MXPA02000077A - Dvr with enhanced functionality. - Google Patents

Dvr with enhanced functionality.

Info

Publication number
MXPA02000077A
MXPA02000077A MXPA02000077A MXPA02000077A MXPA02000077A MX PA02000077 A MXPA02000077 A MX PA02000077A MX PA02000077 A MXPA02000077 A MX PA02000077A MX PA02000077 A MXPA02000077 A MX PA02000077A MX PA02000077 A MXPA02000077 A MX PA02000077A
Authority
MX
Mexico
Prior art keywords
content
user
recording
program
available
Prior art date
Application number
MXPA02000077A
Other languages
Spanish (es)
Inventor
Davis Robert
Original Assignee
Hughes Electronics Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from US09/766,252 external-priority patent/US20020056102A1/en
Application filed by Hughes Electronics Corp filed Critical Hughes Electronics Corp
Publication of MXPA02000077A publication Critical patent/MXPA02000077A/en

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/43—Processing of content or additional data, e.g. demultiplexing additional data from a digital video stream; Elementary client operations, e.g. monitoring of home network or synchronising decoder's clock; Client middleware
    • H04N21/442—Monitoring of processes or resources, e.g. detecting the failure of a recording device, monitoring the downstream bandwidth, the number of times a movie has been viewed, the storage space available from the internal hard disk
    • H04N21/44213—Monitoring of end-user related data
    • H04N21/44222—Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N5/00—Details of television systems
    • H04N5/44—Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards
    • H04N5/4448—Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards for frame-grabbing
    • G—PHYSICS
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    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B27/00—Editing; Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Monitoring; Measuring tape travel
    • G11B27/02—Editing, e.g. varying the order of information signals recorded on, or reproduced from, record carriers
    • G11B27/031—Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
    • G11B27/034—Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals on discs
    • G—PHYSICS
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    • G11B27/10—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
    • G11B27/102—Programmed access in sequence to addressed parts of tracks of operating record carriers
    • G11B27/105—Programmed access in sequence to addressed parts of tracks of operating record carriers of operating discs
    • G—PHYSICS
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    • G11B27/10—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
    • G11B27/34—Indicating arrangements 
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
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    • H04M1/64—Automatic arrangements for answering calls; Automatic arrangements for recording messages for absent subscribers; Arrangements for recording conversations
    • H04M1/65—Recording arrangements for recording a message from the calling party
    • H04M1/6505—Recording arrangements for recording a message from the calling party storing speech in digital form
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    • H04N21/4104—Peripherals receiving signals from specially adapted client devices
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    • H04N21/431—Generation of visual interfaces for content selection or interaction; Content or additional data rendering
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    • H04N21/4316—Generation of visual interfaces for content selection or interaction; Content or additional data rendering involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
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    • H04N21/433—Content storage operation, e.g. storage operation in response to a pause request, caching operations
    • H04N21/4331—Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
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    • H04N21/433—Content storage operation, e.g. storage operation in response to a pause request, caching operations
    • H04N21/4334—Recording operations
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    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
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    • H04N21/434—Disassembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. demultiplexing audio and video streams, extraction of additional data from a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Extraction or processing of SI; Disassembling of packetised elementary stream
    • H04N21/4345—Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
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    • H04N21/443—OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
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    • H04N21/45—Management operations performed by the client for facilitating the reception of or the interaction with the content or administrating data related to the end-user or to the client device itself, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies, resolving scheduling conflicts
    • H04N21/4508—Management of client data or end-user data
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    • H04N21/4583—Automatically resolving scheduling conflicts, e.g. when a recording by reservation has been programmed for two programs in the same time slot
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    • H04N21/47202—End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
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Abstract

A personal video on-demand system and method which permits a user to receive available content using a single tuner and perform one of a plurality of operations on the available content. These operations include recording two or more signals, where one or both may be simultaneously viewed, recording one or more signals and playing back one or more signals, playing back two or more signals, watching one or more signals while recording one or more other signals, viewing two or more signals live, or viewing at least one signal live, while reviewing one or more signals in a playback mode. These operations also include selecting an even based on actor, actress, director, etc., alerting a user to an attempt to record a duplicate program, displaying a status of a program from the available content the user is watching, playing paused programming or converting paused programming to recorded programming during a channel change, allowing a user to record an entire program after viewing the program for a period of time, permitting a user to capture a snippet of the available content, permitting a user to rewind recording in an increment for playback of a portion of the available content, enabling a user to jump back from a live broadcast to a last paused video segment.

Description

A DIGITAL VIDEO RECORDER WITH IMPROVED FUNCTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to audio and video apparatus. The present invention refers more specifically to the field of equipment and video services on demand.
Antecedents of the Invention To provide videos by request, has been an elusive goal, considered later by a variety of companies. Many of the efforts to date have been hampered by the enormous bandwidth consumed when a large number of movies or other content are required by individuals. This problem is exacerbated when a not enough number of consumers requires a particular film, so that the consumption of the available bandwidth for a small number of requisitions is not economically justified. In order to be profitable, conventional video-on-demand services offer only the most popular movies. The result is that the most attractive feature of the videos per order is destroyed. This most attractive feature is the availability of a wide variety of movies or other content per order for the consumer. There are other different problems in the conventional services of videos per order, including the inconvenient and limited ways in which the desired content is designed. Another drawback of conventional video services for orders, is the inability to add a library of videos in a fast and efficient way. Another drawback of conventional video-on-demand services is the negative impact of adding a video library to normal consumer observation habits. Another drawback of conventional video services on demand is a limitation in the number of signals that will be recorded, viewed and / or reproduced at the same time. Other problems include the inability to manipulate the recorded, viewed and / or reproduced signals in a manner desired by the consumer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to remedy the aforementioned deficiencies in the conventional video services and equipment on demand. Another object is to make it possible for the video-on-demand team to have sufficient capacity to potentially accommodate the desired content. Still another object, is to provide a group of functions that allow the user to manipulate the signal input. One aspect to achieve the above object is to use a hard drive controller array to create a video host server. A video hosting server provides a huge capacity, which is necessary for a video library to have adequate content, while also providing an expandable storage space. The present invention creates a new paradigm for video services on demand, in which a video server is used in combination with an electronic programming guide and a receiver, tuner, control unit and user interface associated with it. Allow the user to create their own library of video videos per order. More specifically, the present invention includes a content feed that provides a variety of content or transmission television programs from numerous transmission media, for example, an encoder or other devices. The present invention includes a receiver / tuner which receives the stream of content from the content feed and routes the content stream to a display unit, a decoder / decryptor or a storage device in response to a control signal from a control unit. In this way, the control current can be viewed directly in an apparatus such as a conventional cable apparatus or decoded / decrypted before being viewed by a display unit. Another route provided by the present invention is that a storage device can record the selected content.
To help in the selection of the desired content, an electronic programming guide is used. This electronic programming guide receives the programming information of the available content that will be transmitted in the future to the inventive device. With a user interface device, the user can interact with the electronic programming guide and select the desired programs that will be recorded on the storage device. The improved feature for the electronic program guide includes the ability to track previously selected content so that identical or similar programs can be recorded in the future. Other improvements include the entry of selection criteria such as actor, director, theme, keywords, channel information, letters to call the station, etc., which can be used by the control unit to find the electronic programming guide whose content matches the consumer's criteria. Preferably, the storage device is expandable and / or removable, so that the user can easily add and / or remove additional storage capacity, as desired or needed. For example, the storage device may include a magnetic tape, magnetic or optical disc (e.g., a read / write disc or a written / many-read disc), CD, DVD, of an audio / video player / digital data. Additional improvements to the present invention include the ability to transcode from one type of medium to another, to ensure efficient storage and regardless of the target medium. Transcoding can include using different compression techniques or different groups of compression parameters for the same compression technique. Additional best to the present invention, include a file manager for the creation and administration of a database, which includes an entry for each recorded program. The file manager also supports other database manipulation operations, such as adding, deleting, searching, etc. The file manager also makes it possible for the user to print a physical label that can be attached to the storage medium.
