Smart broadcast program recording padding and scheduling system
First Claim
1. A method for adjusting start and end times of a program recording schedule and resolving recording conflicts in a computer environment, comprising:
- selecting a particular program to record in response to user input, the particular program has a start and end availability time;
setting a program start recording time for the particular program to the start availability time and setting a program end recording time for the particular program to the end availability time;
allowing the user to select between an option of either adding or subtracting a first relative padding value specified in a first entry field to the program start recording time for the particular program and/or select between an option of either adding or subtracting a second relative padding value specified in a second entry field to the program end recording time for the particular program, the first relative padding value is displayed in the first entry field when the user specifies the first relative padding value to adjust the program start recording time in the first entry field and the second relative padding value is displayed in the second entry field when the user specifies the second relative padding value to adjust the program end recording time in the second entry field;
adjusting the program start recording time for the particular program using the first relative padding value specified by the user in the first entry field and/or adjusting the program end recording time for the particular program using the second relative padding value specified by the user in the second entry field;
determining whether any programs that have been previously scheduled for recording have start or end recording times that conflict with the particular program'"'"'s adjusted program start recording time and/or adjusted program end recording time;
resolving any conflicts determined by the determining step by automatically adjusting recording characteristics for the particular program or for a conflicting program that was previously scheduled for recording;
scheduling a recording for the particular program; and
storing a program on at least one storage device in a digital format.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A smart broadcast program recording padding and scheduling system provides a system for adjusting the start and end times of a broadcast program'"'"'s recording schedule that has a predetermined start and end broadcast time and resolving any conflicts arising from conflicting scheduled program recordings. An on screen program guide is displayed to the viewer via a monitor or television that lists the predetermined scheduled broadcast times and channels of a plurality of broadcast programs. The viewer selects a particular broadcast program to record and the invention schedules the broadcast program to be recorded by inserting the program'"'"'s information such as program identifier, start and end times, and storage duration into a recording schedule database. The viewer adjusts the scheduled start and/or end recording times for a specific program or series of programs by specifying the time increment (padding) to add or subtract from the start and/or end recording times and the invention adjusts the recording schedule for the program(s) using the padding values. Conflicts that arise from adjusted recording schedules are resolved using a priority scheme. Conflicting padding values and start and end recording times are adjusted using threshold values or by elimination. Broadcast programs are recorded onto a persistent storage device when the recording schedule indicates that it is time to do so.
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Citations
60 Claims
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1. A method for adjusting start and end times of a program recording schedule and resolving recording conflicts in a computer environment, comprising:
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selecting a particular program to record in response to user input, the particular program has a start and end availability time; setting a program start recording time for the particular program to the start availability time and setting a program end recording time for the particular program to the end availability time; allowing the user to select between an option of either adding or subtracting a first relative padding value specified in a first entry field to the program start recording time for the particular program and/or select between an option of either adding or subtracting a second relative padding value specified in a second entry field to the program end recording time for the particular program, the first relative padding value is displayed in the first entry field when the user specifies the first relative padding value to adjust the program start recording time in the first entry field and the second relative padding value is displayed in the second entry field when the user specifies the second relative padding value to adjust the program end recording time in the second entry field; adjusting the program start recording time for the particular program using the first relative padding value specified by the user in the first entry field and/or adjusting the program end recording time for the particular program using the second relative padding value specified by the user in the second entry field; determining whether any programs that have been previously scheduled for recording have start or end recording times that conflict with the particular program'"'"'s adjusted program start recording time and/or adjusted program end recording time; resolving any conflicts determined by the determining step by automatically adjusting recording characteristics for the particular program or for a conflicting program that was previously scheduled for recording; scheduling a recording for the particular program; and storing a program on at least one storage device in a digital format. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An apparatus for adjusting start and end times of a program recording schedule and resolving recording conflicts in a computer environment, comprising:
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a selection subsystem that selects a particular program to record in response to user input, the particular program has a start and end availability time; a recording time subsystem that sets a program start recording time for the particular program to the start availability time and sets a program end recording time for the particular program to the end availability time; a user interface that allows the user to select between an option of either adding or subtracting a first padding value specified in a first entry field to the program start recording time for the particular program and/or select between an option of either adding or subtracting a second padding value specified in a second entry field to the program end recording time for the particular program, without the user specifying the program start recording time when the user specifies the first padding value to adjust the program start recording time in the first entry field or edit the program end recording time when the user specifies the second padding value to adjust the program end recording time in the second entry field; an adjusting subsystem that adjusts the program start recording time for the particular program using the first relative padding value specified by the user in the first entry field and/or adjusting the program end recording time for the particular program using the second relative padding value specified by the user in the second entry field; a conflict checking subsystem that determines whether any programs that have been previously scheduled for recording have start or end recording times that conflict with the particular program'"'"'s adjusted program start recording time and/or adjusted program end recording time; a resolution subsystem that automatically resolves any conflicts determined by the conflict checking subsystem by automatically adjusting recording characteristics for the particular program or for a conflicting program that was previously scheduled for recording; a scheduling subsystem that schedules a recording for the particular program; and a recording subsystem that stores a program on at least one storage device in a digital format. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method, comprising:
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receiving a user command to create a wish list for a content that may be shown in the future, the wish list specifying search criteria for the content; allowing the user to select between an option of either adding or subtracting a first relative padding value specified in a first entry field to a content start recording time for content meeting the search criteria in the wish list and/or select between an option of either adding or subtracting a second relative padding value specified in a second entry field to a content end recording time for content meeting the search criteria in the wish list, the first relative padding value is displayed in the first entry field when the user specifies the first relative padding value to adjust the content start recording time in the first entry field and the second relative padding value is displayed in the second entry field when the user specifies the second relative padding value to adjust the content end recording time in the second entry field; periodically searching a program guide information using the search criteria for content in the program guide information that meet the search criteria; in response to finding content in that meet the search criteria, automatically setting a content start recording time for the found content to a start availability time and setting a content end recording time for the found content to an end availability time; adjusting the content start recording time for the found content using the first relative padding value specified by the user in the first entry field and/or adjusting the content end recording time for the found content using the second relative padding value specified by the user in the second entry field; scheduling a recording for the found content; recording, according to the scheduled recording, the found content on at least one storage device in a digital format. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. An apparatus, comprising:
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a receiver subsystem that receives a user command to create a wish list for a content that may be shown in the future, the wish list specifying search criteria for the content; a user interface that allows the user to select between an option of either adding or subtracting a first relative padding value specified in a first entry field to a content start recording time for content meeting the search criteria in the wish list and/or select between an option of either adding or subtracting a second relative padding value specified in a second entry field to a content end recording time for content meeting the search criteria in the wish list, the first relative padding value is displayed in the first entry field when the user specifies the first relative padding value to adjust the content start recording time in the first entry field and the second relative padding value is displayed in the second entry field when the user specifies the second relative padding value to adjust the content end recording time in the second entry field; a search subsystem that periodically searches a program guide information using the search criteria for content in the program guide information that meet the search criteria; a recording time subsystem that in response to finding content in that meet the search criteria, automatically sets a content start recording time for the found content to a start availability time and setting a content end recording time for the found content to an end availability time; an adjusting subsystem that adjusts the content start recording time for the found content using the first relative padding value specified by the user in the first entry field and/or adjusting the content end recording time for the found content using the second relative padding value specified by the user in the second entry field; a scheduling subsystem that schedules a recording for the found content; a recording subsystem that records, according to the scheduled recording, the found content on at least one storage device in a digital format. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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Specification