Personal video recorder systems and methods

• US 20020174433A1
• Filed: 03/21/2002
• Published: 11/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: UV Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Ellis, Michael D., Carpenter, Kenneth F. Jr., Baumgartner, Joseph P., Gaydou, Danny R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,156,528 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• 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 21/431 Generation of visual interfaces for content selection or interaction; Content or additional data rendering
• 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 21/43622 Interfacing an external recording device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4424 Monitoring of the internal components or processes of the client device, e.g. CPU or memory load, processing speed, timer, counter or percentage of the hard disk space used error monitoring in general G06F11/30; arrangements for monitoring conditions of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/32; diagnosis, testing or measuring for television receivers H04N17/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/443 OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• 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 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for providing an interactive television system for recording television programming. The interactive television system may include components for providing personal video recorder (PVR) functionality, such as an interactive television program guide (IPG), PVR extensions, PVR application programming interfaces (APIs), a PVR device, any suitable hardware or software, or a combination thereof. These components may be implemented in, for example, an arrangement having an integrated PVR-compliant device with a PVR device, or in an arrangement having a PVR-compliant device (e.g., a set-top box) coupled to PVR equipment (e.g., a remote PVR server or a PVR sidecar) with a PVR device. The PVR-compliant device may include software and hardware configured to implement the IPG. The PVR APIs may be a library of intelligent vendor-specific and vendor-independent APIs able to determine the type of PVR device being used. The PVR extensions and PVR APIs may be configured to provide a seamless integration of functionality associated with the PVR-compliant device and the PVR device. A full port of the IPG may be implemented in both the PVR-compliant device and the PVR device.

Claims

1. An interactive television system for providing a user with the ability to record television programming, the interactive television system having user television equipment comprising:

a personal video recorder compliant device, wherein an interactive television program guide and personal video recorder extensions are implemented on the personal video recorder compliant device; and

a personal video recorder device coupled to the personal video recorder compliant device, wherein the personal video recorder device comprises a full-port of the interactive television program guide and the personal video recorder extensions, and wherein substantially all interactive television program guide functionalities are provided by the personal video recorder device.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a communications path that couples the personal video recorder compliant device with the personal video recorder device.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the communications path comprises a serial link.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the communications path comprises a parallel link.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising a communications path that couples the personal video recorder compliant device with the personal video recorder device, wherein the communications path comprises a wireless infra-red communications link.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the personal video recorder compliant device is implemented in a set-top box.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the personal video recorder device is implemented in a personal video recorder sidecar.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the personal video recorder compliant device and the personal video recorder device are integrated into a single enclosed unit.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the single enclosed unit is a set-top box.

10. The system of claim 6 wherein functionalities related to commerce and authorization are provided by the set-top box.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the personal video recorder compliant device is used as a pass-through when the personal video recorder device is being used.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the interactive television program guide is a first interactive television program guide and wherein the personal video recorder device comprises software and hardware configured to implement a second interactive television program guide.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the second interactive television program guide provides substantially similar functionality to that of the first interactive television program guide.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein the second interactive television program guide is used without the first interactive television program guide.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein the first interactive television program guide is used without the second interactive television program guide.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein the first interactive television program guide communicates with the personal video recorder device.

17. The system of claim 12 wherein the second interactive television program guide communicates with the personal video recorder compliant device.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the interactive television program guide is a first interactive television program guide and wherein the personal video recorder device comprises software and hardware configured to implement a second interactive television program guide.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the second interactive television program guide provides substantially similar functionality to that of the first interactive television program guide.

21. The system of claim 18 wherein the personal video recorder compliant device is implemented in a set-top box.

22. The system of claim 18 wherein the personal video recorder device is implemented in a sidecar arrangement as part of user television equipment.

23. The system of claim 18 wherein the personal video recorder device is implemented in a server arrangement at a location remote from the personal video recorder compliant device.

24. The system of claim 18 wherein the personal video recorder device is implemented as an enclosed integrated unit with the personal video recorder compliant device.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the enclosed integrated unit is a set-top box.

26. The system of claim 18 wherein at least one of the plurality of application programming interfaces are vendor-specific application programming interfaces.

27. The system of claim 18 wherein at least one of the plurality of application programming interfaces are vendor-independent application programming interfaces.

28. The system of claim 18 wherein the plurality of application programming interfaces are configured to determine the type of personal video recorder device being coupled to the personal video recorder compliant device.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein the personal video recorder extensions are further configured to maintain a particular motif in the user interface of personal video recorder components integrated in the interactive television program guide according to a motif associated with the interactive television program guide.

