Program viewing apparatus and method

• US 9,723,357 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2004
• Issued: 08/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pixel Instruments Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pixel Instruments Corporation
• Inventors: Cooper, J. Carl, Anderson, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Mishawn
• Application Number:
  US10/878,064
• Publication Number:
  US 20050039219A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,786 Days
• Field of Search: 386 46, 386 83, 386 92, 386109, 386124-126, 386239, 386262, 386291, 386296-299, 386326-334, 386353-357, 348731, 348732, 4551791, 4551851, 4551861
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/04 Time compression or expansion
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00007 Time or data compression or expansion audio compression based on psychoacoustics G10L19/00; data processing for reproducing audio data at different playback speeds G10L21/04; video compression H04N19/00; data compression per se H03M7/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/662 using a time/frequency relationship, e.g. time compression or expansion
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4126 The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
• 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 21/42209 for displaying non-command information, e.g. electronic program guide [EPG], e-mail, messages or a second television channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42222 Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42227 the keys being reprogrammable, e.g. soft keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• 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 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4333 Processing operations in response to a pause request
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• 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 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• 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 5/783 Adaptations for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 : involving data reduction

Abstract

The present disclosure teaches a method and apparatus for allowing a user to select and view one or multiple programs at random whenever he desires and to suspend viewing in the middle of a program to accommodate an interruption and to continue viewing after the interruption without missing any of the program. In addition, previously stored programs may be viewed at accelerated or decelerated speed, or repeated or portions reviewed, to allow the user to review such in other than real time.

Claims

1. An access system for multiple television programs delivered in compressed digital data form on one or more delivery channels with at least one of the multiple programs being delivered without a user'"'"'s specific request, said access system including:

a data manager including one or more computer processors operating to receive and store program information about delivered programs and to receive and store a listing by channel of delivered programs;

said data manager also operating to select a program from a particular delivery channel at the user'"'"'s location;

said data manager wirelessly communicating with a remote control which visually displays at least part of said stored program information and at least part of said stored listing by channel to the user with the user conveying the program to be selected to said data manager via said remote control; and

said data manager coupling said selected program to electronic circuitry for decompressing said selected program for use by the user, which use includes display of audio and video of said selected program to said user.

2. The access system of claim 1, wherein there is one storage medium for storing user selected ones of the multiple programs delivered on a schedule over which the user has no control.

3. The access system of claim 1, wherein user selected ones of the programs are stored in a compressed digital data form.

4. The access system of claim 1, further comprising the addition of program information with said selected program delivered to and stored by said computer processor at the user'"'"'s location, and accessing said program information.

5. The access system of claim 4, further comprising the addition of said data manager operating with said computer processor for allowing the user to access said recorded program in response to said at least part of said stored program information.

6. The access system of claim 1, further comprising removable data storage to store at least a portion of the displayed program.

7. A system having multiple television programs to be delivered in a compressed digital data form on one or more delivery media together with program identification data to a given user location, the system including:

a data manager including one or more computer processor for recording at the given user location the delivered program identification data for the upcoming multiple programs;

said data manager accessing at the given user location the recorded program identification data for the multiple programs and in response thereto wirelessly communicating with a remote control which visually displays at least part of a listing by channel to the user of upcoming programs with at least one of the upcoming programs being selected therefrom by the user to be recorded;

said data manager processing at the given user location the recorded program identification data to allow selective access to at least two of the multiple programs; and

said data manager recording in a random access capable storage medium and using said at least two of the multiple programs at the user location, wherein use of the multiple programs includes display of the multiple programs, each displayed program including at least some substantive displayable information including audio and video that is distinct from a displayed channel and title listing of the delivered programs, said substantive displayable information allowing access, storage and retrieval of said delivered program to which it pertains.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the multiple programs and the program identification data are delivered contemporaneously, further comprising FIFO circuitry for delaying the multiple programs to allow processing of the program identification data.

9. The system of claim 7, further comprising said data manager processing the program identification data.

10. The system of claim 7, further comprising said data manager allowing the user to access the multiple programs via the remote control having an electronic key circuit for operation by the user and a display for displaying messages and said substantive displayable information to the user.

11. The system of claim 7, further comprising removable data storage to store at least a portion of the displayed program.

12. A system for delivering multiple television programs in a compressed digital data form via one or more delivery channels from a site to a user'"'"'s location without the user'"'"'s control, said system including:

a data manager including one or more computer processor for storing at least two of the multiple programs in the compressed digital data form in a random access capable storage medium at the user'"'"'s location;

said data manager selectively recording said at least one of the multiple programs in response to the user'"'"'s input; and

electronic circuitry for selectively accessing and decompressing at the user'"'"'s location the multiple programs and to convert audio and video data to proper form for a remote control having an image display for displaying the image portion of stored television programs to the user, said access including displaying the multiple programs which include at least some substantive displayable information that is distinct from a displayed listing including the channel of the delivered programs, thereby allowing access, storage and retrieval of the program to which said displayable information including audio and video pertains.