The file manager also allows the entry of the database entry for each recorded program. The information contained in these annotations can be provided in electronic form, such as by means of an electronic programming guide or it can be generated manually by a user. Additional improvements to the present invention include the use of an internal and external memory in combination. This allows the present invention to record the program in the internal memory and subsequently in the external memory or enter the programming information directly into the external memory. The combination of internal and external memory also allows to record from the removable memory in the internal memory, and later reproduce it from the internal memory. Additional improvements to the present invention include a multiple receiver / tuner mode in which multiple content streams can be received, tuned and provided to the storage device. With a plurality of receivers / tuners, this modification has the ability to simultaneously record a plurality of programs in a memory device. A multi-screen unit, such as an image-on-picture television, can be used to simultaneously view the two programs that are being recorded. Alternatively, a program can be recorded while another is being viewed either from a live stream or from the video library previously recorded in the storage unit. Additional improvements to the present invention include various modes, including, but not limited to, recording two or more signals, where one or both can also be viewed simultaneously, record one or more signals and play one or more signals, play two or more signals, watch one or more signals, while recording one or more other signals, see two or more live signals (through the use of the image on picture or similar), and see at least one live signal, while watching one or more signals in the playback mode. Additional improvements to the present invention include various functions that allow the user to manipulate the recorded, viewed and / or reproduced signals in a manner desired by the user. These functions include, but are not limited to, an intelligent agent function, through which the user can select at least one recorded event from a programming guide or calendar, based on actors, actresses, directors or other relevant information, a Repeated episode filter function, which alerts a user if a repeated episode is being recorded, a status indicator function, which displays the status of the program to the user who is watching it, a delete converter function offered to the user the opportunity to erase the schedule with live pauses or to convert the programming with pauses in recorded programming during a channel change, a recording feature after viewing, which allows the user to record an entire program after viewing the program for a period of time, a feature of active instants, which allows the user to capture fragments of digital audio / video transmissions is, a personal instant re-display feature, which allows the user to return the recording in fixed increments for playback, and a return to pause feature, which allows the user to jump back from a live transmission to the last segment of Video with pauses. It should be noted that the different functions described above can be used in conjunction with one or more of the modes. For example, the smart agent's repeat filter and the active instantaneous functions can be used with any recording mode, the status indicator and the personal instant playback features can be used with any mode of playback, and the functions of status indicator, erase converter, recording after viewing, personal instant playback can be used in any live observation mode. The return to pause function can be used to jump between two or more live or reproduced signals. The present invention also includes a method for potentially determining the desired content, wherein the method includes manually entering the selection (s) of the content and the selection criteria. As mentioned above, the selection criteria can include a variety of criteria such as actor, program name, director, keywords, channel information, letters to call the station, etc. Such selection criteria can be used together with the tagged content, where the stream of the content is tagged with additional information associated with the content. For example, a typical label can include the main actors in the program, the director, a synopsis, keywords, a review, a preview, a fragment, etc. Labels may be transmitted in band or otherwise together with the content, or be associated with the program and be sent separately, such as with an electronic programming guide. In any of these alternatives, the selection criteria can be used to search through these labels for potentially desired content. In addition, the methods of the present invention look for the previously selected content and the selection criteria used previously in order to learn the preferences of the consumers. This information sought, it is then added to the selection of the potentially desired content, so that the appropriate content can be recorded by the apparatus of the present invention. The method for operating the apparatus of the present invention may also include downloading the electronic programming guide on a periodic basis. Afterwards, the selections and criteria can be entered. Subsequently, the electronic programming guide is scanned so that the content matches the selections and / or entry criteria. If a match is found, then a transmission channel is tuned and content is produced for the storage device. Appropriate changes are made for a file manager to keep track of recorded content. Subsequently, the consumer can manage the recorded content, for example, eliminating, classifying, cataloging, commenting, etc. On the content provider side, the electronic programming guide can be compiled and loaded for the user. Because different regions of the country have different channels available, the scheduling lists can be provided only for the channels available to the particular consumer. Subsequently, labels can be generated that describe or otherwise indicate the content of the program, and these labels are associated with the programming lists. The methods of the present invention also include the simultaneous recording of multiple streams of content. After exploring that the electronic programming of the content matches the preferences of the consumer, the present invention determines whether there are programming conflicts. Such programming conflicts are determined by recording plural content streams multiple and simultaneously. The additional scope of the application capacity of the present invention will be appreciated from the detailed description that follows. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and the specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiments of the present invention, are provided by way of illustration only, as those skilled in the art will appreciate, from this detailed description, that Various changes and modifications may be made within the spirit and scope of the present invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will be fully understood from the detailed description that follows and from the accompanying drawings, which are provided by way of illustration only, and are therefore not limiting of the present invention. , and wherein: Figure 1 is a block diagram of a customized video system per order, according to a first aspect of the present invention. Figure 2 is a block diagram of a customized system of videos on demand, according to a second aspect of the present invention; Figure 3 is a high level flow chart of the method for determining the potentially desired content according to the present invention; Figure 4 is a high-level flow chart of a method for creating a video service per order; Figure 5 is a high-level flow chart of a method for generating an electronic programming guide according to the present invention; and Figure 6 is an example architecture block diagram, according to the present invention; Fig. 7 is a block diagram showing an exemplary construction of a memory device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 is a flow chart showing the flow of data to record or capture programs, such as pay-per-event events (PPV) for its later reproduction, according to an example embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9 illustrates an alternative recording path according to the present invention; Figure 10 is a high-level flow diagram of a method for creating a personalized service of videos per order with the ability to simultaneously record multiple streams of plural content.
Detailed Description of the Invention As shown in Figure 1, the customized video-on-demand system includes a content feed 10. This content feed 10 may include a television transmission network or a content provider over the Internet. The content feed is compatible with all satellite and terrestrial cable television systems as indicated by the transmitter 20, which is connected to a transmission antenna 22, a satellite uplink 24, Internet connection 26, cable 28 and telephone line 30. These various connections and standards are exemplary only, and are intended to include any food content system for a consumer. As far as the consumer is concerned, an apparatus 100 is provided, such as an encoder, hard disk card, specially programmed computer or other apparatus having the functionality described herein, which can be placed close to, inside a television or other device. screen (such as a computer monitor), such as the display unit 270. The apparatus 100, enters the content from devices such as satellite downlink 34, antenna 32, Internet connection 26, cable 28 and / or telephone line 30. It will be understood that the apparatus 100 may include only a single communication path, including 26, 28, 30, 32 or 34. The received content is fed to the receiver / tuner 40. The receiver / tuner 40 provides a suitable connection for the corresponding communication path. The receiver / tuner 40 can also select or tune a channel within a content spectrum that is being fed to the apparatus 100. If there is only one channel, then the receiving unit 40 need not include a tuner circuit. A switch 50 is connected to the receiver / tuner 40 and routes the content to the display unit 270, decoder / decryptor 60 or storage device 200. The switch 50 is controlled by the control unit 70 to route the content to the desired destination. It should be noted that all possible swaps can be achieved simultaneously from switch 50. For example, the switch 50 can decode, decrypt, produce for the display unit 270, and / or record for a storage device, and is not limited to playing only a single function at a particular time. The decoder / decryptor 60 includes a decoding circuit and / or decryption circuit. For example, many video transmissions are encoded and the decoder 60 decodes this stream of coded content, so that it can be seen by the consumer in the display unit 270. Conventional decoding processes, such as MPEG 1 and MPEG 2, are examples of such decoding processes. The component 60 may also include a decryption circuit that decrypts and encrypts the content of the power supply thereof. Some transmissions, particularly pay-per-view broadcasts or premium channels, such as HBO® and Showtime®, are encrypted so that non-subscribers can not see content. The decryptor 60 decrypts any encrypted content to be seen in the display unit 270 by the consumer. The decryptor may include a variety of decryption schemes for premium channels or corresponding services. As with conventional cable encoders, the decryption circuit may be enabled or disabled depending on the consumer subscription to the premium channel or the associated encrypted content. The authorization for decryption can be directed through an adequate payment for the associated content. For example, pay-per-view content is usually encrypted with a decryption authorization directed by an adequate payment by the consumer. As an additional alternative, decrypted content may be stored for later purchase and reproduction. In this alternative, the consumer does not need to pay in advance or at the moment the live transmission, and can, instead of this, store the encrypted content for a later reproduction. Such delayed reproduction may also include an associated payment if required by the content provider, using the user interface 90 and the communication channel (s) with the content feed 10, or the consumer having contact with the content provider using other communication channels and payment mechanisms. The component 60 may also implement a separate encryption scheme of and / or in addition to the encryption scheme used by the content feed 10. In other words, the encrypted content supplied with the content feed may be additionally encrypted for protect additionally the unauthorized access to the content. The electronic programming guide (EPG) 80 is connected to an input port 82 so as to update the electronic programming guide so that it can be downloaded. In other words, the electronic programming guide stores the content available for the near future. This available content can be updated on a periodic basis, so that the consumer can make an appropriate selection of programs that are about to be transmitted. The electronic programming guide 80 preferably displays information in the display unit 270. For example, the electronic programming guide 80 can display programs in a tabulation format per channel and time, so that the user can make the selection of the desired content . Next, other examples and functions of the electronic programming guide 80 will be described. The user interface 90 may include several control devices, such as a keyboard directly connected to the apparatus 100, or a remote control apparatus. The user interface 90 allows the user to interact with the apparatus 100 and the electronic programming guide 80 and thereby select the content for recording and playback upon request. The storage device 200 is connected to the switch 50igu , as well as the control unit 70 and the decoder / decryptor 60. The storage device 200 may also be directly connected to the display unit 270. The storage device 200 may include a plurality of hard disk controllers 210, 220 , 230, as shown in Fe 1. Likewise, the storage device 200 may only include a hard disk controller, although the storage capacity could be necessarily limited by the capacity of the simple hard disk controller 210. Preferably, the storage device can be expanded by connecting it to the additional hard disk controllers, such as the hard disk controller 220, as well as the hard disk controller 230. Preferably, adding storage capacity can be easily carried out by the user, by simply connecting to a storage device, such as a driver e hard disk. The collection of hard disk controllers 210, 220 ... 230 can also be considered as a formation of the hard disk controller. Such training can use conventional data loss prevention methods, such as error correction codes, and Redundant Independent Disk Formation (RAID) methodologies.
