System and Methods for Digital Video Recorder Backup and Recovery

• US 20090044233A1
• Filed: 08/10/2007
• Published: 02/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Knowledge Ventures, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Reynolds, Douglas R., Sullivan, Marc A., Brandt, Jeffrey L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,776,137 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/87
• 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 21/4334 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 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• 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 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• 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 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A method of backing up a video data file, comprising receiving a user input identifying a video signal. The method further includes recording the video signal to the video data file and sending an instruction to a backup server. The instruction causes the backup server to concurrently record the video signal to a second video data file.

Claims

1. A method of backing up a first video data file, comprising:

receiving a user input, the user input identifying a video signal;

recording the video signal to the first video data file based on the user input; and

sending an instruction to a backup server to cause the backup server to concurrently record the video signal to a second video data file.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising retrieving the second video data file from the backup server.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising retrieving a portion of the second video data file from the backup server.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the portion of the second video data file is determined based on a start time.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the portion of the second video data file is determined based on a stop time.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the portion of the second video data file includes a first segment encompassing the start time and a last segment encompassing the stop time.

7. A method of backing up a video data file, comprising:

receiving a user input, the user input identifying a video signal;

recording the video signal to the video data file based on the user input; and

copying the video data file to a backup server.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising retrieving the video data file from the backup server.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising retrieving a portion of the video data file from the backup server.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the portion of the second video data file is determined based on a start time.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the portion of the second video data file is determined based on a stop time.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the portion of the second video data file includes a first segment encompassing the start time and a last segment encompassing the stop time.

13. A backup server for a digital video recorder, the backup server comprising:

a storage; and

a processor configured to;

receive an instruction from the digital video recorder, the instruction including a program information;

record a video signal to a video data file within the storage based on the program information;

receive a recovery instruction from the digital video recorder; and

send at least a portion of the video data file to the digital video recorder upon receiving the recovery instruction.

14. The backup server of claim 13 wherein the processor is further configured to verify access for the first digital video recorder to the first video data file prior to sending the first video data file to the first digital video recorder.

15. The backup server of claim 13 wherein the processor is further configured to receive a second instruction from a second digital video recorder, the second instruction including a second program information.

16. The backup server of claim 15 wherein the processor is further configured to record a second video signal to a second video data file based on the second program information, wherein the program information and the second program information are substantially different.

17. The backup server of claim 15 wherein the program information and the second program information are substantially similar.

18. The backup server of claim 15 wherein the recovery instruction includes a start time.

19. The backup server of claim 18 wherein the recovery instruction includes a stop time.

20. The backup server of claim 19 wherein the portion of the video data file includes a first segment encompassing the start time and a last segment encompassing the stop time.