Interactive television program guide with simultaneous watch and record capabilities
First Claim
1. User television equipment that allows a user to watch one television program on a viewing device while simultaneously recording another television program, said user television equipment comprising:
- a digital storage device;
switching circuitry;
a first tuner dynamically coupled to said viewing device and coupled to the switching circuitry;
a second tuner dynamically coupled to said digital storage device and coupled to the switching circuitry; and
an interactive television program guide implemented on said user television equipment, said interactive television program guide configured to;
cause said viewing device to display a program guide display;
receive a user selection to watch a first television program indicated on said program guide display;
receive a user selection to record a second television program on said program guide display;
determine whether said second tuner is currently busy;
provide, in a first setting of said interactive television program guide an output from said first tuner to said viewing device, and an output from said second tuner to said digital storage device in response to determining that said second tuner is not currently busy, in order to;
cause said first tuner to tune to a channel corresponding to said first television program in order to cause said first television program to be displayed by said viewing device;
cause said second tuner to tune to a channel corresponding to said second television program in order to cause said second television program to be recorded by said digital storage device, wherein said first tuner and said second tuner each receives input from a same source, and wherein broadcast times of said first television program and said second television program overlap such that said first television program is displayed by said viewing device at the same time that said second television program is recorded by said digital storage device; and
said switching circuitry configured to;
dynamically switch tuner outputs of said first tuner and said second tuner, in a second setting of said interactive television program guide, such that as a result of the dynamic switch said viewing device receives output from said second tuner instead of said first tuner and said digital storage device receives output from said first tuner instead of said second tuner.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An interactive television program guide system is provided in which a user may use the program guide to watch one program while simultaneously recording another program without interrupting the recording or viewing process. This interactive television program guide system also allows a user the to utilize all or some of the program guide features while in the watch and record mode depending on the embodiment that is being implemented. Further, this watch and record system may be implemented using a multiple tuner set-top box or a single tuner set-top box with a RF bypass or digital switch. In addition to a set-top box, the system may be implemented using a satellite receiver, an advanced television with a processor and memory, or a computer. The various implementations provide a very versatile watch and record environment for the user.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. User television equipment that allows a user to watch one television program on a viewing device while simultaneously recording another television program, said user television equipment comprising:
- a digital storage device;
switching circuitry;
a first tuner dynamically coupled to said viewing device and coupled to the switching circuitry;
a second tuner dynamically coupled to said digital storage device and coupled to the switching circuitry; and
an interactive television program guide implemented on said user television equipment, said interactive television program guide configured to;
cause said viewing device to display a program guide display;
receive a user selection to watch a first television program indicated on said program guide display;
receive a user selection to record a second television program on said program guide display;
determine whether said second tuner is currently busy;
provide, in a first setting of said interactive television program guide an output from said first tuner to said viewing device, and an output from said second tuner to said digital storage device in response to determining that said second tuner is not currently busy, in order to;
cause said first tuner to tune to a channel corresponding to said first television program in order to cause said first television program to be displayed by said viewing device;
cause said second tuner to tune to a channel corresponding to said second television program in order to cause said second television program to be recorded by said digital storage device, wherein said first tuner and said second tuner each receives input from a same source, and wherein broadcast times of said first television program and said second television program overlap such that said first television program is displayed by said viewing device at the same time that said second television program is recorded by said digital storage device; and
said switching circuitry configured to;
dynamically switch tuner outputs of said first tuner and said second tuner, in a second setting of said interactive television program guide, such that as a result of the dynamic switch said viewing device receives output from said second tuner instead of said first tuner and said digital storage device receives output from said first tuner instead of said second tuner. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 21, 22, 23)
- a digital storage device;
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11. A method for using an interactive television program guide to allow a user to watch one television program on a viewing device while another program is simultaneously recorded by a digital storage device, said method comprising:
- causing said viewing device to display a program guide display with said interactive television program guide;
receiving a user selection to watch a first television program indicated on said program guide display with said interactive television program guide;
receiving a user selection to record a second television program indicated on said program guide display with said interactive television program guide;
determining whether said second tuner is currently busy;
providing, in a first setting of said interactive television program guide an output from said first tuner to said viewing device, and an output from said second tuner to said digital storage device in response to determining that said second tuner is not currently busy, by;
causing a first tuner coupled to said viewing device and coupled to switching circuitry to tune to a channel corresponding to said first television program in order to cause said first television program to be displayed by said viewing device;
causing a second tuner coupled to said digital storage device and coupled to the switching circuitry to tune to a channel corresponding to said second television program in order to cause said second television program to be recorded by said digital storage device, wherein said first tuner and said second tuner each receives input from a same source, wherein broadcast times of said first television program and said second television program overlap such that said first television program is displayed by said viewing device at the same time that said second television program is recorded by said digital storage device; and
dynamically switching, using the switching circuitry coupled to said first tuner and said second tuner, tuner outputs of said first tuner and said second tuner, in a second setting of said interactive television program guide such that as a result of the dynamic switching said viewing device receives output from said second tuner instead of the first tuner and said digital storage device receives output from said first tuner instead of said second tuner. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
- causing said viewing device to display a program guide display with said interactive television program guide;
Specification