The storage device 200 can be further expanded by adding an optional array of hard disk controllers 250, as shown by the dotted lines in FIG. 1. The storage devices 200, 250 can be provided in a separate unit of the apparatus 100. Alternatively, storage device 200 may include other types of storage devices. For example, the storage device may include solid state memory devices such as chips, cards, or self-holds (STICK). The storage device may also include a magnetic tape, magnetic or optical disk (e.g. read / write or a write / many read disc), CD, DVD, a portable digital audio / video / data player, a jukebox or any other known or not yet invented storage. Additionally, the storage device can be reconfigurable, including, as examples, expandable, aggregatable, removable and / or replaceable. The storage device can be reconfigurable manually or reconfigurable automatically. For example, a user can replace all or part of the storage device. Alternatively, the storage device can be configured as a "disk machine" that includes a plurality of memory devices 210, 220, 230 (either of the same type or of different types), which are automatically loaded to record or reproduce, possibly based on a request initiated by the user. The memory devices 210, 200, 230 can be integrated with the storage device 200 and / or the apparatus 100 or accessible by means of a network (either local or from a wider area) using a transfer protocol (eg example, the 1394 protocol) or a combination of built-in and removable memory. Preferably, the memory devices 210, 220, 230 may be connected in or otherwise expanded with a modular design. This modular design is indicated in Figure 1 by means of the plurality of memory devices 210, 220, 230 as well as the additional formation of storage devices 250. Such a modular design allows a user to easily increase the storage capacity, and this mode the size of the video library per order. The control unit is connected to the storage devices 200, 250, the decoder / decryptor 60, the switch 50, the receiving apparatus 40, the electronic programming guide 80, as well as the user interface 90. In general , the control unit 70 coordinates all the operations performed by the apparatus 100, sending appropriate control signals to each of the various components. For example, when the electronic programming guide indicates that the desired content will appear on channel 7 at 8:00 p.m., the control unit 70 sends a control signal to the receiver / tuner 40 to tune to channel 7 at 8: 00 pm, then the control unit 70 sends a control signal to the control switch 50, to connect the tuned content and produce the content tuned to the storage device 200. The control unit 70, also controls the recording of this content in the storage device 200. For example, the control unit 70 can tune the sending / receiving of data between the storage device 200 and the control unit 70, in order to avoid periods of inaccessibility. For example, if one of the memory devices 210, 220, 230 is being removed or is not otherwise available, the control unit 70 controls by means of synchronization, recording and / or reproduction, so that during the inaccessibility period, the memory device 210, 220, 230 is not accessed. The control unit 70 can achieve synchronization by sending a sync pulse to a storage device 200 and / or memory device 210, 220, 230, in order to coordinate the availability of the memory devices 210, 220 and 230 with the desired operation by the control unit 70. Any necessary decoding or decryption is controlled by the control unit 70, which it sends commands to the decoder / decryptor whose output is sent to the display unit 270. The control unit 70 can also be used to control the range in which the information is recorded or reproduced. For example, the control unit 70 may register in a first medium, for example an internal medium, in real time, and subsequently provide the information to a removable medium, either faster or slower than the real time, depending on the Capabilities of the removable medium. Similarly, the control unit 70 may allow the reproduction of information either from an internal or external memory, either faster or slower than the actual time, and subsequently the output of data for real-time playback. The control unit 70 may use one or more means to vary the range in which the content is either reproduced or recorded, using at least one medium as a regulator. The control unit 70 also coordinates the operations between the user interface 90 and the electronic programming guide 80. For example, the reproduction on demand of the previously recorded content can be controlled with the user interface 90, having the consumer input a command This command is an input by the control unit 70. For example, a content command of a previously recorded playback can be entered by the user interface 90. This command is sent to the control unit 70 which activates the storage device 200 for reading the corresponding content of the storage device 200. Subsequently, the decoder 60 performs any necessary decoding under the control of the control unit 70, the result of which is the output to the display unit 270. Although the system operates generally as described above, further details regarding the operation are described below, including both the supplier part and the consumer part of the system in relation to the flow diagrams of figures 3 to 5. The block diagram of Figure 6, further describes the operation of the system shown in Figure 2. Figure 3 illustrates an example cular of how the personal video system operates by order of Figure 1. Specifically, Figure 3 provides details of how the electronic programming guide 80 interacts with the system.
As shown in Figure 3, the consumer can manually select the input content in step 300. This can be done with the user interface 90. To assist in this process, the electronic programming guide 80 can send a display to display unit 270, which aids in manual entry of content selections. In this way, the consumer can designate or otherwise select certain programs or other content that will be registered in the video library on demand. Step 300 can also delete the previously selected content. In this way, the list of content selections can be designed according to the user's preferences. To increase the electronic programming guide 80, it is found on the labels. A label includes data that is associated with or otherwise describes the content. For example, a label can include which actors are in a particular movie, the director of the film, a synopsis of the film, when it was made, important reviews of the film, related programs, sequences, keywords or a review, a preview, a snippet or other information with respect to or that relates to the content. The labels can be transmitted in band or in another way together with the content. Alternatively, the tags may be associated with the program or otherwise sent separately, such as with an electronic programming guide. Step 310 explores the electronic program guide 80 for the content that has been tagged. In other words, step 310 searches or explores through electronic program guide 80 any content that has an associated tag. Step 320 allows the user to manually enter selection criteria. These selection criteria are preferably based on the scope of the labels. In other words, if the labels are limited to actors and actresses, then the selection criteria may be limited in a similar way, since other criteria may not make the selection of the content. In this way, the user can manually enter one or more selection criteria in order to search for the desired content. This search can return a list or group of programs, which can be recorded or can be provided to the user for selection, only when the selected content is recorded. This selection can be made by repeating step 300. In order to further improve the electronic programming guide, step 330 tracks the selected content and / or selected criteria. In other words, the previously selected content may be tracked or otherwise stored by the control unit through the storage device 200. Likewise, the previously entered selection criteria may also be tracked or otherwise stored by the user. the control unit 70 that is located in the storage device 200. By tracking the selected content and / or selection criteria, the electronic programming guide 80 can learn user preferences and thereby streamline the content selection process . However, the user may not want this crawl to be used. Therefore, step 340 decides whether the consumer wants to add the tracked information to the selection. This can be done, for example, by requesting the user and entering a command through the user interface 90. As another option, a default option can be used to elaborate the decision of step 340. If the tracked information was added to the selections, then step 350 is carried out which updates the selections with the tracked information. In this way, a variety of appropriate and customized content selections can be generated for the consumer. The selection can be administered additionally by adjusting again, deleted or adding an additional selection by repeating the process shown in figure 3. The selection (s) may be presented to the user for modification (s). Alternatively, the system can simply retrieve the selections without modification (s) from the user to the selection (s). Figure 4 illustrates further details of how the customized video system operates on the order of figure 1. This process begins in step 400, downloading the electronic program guide 80. This can be done using port 82. For example, port 82 can be connected to a telephone line, cable connection, satellite uplink or radio transmission antenna. Using any or all of these methods, the information in the electronic programming guide 80 can be downloaded in step 400. Step 410, subsequently enters the criteria and / or selection (s). This process was described above in relation to Figure 3, as indicated by the connector A. In other words, the process of Figure 3 ends with the point A of the connector, which connects this process with the process of Figure 4 With the criteria and / or selection of content at hand, step 420 can subsequently explore the matches of the electronic programming guide 80. In other words, the coincidence of content is explored, of the content available within the programming guide electronic 80 with the selection and / or criteria of the user. Subsequently, step 430 determines whether there is a match between the selections and / or criteria of the consumer and the electronic programming guide 80. If there is no match, then the process may proceed to step 440 which decides whether to update the programming guide 80. Preferably, the electronic programming guide 80 is updated on a periodic basis. For example, it may be more convenient to update the electronic programming guide during non-peak hours. By tracking the user's observation habits, the system can determine when these non-peak hours occur, so that the download of the electronic programming guide may occur when the consumer is not watching television. If the electronic programming guide 80 is updated, then the process proceeds to step 400 which downloads the electronic programming guide 80. If not, then the process returns to the entry step 410 that enters the consumer's selections and / or criteria. If there is a match between the selections and / or consumer criteria, then the flow proceeds to step 450 which synchronizes the channel and / or otherwise produces the matching content to the storage device. For example, the control unit 70 controls the receiver / tuner 40 to tune the channel of the available content spectrum to the appropriate channel. Subsequently, the switch 50 is controlled by the control unit 70 to connect the tuned channel that will be fed to the storage device 200. The storage device 200 can subsequently record the routed content. Once the content has been recorded by the storage device 200, step 460 updates a file manager that can be part of the storage device 250, the control unit 70, other elements of the apparatus 100, or be a separate entity. Essentially, the recorded content is stored as a file or files within the storage device 200. These files have an associated address or header information that is managed by the file manager. Step 460 updates the file manager with information related to the recorded content. By using the file manager, the user can subsequently manage the content recorded with step 470. Specifically, the management of the recorded content includes classifying, catalog, add comments, delete, reorganize, etc. Such administration may also include a reproduction upon request. Playback includes several commands including display, rewind, fast forward, pause, slow, skip, etc., in a manner similar to a video tape recorder. It should be noted, that a VCR is provided only by way of example, and that many other apparatuses with the ability to function as described above or similarly, are also within the scope of the present invention. The file manager can manage the recorded content by maintaining a database, which contains an entry for each recorded game. The entry can describe the recorded content and identify the memory device (whether removable or not) that contains the recorded content. The entry may include all or part of the information received from the electronic programming guide. The information received from the electronic programming guide can be entered automatically. The entry can be supplemented by notes or images of the user. The entry can contain alphanumeric characters, images or both. The file manager can also send the input information to the printer 300, either directly from the storage device 200 or through the apparatus 100 (for example, the control unit 70) so that the input information is printed in a label that can be attached to the memory device. The file manager can also request the user, through the user interface 90, to place a self-adhesive label on the printer 300. The user can interface with the file manager by means of a graphical user interface (GUI) , as is known in the art. The GUI allows the user to see what content is available. The GUI also indicates to the user when the content is stored, so that the user can manually load the appropriate medium. As described above, the storage device 200 can, alternatively, automatically load the appropriate medium using, for example, a disk box array.
As can be seen from the above-described, the database can contain the information stored in the internal memory to the apparatus 100 or the storage device 200, as well as pre-recorded, removable media, for example conventional DVDs. It is also possible that the content recorded by the user, which is stored in the internal memory for the apparatus 100 or for the storage device 200, can be stored in the removable medium. In this case, it may be convenient to compress or modify the compression parameters to increase the storage efficiency in the removable medium. Generally, the apparatus 100 allows copying or moving the contents of an internal, non-removable memory to a removable external memory, and vice versa. The apparatus 100 also supports transcoding from one type of medium to another, to ensure efficient storage in the target medium. An example is an initial recording request, initiated by the user. The content can be recorded in the internal memory, not removable, using a compression technique or groups of compression parameters and recorded in an external removable memory, using a compression technique or group of different compression parameters, to improve in this way the storage efficiency of each type of memory. Within the context of the present specification, the term transcoding or coding is used to identify any type of compression, encryption, reformation or other manipulation of the information to adapt the information to the particular medium in which it will be stored. After administering the content recorded in step 470, the flow proceeds to step 440 which decides whether to update the electronic programming guide 80, as described in detail above. As shown in Figure 5, the methods of the present invention also include the construction of an electronic programming guide. This process can begin with step 500 which compiles the programming lists. Such scheduling lists include a channel alignment, program names, station information, program descriptions and other information.
