System and method for internet access to a personal television service

• US 9,826,273 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2008
• Issued: 11/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TiVo Solutions Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TiVo Solutions Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Barton, James M., Platt, David C.
• Primary Examiner(s): SCHNURR, JOHN R
• Application Number:
  US12/140,182
• Publication Number:
  US 20080247730A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,445 Days
• Field of Search: 725 37, 725 38, 725105, 725109, 725110, 725114, 725115, 725116, 725131, 725133
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/005 Reproducing at a different information rate from the information rate of recording for television signals H04N5/783
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21815 comprising local storage units
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2221 being a cable television head-end CATV in broadcast systems H04H20/78
• 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 21/4181 for conditional access
• 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 21/4622 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 21/47214 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 21/47217 for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/7755 the recorder being connected to, or coupled with, the antenna of the television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/79 Processing of colour television signals in connection with recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/87 Regeneration of colour television signals H04N9/80 takes precedence

Abstract

A communication system and a family of methods for remote access to personal television service are disclosed. According to this invention, a remote personal TV service center provides centralized program guide information. A user may access to the personal TV service center through a digital video recorder which is connected to the personal TV service center via telephone modem or a network server. A user may access to the personal TV service center through a remote computer terminal or a personal digital assistant which is connected to a computer network. The user selects program events and programs the digital video recorder by using a graphical user interface installed in the front panel of the digital video recorder in case of local programming, or using a similar GUI which is incorporated into the Web pages presented to remote users by a Web server in case of remote programming. The media stream stored in one digital video recorder may be transferred to another digital video recorder. For data security protection during data transfer, all communication are authenticated and encrypted.

Claims

1. A system for remotely programming a digital video recorder, comprising:

the digital video recorder configured to;

generate for display an authorization key on a display device coupled to the digital video recorder, the authorization key usable to modify recording settings of the digital video recorder; and

a server configured to;

provide a user interface to a remote device for scheduling user-selected recordings of multimedia programs received via the Internet on the digital video recorder, wherein the digital video recorder is registered to a user at a service associated with the server using the authorization key;

receive user input comprising a selected multimedia program to be recorded by the digital video recorder and the authorization key; and

in response to receiving the user input, transmit an instruction to the digital video recorder to record the selected multimedia program, wherein the digital video recorder, in response to receiving the instruction, accesses a first portion of the selected multimedia program from a content source via the Internet and allows the user to view and perform trick-play operations on the first portion of the selected multimedia program while a second portion of the selected multimedia program is being accessed and stored by the selected digital video recorder.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the server validates that the user is authorized to program the selected at least one digital video recorder before instructing the selected at least one digital video recorder to record the selected multimedia program.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the digital video recorder is a first digital video recorder, and the content source is a second digital video recorder.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the digital video recorder is configured to record multimedia programs from one or more broadcast sources using one or more tuners.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface displays a program guide to the user and allows the user to select a multimedia program from the program guide for recording.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the server stores recording instructions for each user'"'"'s registered digital video recorders in an event list.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the server retrieves an event list and sends information in said event list to a specific digital video recorder.

8. A method for remotely programming a digital video recorder, comprising:

generating for display, using the digital video recorder, an authorization key on a display device coupled to the digital video recorder, the authorization key usable to modify recording settings of the digital video recorder;

providing, from a server, a user interface to a remote device for scheduling user-selected recordings of multimedia programs via the Internet on the digital video recorder, wherein the digital video recorder is registered to a user at a service associated with the server using the authorization key;

receiving, at the server, user input comprising a selected multimedia program to be recorded by the digital video recorder and the authorization key;

in response to receiving the user input, transmitting an instruction from the server to the digital video recorder to record the selected multimedia program; and

in response to receiving the instruction at the digital video recorder, accessing a first portion of the selected multimedia program from a content source via the Internet and allowing the user to view and perform trick-play operations on the first portion of the selected multimedia program while a second portion of the selected multimedia program is being accessed and stored by the digital video recorder.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

validating, by the server, that the user is authorized to program the selected at least one digital video recorder before instructing the selected at least one digital video recorder to record the selected program.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the digital video recorder is a first digital video recorder, and the content source is a second digital video recorder.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the digital video recorder is configured to record multimedia programs from one or more broadcast sources using one or more tuners.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the user interface displays a program guide to the user and allows the user to select a program from the program guide for recording.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

storing, by the server, recording instructions for each user'"'"'s digital video recorders in an event list.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

retrieving, by the server, an event list and sending information in said event list to a specific digital video recorder.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing one or more sequences of instructions for remotely programming a digital video recorder, which instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

generating for display, using the digital video recorder, an authorization key on a display device coupled to the digital video recorder, the authorization key usable to modify recording settings of the digital video recorder;

providing, from a server, a user interface to a remote device for scheduling user-selected recordings of multimedia programs via the Internet on the digital video recorder, wherein the digital video recorder is registered to a user at a service associated with the server using the authorization key;

receiving, at the server, user input comprising a selected multimedia program to be recorded by the digital video recorder and the authorization key;

in response to receiving the user input, transmitting an instruction from the server to the digital video recorder to record the selected multimedia program; and

in response to receiving the instruction at the digital video recorder, accessing a first portion of the selected multimedia program from a content source via the Internet and allowing the user to view and perform trick-play operations on the first portion of the selected multimedia program while a second portion of the selected multimedia program is being accessed and stored by the digital video recorder.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising:

validating, by the server, that the user is authorized to program the selected at least one digital video recorder before instructing the selected at least one digital video recorder to record the selected program.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the digital video recorder is a first digital video recorder, and the content source is a second digital video recorder.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the selected at least one digital video recorder also records multimedia programs from one or more broadcast sources using one or more tuners.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the user interface displays a program guide to the user and allows the user to select a program from the program guide for recording.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising:

storing, by the server, recording instructions for each user'"'"'s digital video recorders in an event list.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 20, further comprising:

retrieving, by the server, an event list and sending information in said event list to a specific digital video recorder.

