Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100043023 | Digital File Management System - A method for managing digital content is provided. The method includes accessing the digital content and applying at least one content management rule by a set-top box to the digital content. The content management rule operative to place the digital content in one of a first storage location and a second storage location, which are associated with the set-top box. The digital content may include programs or movies and the storage locations are generally operable to store multiple programs and/or movies. | 02-18-2010 |
20110061062 | COMMUNICATION AMONG EXECUTION THREADS OF AT LEAST ONE ELECTRONIC DEVICE - A method of communication in at least one electronic device is presented. In the method, a first execution thread and a second execution thread are created in the at least one electronic device. Also created is a message service for receiving messages for the first thread. A message to be transferred from the second thread to the message service of the first thread is generated. Outside of control by either the first or second threads, one of multiple data transfer mechanisms is selected for transferring the message from the second thread to the message service of the first thread based on a relationship between the first and second threads. This relationship may be one in which the first and second threads are executing within a single process, within different processes of the same device, or within different devices. The message is transferred to the message service of the first thread using the selected data transfer mechanism and processed in the first thread. | 03-10-2011 |
20110061109 | Controlling Access to Content and/or Services - The exemplary embodiments of the method and system according to the present invention provide a system and method for controlling access to audiovisual content such as television shows, video-on-demand services or streaming video which can be delivered by cable, satellite, wired or wireless networks, cell phones, the Internet, etc. More particularly, the present invention provides a capability to define certain criteria which can be used to restrict access to content based on combinations of various parameters including, but not limited to, time of day, day of the week, type of content, source of content, content display device, etc. These criteria may also be provided by data storage arrangements or a network, and access restrictions specified by such criteria can be associated with a plurality of display devices. | 03-10-2011 |
20120224834 | Apparatus And Methods For Dynamically Optimizing Recording Schedules - In embodiments disclosed herein, television recording schedules are automatically adjusted in a digital video recording system. In at least one embodiment, the digital video recording system receives a first request to record a first program at the digital video recording system and a second recording request to record a second program at the digital video recording system. The system determines that there are insufficient resources to fulfill both the first and second recording requests. The system may set an open recording request for at least one of the first and second programs, which seeks additional scheduling data corresponding to at least one of the programs. Subsequent additional data may be received to fulfill the open recording request. In some embodiments, recording requests may be automatically rescheduled to more optimal recording times. | 09-06-2012 |
20130243398 | DYNAMIC TUNER ALLOCATION - In response to receiving a request, a current status of each one of a number of tuners of a television receiver may be determined. A ranking may be assigned to each one of the number of tuners based on an associated determined status. A listing may be generated based on the ranking and, when selected, a particular tuner of ranking greater than other ones of the plurality of tuners may be allocated for the recording of a particular broadcast program. | 09-19-2013 |
20130243399 | Television Receiver Storage Management - Various arrangements for managing television programming storage at a television receiver are presented. User input specifying a number of days for retention of each managed array of a plurality of managed arrays of television channels to be recorded by the television receiver may be received. A television service provider may select a plurality of television channels for recording as the plurality of managed arrays of television channels. Also, the television service provider may define times for recording of the plurality of television channels of the plurality of managed arrays of television channels. A first amount of storage space for storage of the plurality of managed arrays of television channels may be calculated based on the number of days for retention. The first amount of storage space of a storage medium to the plurality of managed arrays of television channels may be allocated. | 09-19-2013 |
20130243405 | SUCCESSIVE INITIALIZATION OF TELEVISON CHANNEL RECORDING - In various arrangements, a television receiver system for successive initialization of television channel recording is presented. The system may include a control processor, configured to determine a plurality of television channels are configured to begin recording at a same time. The control processor may transmit a first request for recording of a first television channel of the plurality of television channels. The system may include a tuning management processor, configured to configure a first recording of the first television channel in response to the first request. The tuning management processor may also transmit an acknowledgement to the control processor following the first recording of the first television channel being configured. The control processor may, in response to receiving the acknowledgement, transmit, to the tuning management processor, a second request for recording of a second television channel of the plurality of television channels. | 09-19-2013 |
20130247106 | ELECTRONIC PROGRAMMING GUIDE - An indication of user interest of a program of a particular television channel may be identified based on user interaction with a programming guide that displays first content. A selectable icon positioned in association with a descriptor that identifies the particular television channel may be generated in response to identifying the indication of user interest and for display within the programming guide. An interactive pane that identifies at least one particular program that is stored within an omnibus channel file containing a plurality of programs broadcast consecutively on the particular television channel over a predefined period of time may be generated in response to user selection of the selectable icon for display within the programming guide. | 09-19-2013 |
20130247107 | EPG REALIGNMENT - Arrangements detailed may cause a television channel received via the tuner to be recorded for a period of time to create a channel-specific file. The channel-specific file may include multiple television programs. User input that requests playback of a first television program of the plurality of television programs from the channel-specific file may be received. A front-end adjustment time period for playback of the first television program may be determined. A start time from which playback commences in the channel-specific file may be at least partially based on the front-end adjustment time period and a scheduled start time of the television program. | 09-19-2013 |
20130247111 | TRANSFER OF TELEVISION PROGRAMS FROM CHANNEL-SPECIFIC FILES TO PROGRAM-SPECIFIC FILES - A television receiver including a tuner and one or more processors may be presented. The television receiver may be configured to tune the tuner to a television channel. The television receiver may be configured to create and store an omnibus channel file containing a plurality of television programs broadcast consecutively on the television channel over a period of time. The television receiver may be configured to, after a predefined period of time, select the omnibus channel file for deletion. The television receiver may be configured to determine a television program to receive extended storage. The television receiver may be configured to store a portion of the omnibus channel file as an individual program file, wherein the portion of the omnibus channel file corresponds to the television program. The television receiver may be configured to, after storing the portion of the omnibus channel file, delete the omnibus channel file. | 09-19-2013 |
20140270691 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MODIFYING THE PRESENTATION OF CONTENT - In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, a method for processing an audio/video stream includes providing an audio/video stream including at least one segment of a show and at least one interstitial of the show, receiving location information to identify a video location within the audio/video stream, and processing the audio/video stream to identify boundaries of the at least one segment of the show based on the location information. Further, the method includes outputting the segment of the show for presentation by a display device without outputting the interstitial and outputting the interstitial for presentation by the display device subsequent to outputting the segment of the show. | 09-18-2014 |