Subsequently, step 510 determines what channels are available to the particular consumer. Since there are a variety of transmission systems in the world, the channel alignment is different for different consumers. In addition, consumers have a choice of transmission system (s), from which they choose to affect the channels available to the consumer. Step 510 selects from the entire spectrum of the programming lists, those channels that are available to the consumer.
Subsequently, step 520 provides the programming listings based on the available channels. In other words, the information of step 510 is used to provide programming listings for those that are available to the particular consumer. Subsequently, step 530 constructs labels that are associated with the programming listings. The labels are described above, and will no longer be described in this section. Step 530 collects the information to build the labels and associates them with the programming listings.
Subsequently, the system waits for a load signal. If you have not received it, then the process returns to step 500. For example, more information may be available to build or supplement the labels. Also, more channels or less channels may be available to the consumer. All these considerations are counted in a cycle through steps 500 through 540 until the load signal has been received. When the charging signal has been received, then the charging process begins. Step 550 loads the scheduling lists provided and the labels associated with the electronic scheduling guide. Although Figure 5 is mainly directed to processes carried out by the content feed 10, many of these processes could be carried out alternatively by the consumer through the apparatus 100. More specifically, the determination of the available channels for the consumer (step 510) and the supply of the programming listings based on the available channels (step 520), can be carried out on the consumer side by means of the apparatus 100, as for example, by the control unit 70 which works in conjunction with the electronic programming guide 80 and the storage device 200. In this alternative, the content feed 10 could supply all the programming listings to the apparatus 100 to determine by means of the apparatus 100 the available channels and provide the program listings based on the available channels. As a further alternative, the step of constructing the tag 530 can also be carried out by means of the apparatus 100. For example, the control unit 70 can use the different communication channels 26, 28, 30, 32 and / or 34 to gather the right information for the labels. Subsequently, these labels can be associated with the corresponding program and stored in the electronic programming guide. The loaded signal may be sent by the control unit to the content feed at a specific time, random time or by means of a user command via the user interface 90. As mentioned above, it would be more convenient to update the electronic programming guide during non-peak hours. By tracking the user's observation habits, the system can determine when these non-peak hours occur, so that the download of the electronic programming guide may occur when the consumer is not watching television. Figure 2 illustrates an alternative modality of the customized system of videos per order. This alternative of figure 2, is designed especially for the reception / tuning of plural programs, simultaneous recording of two or more programs, as well as the simultaneous recording of a program while watching or playing another program. In Figure 2, many elements of the first embodiment of Figure 1 are also used. Common or similar reference numbers indicate similar apparatuses and functions. The embodiment of Figure 2 supports all the features described above, together with the embodiment of Figure 1. Further features are emphasized below.
The transmitter 21 of the content feed 10 has the ability to transmit a plurality of content streams. As further shown in Figure 2, there are at least two connections, each provided to the Internet 26, cable 28 and telephone lines 30. In addition, the transmitter 22 has the ability to transmit two or more streams of content. Similarly, the uplink of satellite 24 also has the ability to transmit two or more streams of content. At the receiving end, the apparatus 110 includes inputs from a first satellite downlink 34, as well as a second satellite downlink 35. These satellite downlinks can be integrated into a single satellite downlink having two feeds. In addition, two antennas 32, 33 are used. Alternatively, a single connection (satellite downlink, cable, telephone or Internet or antenna) having a split power can also be used instead of the two connections described above. In other words, the connections may be configured to transmit / receive more than one stream of content. As shown further in Figure 2, the apparatus 110 includes two receivers, specifically receiver / tuner 40 and receiver / tuner 41, which are connected, as shown, to various communication devices. These receiver / tuner outputs 40, 41 are provided to the multiplexer 55. A bus arbitrator 55 produces for the bus arbitrator 120, as well as for the decoder / decryptor., storage device 205 and storage device 255. In this way, either or both of the inputs of receivers 40, 41 can be routed to bus arbitrator 120, decoder / decryptor 65 and / or storage devices 205, 155. The decoder / decryptor 65 receives the inputs of the bus arbitrator 55, as well as of the storage devices 205, 255. The outputs of the decoder / decryptor are provided to the bus arbitrator 120.
The arbitrator of the bus 120 receives inputs from the bus arbitrator 55 and the decoder / decryptor 65. The output from the arbitrator 120 is provided to the first display unit 271 and to the second display unit 272. The decoder / decryptor 65 is similar to the decoder / decryptor 60 of the embodiment of Figure 1, the main difference being that the decoder / decryptor 65 has the ability to manipulate a plurality of content streams. In other words, the decoder / decryptor 65 can decode and / or decrypt more than one stream of content simultaneously. The electronic programming guide 85 is connected to the control unit 75, to the user interface 95 and to the input port 82. The electronic programming guide (EPG) 85 is similar to the electronic programming guide (EPG) 80 of the first mode, except that the EPG 85 can manipulate a plurality of content streams. For example EPG 85 can make a combination of two EPGs 80.
Similarly, the user interface 95 allows the user to enter commands for both of the content streams, rather than for a single stream of content manipulated by the first embodiment of FIG. 1. The control unit 75 has control outputs for the receiver / tuners 40, 41; the arbitrator of bus 55; the decoder / decryptor 65; EPG 85; the user interface 95; the bus arbitrator 120; and the storage devices 205, 255. The storage device 205 is similar to the storage device 200 of the first embodiment, although it is preferably equipped with a plurality of read / write units. In other words, a storage device 205 preferably has the capability of simultaneously recording and / or reproducing at least two programs. A second storage device 255 may also be provided as shown further in Figure 2. This second optional storage device is connected to the first storage device 205, as well as to the bus arbitrator 55 and the decoder / decryptor. The storage devices 205, 255 are preferably modular units that can be expanded by adding additional units therein. For example, if the hard disk controllers are used for the storage devices 205, 255 then the storage capacity can be expanded by adding additional hard disk control units. Also, the same variety of storage means can be used for the storage devices 205, 255, as described in relation to the storage device 200, 250 of the first embodiment. Figure 6 illustrates an exemplary architecture 700 of apparatus 100 according to another example embodiment of the present invention. The architecture 700 uses a bus 305 to interconnect several components, and to provide a path for data and control signals. Figure 6 illustrates a central processor 310, a memory device 315 (in an example configuration presented as an SDRAM 315) and a hard disk controller (HDD) 320 connected to the bus 305. The central processor 310 may also have a direct connection to the SDRAM 315, as shown in Figure 6. As further shown in Figure 6, a transport processor 330 and a PCI I / F 340 (peripheral component interconnection interface), are connected to the bus 305. The transport processor 330 also has a connection for the input port 325 and the SDRAM 335. In addition, the PCI I / F 340 is connected to a decoder 350. The decoder 350 is connected to a TV coder 360. The output of the TV coder 360 is, in turn, sent to a display apparatus 370. The decoder 350 can include both an MPEG A / V 352 decoder and an AC-3 / MPEG 356 audio decoder., the output of the latter being sent to the display apparatus 370 after conversion to a digital to analog converter (DAC) 372. The central processor 310 may be constructed with conventional microprocessors, such as Pentium ™ processors available on the market in Intel. The central processor 310 performs non-real time functions in the architecture 700, such as the graphic-interface functions of the user and the searcher. The HDD 320 is really a specific example of a mass storage device. In other words, the HDD 320 can be replaced with other mass storage devices, as is known in the art, such as magnetic and / or optical storage devices (eg, presented as RAM, a recordable CD, a card snapshot, a memory retention, etc.). In an exemplary configuration, the HDD 320 may have a capacity of at least about 25 Gbytes, wherein preferably at least about 20 Gbytes are available for various recording applications, and the remainder is flexibly allocated for pause applications in the 700 architecture. Bus 305 can be implemented with conventional bus architectures, such as a peripheral component interconnection bus (PCI) which is standard in many computer architectures. Of course, alternative bus architectures may be used to implement the bus 305. The process conveyor 330 performs functions and real-time operations, such as control of the A / V data flow, conditional access, program guide control, etc. ., and can be constructed as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) that contains, for example, a general purpose MIPS RISC R3000A core, with an on-chip instruction cache and a sufficient information cache. In addition, the transport processor 330 can integrate system peripherals, such as switch, timer and on-chip memory controllers, including ROM, SDRAM, DMA controllers; a packet processor, cryptology, a PC port manageable by PCI and parallel inputs and outputs. The implementation shown in Figure 6 actually shows the SDRAM 335 being separated from the transport processor 330, it being understood that the SDRAM 335 can be supplied all together or consolidated with the SDRAM 315. In other words, the SDRAMs 315 and 335 do not they need to be separate devices and can be consolidated into a single SDRAM or other memory device. The input port 325 receives audio bitstreams from at least two tuners 40 which may include, for example, MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 video bit streams, MPEG-1 layer II audio bitstreams and bit streams Dolby digital audio (AC-3). The example A / V bitrates can range from approximately 60 Kbps to 15 Mbps for MPEG video, from approximately 56 to 384 Kbps for MPEG audio, and between approximately 32 to 448 Kbps for AC-3 audio. The maximum bitrate of simple current for the architecture 700, may correspond to the maximum bitrate of the input programming, for example, 16 Mbps or 2 MBps, corresponding to the maximum MPEG-2 video bitrate of 15 Mbps, to the MPEG audio bitrate. -1 Layer 2 maximum of 384 kbps, and the maximum AC-3 bitrate of 448 kbps. Of course, various other audio bitstream formats and coding techniques for recording can be used. For example, the architecture 700 can record an AC-3 bitstream, if the AC-3 transmission is present, along with the MPEG-1 digital audio. In addition, the received audiovisual data can be encrypted and encoded or not encrypted and encoded. If the audiovisual data input through the input port 325 to the transport processor 330 is encrypted, then the transport processor 330 can carry out the decryption. In addition, the decryption may be carried out rather by the central processor 310. Alternatively, the central processor 310 and the transport processor 330 may be integrated or otherwise replaced with a simple processor. As mentioned above, the SDRAMs (315 and 335) can be consolidated or replaced with a single SDRAM or a simple memory device. The PCI I / F 340 can be built with an ASIC that controls the readings of memory data. As will be mentioned below, the audiovisual data (A / V) can be sent to the memory of the central processor 310, while it is being sent simultaneously to an MPEG A / V 352 decoder. As noted above, the decoder 350 can be constructed as shown in Figure 6, including the MPEG A / V 352 decoder connected to the PCI I / F 340, as well as an AC-3 / MPEG 356 audio decoder, which is also connected to the PCI I / F 340. In this way, the video and audio bitstreams of the PCI I / F 340 can be decoded separately by means of the decoders 352 and 356, respectively. Alternatively, a consolidated decoder can be used that decodes both video and audio bit streams together. As mentioned above, the coding techniques are not limited to MPEG and AC-3 and may include any coding technique developed in the future or already known. In a corresponding manner, the decoder 350 could be constructed to process the selected coding technique (s) used by the particular implementation desired. In order to more efficiently decode the MPEG bit stream, the MPEG A / V decoder 352 may also include a memory device, such as SDRAM 354 connected thereto. This SDRAM 354 can be eliminated, consolidated with the decoder 352 or consolidated with the other SDRAMs 315 and / or 335. The TV 360 encoder is preferably an NTSC encoder that encodes, or converts the digital video output of the decoder 350 into a analog signal coded for deployment. With respect to the specifications of the NTCS (National Television Standards Committee) encoder, the NTCS is responsible for adjusting television and video standards in the United States. The standard NTSC for television defines a composite video signal with a regeneration range of 60 half frames (interlaced) per second. Each table contains 525 lines and can contain 16 million different colors.