13. The access system of claim 12, wherein said random access capable storage medium for storing the at least two multiple programs includes an optical storage medium.

14. The access system of claim 12, wherein said random access capable storage medium for storing the at least two multiple programs includes a computer memory.

15. The access system of claim 12, wherein the multiple programs are compressed in MPEG, further comprising electronic circuitry for selectively decompressing said MPEG programs and to convert the audio and video data to proper form for use by the user display.

16. A multiple program access system having a television program material storage capability in a random access capable data storage device having a limited capacity, the improvement including:

program storage electronic circuitry to store at least two of the multiple television programs in the data storage device having a limited capacity at a user location;

at least one of the multiple programs being selectively recorded in response to the user'"'"'s input provided via a remote control having an image display for displaying messages and the image portion of stored television programs to the user;

overwrite electronic circuitry to automatically overwrite previously stored program material, including at least some program material which has not been previously accessed, based on determinable criteria developed from a known set of priorities; and

said known set of priorities including at least one priority other than updating of existing program materials.

17. The system of claim 16 characterized in that said overwrite electronic circuitry is responsive to the amount of available storage.

18. The system of claim 16 characterized in that said overwrite electronic circuitry is responsive to the amount of the time the program material was stored.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein there are multiple users having a priority and characterized in that said overwrite circuitry includes consideration of the multiple user'"'"'s priority.

20. The system of claim 16 characterized by the improvement of said overwrite circuitry operating to allow access to previously utilized storage area once the program therein has been accessed before overwriting program material which has not been previously accessed.

21. In a multiple television program access system having a television program material storage capability, the multiple programs subject to an access, storage, and/or retrieval date, a method including the steps:

storing at least two of the multiple television programs in a program material storage area at a user location, and at least one of the multiple programs being selectively recorded in response to the user'"'"'s input via a remote control having an image display for displaying the image portion of said stored television programs to the user;

automatically allowing access for storage of said television programs in previously utilized program material storage area upon occurrence of a certain event other than the accessing one of the stored multiple programs in such program material storage area, with at least one of said multiple programs including at least some of said substantive displayable video information.

22. The method of claim 21 characterized in that said certain event is the arrival of a certain time subsequent to the time of a particular program'"'"'s storage.

23. In an access system for multiple television programs, providing television program storage and recall for presentation to a viewer, the television programs having audio and video portions, the system including a viewer operated remote control via which the viewer can select a particular television program and choose either the intended run time of presentation where the audio portion has viewer perceived pitch characteristics related to the frequency content of the audio, or a different run time of presentation with the perceived pitch characteristic being changed, the system including:

electronic program selection circuitry to select a particular stored television program for access in response to viewer selection made via the remote control;

electronic recall circuitry which operates to present said particular stored television program to the viewer at either the intended run time of presentation or a different run time of presentation in response to viewer choice made via said remote control;

said electronic recall circuitry including circuitry to correct the changed perceived pitch characteristic caused by said presentation to the viewer at a different run time of presentation so the perceived pitch characteristic is substantially the same as that of the intended run time of presentation.

24. The access system of claim 23 wherein the different run time is responsive to the pausing of the presentation of said particular stored television program.

25. The access system of claim 24 characterized in that said particular stored television program would normally terminate at a time certain and characterized in that after said pausing said electronic recall circuitry alters the different run time so as to terminate said accessible program at the same time as said time certain.

26. The access system of claim 25 characterized in that said electronic recall circuitry is automatic.

27. An access system for multiple television programs delivered in a compressed digital data form across one or more delivery channels, the multiple programs including at least one program delivered without a given user'"'"'s request therefore and program type information which is distinct from a displayed listing of titles of the delivered programs, said program type information allowing access, storage and retrieval of the delivered programs, said access system including:

a user remote control to select a program audio and video from a program data stream, the program data stream including at least some substantive displayable program type information;

a data manager including at least one computer processor for recording said selected program and another program in a random access capable multiple program data storage media at the given user'"'"'s location, at least one of the multiple programs being selectively recorded in response to the user'"'"'s input made before the program is delivered; and

electronic circuitry for selectively decompressing said selected program for display, on the user remote, at a shortened time of presentation without increasing the pitch of the audio and to convert the audio and video data to proper form for use by the user display.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein program identification data is delivered for the multiple programs delivered without the given user'"'"'s request, the multiple programs and the program identification data being delivered substantially contemporaneously, further comprising electronic circuitry for delaying the programs to allow processing of the program identification data.

29. The system of claim 28, further comprising said data manager operating to process and store the program identification data.

