Single file PVR per service ID

• US 9,756,378 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2015
• Issued: 09/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Echostar Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Hardy, Rocky
• Primary Examiner(s): IDOWU, OLUGBENGA O
• Application Number:
  US14/591,549
• Publication Number:
  US 20160198215A1
• Time in Patent Office: 972 Days
• 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 21/4263 involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4332 by placing content in organized collections, e.g. local EPG data repository interfaces, Database management systems or updating for information retrieval G06F16/23; details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video database G06F16/739
• 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 21/4335 Housekeeping operations, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; unloading stored programs G06F9/445; storage management in file systems G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44004 involving video buffer management, e.g. video decoder buffer or video display buffer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44008 involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in the video stream arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4583 Automatically resolving scheduling conflicts, e.g. when a recording by reservation has been programmed for two programs in the same time slot
• 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 21/8456 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 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8205 involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal

Abstract

Systems and methods for recording multiple broadcast television programs to a single file may include receiving user selection for recording a first media content and a second media content, determining the first media content and the second media content are provided on a single television service, and tuning to the television service to receive the first media content via a tuner of the television receiver. The systems and methods may include recording the first media content as a first permanent recording to a master file, receiving the second media content via the tuner of the television receiver, and recording the second media content as a second permanent recording to the master file.

Claims

1. A method for recording multiple broadcast television programs to a single file, comprising:

receiving, by a first television receiver, user selection for recording a first media content and a second media content;

determining, by the first television receiver, the first media content and the second media content are provided on a single television service;

tuning, by the first television receiver, to the television service to receive the first media content via a tuner of the television receiver;

recording, by the first television receiver, the first media content as a first permanent recording to a master file;

receiving, by the first television receiver, the second media content via the tuner of the television receiver;

recording, by the first television receiver, the second media content as a second permanent recording to the master file;

recording, by the first television receiver, at least one non-permanent segment of media content received at the tuner after recording the first media content and before recording the second media content, wherein the non-permanent segment is recorded to the master file between an end of the first permanent recording and a beginning of the second permanent recording;

detecting, by the first television receiver, that the single television service is no longer being accessed by the first television receiver or by a second television receiver in communication with the first television receiver, wherein detecting that the single television service is no longer being accessed includes detecting that no tuners on the first or second television receiver are accessing the single television service;

removing, by the first television receiver, the at least one recorded non-permanent segment from the master file in response to detecting that the single television service is no longer being accessed; and

transmitting, by the first television receiver, the master file to the second television receiver.

2. The method for recording multiple broadcast television programs to a single file of claim 1,

wherein the first media content and the second media content are received consecutively at the same tuner of the first television receiver.

3. The method for recording multiple broadcast television programs to a single file of claim 1, comprising:

recording, by the first television receiver, additional media contents received at the single television service as additional permanent recordings.

4. The method for recording multiple broadcast television programs to a single file of claim 1,

wherein the single television service comprises a single television channel.

5. The method for recording multiple broadcast television programs to a single file of claim 1,

wherein the user selection for recording at least one of the first and second media contents comprises at least one of a scheduled recording and an event recording, wherein the event recording comprises receiving a user input to record media content while the media content is being output, by the first television receiver, to a display device.

6. The method for recording multiple broadcast television programs to a single file of claim 5, comprising:

detecting, by the first television receiver, manual initiation of a record function via a remote control for the user selection of the event recording.

7. The method for recording multiple broadcast television programs to a single file of claim 1, comprising:

recording, by the first television receiver, a soft trim segment of media content immediately preceding the first permanent recording, wherein the soft trim segment is received at the tuner prior to a timer starting for the first permanent recording; and

removing, by the first television receiver, the recorded soft trim segment from the master file.

8. The method for recording multiple broadcast television programs to a single file of claim 1, comprising:

creating, by the first television receiver, a first virtual file corresponding to the first permanent recording and a second virtual file corresponding to the second permanent recording, wherein each of the first and second virtual files comprise metadata indicating a location in the master file for the first or second permanent recordings, respectively.

9. The method for recording multiple broadcast television programs to a single file of claim 8,

wherein the metadata of each of the first and second virtual files include presentation timestamps corresponding to a start time and an end time of the first and second permanent recordings, respectively.