In Europe and the rest of the world, the dominant television standards are PAL (Phase Alternation Line) and SECAM (Sequential Color with Memory). While the NTSC provides 525 lines of resolution at 60 frames per second, the PAL provides 625 lines at 50 frames per second. Many adapters or video encoders that allow computer monitors to be used as a television screen, support both NTSC and PAL signals. The SECAM uses the same bandwidth as the PAL, although it transmits the color information sequentially. The SECAM runs at 625 lines / frame. Therefore, although the use of the NTSC 360 encoder is considered to encode the processed video for display or the display apparatus 370, the present invention is not limited to this standard encoder. The PAL and SECAM encoders can also be used. In addition, the high definition television encoders (HDTV) may also be viable, for example, to encode the processed video for deployment on an HDTV. The display apparatus 370 can be a digital analogue output device with the ability to handle a digital decoded output from the TV 360 encoder. If analog output devices are desired, to listen to the output of the AC-3 / MPEG audio decoder. 356, a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) 372 is connected to the decoder 350. The output of the DAC 372 is a sound output analogous to the display apparatus 370, which may be a conventional television, computer monitor screen, apparatus of portable screen or other display devices that are known and used in the art. If the AC-3 / MPEG digital audio data is decoded by an external audio component, a digital audio output interface (not shown) can be included between the AC-3 / MPEG 356 audio decoder and the display device. 370. The interface may be a standard interface known in the art, such as an SPDIF audio output interface. Figure 7 illustrates several components that can be provided by the SDRAM 315. As mentioned above, the SDRAM shown in Figure 6 is actually a specific implementation of a memory device. It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to this specific implementation of SDRAM 315, and may include any other memory technology developed in the future or already known. With respect to the selected technology, the memory device 315 may include a regulation space 316 which may be a group of fixed or virtual memory locations that temporarily regulate or store the audiovisual data. In practice, the video data can be stored separately from the audio data, although it would be possible to mix these types of data depending on the particular application and the coding techniques used for the audio and visual data. The audio visual data stored in the regulation space 316 includes one or more starting addresses 317 indicating the beginning of the address of the memory in which the audio and / or video (A / V) data is stored. If the A / V data is stored separately, then a plurality of stored addresses will be necessary. In addition, if there is more than one group of, or a data block within, the regulation space 316, then the starting addresses 317 will point individually to each data block. The memory device 315 also includes a status word space 318. This status word space includes fixed or virtual addresses in which status words can be stored. An example of a status word that can be stored in the status word space 318 is a status word that summarizes the status of a peripheral device.
For example, the status word that can be stored within the word space of status 318, may include the status of the central processor 310 or of the transport processor 330. The status word space 318, may also include pointers 319 that point the starting addresses 317 from the regulation space 316. As further shown in FIG. Figure 7, SDRAM 315 can be connected to bus 305 via an interface 314. The dashed lines indicate that interface 314 is optional and may or may not be included depending on the interface requirements of the particular memory device 315 and / or bus 305. The example recording and reproducing paths are described according to figures 8 and 9. Figure 8 shows the recording and reproduction data flow between the various components of architecture 700. Some of the connections between the components, and the associated reference numbers of Figure 6, may have been deleted in Figure 8, in order to indicate the flow of data that e shows using the dotted lines (see Key) in Figure 8. As shown in Figure 8, the A / V data of a selected or desired event, program and / or transmission of at least two tuners 40, are received through the input port 325 (normally the data is received in a packet form) and fed to the transport processor 330. The transport processor 330 subsequently transfers the received A / V data to the SDRAM 315. It is carried out digital recording by means of the central processor 310, which transfers the A / V data regulated by the SDRAM 315 for the HDD 320. In other words, the SDRAM 315 serves as a regulator that regulates the data sent by the transport processor 330 This allows the central processor 310 to control the recording of the HDD 320, when there is time available in the central processor 310. When a sufficient amount of programming data has been accumulated in the SDRAM 315, the central processor 310 transfers the data from the SDRAM 315 to the HDD 320 to record them.
Figure 9 illustrates an alternative signal path for recording. The audiovisual data is fed from the input port 325 to the transport processor 330. The transport processor 330 subsequently transfers the received audiovisual data to the PCI I / F 340, as indicated by the dotted line of data flow. The PCI I / F 340 receives audiovisual data from the transport processor 330 via the bus 305 and sends this data to the central processor 310, more particularly to the SDRAM 315. The digital recording is carried out in a similar manner, with the SDRAM 315 serving as a regulator that regulates the data sent by the PCI I / F 340. This allows the central processor 310 to control recording on the HDD 320 when the processor time is available. When a sufficient amount of A / V data has been accumulated in the SDRAM 315, the central processor 310 transfers the data from the SDRAM 315 to the HDD 320 for recording. To record the data, the central processor 310 can also inform the PCI I / F 340 of the starting addresses available in the SDRAM 315 control space, for which the data for the eventual recording in the HDD 320 can be regulated. Next, the reproduction operation of the recorded A / V data representing an event, program, transmission, etc., stored in the architecture 700 is described. Referring again to FIGS. 8 and 9, when the observer turns on the apparatus 100 , you are given the option to play any of the programs, events, broadcasts, etc., previously recorded. Preferably, this can be done using the remote control (not shown) to access a menu on the display apparatus 370. If the observer selects a desired event, the corresponding A / V data (which can also usually include time packets of the system and conditional access) are retrieved from the HDD 320. In particular, when the user selects the playback option, the selected A / V data recorded on the HDD 320 is sent via the bus 305 to a queue in the SDRAM 315. Subsequently, the regulated data is sent from the SDRAM 315 via the bus 305 to the PCI I / F 340, which in turn sends the selected A / V data to the decoder 350. More specifically, the video part of the bitstream, it is sent to the MPEG A / V 352 decoder, the audio part being sent to the AC-3 / MPEG 356 audio decoder. Alternatively, the MPEG video and audio can be transported to the MPEG A / V decoder 3 52. Within the decoder 350, the MPEG A / V 352 decoder can be supplied with an SDRAM 354 in order to more efficiently decode the MPEG bitstream received from the PCI I / F 340. The SDRAM 354 is similar to the SDRAM 315 mentioned earlier in its construction. The SDRAM 354 temporarily maintains the coded video bitstream data, and, as is known in the art, also provides the three frame controllers required for MPEG decoding. Subsequently, the decoded A / V data is produced for the TV 360 encoder for conversion to an analogous format, so that they can be displayed on a 370 display apparatus. From this point, the reproduction data seeks, all the attempts and purposes identical to the event, program, transmission, etc., originally recorded. Figure 2 illustrates another example modality. The embodiment of figure 2, operates generally as follows. For further details with respect to an example method of operation, further reference is made to Figure 10, which will be explained later in detail. As mentioned above, a plurality of content streams may be fed to the apparatus 110 of the second embodiment. For example, two content streams can be provided simultaneously to the receiver / tuners 40, 41. The bus arbitrator 55 can connect any or both of these content streams and provide the output for several devices. If it is desired to record, then the control unit 75 directs the bus arbitrator 55 to connect the contents of the receiver / tuners 40, 41 to the storage apparatus 205. In this way, the storage device 205 can record two programs simultaneously coming from two streams of separate contents. Alternatively, one of the programs may be fed to the storage device 205, while the other is fed to the storage device 255. Some of the features performed by the various example embodiments of the present invention are described below. As described above in connection with Figure 3, a user can select a single event or multiple recorded events from a schedule or calendar guide, such as EPG 85, to view them based on the actors, actresses, directors, title. of the program, keywords, key phrases, synopsis, production date, critical review, related programs, sequences, a review, a preview, a snippet or other information with respect to or in relation to the content. In one embodiment, the user activates this "intelligent agent" feature by means of an input device such as a remote control. For example, the user can display the EPG 85 on the screen in a display unit, such as a first display unit 271 or a second display unit 272 and activate one or more menu screens to enter the keyword information, such as the information on the label described above or phrases that the user has previously assigned to the programs. Alternatively, the user can start a search function, to find a list of programs stored on the HDD 320, which can be organized alphabetically, by program category (for example, drama, comedy, action adventure, etc.). .) and / or through an organizational structure created by the user. For example, a user can designate "record channel" numbers to various recorded programs, whereby the user can manipulate a menu screen of the channel list up or down to select a desired channel. Once selected, the screen can display a list of the registered programming assigned to the channel, grouped by keyword, such as title, for example. Another feature of the control unit 75 is the implementation of a filter of repeated episodes. This feature of the control unit 75, tracks the duplicates of the list of recorded programs, when a control operation is initiated. When the user selects a recording operation, the control unit 75 queries the storage devices 205, 255 to review certain characteristics of the selected program that will be recorded with the information stored in the memory devices 210, 215, 220, 225 .. .230, 235. If a match is determined, a notification can be displayed visually to the user. In order to identify a match, features such as tag information described above, or unique