31. The system of claim 29 wherein the personal video recorder extensions are further configured to allow the user of the interactive television program guide to perform all video recording functions associated with the personal video recorder device using the interactive television program guide.

32. The system of claim 29 wherein the personal video recorder extensions are further configured to allow the user of the interactive television program guide to schedule a program to be recorded before the program occurs.

18. An interactive television system for providing a user with the ability to record television programming, the system comprising:

a personal video recorder compliant device that is used by the user to interact with the interactive television system, the personal video recorder compliant device comprising;

software and hardware configured to implement an interactive television program guide,

software and hardware configured to implement personal video recorder extensions, and

software and hardware configured to implement a plurality of application programming interfaces; and

a personal video recorder device coupled to the personal video recorder compliant device, wherein the application programming interfaces are configured to facilitate communications between the personal video recorder device and the personal video recorder compliant device, and wherein the application programming interfaces are used irrespective of where and how the personal video recorder device is implemented.

29. An interactive television system for providing a user with the ability to record television programming, the system comprising:

a personal video recorder compliant device that is used by the user to interact with the interactive television system, the personal video recorder compliant device comprising;

software and hardware configured to implement an interactive television program guide,

software and hardware configured to implement personal video recorder extensions, and

software and hardware configured to implement a plurality of application programming interfaces; and

a personal video recorder device coupled to the personal video recorder compliant device, wherein the application programming interfaces are configured to facilitate communications between the personal video recorder device and the personal video recorder compliant device, and wherein the personal video recorder extensions and application programming interfaces are configured to provide a seamless integration of personal video recorder functionality with the interactive television program guide.

33. An interactive television system for providing a user with the ability to record television programming, the system comprising:

a personal video recorder device that is used by the user to interact with the interactive television system, the personal video recorder device comprising;

software and hardware configured to implement personal video recorder extensions, and

software and hardware configured to implement a plurality of application programming interfaces; and

a personal video recorder compliant device with software and hardware configured to implement an interactive television program guide, wherein the personal video recorder compliant device is coupled to the personal video recorder device, and wherein the application programming interfaces are configured to facilitate communications between the personal video recorder device and the personal video recorder compliant device, and wherein the personal video recorder extensions and application programming interfaces are used to provide a seamless integration of personal video recorder functionality to the interactive television program guide.

34. The system of claim 33 wherein the personal video recorder extensions are further configured to maintain a particular motif in the user interface of personal video recorder components integrated in the interactive television program guide according to a motif associated with the interactive television program guide.

35. The system of claim 33 wherein the personal video recorder extensions are further configured to allow the user of the interactive television program guide to perform all video recording functions associated with the personal video recorder device using the interactive television program guide.

36. The system of claim 33 wherein the personal video recorder extensions are further configured to allow the user of the interactive television program guide to schedule a program to be recorded before the program occurs.

38. The method of claim 37 further comprising seamlessly integrating functionality associated with the personal video recorder device with the interactive television program guide.

39. The method of claim 37 further comprising providing personal video recorder application programming interfaces that are configured to determine the type of video recorder device being coupled to the personal video recorder device.

40. The method of claim 37 wherein the generating a signal comprises generating an infra-red signal.

41. The method of claim 37 wherein the generating a signal comprises generating a command to record a program.

42. The method of claim 37 wherein the generating a signal comprises generating a command to view a recorded program.

37. A method for providing a user with interactive television program guide functionality using user television equipment having a personal video recorder compliant device and a personal video recorder device, which are coupled to one another, the method comprising:

allowing the user to control the interactive television program guide functionality by sending a command to the personal video recorder compliant device;

generating a signal at the personal video recorded compliant device, wherein the signal corresponds to the command; and

communicating the signal to the personal video recorder device, wherein the signal is used by the personal video recorder device to execute the command.

43. A method for providing a user with interactive television program guide functionality using user television equipment having a personal video recorder compliant device and a personal video recorder device, which are coupled to one another, the method comprising:

allowing the user to control the interactive television program guide functionality by communicating a command to the personal video recorder device;

generating a signal at the personal video recorder device, wherein the signal corresponds to the command; and

communicating the signal to the personal video recorder compliant device, wherein the signal is used by the personal video recorded compliant device to execute the command.

44. The method of claim 43 further comprising seamlessly integrating functionality associated with the personal video recorder device with the interactive television program guide.

45. Th e method of claim 43 further comprising providing personal video recorder application programming inter faces that are configured to determine the type of video recorder device being coupled to the personal video recorder device.

46. The method of claim 43 wherein the generating a signal comprises generating an infra-red signal.

47. The method of claim 43 wherein the generating a signal comprises generating a command to record a program.

48. The method of claim 43 wherein the generating a signal comprises generating a command to view a recorded program.

50. The method of claim 49 wherein the determining the type of personal video recorder device being used compromises using a handshake protocol to request and receive the information from the personal video recorder device.

