PERSONAL VIDEO RECORDER FUNCTIONALITY FOR PLACESHIFTING SYSTEMS

• US 20080059533A1
• Filed: 11/01/2007
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sling Media LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sling Media Incorporated (Dish Network Corporation)
• Inventors: Krikorian, Jason
• Granted Patent: US 7,917,932 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/104.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2818 from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/61 for supporting one-way streaming services, e.g. Internet radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/75 Media network packet handling
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/102 characterised by the element, parameter or selection affected or controlled by the adaptive coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/40 using video transcoding, i.e. partial or full decoding of a coded input stream followed by re-encoding of the decoded output stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23106 involving caching operations prefetching while addressing of a memory level in which the access to the desired data or data block requires associative addressing means within memory systems or architectures G06F12/0862; caching at an intermediate stage in a data network H04L67/568
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• 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 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• 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 21/42661 for reading from or writing on a magnetic storage medium, e.g. hard disk drive
• 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 21/47214 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 21/4882 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 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/85406 involving a specific file format, e.g. MP4 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/147 Scene change detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 : Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 : on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 : with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal

Abstract

PVR functionality is enabled on a media player of a placeshifting system, which allows a user to record media programs from locations that are physically remote from a source of the media programs. The media player may receive program schedule information and present the program schedule information to the user. Based on user input, the media player identifies a media program and associated schedule information. When the media program is scheduled to play, the media player requests a media broadcasting device to receive the media program; to digitize, transcode, and/or transrate the media program, if necessary; and to transmit the media program to the media player. The media program may be recorded in a local storage of the media broadcasting device or the media player.

Claims

1. A method for recording media programs in a placeshifting system for playback at a remote device, comprising:

receiving a user input identifying a media program to be recorded;

receiving the media program from a media source by a broadcaster of the placeshifting system;

recording the media program in a storage;

receiving a user command at the remote device for playback of the recorded media program by a media player of the placeshifting system; and

providing the recorded media program to the media player.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting schedule information of the media program to the user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the user input comprises:

receiving the user input from a web server identifying a media program to be recorded.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein recording the media program comprises:

receiving the media program from the broadcaster by the remote device; and

recording the media program in a local storage of the remote device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein recording the media program comprises:

recording the media program in a local storage of the broadcaster or an intermediate device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to the media program being recorded, presenting a notice indicating that the media program is recorded.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote device comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of:

a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant, a mobile computer, and a personal video player.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein receiving the media program from the broadcaster comprises:

responsive to the remote device performing another task, adjusting the receiving of the media program to avoid or minimize impacts on performing the other task, adjusting the receiving of the media program comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of;

suspending receiving the media program,

receiving the media program using a different communication protocol,

receiving the media program using a different network, and

receiving the media program in a lower transmission rate.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein adjusting the receiving of the media program further comprises transmitting a command to the broadcaster by the remote device instructing the broadcaster to conduct at least one of the following:

suspending transmitting the media program to the remote device;

transmitting the media program using a different communication protocol;

transmitting the media program using a different network; and

transmitting the media program in a lower transmission rate.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein receiving the media program from the broadcaster comprises:

responding to an interruption of receiving the media program, reestablishing the receiving of the media program from where the previously interrupted receiving left off,

wherein the broadcaster records at least a portion of the media program responding to the interruption, and transmits the recorded portion to the remote device responding to a reestablishment of a connection with the remote device.

11. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

requesting the broadcaster by the remote device to transmit the media program to the remote device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein requesting the broadcaster comprises:

responding to the user input, generating a command, the command instructing the broadcaster to conduct at least one of the following tasks;

switch channel, converting format of the media program, and transmitting the media program to the remote device; and

transmitting the command to the broadcaster when the media program is scheduled to start.

13. A system for recording media programs in a placeshifting system for playback at a remote device, comprising:

a scheduler module for receiving a user input identifying a media program, a broadcaster of the placeshifting system receiving the media program;

a connection manager module for establishing a connection between the remote device and the broadcaster;

a recorder module for recording media program in a local storage; and

a player module for receiving a user command at the remote device for playback of the recorded media program by a media player of the placeshifting system and responsive to the user command playing the media program.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the scheduler module is further configured for presenting schedule information of the media program from an electronic program guide service provider.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the scheduler module is further configured for requesting the broadcaster to transmit the media program to the remote device using the connection, wherein the recorder module is further configured to receive the media program from the broadcaster.

16. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

a notifier module for presenting a notice indicating that the media program is recorded responsive to the media program being recorded.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the remote device comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of:

a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant, a mobile computer, and a personal video player.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the recorder module is further configured for adjusting the receiving of the media program responsive to the remote device performing another task to avoid or minimize impacts on performing the other task, adjusting the receiving of the media program comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of:

suspending receiving the media program,

receiving the media program using a different communication protocol,

receiving the media program using a different network, and

receiving the media program in a lower transmission rate.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the recorder module is further configured for reestablishing the receiving of the media program from where the previously interrupted receiving left off responding to an interruption of receiving the media program, wherein the broadcaster records at least a portion of the media program responding to the interruption, and transmits the recorded portion to the remote device responding to a reestablishment of a connection with the remote device.

20. A computer program product for recording media programs in a placeshifting system for playback at a remote device, the computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium containing computer program code for performing the method comprising:

receiving a user input identifying a media program to be recorded;

receiving the media program from a media source by a broadcaster of the placeshifting system;

recording the media program in a storage;

receiving a user command at the remote device for playback of the recorded media program by a media player of the placeshifting system; and

providing the recorded media program to the media player.