22. A system for remotely programming a digital video recorder, comprising:

a mobile device configured to;

generate for display a user interface for scheduling user-selected recordings of multimedia programs received via the Internet on the digital video recorder, wherein the user interface is provided from a server to the mobile device, and wherein the digital video recorder is registered to a user at a service associated with the server using an authorization key usable to modify recording settings of the digital video recorder, the authorization key being previously generated for display on a display device coupled to the digital video recorder; and

receive user input comprising a selected multimedia program to be recorded by the digital video recorder and the authorization key; and

the digital video recorder configured to;

receive a instruction from the mobile device instructing the digital video recorder to record the selected multimedia program via the Internet; and

in response to receiving the instruction, access a first portion of the selected multimedia program from a content source via the Internet and allowing a user to view and perform trick-play operations on the first portion of the selected multimedia program while a second portion of the selected multimedia program is being accessed and stored by the digital video recorder.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the mobile device is a personal digital assistant.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the mobile device displays a user interface to the user that allows the user to select the digital video recorder.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the digital video recorder is a first digital video recorder, and the content source is a second digital video recorder.

26. The system of claim 22, wherein the digital video recorder is configured to record multimedia programs from one or more broadcast sources using one or more tuners.

27. The system of claim 22, wherein the digital video recorder is among a plurality of digital video recorders accessible over a network.

28. The system of claim 22, wherein the user interface displays a program guide to the user and allows the user to select a multimedia program for recording by the digital video recorder from the program guide.

29. The system of claim 22, wherein the mobile device communicates, via the Internet, with a server that collects events for the digital video recorder.

30. A method for remotely programming a digital video recorder, comprising:

generating for display, by a mobile device, a user interface for scheduling user-selected recordings of multimedia programs received via the Internet on the digital video recorder, wherein the user interface is provided from a server to the mobile device, and wherein the digital video recorder is registered to a user at a service associated with the server using an authorization key usable to modify recording settings of the digital video recorder, the authorization key being previously generated for display on a display device coupled to the digital video recorder;

receiving, at the mobile device, user input comprising a selected multimedia program to be recorded by the digital video recorder and the authorization key; and

sending an instruction, from the mobile device to the digital video recorder, instructing the digital video recorder to record the selected multimedia program via the internet; and

in response to receiving the instruction at the digital video recorder, accessing a first portion of the selected multimedia program from a content source via the Internet and allowing the user to view and perform trick play operations on the first portion of the selected program while a second portion of the selected multimedia program is being accessed and stored by the selected at least one digital video recorder.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the mobile device is a personal digital assistant.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the digital video recorder is a first digital video recorder, and the content source is a second digital video recorder.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein the digital video recorder is configured to record multimedia programs from one or more broadcast sources using one or more tuners.

34. The method of claim 30, wherein the digital video recorder is among a plurality of digital video recorders accessible over a network.

35. The method of claim 30, wherein the multimedia recording user interface displays a program guide to the user and allows the user to select a multimedia program for recording by the digital video recorder from the program guide.

36. The method of claim 30, wherein the mobile device communicates, via the Internet, with a server that collects events for the digital video recorder.

37. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing one or more sequences of instructions for remotely programming a digital video recorder, which instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

generating for display, by a mobile device, a user interface for scheduling user-selected recordings of multimedia programs received via the Internet on the digital video recorder, wherein the user interface is provided from a server to the mobile device, and wherein the digital video recorder is registered to a user at a service associated with the server using an authorization key usable to modify recording settings of the digital video recorder, the authorization key being previously generated for display on a display device coupled to the digital video recorder;

receiving, at the mobile device, user input comprising a selected multimedia program to be recorded by the digital video recorder and the authorization key; and

sending an instruction, from the mobile device to the digital video recorder, instructing the digital video recorder to record the selected multimedia program via the internet; and

in response to receiving the instruction at the digital video recorder, accessing a first portion of the selected multimedia program from a content source via the Internet and allowing the user to view and perform trick play operations on the first portion of the selected program while a second portion of the selected multimedia program is being accessed and stored by the selected at least one digital video recorder.

38. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 37, wherein the mobile device is a personal digital assistant.

39. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 37, wherein the digital video recorder is a first digital video recorder, and the content source is a second digital video recorder.

40. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 37, wherein the digital video recorder is configured to record multimedia programs from one or more broadcast sources using one or more tuners.

41. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 37, wherein the digital video recorder is among a plurality of digital video recorders accessible over a network.

42. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 37, wherein the multimedia recording user interface displays a program guide to the user and allows the user to select a multimedia program for recording by the digital video recorder from the program guide.

43. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 37, wherein the mobile device communicates, via the Internet, with a server that collects events for the digital video recorder.