Interactive television systems with digital video recording and adjustable reminders

• US 9,854,322 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2017
• Issued: 12/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Ellis, Michael D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lonsberry, Hunter B
• Application Number:
  US15/403,321
• Publication Number:
  US 20170223421A1
• Time in Patent Office: 349 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23113 involving housekeeping operations for stored content, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; snloading stored programs G06F9/445; housekeeping operations in file systems, e.g. deletion policies G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/242 Synchronization processes, e.g. processing of PCR [Program Clock References] arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/262 Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission, generating play-lists scheduling strategies for dispatcher in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/4881; arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/06; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a time schedule or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2747 Remote storage of video programs received via the downstream path, e.g. from the server
• 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 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• 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 21/4343 Extraction or processing of packetized elementary streams [PES]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• 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 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73

Abstract

An interactive television system is provided in which an interactive television application is used to support network-based or local personal video recorder capabilities. A user may use this application to view lists of program listings. The user may select a program listing of interest. The interactive television application may allow the user to set a reminder for the selected program at the scheduled broadcast time. This application may also allow the user to set a reminder for the selected program at a later time at which the program is not scheduled to be broadcast. The user may be provided with a reminder at this later time. In response, the user may direct the network-based or local personal video recorder to play back the program or may defer the reminder again. The interactive television application may collect information on program usage and popularity to determine how long to retain certain programming.

Claims

1. A method for, based on a request from a user to store a media asset, storing a pointer to a copy of the media asset instead of locally storing the media asset when the media asset was previously stored, the method comprising:

receiving, at a server, from a client device that is remote from the server and that is associated with the user, a data packet comprising a media asset identifier corresponding to the media asset, wherein the data packet is transmitted by the client device to the server based on receiving the request to store the media asset;

based on receiving the data packet;

extracting, from the data packet, the media asset identifier;

retrieving, from a database, a plurality of media asset identifiers corresponding to a plurality of stored media assets stored in a media asset source associated with the server;

comparing the media asset identifier to the plurality of media asset identifiers to determine whether the media asset identifier corresponds to any of the plurality of media asset identifiers;

in response to determining that the media asset identifier corresponds to any of the plurality of media asset identifiers, querying the media asset source associated with the server for a location of the copy of the media asset, wherein the copy of the media asset corresponds to a media asset identifier of the plurality of media asset identifiers determined to correspond to the media asset identifier;

receiving the location of the copy of the media asset from the media asset source;

in response to receiving the location of the copy of the media asset, causing the pointer to be stored in a directory associated with the user, wherein the pointer points to the location of the copy;

generating a command, wherein the command comprises an instruction to refrain from storing a new instance of the media asset; and

transmitting the command to the client device;

receiving, from the client device, an indication that the user is requesting playback of the media asset, wherein the indication that the user is requesting playback of the media asset is generated and transmitted based on the user selecting a display of the media asset identifier, and wherein the display of the media asset identifier is generated for display based on determining that the pointer is in the directory; and

based on receiving the indication that the user is requesting playback of the media asset;

accessing the location of the copy of the media asset on the media asset source associated with the server; and

transmitting, to the client device, the copy of the media asset.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data packet is transmitted to the server further based on determining that the user is not watching the media asset at a scheduled start time of the media asset.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data packet is transmitted to the server at a time the user input is received.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the data packet is transmitted to the server further based on monitoring an interaction of the user with the client device, and wherein the method further comprises determining, based on the monitoring, that the user did not interact with the client device at a time at which a reminder is generated for display by the client device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating for display a plurality of media asset identifiers in the directory, wherein the plurality of media asset identifiers in the directory comprise the media asset identifier and an additional media asset identifier corresponding to an additional media asset stored on the client device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the copy of the media asset will be deleted from the media asset source; and

based on determining that the copy of the media asset will be deleted from the media asset source, storing a local copy of the media asset on the client device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the location is a first location, the copy of the media asset is a first copy of the media asset, and the pointer is a first pointer, the method further comprising:

removing the copy of the media asset from the media asset source associate with the server;

determining whether a second copy of the media asset exists at a second location on the media asset source when the first copy of the media asset is removed;

based on determining that the second copy of the media asset exists at the second location on the network;

causing the first pointer to be deleted from the list associated with the user; and

causing a second pointer to be stored in the list associated with the user, wherein the second pointer points to the second location.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the copy of the media asset comprises transmitting a real-time stream of the copy of the media asset from the server to the client device for display.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from the client device, a user input to transfer the media asset to the client device for local storage; and

in response to receiving the user input to transfer the media asset, transmitting the copy of the media asset from the server to the client device as at least one file.