30. An access system for a user to access multiple television programs delivered in compressed digital data form via one or more delivery channels, at least one of said multiple programs including at least some substantive displayable information that is distinct from a displayed listing of the programs, allowing access, storage and retrieval thereof, said access system including:

a delivery channel for delivering program information separately from said multiple programs having audio and video to a given location;

a computer memory for recording at least two of the multiple programs in a compressed digital data form in a random access capable program data storage medium at the given location, at least one of the multiple programs being selectively recorded in response to the user'"'"'s input given via a bidirectionally coupled user remote prior to the delivery of the at least one program, said user remote having an image display for displaying the image portion of stored television programs to the user;

electronic circuitry for accessing at the given location said program information and for selecting a stored program for presentation at the given location; and

electronic circuitry for decompressing said stored program for display on the image display of the user remote at a shortened time of presentation without increasing the pitch of the audio.

31. The access system of claim 30, further comprising a data manager responsive to said user remote for allowing the user to schedule said selective recording of the program.

32. A system having multiple television programs transmitted in a compressed digital data form via a transmission media with program identification data transmitted to a user at a given location, at least one of the programs including at least some substantive displayable information that is different from the program identification data, allowing access, storage and retrieval thereof, the system including:

a wireless bidirectional channel for directly accessing program identification data; and

a data manager for controlling selection, recording and replay of ones of the programs including audio and video allowing the user to selectively access the programs received and stored at the given location, which access includes the data manager wirelessly communicating with a remote control which visually displays at least part of a listing by channel to the user, said data manager being adapted to record at least two of the multiple programs in a program material storage area at the given location, said data manager being adapted to selectively record at least one of the multiple programs in response to the user'"'"'s input from said remote control.

33. A system for use with a multiplicity of television programs transmitted in a compressed digital data form on one or more transmission channels, and a transmitted listing of the programs to allow access, storage and retrieval thereof, said system including:

a computer memory for storing at least two of said multiplicity of programs in said compressed digital data form at a given location, at least one of said multiplicity of programs being selectively recorded in response to a user'"'"'s input; and

a user remote communicating with said system for selectively accessing a program using the listing of the television programs as conveyed to and visually displayed on said user remote to allow the user to select at least one of said multiplicity of programs in said computer memory to be retrieved at said given location for display of program video and audio on said user remote at accelerated speed without audio pitch artifacts or video motion artifacts.

34. The access system of claim 33, wherein the programs are compressed in MPEG before being stored, further comprising electronic circuitry for selectively decompressing said MPEG compressed programs.

35. The access system of claim 33, wherein there are a plurality of sets of multiple programs that can be selectively stored according to the type of program.

36. An access system for multiple substantive displayable television programs delivered in compressed digital data form via one or more delivery channels to a user location, the system including a listing of the programs including substantive displayable information, said access system including:

a random access capable program data storage medium at the user location, said program data storage medium recording at least two selected ones of the multiple delivered programs and at least one of the multiple programs being selectively recorded in response to the user'"'"'s input; and

a user remote control coupled to said system to receive and visually display said listing of the programs and further including electronic circuit labeled keys which perform multiple functions with said labels changing according to the function thereof to facilitate the user selectively identifying said selected ones of the multiple delivered programs to be recorded by said program data storage medium using the displayed listing with the user also using said user remote to select a program stored in said program data storage medium for the program audio and video to be played back on said user remote.

37. The access system of claim 36, wherein said selected ones of the multiple delivered programs are identified by title or type by the user for recording prior to delivery thereof.

38. An access system for multiple substantive displayable television programs delivered via one or more delivery channels to a user location, a listing of the programs allowing the access, storage and retrieval thereof also delivered, wherein substantive displayable information in the television programs is distinct from the listing of the programs, said access system including:

a random access capable program data storage medium at the user location, said program data storage medium recording at least two selected ones of the multiple delivered programs and at least one of the multiple programs being selected to be recorded only by its type prior to delivery; and

a user remote control, said user remote control selectively retrieving said selected ones of the multiple delivered programs from said program data storage medium using some of said substantive displayable information which is displayed thereon, said program data storage medium simultaneously recording other selected portions of the multiple delivered programs as said selected portion of a substantive displayable program is being selectively retrieved by and displayed on said user remote control, and said selected portion and at least one of said other selected portions being from different programs.

39. The access system of claim 38, wherein the program of which said selected portion is a part of has a normal presentation conclusion time from initial retrieval and wherein retrieval of said selected portion can be selectively interrupted by the user for a period of time, the retrieval of the remaining part of said selected portion being accelerated to compensate for said period of time, said acceleration allowing the program to end at the normal presentation conclusion time.

40. The access system of claim 39, wherein the program has a frequency and an electronic circuit for shifting the frequency, said frequency shift electronic circuitry altering the frequency of any accelerated portion to be substantially equal to the frequency of the program when not accelerated.

