System and method for recording television content at a set top box

• US 7,716,714 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2004
• Issued: 05/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chanyu Holdings LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sullivan, Marc Andrew, Kortum, Philip Ted
• Primary Examiner(s): Pendleton; Brian T
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHEN, CAI Y
• Application Number:
  US11/001,683
• Publication Number:
  US 20060117374A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,987 Days
• Field of Search: 725/46, 725/58, 725/88, 725/30, 725/133, 725/141, 725/153
• US Class Current: 725/139
• 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 21/4334 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 21/466 Learning process for intelligent management, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies services using the results of monitoring in broadcast systems H04H60/61
• 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 21/84 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 5/782 on tape

Abstract

A method of recording content at a set top box is provided and includes receiving a request to record multiple episodes of a television program. When a copy of a particular episode that has been previously stored in the memory of the set top box is received, a set top box selectively fails to record that particular episode of the television program. Further, the method includes monitoring metadata within an electronic program guide received at the set top box. Using the metadata, a set top box can determine when the particular episode of the television program is to be received and recorded at the set top box.

Claims

1. A method of recording content at a set top box, the method comprising:

receiving a request to record multiple episodes of a television program;

determining whether a particular episode of the multiple episodes was previously stored in and deleted from a memory of the set top box;

determining whether the particular episode was previously viewed;

automatically failing to record the particular episode without user input when the particular episode was previously stored in the memory and after being stored in the memory the particular episode was deleted from the memory after being viewed; and

automatically recording the particular episode without user input when the particular episode was previously stored in the memory and after being stored in the memory the particular episode was deleted from the memory without being viewed.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring metadata within an electronic program guide received at the set top box.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising determining when the particular episode is to be received and recorded at the set top box at least partially based on the monitored metadata.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising determining whether the particular episode scheduled for recording is presently recorded and stored at the set top box.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising detecting a duplicate episode and selectively failing to record the duplicate episode.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether a previously recorded episode was viewed at a television coupled to the set top box.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising recording an episode of the television program that has not been previously recorded.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising adding a title corresponding to each of the episodes of the television program recorded at the set top box to a recorded program list.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising sorting the titles of the recorded program list by original air dates.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising sorting the titles of the recorded program list alphabetically.

11. A set top box, comprising:

a processor;

a memory device accessible by the processor; and

a computer program embedded within the memory device, the computer program comprising;

instructions to detect a request to record multiple episodes of a television program;

instructions to detect a received episode that is a duplicate of an episode that has been previously stored in and deleted from the memory device;

instructions to detect whether the received episode previously stored and deleted has been previously viewed;

instructions to automatically fail to record the received episode without user input when the received episode was stored in the memory and after being stored in the memory the received episode was deleted from the memory after being viewed; and

instructions to automatically record the received episode without user input when the received episode was stored in the memory and after being stored in the memory the received episode was deleted from the memory without being viewed.

12. The set top box of claim 11, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to monitor metadata within an electronic program guide received at the set top box.

13. The set top box of claim 12, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to record the received episode of the television program when the received episode is not stored in the memory device.

14. The set top box of claim 13, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to add a title corresponding to each recorded episode of the television program to a recorded program list.

15. The set top box of claim 14, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to sort the recorded program list.

16. The set top box of claim 15, wherein the recorded program list is sorted by original air dates of episodes.

17. The set top box of claim 15, wherein the recorded program list is sorted alphabetically.

18. A home entertainment system, comprising:

at least one television;

a set top box coupled to the at least one television, the set top box comprising;

a processor;

a memory device accessible by the processor; and

a computer program embedded within the memory device, the computer program comprising;

instructions to detect a request to record all episodes of a television program;

instructions to automatically fail to record one or more duplicate episodes of the television program without user input, when the one or more duplicate episodes were previously stored in the memory device and after being stored in the memory device were deleted from the memory device after being viewed; and

instructions to automatically record the one or more duplicate episodes without user input when the one or more duplicate episodes were previously stored in the memory device and after being stored in the memory device were deleted from the memory device without being viewed.

19. The home entertainment system of claim 18, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to monitor metadata within an electronic program guide.

20. The home entertainment system of claim 19, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to record an episode of the television program that is not presently recorded and stored at the set top box.

21. The home entertainment system of claim 20, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to record an episode of the television program that has not been previously recorded.

22. The home entertainment system of claim 21, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to add a title corresponding to each episode recorded at the set top box to a recorded program list.

23. The home entertainment system of claim 22, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to sort the recorded program list.

24. The home entertainment system of claim 23, wherein the recorded program list is sorted by original broadcast dates.

25. The home entertainment system of claim 23, wherein the recorded program list is sorted alphabetically.