, and said secondary video content includes at least one advertisement.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

compressing said plurality of video programs prior to said plurality of video programs being transmitted over said data distribution system, and

decompressing said plurality of video programs after said plurality of video programs have been received by said DVRr and before said one of said plurality of video programs or portion thereof is provided to said display device.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of tuning said single tuner to a particular channel at a particular time in response to receiving said third command, said particular channel and said particular time being stored in said at least one memory device in said DVR.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of receiving a fourth command from said at least one user of said DVR, said fourth command indicating a desire to record a second video program, which is accomplished using another tuner if said second video program is being transmitted to said DVR while said plurality of video programs are being transmitted to said DVR.

18. A digital video recorder (DVR) for time shifting at least one of a plurality of video programs, said one of said plurality of video programs consisting of first, second and third portions, wherein said second portion as transmitted is configured to follow said first portion, and said third portion as transmitted is configured to follow said second portion, comprising:

a first tuner for receiving data on said plurality of video programs, wherein said data on one of said plurality of video programs is transmitted together with said data on other ones of said plurality of video programs, so that said first tuner receives said data on said one of said plurality of video programs at the same time that it receives data on said other ones of said plurality of video programs;

at least one memory device for storing said data on said plurality of video programs, including at least said one of said plurality of video programs;

a controller for receiving commands including at least a first command for setting a playback state of said DVR, a second command for initiating a playback of said one of said plurality of video programs from said memory device, and a third command for initiating said reception and said storage of said data on said plurality of video programs; and

at least one processor for (i) providing said first, second and third portions of said one of said plurality of video programs respectively to a display device in response to receiving said second command during a first portion of time, (ii) providing said first, second and third portions of said one of said plurality of video programs respectively to said display device in response to receiving said second command during a second period of time if said DVR is in a first playback state, and (iii) providing said first and third portions of said one of said plurality of video programs respectively to said display device in response to receiving said second command during said second period of time if said DVR is in a second playback state, wherein said third portion is provided to said display device immediately following said first portion if said second command is received during said second period of time and said DVR is in said second playback state.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said third command further results in said first tuner being tuned to a particular frequency to receive said data on said plurality of video programs, said particular frequency being provided by a content provider and stored on said DVR.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein said second portion comprises at least one commercial and said data on said plurality of video programs is packetized, with individual packets being linked at least indirectly to individual ones of said plurality of video programs and to individual channels associated with content owners thereof.