41. An access system for multiple television programs transmitted via one or more transmission channels, and a listing of the programs, allowing the access, storage and retrieval thereof, said access system including:

a data manager, said data manager being located at a user'"'"'s given location;

a data stream, said data stream passing via a delivery channel for recording in a memory as controlled by said data manager;

a user remote control, said user remote control allowing access to data in said data manager using a display of the listing of the programs on said remote control;

said memory being a random access capable program data storage medium at the user'"'"'s given location, said program data storage medium recording at least two of the multiple programs transmitted on the transmission channel without any active selection by the user;

at least one of said programs including at least some substantive displayable information that is distinct from the displayed listing of the programs and at least one of the multiple programs being selectively recorded in response to the user'"'"'s input; and

electronic circuitry for using at said user'"'"'s given location data in said data manager to retrieve selected portions of the programs in said multiple program data storage media via the listing thereof, which retrieval includes the display of said at least some substantive displayable information including program audio and video on said user remote control.

42. The access system of claim 41, wherein said data stream includes information of upcoming substantive programs which information is displayed on said user remote control.

43. The access system of claim 41, wherein said user remote control is selectively operated via labeled multiple function keys to automatically record programs in said program data storage medium based on the data sent to said user remote by said data manager.

44. The access system of claim 41, wherein substantially all of the programs transmitted on a transmission channel are transmitted without the user'"'"'s control with a listing of upcoming programs being displayed at the user'"'"'s request on said user remote control.

45. The access system of claim 44, wherein the programs are substantially continually transmitted and recorded with stored programs being erased or overwritten according to a set of user priorities.

46. The access system of claim 41, wherein said program data storage medium is adapted to record programs while the user retrieves a different program from said program data storage medium.

47. An access system for multiple television programs transmitted via one or more transmission channels, and the access system accessing a listing of the programs, allowing the access, storage and retrieval thereof, said access system including:

a data manager, said data manager being located at a user'"'"'s given location and operative to receive, store and recall programs in response to user inputs or otherwise;

a data stream, said data stream passing via a delivery channel for recording in a memory as controlled by said data manager;

a user remote control allowing access to and display of the data in said data manager using the listing of upcoming programs;

said memory being a random access capable program data storage medium at the user'"'"'s given location, said program data storage medium controlled by said data manager for recording at least two of the multiple programs transmitted on the transmission channel without any active selection by the user, at least one of said programs including at least some substantive displayable information that is distinct from a displayed listing of the programs and at least one of the multiple programs being selected by said data manager because of the type of program to be recorded;

electronic circuitry for using data in said data manager to retrieve selected portions of the programs in said multiple program data storage media via the listing thereof, which retrieval includes display of said at least some substantive displayable information including program audio and video on said user remote control, the program of which said selected portion is a part, having a normal presentation conclusion time from initial retrieval and, wherein the retrieval of said selected portion is;

selectively suspended by the user for a period of time;

or

followed by automatically accelerated retrieval to compensate for said period of time, the pitch of the audio of the program being perceived by the user as being normal during the acceleration, said acceleration allowing the program to end at the normal presentation conclusion time.

48. The access system of claim 47 wherein the audio of the program has an original frequency, further comprising an electronic circuit for shifting frequency, said frequency shifting electronic circuit altering the frequency of any accelerated portion of the audio to be substantially equal to the original frequency of the program audio thus providing for the pitch of the audio being perceived by the user as being normal during the acceleration.

49. An access system for multiple television programs transmitted on one or more transmission channels, said access system including:

a data manager, said data manager being located at a user'"'"'s given location;

a data stream, said data stream passing via a delivery channel for access at the direction of said data manager;

a user computer including a remote control wirelessly communicating with said data manager, said user computer allowing access to and visual display on said remote control of at least part of a listing by channel to the user and;

a random access capable program data storage medium at the particular user'"'"'s given location, said program data storage medium recording at least two of the multiple programs transmitted on the transmission channel without any active selection of individual ones of the specific programs by the user, at least one of the multiple programs being selectively recorded in response to the user'"'"'s prior input via the user computer, at least one of said programs including at least some substantive displayable information that is distinct from a displayed listing of the programs, allowing access, storage and retrieval thereof; and

said user, via said user computer, operating to direct said data manager to use the listing data in said data manager to automatically record selected portions of the transmitted multiple programs in said program data storage medium, wherein recording includes said at least some substantive displayable information including program audio and video.

50. The access system of claim 49, wherein said data manager is programmed to discard programs recorded in said program data storage medium including programs not yet retrieved according to a known set of priorities.

51. The access system of claim 50, wherein said known set of priorities includes available recording room in said program data storage medium.

52. The access system of claim 50, wherein said known set of priorities are ranked in an order of preference.

53. The access system of claim 50, wherein said known set of priorities may be changed from time to time by the user.

54. The access system of claim 49, wherein said data manager is programmed to record the transmitted programs in said program data storage medium according to a selection algorithm.

55. The access system of claim 54, wherein said selection algorithm includes one or more considerations pertaining to the desirability of the program to the user, the considerations including:

number of users desiring a program, time of the program, relation of the program to programs previously stored, content of the program, channel for the program and/or availability of removable storage.