call numbers can be compared. In an example embodiment, the first display unit 271 or the second display unit 272 can display the characteristics of the selected program to record it with the best match in memory in a side-by-side mode, for easy comparison by the user . Alternatively, the user can be requested the notification and option to see the possible match, to confirm that the user is about to record a duplicate of a recorded program. Additionally, the user may be supplied with a recording stop option, if the repeated episode filter characteristic has identified a match, wherein the control unit 75 sends a request or notification after the match, requesting the user whether any or all parts of the repeated episode could be deleted. Alternatively, the user can activate an automatic preference for the control unit 75 to erase any recording of a program that is identified as an episode repeated by the repeated episode filter feature. An active instantaneous discharge is another mode of operation of the present invention, which drains the A / V current from the TV 360 encoder to another apparatus such as a PC or other output apparatus. In this way, the active instantaneous emptying feature can download the A / V segments (or entire programs or even the entire contents of the HDD 320) to another device. This active instantaneous emptying can be achieved by feeding the decoded current of the decoders 352, 356 (the MPEG A / V encoder and / or AC-3 / MPEG Audio decoder) to the display apparatus 370, as shown, for example. , in figure 6. The output device 370 can be a PC, another HDD, a CDR (recordable CD), or another digital device with the capacity to store the data. Alternatively, the active instantaneous emptying can empty encoded or decoded data to an external device, the central processor 310 having to route the HDD 320 data to the PCI bus and eventually to the external device. As a further alternative, the active instantaneous emptying can empty analogous data to the analog output apparatus, limiting the decoded current of the decoders 352, 356 (MPEG A / V decoder and / or AC-3 / MPEG Audio decoder) to the DAC 372 and to the TV 360 encoder, which converts the decoded digital current to an analog signal. The analog signal is then supplied to an analogous display apparatus 370, as shown in Figure 6. The analog output apparatus 370 can be a conventional VCR or other similar mass storage device. If it is desired to record and playback simultaneously, then the control unit 75 directs one of the content streams from the receiver / tuner 40, 41 to the storage device 205, sending a control signal to the bus arbitrator 55. At the same time , the control unit 75 can control the storage device 205 or 255 to play another program previously recorded therein, which is fed from the storage device 205 or 255 to the decoder / decryptor 65, and subsequently to the bus arbitrator 120. Subsequently, an additional control can be executed by the control unit 75, which can control the arbitrator of the bus 120 to feed the playback or recording program, to either or both of the display units 271, 272. The display units 271, 272 can be separate display devices or can be integrated into a single display apparatus. For example, conventional image-on-screen displays can handle two input currents simultaneously and, the apparatus is within the scope of the present invention.
The exemplary embodiments of the present invention may also be provided with a status indicator function, which may be displayed by means of a user interface to the apparatus 100, such as with, for example, a remote control unit. The following features can be provided: current delays, status indicator, available recording time, capacity of the HDD 320 (Disk Gas Gauge), space warning not available on the disk and certain file attributes. These characteristics are summarized in Table 1 below.
The current delay feature allows the user to see how much a live feed is recording when the live signal is stopped. The status indicator can be displayed on the screen device 370, if the material being viewed is LIVE (a live feed) or RECORDED. In one embodiment, the status indicator may intermittently display the words LIVE or ENGRAVED in the output device 370. The available recording time characteristic indicates the amount of time available to record (in minutes, for example) . If simultaneous playback of two programs is desired, then the control unit 75 controls the storage devices 205 and / or 255 to simultaneously play back two previously recorded programs. These programs are fed through the decoder / decryptor 65 in the bus arbitrator 120. Preferably, the control unit 75 could then control the bus arbitrator 120 to connect one of the programs to the first number of the display unit 271, while the other is directed to the second display unit 272. If the user wishes to watch a live broadcast while recording another program, then the control unit 75 operates as follows. In this example, it is assumed that the live program that will be viewed is being received by the first receiver / tuner 40. The control unit 75 then sends a control signal to the bus arbitrator 55, to route the transmission program in I live either to the multiplexer 120 or to the decoder / decryptor 65. This decision is made depending on whether the live reproduction requires decoding and / or decryption. Depending on which display unit is projected to view the reproduction, the control unit 75 controls the bus arbitrator 120 to route the decoded and / or decrypted content to the frame display unit 271, 272. If decryption is not necessary or decoding, then the control unit 75 directs the bus arbitrator 55 to directly route the multiplexer content 120, which can subsequently send the live transmission to any of the display units 271, 272. An erasure / conversion function is another feature of the present invention, which allows a user to convert a program with pauses to a program recorded continuously. For example, when the apparatus 100 is turned on, an automatic pause function can be enabled, which automatically stops (records) the currently tuned channel. Subsequently, the user can receive the option to convert this program with pauses to a program recorded continuously. Alternatively, a surfing channel user who stops a program and who, at some point within the pause window, decides, for example, that the program could be recorded continuously, presses a button on the remote control to send a command to the apparatus 100 to record the program continuously. As another alternative, since the duration of the pause reaches the window of the time of the pause, the user can be sent a question such as "do you want to record it continuously?", If it is yes, then the program is converted from a program with pauses to a program recorded continuously. Thus, the user will not lose any program that may have been extended in another way beyond the pause time window. As a further alternative, a channel change from channel # 1 to channel # 2 converts the channel with pauses # 1 to the recorded channel # 1, and pauses channel # 2 and provides the user with the option to erase the recorded channel # 1. To convert from a program with pauses to a recorded program, the apparatus 100 can move the program with pauses of a part of the reserved HDD 320 to pause a part reserved for recorded programs. Alternatively, the directory of the HDD 320 can be updated to reassign space so that the program with pauses does not reside in a program space recorded in virtual form of the HDD 320. Such movement or update of the HDD directory can be carried out by means of the central processor 310. An instant personal re-display, is another feature of the present invention that allows an instant reexhibition of variable reverse tracking (up to the duration of the pause). The amount of reverse tracking may correspond to the duration in which the button on the remote control is pressed. The mechanism for instant reexhibition can be identical to that of reproduction. In addition, an infinite circuit can be established so that the instant re-display is displayed several times until it is stopped by the user's command. Alternatively, reexhibition can be stopped when a number of circuits have been completed. If the consumer wishes to watch two live transmissions without recording them, then the control unit 75 controls the bus arbitrator 55 to route both received content streams to either the decoder / decryptor 65 or the bus arbitrator 120, depending on whether the decryption and / or decoding. Subsequently, the screens can be connected to the bus arbitrator 120 under the control unit 75 to the appropriate screens 271, 272. A return to pause function is another feature of the present invention, which can also be activated with the remote control. The return to pause function jumps back to the place of stopped time. More specifically, after summarizing a live broadcast of a paused program, the return to pause function jumps back to the last pause point. In other words, the A / V current is reproduced from the last pause point. As can be seen from the above description, the embodiment of Figure 2 is highly convenient and allows a variety of functions. For example, a user can simultaneously record at least two streams of content in the storage devices 205 and 255. In this way, the library of the videos per order can be accumulated very quickly. In addition, the modality of Figure 2 allows simultaneous viewing of one program while another is being recorded. In this way, a consumer can watch his television in a normal way, while he is accumulating a library of videos per order on the media. When the live TV broadcast becomes boring or is no longer interesting, then the user can connect the video library by order that has been accumulated during this view or at other times. In addition, the electronic programming guide 85 allows a user to navigate in the plurality of desired content, make suitable selections and build the video library of orders on demand that best suits their needs. Figure 10 illustrates additionally some of the methods used by the second mode. Generally speaking, Figure 10 solves synchronization conflicts between two or more programs. More specifically, the process of Figure 10 begins by exploring a match in the electronic programming guide 85. This is similar to the process described in relation to step 430 in Figure 4. One difference is that step 600 can explore more than one match . Step 610 determines if there is at least one match. If not, then the process returns to step 600. If there is at least one match, then the flow proceeds to step 620 which determines whether a synchronization conflict exists. More specifically, step 620 determines whether the recording of a program that matches the consumer's wishes could overlap with the recording of another program that matches the consumer's wishes. If there is no conflict, then the flow proceeds to step 630 which records the matching content. Subsequently, the file manager is updated in a manner similar to step 460 in Figure 4, and the flow proceeds to step 670 which will be described below. If there is conflict, then step 650 performs a multiple recording of the plurality of programs that match the consumer's wishes. This process is described generally above and uses the control unit 75 to connect the desired content through the bus arbitrator 55 to the storage devices 205 or 255. The connection is controlled on a synchronized basis according to the synchronization of time of each program. Multiple recordings continue as long as there is an overlap between synchronizations.