51. The method of claim 49 wherein the determining the type of personal video recorder device being used compromises using application programming interfaces to interpret in the information received from the personal video recorder device.

49. A method for allowing a personal video recorder compliant device to communicate with a personal recorder device, the method comprising:

coupling the personal video recorder device to the personal video recorder compliant device;

detecting the personal video recorder device being coupled;

determining the type of personal video recorder device being used based on information received from the personal video recorder device; and

establishing communications between the personal video recorder device and the personal video recorder compliant device.

52. A machine readable medium having machine program logic recorded thereon for:

allowing a user to control an interactive television program guide'"'"'s functionality by sending a command to a personal video recorder compliant device;

generating a signal at the personal video recorded compliant device, wherein the signal corresponds to the command; and

communicating the signal to a personal video recorder device, wherein the signal is used by the personal video recorder device to execute the command.

53. The machine readable medium of claim 52 further comprising machine program logic recorded thereon for facilitating communications between the personal video recording device and the personal video recording compliant device using.

54. The machine readable medium of claim 53 wherein the machine program logic comprises using application programming interfaces.

55. The machine readable medium of claim 52 further comprising machine program logic recorded thereon for providing the user with the ability to playback a recorded program.

56. The machine readable medium of claim 55 wherein the machine program logic comprises allowing the user to manipulate the playback of a recorded program.

57. The machine readable medium of claim 52 further comprising machine program logic recorded thereon for:

providing a first interactive television program guide on the personal video recorder compliant system; and

providing a second interactive television program guide on the personal video recorder system.

58. The machine readable medium of claim 57 further comprising machine program logic recorded thereon for integrating the first interactive television program guide and the second interactive television program guide.

59. The machine readable medium of claim 58 wherein the machine program logic comprises using personal video recorder extensions.

60. A machine readable medium having machine program logic recorded thereon for:

allowing a user to control an interactive television program guide'"'"'s functionality by communicating a command to a personal video recorder device;

generating a signal at the personal video recorder device, wherein the signal corresponds to the command; and

communicating the signal to a personal video recorder compliant device, wherein the signal is used by the personal video recorded compliant device to execute the command.

61. The machine readable medium of claim 60 further comprising machine program logic recorded thereon for facilitating communications between the personal video recording device and the personal video recording compliant device using.

62. The machine readable medium of claim 61 wherein the machine program logic comprises using application programming interfaces.

63. The machine readable medium of claim 60 further comprising machine program logic recorded thereon for providing the user with the ability to playback a recorded program.

64. The machine readable medium of claim 63 wherein the machine program logic comprises allowing the user to manipulate the playback of a recorded program.

65. The machine readable medium of claim 60 further comprising machine program logic recorded thereon for:

providing a first interactive television program guide on the personal video recorder compliant system; and

providing a second interactive television program guide on the personal video recorder system.

66. The machine readable medium of claim 65 further comprising machine program logic recorded thereon for integrating the first interactive television program guide and the second interactive television program guide.

67. The machine readable medium of claim 66 wherein the machine program logic comprises using personal video recorder extensions.

68. A machine readable medium having machine program logic recorded thereon for:

coupling a personal video recorder device to a personal video recorder compliant device;

detecting the personal video recorder device being coupled;

determining the type of personal video recorder device being used based on information received from the personal video recorder device; and

establishing communications between the personal video recorder device and the personal video recorder compliant device.

69. An interactive television system for providing a user with the ability to record television programming, the system comprising:

means for allowing the user to control an interactive television program guide'"'"'s functionality by sending a command to a personal video recorder compliant device;

means for generating a signal at the personal video recorded compliant device, wherein the signal corresponds to the command; and

means for communicating the signal to a personal video recorder device, wherein the signal is used by the personal video recorder device to execute the command.

70. An interactive television system for providing a user with the ability to record television programming, the system comprising:

means for allowing the user to control an interactive television program guide'"'"'s functionality by communicating a command to a personal video recorder device;

means for generating a signal at the personal video recorder device, wherein the signal corresponds to the command; and

means for communicating the signal to a personal video recorder compliant device, wherein the signal is used by the personal video recorded compliant device to execute the command.

71. An interactive television system for providing a user with the ability to record television programming, the system comprising:

means for coupling a personal video recorder device to a personal video recorder compliant device;

means for detecting the personal video recorder device being coupled;

means for determining the type of personal video recorder device being used based on information received from the personal video recorder device; and

means for establishing communications between the personal video recorder device and the personal video recorder compliant device.