56. The access system of claim 54, wherein said data manager is programmed to discard or record over previously recorded programs in said program data storage medium including not yet retrieved programs, according to a known set of priorities.

57. The access system of claim 56, wherein said known set of priorities includes the available recording room in said program data storage medium.

58. The access system of claim 56, wherein said known set of priorities are ranked in an order of preference.

59. The access system of claim 56, wherein said known set of priorities are changeable from time to time by the user.

60. A method for accessing multiple television programs delivered in a compressed digital data form on one or more delivery channels, said method including receiving at least one of the multiple programs without a user'"'"'s request, said method comprising:

recording at least two of the multiple programs in a random access capable data storage medium at the user'"'"'s location with at least one of the multiple programs being selectively recorded in response to the user'"'"'s prior input via a remote control;

visually displaying a list of recorded programs in said data storage medium on said remote control;

selecting a program from the multiple programs in the data storage medium at the user'"'"'s location via said remote control; and

decompressing said program for use by the user before or after storage, and displaying the program audio and video at an accelerated speed with normal voice pitch.

61. The method of claim 60, further comprising storing multiple programs of a type chosen by the user and delivered on a schedule over which the user has no control in one storage medium.

62. The method of claim 60, further comprising storing the programs in a compressed digital data form.

63. The method of claim 60, further comprising delivering and storing program information at the user'"'"'s location and visually accessing said stored program information on said remote control.

64. The method of claim 63, further comprising using a data manager to access the program.

65. A method for accessing multiple television programs delivered in a compressed digital data form on one or more delivery media together with program identification data delivered to a user at a given user location, at least one of said multiple programs including at least some substantive displayable information that is distinct from a listing of the program identification data, allowing access, storage and retrieval thereof, the method including:

receiving via delivery media at the given user location the program identification data for upcoming multiple programs;

recording at said user location the program identification data for the upcoming multiple programs;

accessing wirelessly and visually displaying on a remote control said recorded program identification data for the upcoming multiple programs;

using, via said remote control, said recorded program identification data to selectively access at least two of the upcoming multiple programs for recording; and

recording at least the two selected ones of the upcoming multiple programs in a random access capable program data storage medium at said user location.

66. The method of claim 65, wherein the multiple programs and the program identification data for upcoming programs are delivered contemporaneously, further comprising delaying the programs to allow processing of the program identification data.

67. The method of claim 65, further comprising processing the program identification data by a data manager.

68. The method of claim 65, further comprising accessing the programs by a data manager.

69. A method for delivering multiple television programs in a digital form via one or more delivery channels from a site to a user'"'"'s location without the user'"'"'s control, at least one of said multiple programs including at least some substantive displayable information that is distinct from a displayed listing of the programs, allowing access, storage and retrieval thereof, said method including:

receiving at least two of the multiple programs in digital form at the user'"'"'s location;

storing said at least two of the multiple programs in a random access capable program data storage medium with at least one of said multiple programs being selectively stored in response to the user'"'"'s prior input;

selectively accessing a program at the user'"'"'s location respectively; and

displaying said multiple programs including bidirectionally wirelessly communicating and displaying said at least some substantive displayable information including program audio and video on a user remote control.

70. The method of claim 69, wherein the random access capable program data storage medium includes an optical storage medium.

71. The method of claim 69, wherein the random access capable program data storage medium includes computer memory.

72. The method of claim 69, further comprising the stored programs being compressed in MPEG-2 and selectively decompressing said MPEG-2 programs after recovery from said random access capable program data storage medium.

73. An access method for multiple television programs delivered in a digital form across one or more delivery channels, the multiple programs including at least one program delivered without a user'"'"'s request therefore and a program listing which is delivered to a remote control separate from the programs, the program listing allowing access, storage and retrieval thereof, the multiple programs including a program data stream which includes at least some substantive displayable information, said access method including:

receiving at the user'"'"'s location a program from said program data stream;

the user selecting said program from said program data stream using said remote control which displays said program listing;

recording said selected program in a random access capable multiple program data storage medium along with another program received at the user'"'"'s location;

selectively retrieving and decompressing said selected program for displaying; and

displaying said selected program including program audio and video on said remote control.

74. The method of claim 73, further comprising:

delivering program identification data for those programs delivered without a user'"'"'s request, the multiple programs and program identification data being delivered substantially contemporaneously with said program identification data being viewed on said remote control if desired by the user.

75. The method of claim 74, further comprising processing the program identification data with a data manager and delaying the programs to allow processing of the program identification data.

76. An access method having a storage area for multiple television programs having substantive displayable information that is distinct from a displayed listing of the programs, the programs being subject to access, storage and retrieval at a user location via a listing, the method including:

receiving at least part of two multiple programs having the substantive displayable information at a user location;

recording in the random access capable multiple program storage area said at least part of two multiple programs with at least one of the multiple programs being selectively recorded in response to the user'"'"'s prior input;

accessing at least part of a given program having said substantive displayable information from the multiple program storage area so as to select a reproduction thereof; and

visually displaying the selected reproduction at an accelerated rate on a remote control at same time as the recording continues for the remainder of said given program in the storage area.