10. The method for recording multiple broadcast television programs to a single file of claim 8,

wherein the first virtual file and the second virtual file indicate portions of the master file that are not deleted upon closing, by the first television receiver, the master file.

11. The method for recording multiple broadcast television programs to a single file of claim 1, comprising:

creating, by the first television receiver, a delay buffer file mirroring the master file; and

deleting, by the first television receiver, the delay buffer file upon detecting, by the first television receiver, that the single television service is no longer being accessed for at least one of viewing and recording.

12. The method for recording multiple broadcast television programs to a single file of claim 11, comprising:

recording, by the first television receiver, the delay buffer file upon tuning to the television service to receive the first media content.

13. The method for recording multiple broadcast television programs to a single file of claim 11, comprising:

deleting, by the first television receiver, the delay buffer upon detecting that the master file is closed.

14. The method for recording multiple broadcast television programs to a single file of claim 11,

wherein detecting the master file is closed comprises receiving, by the first television receiver, a user selection to power down the first television receiver.

15. The method for recording multiple broadcast television programs to a single file of claim 1,

wherein the master file comprises a .tsp file that is written to a local hard drive at the first television receiver.

18. The method for recording multiple broadcast television programs to a single file of claim 1, wherein detecting that the single television service is no longer being accessed by the first television receiver or by a second television receiver includes using a first access status of the first television receiver and a second access status of the second television receiver, wherein an access status of a television receiver indicates a status of the television receiver.

19. The method for recording multiple broadcast television programs to a single file of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the first television receiver, that all non-permanent segments from the media content have been deleted; and

transmitting, by the first television receiver, the master file to the second television receiver after determining that all non-permanent segments from the media content have been deleted.

20. The method for recording multiple broadcast television programs to a single file of claim 1, wherein transmitting the master file to the second television receiver facilitates viewing of the first and second media content using the master file.

16. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a series of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to record multiple television programs to a single file by:

receiving, by a first television receiver, user selection for recording a first media content and a second media content;

determining, by the first television receiver, the first media content and the second media content are provided on a single television service;

tuning, by the first television receiver, to the television service to receive the first media content via a tuner of the television receiver;

recording, by the first television receiver, the first media content as a first permanent recording to a master file;

receiving, by the first television receiver, the second media content via the tuner of the television receiver;

recording, by the first television receiver, the second media content as a second permanent recording to the master file;

recording, by the first television receiver, at least one non-permanent segment of media content received at the tuner after recording the first media content and before recording the second media content, wherein the non-permanent segment is recorded to the master file between an end of the first permanent recording and a beginning of the second permanent recording;

detecting, by the first television receiver, that the single television service is no longer being accessed by the first television receiver or by a second television receiver in communication with the first television receiver, wherein detecting that the single television service is no longer being accessed includes detecting that no tuners on the first or second television receiver are accessing the single television service;

removing, by the first television receiver, the at least one recorded non-permanent segment from the master file in response to detecting that the single television service is no longer being accessed; and

transmitting, by the first television receiver, the master file to the second television receiver.

17. A system for recording multiple television programs to a single file, comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory communicatively coupled with and readable by the one or more processors and having stored therein processor-readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

receive, by a first television receiver, user selection for recording a first media content and a second media content;

determine, by the first television receiver, the first media content and the second media content are provided on a single television service;

tune, by the first television receiver, to the television service to receive the first media content via a tuner of the television receiver;

record, by the first television receiver, the first media content as a first permanent recording to a master file;

receive, by the first television receiver, the second media content via the tuner of the television receiver;

record, by the first television receiver, the second media content as a second permanent recording to the master file;

record, by the first television receiver, at least one non-permanent segment of media content received at the tuner after recording the first media content and before recording the second media content, wherein the non-permanent segment is recorded to the master file between an end of the first permanent recording and a beginning of the second permanent recording;

detect, by the first television receiver, that the single television service is no longer being accessed by the first television receiver or by a second television receiver in communication with the first television receiver, wherein detecting that the single television service is no longer being accessed includes detecting that no tuners on the first or second television receiver are accessing the single television service;

remove, by the first television receiver, the at least one recorded non-permanent segment from the master file in response to detecting that the single television service is no longer being accessed; and

transmit, by the first television receiver, the master file to the second television receiver.