Step 660 determines whether the entire recording is finished. If so, then the file manager is updated in step 640, whose process was described above. If the entire recording has not been completed, then an additional decision is made in step 670 to determine if there is one or more recordings to be completed. If so, then the process circuit returns to step 600 which again scans the electronic program guide 85 for another match. In this way, the system can continue recording at least two programs simultaneously. Although the above description is related to the recording of two programs simultaneously, the mode of Figure 2 can be extended to record three or more programs simultaneously. Essentially, the components of Figure 2 could be multiplied so that there may be N receivers / tuners in the storage devices with the ability to record N programs simultaneously. As described above, the various example embodiments of the present invention include various modes, including, but not limited to, recording two or more signals wherein one or both can be viewed simultaneously, recording one or more signals and reproducing one or more signals, play two or more signals, watch one more signals, while recording one or more other signals, watch two or more live signals (through the image on picture function or another similar function) and see at least one live signal, while watching one or more signals in playback mode. It should be noted that the various functions described above can be used together with one or more of these modes. For example, the smart agent's duplicate filter and active instant empty functions can be used with any recording mode, and the functions of the status indicator, delete conversion, after-view recording and instant personal re-display can be used in any live observation mode. The return to pause function can be used to jump between any of one or more live or reproduced signals. Although most of the specification is directed to apparatus and methods for handling video content, the present invention also applies to audio content, data content or mixing content. In other words, the content feed may supply audio content or data from the apparatus 100 or 110. For example, the decoder / decryptor 60, 65 could be reconfigured to decode and / or decrypt audio data. In addition, the MP 3 standard (usually MPEG-1 Layer III), the Windows Media Audio (WMA) standard or other conventional decoding schemes, as well as conventional decryption schemes can be used by the decoder / decryptor 60, 65 to decode and / or decrypt audio content. In addition, the display units 270, 271, 272 could be loudspeakers or other audio reproduction apparatus in place of video display units in this alternative. On the contrary, the systems and methods of the present invention could work in almost the same way to add an audio library per order. In at least one embodiment described above, the present invention contemplates the concurrent use of a non-removable internal memory and a removable external memory. In at least one embodiment described above, the present invention also contemplates the recording of content in a non-removable internal memory before it is recorded in a removable external memory, wherein the recording in the removable external memory can occur in a support mode. In at least one embodiment described above, the present invention also contemplates the recording of content by providing it directly to the removable medium. In at least one modality described above, the present invention also contemplates the reproduction by recording from the removable external memory in the removable internal memory and later reproducing from the non-removable internal memory. As mentioned above, the present invention can also be applied to add desired data. If the data is being aggregated by the present invention, then the system can be labeled as a personal farm serving data (review translation of this term). For example, a personal data server farm in accordance with the present invention can add a data library per order such as a desired USENET news library. The consumer can designate the USENET newsgroups that are of interest to the user, using the user interface 90, and possibly an electronic programming guide 80, and then the system can add a USENET news library. This data library added later can be manipulated according to the user's requests. Various other types of data may be added by the present invention, without the USENET news being only an illustrative example. If the present invention is being applied to add data content, then the decoding and / or decryption schemes may use suitable schemes to decode and / or decrypt data. Furthermore, if the data is being transmitted in accordance with a synchronization, then the synchronization and synchronization conflict resolution characteristics described above in terms of the audio data can be applied to such data transmission. In addition, the apparatus of the present invention 100, 110 may be presented in a variety of ways. An encoder is an example. Other examples include a personal computer (PC), TV or hardware card that is added to an existing device, such as a conventional encoder, PC or TV. In addition, the function of the present invention can be downloaded or programmed or otherwise in an encoder, PC or TV. Such programming may be accompanied by the connection of the programmed apparatus to a storage device, such as a hard disk controller array 200. Furthermore, although FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate electronic programming guides 80, 85 as part of the apparatus 100, 110, the content of the electronic programming guide can also be provided by the content feed 100. It should be noted that the functional blocks of Figures 1-2 and 6-9 can be implemented in hardware and / or software. Hardware / software implementations can include a combination of processors and manufacturing items. The articles of manufacture may also include storage media and executable computer programs. Executable computer programs may include instructions for carrying out the operations described. Executable computer programs can also be provided as part of the propagated signals supplied externally with or without conveyor waves. The present invention being described in this way, it will be obvious that it can be varied in various ways. Such variations are not considered part of the spirit and scope of the present invention, and all such modifications that may be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the claims that follow.

Claims (1)

  1. NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION Having described the present invention, it is considered as novelty and therefore, the content of the following is claimed as property: CLAIMS 1. A method for processing available content, wherein the method comprises: receiving the available content using a single tuner 40; and carrying out at least one same plurality of operations on the available content received from the tuner 40. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of performing udes selecting at least one recorded event from the available content, based on in actor, actress, director, program, program title, keyword, key phrase, label information, synopsis, production date, critical review, related program, sequence, review, preview or fragment. 3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the selection is initiated through the remote control. 4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the selection is carried out by searching for a user through information related to the available content stored in at least one storage medium. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of realization udes notifying a user of an attempt to burn a program of the available content that has already been recorded on at least one storage medium 200. 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of performing udes tracking the duplicates in a list of programs recorded on at least the storage means 200, when a recording operation is started. The method according to claim 6, wherein the step of performing udes producing a notification to a user, in case there is a duplicate. The method according to claim 7, wherein there is a duplicate if the label information matches. 9. The method according to claim 6, wherein the step of realization udes displaying features of the selected program for recording with a better match in at least one storage means 200 for comparison by the user. The method according to claim 6, wherein the step of performing udes requesting the user a notification and the option to see the possible match, to confirm that the user is close to recording a duplicate. The method according to claim 6, wherein the step of realization udes viewing a notification after the match, asking the user if any or all parts of the duplicate episode are to be deleted. The method according to claim 6, wherein the step of realization udes activating an automatic preference to erase any recording of a program that is identified as duplicate. 13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of realization udes displaying a status of a program of the available content that the user is viewing. The method according to claim 13, wherein the status may ude a current delay, a status indicator, available recording time, media capacity, out-of-space alert, or attributes. The method according to claim 14, wherein the current delay allows the user to see how much he is recording from a live feed when he stops the live signal. 16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the status indicator indicates whether the content the user is viewing is live or recorded. The method according to claim 14, wherein the available recording time indicates an amount of time available for recording. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of realization udes erasing a paused programming of the available content or converting the paused programming into recorded programming during a channel change. 19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the step of realization includes requesting a user who is almost at the end of a pause time window, if he wishes a continuous recording. The method according to claim 19, wherein the paused programming and the continuous programming are stored in different parts of at least one storage means 200. The method according to claim 20, wherein a part of the less a storage medium 200 reserved for programming with pauses is variable. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of realization includes allowing the user to record an entire program of the available content after viewing the program for a period of time. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of realization includes allowing the user to capture a digital audio / video fragment of the available content. 24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the fragment is stored in an external apparatus. 25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the external apparatus is a computer, a high density disk or CDR. 26. The method according to claim 23, wherein the digital audio / video of the available content is decoded. 27. The method according to claim 23, wherein the digital audio / video of the available content is encoded. 28. The method according to claim 23, wherein the digital audio / video are analogous data. 29. The method according to claim 28, wherein the external apparatus is a VCR or other similar mass storage device. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of realization includes allowing the user to return the recording at an increment for the reproduction of a part of the available content. 31. The method according to claim 30, wherein the increment corresponds to a duration of oppression of a remote control button. 32. The method according to claim 30, wherein a circuit can be established so that the instant re-display is displayed repeatedly until it is stopped by a user. 33. The method according to claim 30, wherein a circuit can be established such that the instant re-display is repeatedly displayed until a certain number of circuits have been completed. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of realization includes allowing a user to jump backward from a live transmission to a last segment of video with pause. 35. The method according to claim 34, wherein the backward jump is activated by a remote control. 36. The method according to claim 34, wherein after summarizing a live transmission of a program with pauses, the backward jump returns to a last point of the pause. 37. The method according to claim 36, wherein after jumping backward, the program with pause is reproduced from the last point of the pause. 38. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises: creating a custom database of the available content. 39. The method according to claim 38, wherein the step of creating includes: receiving an electronic programming guide 80 with available content; receive preferences that indicate the potentially desired content; explore the electronic program guide 80 for the potentially desired content; record the potentially desired content located by the scan; add a library of potentially desired content by interspersing the exploration and recording steps; create a database that catalogs potentially desired content; select the content of the database and allow the user to see the selected contents of the library of the potentially desired content per order. 40. The method according to claim 39, wherein the method further comprises: determining a tuning of the potentially desired content; and resolve conflicts in tuning; recording the recording step, the content potentially desired according to the synchronization resolved. 41. The method according to claim 39, wherein the method further comprises: allowing the user to edit the library of potentially desired content. 42. The method according to claim 39, wherein the method further comprises: allowing the user to organize the library of the potentially desired content. 43. The method according to claim 39, wherein the method further comprises: allowing the user to add at least one comment for at least a part of the library of the potentially desired content. 44. The method according to claim 39, wherein the method further comprises: waiting until the potentially desired content is about to be transmitted, synchronizing the recording step, recording according to the waiting step. 45. The method according to claim 39, wherein the entry step includes entering the criteria indicating one or more potentially desired contents. 