77. An access method for a user to access multiple television programs transmitted from a first location to a second location without a user'"'"'s request or control and stored in response to a user'"'"'s request on a computer memory at said second location, with related program information also being stored at said second location, said access method including:

wirelessly communicating with a remote control which visually displays at least part of a listing of the program information by channel to the user;

visually displaying said program information on said remote control;

selecting via said remote control in response to said visually displayed program information the program for presentation;

decompressing said program; and

displaying audio and video of said program at an accelerated rate without audio pitch artifacts.

78. The access method of claim 77, further comprising allowing the user to access the program information through a program guide service.

79. A method having multiple programs transmitted in a compressed digital data form via a transmission media with program identification data transmitted to a given location where programs are selectively stored along with corresponding identification data in response to user requests, the method including:

accessing the program identification data stored at the given location by the user using a wirelessly connected remote control;

displaying the program identification data to the user on said remote control and allowing the user to selectively access one or more of the programs stored at the given location with a data manager at the given location; and

displaying on said remote control an image produced by a video imager located thereon or one of said selectively accessed programs.

80. A method for transmitting a multiplicity of television programs in a compressed digital data form on one or more transmission channels, and a listing of the programs to allow access, storage and retrieval thereof also being transmitted, the method including:

receiving at least two of said multiplicity of programs;

storing said at least two of said multiplicity of programs in their compressed digital data form in a random access capable program data storage medium at a given location with at least one of the multiple programs being selectively stored in response to user'"'"'s input via a wirelessly connected remote control;

accessing a program selectively using the listing visually displayed on said remote control;

decompressing the program from said storage medium; and

using said remote control, selecting and displaying thereon the one of the decompressed program or images provided by a video sensor located on said remote control.

81. The access method of claim 80, further comprising compressing the programs according to an MPEG standard and selectively decompressing said MPEG compressed programs.

82. The access method of claim 80, further comprising selectively storing a plurality of sets of multiple programs said sets including at least one of news, sports, sports highlights, hobbies and music program type.

83. An access method for substantive displayable television programs delivered via one or more delivery channels to a location, a listing of the programs allowing access, storage and retrieval thereof being delivered to the location, said access method including:

receiving at least two selected ones of the multiple delivered programs;

recording in a random access capable program data storage medium said at least two selected ones of the multiple delivered programs, at least one of which being recorded in response to a user'"'"'s prior input;

using the listing displayed on a user remote control to retrieve at least a portion of the audio and video of one of the selected ones of the delivered programs from said program data storage medium, said retrieved portion including substantive displayable information that is distinct from the listing of the programs; and

recording other selected portions of the audio and video of the delivered programs simultaneously in said program data storage medium while said retrieved portion of the selected ones of the delivered programs is being selectively retrieved in response to and the audio and video displayed on said user remote control.

84. The access method of claim 83, wherein said portion of one of the selected ones and at least one of said other selected portions are from the same program.

85. The access method of claim 83, wherein said portion of one of the selected ones and at least one of said other selected portions are from different programs.

86. The access method of claim 84, wherein the program which is being displayed on said user remote control has a normal presentation conclusion time from initial retrieval, further comprising selectively interrupting the retrieving thereof by the user for a period of time, the retrieving of the remainder thereof being accelerated without audio pitch artifacts to compensate for said period of time, said acceleration allowing the program to end at the normal presentation conclusion time.

87. The access method of claim 86, wherein the displayed program audio has a frequency, further comprising altering the frequency of any accelerated portion to be substantially equal to the frequency of the program audio when not accelerated thus removing audio pitch artifacts.

88. An access method for accessing multiple television programs transmitted via one or more transmission channels, and for accessing a listing of the programs allowing the access, storage and retrieval thereof, said access method including:

receiving a data stream from the transmitted multiple television programs;

passing the data stream, in response to a data manager, to a computer memory for recording at a user'"'"'s given location;

accessing the data in said computer memory using the listing of programs;

recording at least two of the multiple programs transmitted on the transmission channel without any active selection by the user, said programs including audio and video that is distinct from the listing of the programs;

retrieving selected portions of the programs from said computer memory using the listing thereof which listing is visually displayed on a remote control;

decompressing the retrieved selected portions of the programs; and

displaying the decompressed portions of the programs at an accelerated rate without audio pitch artifacts.

89. The access method of claim 88, wherein said data stream includes information of upcoming substantive programs which information is displayed on said remote control, said remote control also having programmable keys with associated changeable labels allowing selection of upcoming substantive programs to be recorded.

90. The access method of claim 88, further comprising selectively programming an electronic key with an associated changeable label on said user'"'"'s remote control to allow the user to communicate the desire to automatically record programs in said program data storage media based on actuation of said key.