10. A system for, based on a request from a user to store a media asset, storing a pointer to a copy of the media asset instead of locally storing the media asset when the media asset was previously stored, the system comprising:

communications circuitry; and

control circuitry configured to;

receive, at a server with the communications circuitry, from a client device that is remote from the server and that is associated with the user, a data packet comprising a media asset identifier corresponding to the media asset, wherein the data packet is transmitted by the client device to the server based on receiving the request to store the media asset;

based on receiving the data packet;

extract, from the data packet, the media asset identifier;

retrieve, using the communications circuitry, from a database, a plurality of media asset identifiers corresponding to a plurality of stored media assets stored in a media asset source associated with the server;

compare the media asset identifier to the plurality of media asset identifiers to determine whether the media asset identifier corresponds to any of the plurality of media asset identifiers;

in response to determining that the media asset identifier corresponds to any of the plurality of media asset identifiers, query, using the communications circuitry, the media asset source associated with the server for a location of the copy of the media asset, wherein the copy of the media asset corresponds to a media asset identifier of the plurality of media asset identifiers determined to correspond to the media asset identifier;

receive, using the communications circuitry, the location of the copy of the media asset from the media asset source;

in response to receiving the location of the copy of the media asset, cause the pointer to be stored in a directory associated with the user, wherein the pointer points to the location of the copy;

generate a command, wherein the command comprises an instruction to refrain from storing a new instance of the media asset; and

transmit, using the communications circuitry, the command to the client device;

receive, using the communications circuitry, from the client device, an indication that the user is requesting playback of the media asset, wherein the indication that the user is requesting playback of the media asset is generated and transmitted based on the user selecting a display of the media asset identifier, and wherein the display of the media asset identifier is generated for display based on determining that the pointer is in the directory; and

based on receiving the indication that the user is requesting playback of the media asset;

access the location of the copy of the media asset on the media asset source associated with the server; and

transmit, using the communications circuitry, to the client device, the copy of the media asset.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the data packet is transmitted to the server further based on determining that the user is not watching the media asset at a scheduled start time of the media asset.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the data packet is transmitted to the server at a time the user input is received.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the data packet is transmitted to the server further based on monitoring an interaction of the user with the client device, and wherein the method further comprises determining, based on the monitoring, that the user did not interact with the client device at a time at which a reminder is generated for display by the client device.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to generate for display a plurality of media asset identifiers in the directory, wherein the plurality of media asset identifiers in the directory comprise the media asset identifier and an additional media asset identifier corresponding to an additional media asset stored on the client device.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

determine that the copy of the media asset will be deleted from the media asset source; and

based on determining that the copy of the media asset will be deleted from the media asset source, store a local copy of the media asset on the client device.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the location is a first location, the copy of the media asset is a first copy of the media asset, and the pointer is a first pointer, and wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

remove the copy of the media asset from the media asset source associate with the server;

determine whether a second copy of the media asset exists at a second location on the media asset source when the first copy of the media asset is removed; and

based on determining that the second copy of the media asset exists at the second location on the network;

cause the first pointer to be deleted from the list associated with the user; and

cause a second pointer to be stored in the list associated with the user, wherein the second pointer points to the second location.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the control circuitry is configured to transmit, using the communications circuitry, the copy of the media asset by transmitting a real-time stream of the copy of the media asset from the server to the client device for display.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

receive, from the client device, using the communications circuitry, a user input to transfer the media asset to the client device for local storage; and

in response to receiving the user input to transfer the media asset, transmit, using the communications circuitry, the copy of the media asset from the server to the client device as at least one file.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising memory with instructions encoded thereon for, based on a request from a user to store a media asset, storing a pointer to a copy of the media asset instead of locally storing the media asset when the media asset was previously stored, the instructions comprising:

instructions to receive, at a server, from a client device that is remote from the server and that is associated with the user, a data packet comprising a media asset identifier corresponding to the media asset, wherein the data packet is transmitted by the client device to the server based on receiving the request to store the media asset;

based on receiving the data packet;

instructions to extract, from the data packet, the media asset identifier;

instructions to retrieve, from a database, a plurality of media asset identifiers corresponding to a plurality of stored media assets stored in a media asset source associated with the server;

instructions to compare the media asset identifier to the plurality of media asset identifiers to determine whether the media asset identifier corresponds to any of the plurality of media asset identifiers;

in response to determining that the media asset identifier corresponds to any of the plurality of media asset identifiers, instructions to query the media asset source associated with the server for a location of the copy of the media asset, wherein the copy of the media asset corresponds to a media asset identifier of the plurality of media asset identifiers determined to correspond to the media asset identifier;

instructions to receive the location of the copy of the media asset from the media asset source;

in response to receiving the location of the copy of the media asset, instructions to cause the pointer to be stored in a directory associated with the user, wherein the pointer points to the location of the copy;

instructions to generate a command, wherein the command comprises an instruction to refrain from storing a new instance of the media asset; and

instructions to transmit the command to the client device;

instructions to receive, from the client device, an indication that the user is requesting playback of the media asset, wherein the indication that the user is requesting playback of the media asset is generated and transmitted based on the user selecting a display of the media asset identifier, and wherein the display of the media asset identifier is generated for display based on determining that the pointer is in the directory; and

based on receiving the indication that the user is requesting playback of the media asset;

instructions to access the location of the copy of the media asset on the media asset source associated with the server; and

instructions to transmit, to the client device, the copy of the media asset.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the instructions further comprise:

instructions to determine that the copy of the media asset will be deleted from the media asset source; and

based on determining that the copy of the media asset will be deleted from the media asset source, instructions to store a local copy of the media asset on the client device.