46. The method according to claim 39, wherein the entry step includes determining the selections of the potentially desired content based on the previously selected content. 47. The method according to claim 39, wherein the recording step is carried out in at least one storage medium 200. 48. The method according to claim 47, wherein at least one storage medium 200. it is reconfigurable. 49. The method according to claim 47, wherein the method further comprises synchronizing the access of at least one storage means 200 to avoid periods of inaccessibility. 50. The method according to claim 47, wherein the method further comprises providing a synchronization pulse to confirm the availability of at least one storage means 200. 51. The method according to claim 47, wherein at least a storage medium 200 is expandable. 52. The method according to claim 47, wherein at least one storage medium 200 is automatically loaded. 53. The method according to claim 47, wherein the potentially desired content includes a first content and a second content, wherein the method further comprises: simultaneously recording the first content and the second content. 54. The method according to claim 47, wherein the potentially desired content includes a first content, a second content and a third content, wherein the method further comprises: determining whether the recording of the first content has been completed; record the second and third content simultaneously. 55. The method according to claim 47, wherein the potentially desired content includes a first content and a second content, wherein the method further comprises: performing a reproduction on demand of the first and / or second content simultaneously with the recording of the first and / or second content; and carry out the reproduction by request of the second and / or third content simultaneously with the recording of the second and / or third content. 56. An apparatus for processing available content, wherein the apparatus comprises: a single tuner 40 for receiving the available content; and a control unit 70 for carrying out at least one of a plurality of operations on the available content received from the tuner 40. The apparatus according to claim 56, wherein the control unit 70 allows selection of the less an event recorded content available, based on actor, actress, director, program title, keyword, key phrase, label information, synopsis, production date, critical review, related program, sequence, review, preview or fragment. 58. The method according to claim 57, wherein the selection is initiated through the remote control. 59. The method according to claim 57, wherein the selection is carried out by searching a user through information related to the available content stored in at least one storage medium 200. 60. The method of compliance with claim 57, wherein the control unit 70 includes notifying a user of an attempt to burn a program of the available content that has already been recorded on at least one storage medium 200. 61. The method according to claim 56, wherein the control unit 70 tracks the duplicates in a list of programs recorded on at least the storage means 200, when a recording operation 200 is started. 62. The method according to claim 61, wherein the control unit 70 produces a notification to a user, in case there is a duplicate. 63. The method according to claim 62, wherein there is a duplicate if the information of the tag matches. 64. The method according to claim 61, wherein the control unit 70 displays the characteristics of the selected program for recording with a better match in at least one storage means 200 for comparison by the user. 65. The method according to claim 61, wherein the control unit 70 requests the user a notification and the option to see the possible match, to confirm that the user is close to recording a duplicate. 66. The method according to claim 61, wherein the control unit 70 sends a notification after the match, asking the user if any or all parts of the duplicate episode are to be deleted. 67. The method according to claim 61, wherein the control unit 70 activates an automatic preference to erase any recording of a program that is identified as duplicate. 68. The method according to claim 56, wherein the control unit 70 displays a status of a program of the available content that the user is viewing. 69. The method according to claim 68, where the status may include a current delay, a status indicator, available recording time, media capacity, out-of-space alert, or attributes. The method according to claim 69, wherein the current delay allows the user to see how much he is recording from a live feed when he stops the live signal. 71. The method according to claim 69, wherein the status indicator indicates whether the content the user is viewing is live or recorded. 72. The method according to claim 69, wherein the available recording time indicates an amount of time available for recording. 73. The method according to claim 56, wherein the control unit clears a paused programming of the available content or converts the paused programming into recorded programming during a channel change. 74. The method according to claim 73, wherein the step of performing includes requesting a user who is near the end of a pause-time window, if he wishes a continuous recording. 75. The method according to claim 74, wherein the paused programming and the continuous programming are stored in different parts of at least one storage means 200. 76. The method according to claim 75, wherein a part of at least one storage medium 200 reserved for programming with pauses is variable. 77. The method according to claim 56, wherein the control unit allows the user to record an entire program of available content after viewing the program for a period of time. 78. The method according to claim 56, wherein the control unit 70 allows the user to capture a digital audio / video fragment of the available content. 79. The method according to claim 78, wherein the fragment is stored in an external device. 80. The method according to claim 79, wherein the external apparatus is a computer, a high density disk or CDR. 81. The method according to claim 78, wherein the digital audio / video of the available content is decoded. 82. The method according to claim 78, wherein the digital audio / video of the available content is encoded. 83. The method according to claim 78, wherein the digital audio / video are analogous data. 84. The method according to claim 83, wherein the external apparatus is a VCR or other similar mass storage device. 85. The method according to claim 56, wherein the control unit allows the user to return the recording at an increment for the reproduction of a part of the available content. 86. The method according to claim 85, wherein the increase corresponds to a duration of the oppression of a remote control button. 87. The method according to claim 85, wherein a circuit can be established so that the instant re-display is displayed repeatedly until it is stopped by a user. 88. The method according to claim 85, wherein a circuit can be set so that the instant re-display is displayed repeatedly until a certain number of circuits have been completed. 89. The method according to claim 56, wherein the control unit 70 allows a user to jump backward from a live transmission to a last segment of video with pause. 90. The method according to claim 89, wherein the backward jump is activated by a remote control. 91. The method according to claim 89, wherein after summarizing a live transmission of a program with pauses, the backward jump returns to a last point of the pause. 92. The method according to claim 91, wherein after jumping backward, the program with pause is reproduced from the last point of the pause. 93. The apparatus according to claim 91, wherein after the backward jump, the program with pause is reproduced from the last point with pause. 94. The apparatus according to claim 93, wherein the apparatus further comprises: a receiving apparatus 100 operatively connected to the content feed; at least one storage means 200 operatively connected to the receiving apparatus; the receiving apparatus 100 receiving an electronic programming guide, the electronic programming guide indicating a plurality of available content that will be transmitted to the receiving apparatus by means of the content feeding; the control unit 70 being operatively connected to at least one storage means 200; determining the control unit 70 the potentially desired content by scanning the electronic programming guide so that the content matches the user's preferences; controlling the control unit 70 at least one storage medium to record the potentially desired content to create a video library on demand; creating the control unit 70 a database that catalogs the potentially desired content; an input device of the user 90 being operatively connected to the control unit 70, the user's input device allowing a user to interact with the database and enter playback commands; the control unit reproducing one or more of the recorded content of the at least one storage means 200 at the request of the user in response to the playback commands from the user's input apparatus 90. 95. The apparatus according to claim 94, wherein the apparatus further comprises: a display apparatus 200 operatively connected to at least one storage means 200, the display apparatus 270 receiving the reproduced content of at least one storage means 200 and displaying the reproduced content. 96. The apparatus according to claim 94, wherein the receiving apparatus 100 and the control unit 70 are provided in a unit, wherein at least one external storage means 200 is operatively connected to the unit 70 to the unit 70. 97. The apparatus according to claim 94, wherein at least one storage means 200 is expandable to accommodate a larger video library. The apparatus according to claim 94, including at least one storage means 200 a plurality of modular storage devices 210, 220, 230 operatively connected to the receiving apparatus 100. 99. The apparatus according to claim 94, wherein the content feed supplies the content in an encrypted form and at least one storage means 200 stores the desired content in the encrypted form, wherein the apparatus further comprises: a descriptor unit 60 operatively connected to the less a storage means 200, the decryption unit 60 decrypting the desired content supplied from the storage device 200. 100. The apparatus according to claim 94, wherein the content feeding supplies the content in an encrypted form and at least a storage medium 200 stores the desired content in the encrypted form, wherein the parato further comprises: a connecting apparatus 50 operably connected to the receiving apparatus 100, to at least one storage means 200 and to the control unit 70; a descriptor unit 60 operatively connected to the connection apparatus 50 and at least one storage means 200, the decryption unit 60 decrypting the desired programs supplied from at least one storage means 200; wherein the control apparatus 70 controls the connection apparatus 50 for routing the encrypted content to either at least one storage means 200 or to the descriptor unit 60. 101. The apparatus according to claim 100, wherein the guide Electronic Programming 80 includes a port 82 that receives information from the programming guide. 102. The apparatus according to claim 94, wherein the at least one storage means 200 is reconfigurable. 103. The apparatus according to claim 94, wherein the control unit 70 synchronizes the access of at least one storage means 200 to avoid periods of inaccessibility. 104. The apparatus according to claim 94, the receiving apparatus providing a synchronization pulse to confirm the availability of at least one storage means 200. 105. The apparatus according to claim 94, wherein the at least one Storage medium 200 is expandable. 106. The apparatus according to claim 94, wherein the at least one storage means 200 is automatically loaded. 107. The apparatus according to claim 94, wherein the potentially desired content includes a first content and a second content, the apparatus simultaneously records the first content and the second content. 108. The apparatus according to claim 94, wherein the potentially desired content includes a first content, a second content and a third content, the apparatus determines whether the recording of the first content has been completed, and simultaneously records the second content. and third content. 109. The apparatus according to claim 94, wherein the potentially desired content includes a first content and a second content, and the system performs a reproduction on demand of the first and / or second content simultaneously with the recording of the first and second content. / or second content; and performs a reproduction by request of the second and / or third content simultaneously with the recording of the second and / or third content. SUMMARY A personal video system per order and method that allows the user to receive available content using a single tuner and carrying out one of a plurality of operations on the available content. These operations include recording two or more signals, where one or both signals can be viewed simultaneously, recording one or more signals and playing one or more signals, playing two or more signals, watching one or more signals while recording one or more signals. of other signals, watching two or more live signals, or watching at least one live signal, while watching one or more signals again in a playback mode. These operations also include selecting an event based on actor, actress, director, etc., advising the user of an attempt to record a repeated program, displaying a status of a program of the available content that the user is watching, reproducing the program with pauses or by converting the programming with pauses in recorded programming during a channel change, allowing the user to record a complete program after viewing the program during a ijn period of time, allowing the user to capture a fragment of the available content, allowing the user to return the recording in an increment to reproduce a part of the available content, being possible for the user to jump backwards from a live transmission to a last segment of video with pause ° W
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WO2001082600A3 (en) 2002-04-04
WO2001084826A2 (en) 2001-11-08
EP1214841A1 (en) 2002-06-19
WO2001082600A2 (en) 2001-11-01
MXPA02000076A (en) 2002-07-30
BR0106723A (en) 2002-05-21
EP1269748A2 (en) 2003-01-02

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