91. The access method of claim 88, further comprising transmitting and recording substantially all of the programs transmitted on a transmission channel without the user'"'"'s control with the oldest stored program which has been viewed being erased or overwritten when the recording medium approaches a full condition.

92. The access method of claim 91, wherein the programs are substantially continually transmitted and recorded with stored programs being erased or overwritten according to a set of user priorities.

93. The access method of claim 88, wherein said program data storage media records a plurality of programs while the user retrieves a program from said program data storage media.

94. An access method for multiple programs transmitted on one or more transmission channels, said access system including:

receiving at least one data stream from at least one delivery channel for access at the direction of a data manager located at a user'"'"'s given location said at least one data stream including listing data for received programs;

providing access to the data stream in said data manager by a user remote control which displays at least part of said listing data;

recording at least two of the multiple programs transmitted on the transmission channel in a multiple program data storage media without an active selection at the time of transmission of individual ones of the specific programs by the user with at least one of the multiple programs being selectively recorded in response to the user'"'"'s input prior to transmission via said remote control;

recording automatically selected portions of the transmitted programs in said multiple program data storage media at said given location using the listing data in said data manager and retrieving a program from said multiple program data storage media and displaying the recalled program'"'"'s audio and video on said remote control.

95. The access method of claim 94, further comprising programming said data manager to discard programs recorded in said program data storage media including programs not yet retrieved according to a known set of priorities.

96. The access method of claim 95, wherein said known set of priorities includes an available recording room in said program data storage media.

97. The access method of claim 95, wherein said known set of priorities are ranked in an order of preference.

98. The access method of claim 95, wherein ones of said known set of priorities may be changed from time to time by the user.

99. The access method of claim 98, wherein said selection algorithm includes one or more of considerations of the desirability of the program to the user, including:

a number corresponding to users for a program, a time corresponding to the program, relation of the program to programs previously stored, content of the program, channel for the program and/or availability of removable storage media.

100. The access method of claim 94, further comprising programming said data manager to record transmitted programs in said program data storage media according to a selection algorithm.

101. The access method of claim 100, wherein said data manager discards or records over previously recorded programs in said program data storage media including not retrieved programs according to a known set of priorities.

102. The access method of claim 101, wherein said known set of priorities includes the available recording room in said program data storage media.

103. The access method of claim 101, wherein said known set of priorities are ranked in an order of preference.

104. The access method of claim 101, wherein said known set of priorities may be changed from time to time.

105. A remote controlled apparatus for receiving and storing ones of multiple television programs delivered in compressed digital data form on one or more delivery channels without a user'"'"'s specific request, and to further allow a user to select ones of said programs to be stored and select ones of said delivered or stored programs to be displayed, said apparatus including:

a data manager including a computer processor for communicating with a user'"'"'s remote control and electronically controlling tuning, receiving and storing, if any, delivered television programs and program information for use by a user;

a tuner responsive to said data manager for tuning to particular delivery channels to obtain a program information and/or television programs;

a memory responsive to said data manager for storing and recalling television programs and program information;

an electronic user display interface responsive to at least one of said data manager, said tuner and said memory, receiving said television programs and/or messages therefrom, converting messages and said programs to a form used by a user display and outputting a signal carrying said programs and messages; and

said remote control including programmable multiple function electronic keys and a visual display and bidirectionally, electronically communicating with said data manager to receive and visually display to a user, listings of delivered programs and recorded programs, with said programmable keys being programmed to allow the user to select programs for recording or viewing by actuating one or more of said keys, the actuation of said keys causing said remote control to transmit information to said data manager to implement the user'"'"'s selection.

106. The apparatus of claim 105 wherein a plurality of tuners are responsive to said data manager for tuning to particular delivery channels to obtain program information and/or television programs.

107. The apparatus of claim 105 wherein a plurality of memories are responsive to said data manager for storing and recalling television programs and program information.

108. The apparatus of claim 105 wherein a plurality of electronic user display interfaces are responsive to at least one of said data manager, said tuner and said memory, receiving said television programs and/or messages therefrom, converting messages and said programs to a form used by a user display and outputting a signal carrying said programs and messages.

109. The apparatus of claim 105 having a plurality of remote controls including programmable multiple function electronic keys and a visual display and bidirectionally, electronically communicating with said data manager to receive and visually display to a user listings of delivered programs and recorded programs, with said programmable keys being programmed to allow the user to select programs for recording or viewing by actuating one or more of said keys, the actuation of said keys causing said remote control to transmit information to said data manager to implement the user'"'"'s selection.

110. The apparatus of claim 105 wherein said remote control further includes a video imager for imaging scenes or materials which the user points the imager at in order to provide images for use by said user.

111. The apparatus of claim 105 wherein said remote control further includes a key which the user can use to initiate or answer a phone call.

112. For a remote controlled system accessing ones of multiple television programs delivered by one or more channels for use such as viewing, storing or recalling by a user, a method of accessing and using such programs, said method including the steps of:

receiving program information about current and/or future delivery of programs to said system;

wirelessly communicating with a remote control which visually displays at least part of a listing of the program information by channel to the user;

visually displaying said transmitted program information on said user remote;

programming electronic keys on said user remote to allow the user to select one or more delivered television programs for access and use by actuating one or more of said programmed keys; and

actuating one or more of said programmed keys to access and use one or more delivered television programs and communicating the user'"'"'s desired access and use as indicated thereby to said system via said wireless bidirectional electronic channel to provide such access and use.

113. The method of claim 112 wherein said access and use selected by said key actuation includes visually displaying the accessed program on said user remote.

114. The method of claim 112 wherein said access and use selected by said key actuation includes storing the accessed program in a memory.

115. The method of claim 112 including the additional steps of:

creating and transmitting to said remote via said channel a list of programs previously stored in a memory by the user;

visually displaying said transmitted list of programs on said user remote;

programming electronic keys on said user remote to allow the user to select one or more stored programs for access and use by actuating one or more of said keys; and

actuating one or more of said programmed keys to access and use one or more of said stored programs and communicating the user'"'"'s desired access and use as indicated thereby to said system via said channel to provide such access and use.

116. The method of claim 112 including the additional steps of:

programming a programmable key on said remote to facilitate initiating or answering a phone call; and

actuating said programmable key to initiate or answer a phone call.

117. The method of claim 113 including the additional steps of:

programming a programmable key on said remote to facilitate initiating or answering a phone call;

actuating said programmable key to initiate or answer a phone call; and

communicating a request to pause said program displayed on said user remote if said program is being accessed from a memory or to start recording said program if it is being accessed from a delivery channel.

118. The method of claim 112 including displaying an image on said user remote, which image is provided by a video imager thereon for imaging scenes or materials which the user points the imager to.

119. A remote control for controlling a system for receiving ones of multiple television programs broadcast via one or more channels, which system displays, stores and recalls stored programs for display said remote control including;

a plurality of electronic keys which indicate a function to be performed when actuated by a user;

a plurality of programmable electronic keys which may be programmed to indicate different functions when actuated by a user;

a bidirectional, wireless, electronic communications channel responsive to actuation of one or more of said electronic keys and said programmable electronic keys to communicate user wishes to said system; and

a visual display responsive to said channel for displaying images or messages conveyed via said channel to the user.

120. The remote control of claim 119 further including programmable labels corresponding to said programmable keys.

121. The remote control of claim 119 wherein said programmable keys are programmed in response to communications conveyed via said channel.

122. The remote control of claim 119 wherein said programmable key labels are programmed in response to communications conveyed via said channel.

123. The remote control of claim 119 further including a speaker and a microphone for audio interaction with the user.

124. The remote control of claim 119 further including a video imager for imaging scenes or materials which the user points the imager to providing images for use by said user.

125. The remote control of claim 119 wherein said visual display is an LCD type display.

126. A remote control for controlling a system for receiving ones of multiple television programs broadcast via one or more channels, which system displays, stores and recalls stored programs for display said remote control including;

a plurality of electronic keys which indicate a function to be performed when actuated by a user;

a plurality of programmable electronic keys and associated programmable labels which are programmed to indicate different functions when actuated by a user;

a bidirectional, wireless, electronic communications channel responsive to actuation of one or more of said electronic keys and said programmable electronic keys to communicate user wishes to said system and with said programmable keys and programmable labels being responsive to information received via said channel; and

an LCD visual display responsive to said channel for displaying images or messages conveyed via said channel to the user.

127. A remote control for controlling a system for receiving ones of multiple television programs broadcast via one or more channels, which system displays, stores and recalls stored programs for display said remote control including;

a plurality of electronic keys which indicate a function to be performed when actuated by a user;

a bidirectional, wireless, electronic communications channel responsive to actuation of one or more of said electronic keys to communicate user wishes to said system via said channel;

a visual display responsive to said channel for displaying images or messages conveyed via said channel to the user wherein said images include a user selected program conveyed to said remote via said channel; and

a speaker for conveying sound to the user wherein said sound includes short beeps indicating conflicting key entries and program sound conveyed via said channel to the user for user selected program conveyed to said remote via said channel.

128. A remote control for controlling a system for receiving ones of multiple television programs broadcast via one or more channels, which system displays, stores and recalls stored programs for display said remote control including;

a plurality of electronic keys which indicate a user input when actuated by a user;

a bidirectional, wireless, electronic communications channel responsive to actuation of one or more of said electronic keys to communicate user input to said system via said channel;

an LCD visual display responsive to said channel for displaying images or messages conveyed via said channel to the user wherein said images include program information conveyed to said remote via said channel;

a speaker for conveying sound to the user wherein said sound includes short beeps indicating conflicting key entries and sound conveyed via said channel to the user; and

a video imager for imaging scenes or materials which the user points the imager to providing images for use by said user.