# US 11,451,872 B1 · System, device, and processes for intelligent start playback of program content > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,451,872 B1 - Document ID: US11451872B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 17/331,769 - Filed: 2021-05-27 - Granted: 2022-09-20 - Earliest claimed: 2021-05-27 - Assignees: Sling TV L.L.C. - Applicants: Sling TV L.L.C. - Inventors: Robert Spencer; Edward Galbraith - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11451872B1 ## CPC - H04N 21/47217: {for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks (specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312)} - G11B 27/031: Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals - H04N 21/4147: PVR [Personal Video Recorder] (H04N5/76 takes precedence {; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40}) - H04N 21/431: Generation of visual interfaces {for content selection or interaction}; Content or additional data rendering - H04N 21/4335: Housekeeping operations, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions {(storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; unloading stored programs G06F9/445; storage management in file systems G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90)} - H04N 21/4402: involving reformatting operations of video signals for household redistribution, storage or real-time display {(details of conversion of video standards at pixel level H04N7/01; video transcoding H04N19/40; adapting incoming signals to the display format of the display terminal G09G5/005; media handling at the source in data packet switching networks H04L65/764)} - H04N 21/6125: {involving transmission via Internet (transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82)} - H04N 21/812: {involving advertisement data (advertising per se G06Q30/02)} - H04N 21/8456: {by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - G11B: INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER (recording measured values in a way that does not require playback through a transducer G01D9/00; recording or playback apparatus using mechanically marked tape, e.g. punched paper tape, or using unit records, e.g. punched or magnetically marked cards G06K; transferring data from one type of record carrier to another G06K1/18; circuits for coupling output of reproducer to radio receiver H04B1/20; gramophone pick-ups or like acoustic electromechanical transducers or circuits therefor H04R) ## Abstract Systems, devices, and processes are provided to facilitate the streaming of a playback of a recorded program in a video playback recording system. These systems, devices, and processes provide operating the cloud-based DVR in a recording mode for user selection of program content for recordation in a video playback file by the cloud-based DVR wherein the video playback file containing the program content is recorded by the user selection beginning with a start time associated with the DVR event file; and generating a manifest file that contains a program marker of a start time of the program content omitting any recorded commercial content at a beginning of the video playback file associated by beginning of the recording from the start time associated with the DVR event file. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An automated process executable by a cloud-based digital video recorder (DVR) in communication with at least one video player device over a network, comprising: operating the cloud-based DVR in a recording mode to enable a user selection of program content from a program channel for recordation in a video playback file by the cloud-based DVR, wherein the video playback file containing program content is recorded beginning at a start time associated with a DVR event file; recording, by the cloud-based DVR, the video playback file containing the program content beginning at the start time associated with the DVR event file, wherein the video playback file includes commercial content between the start time of the DVR event file and an actual start time of the program content; generating, by the cloud-based DVR, a manifest file that contains a program marker of the actual start time of the program content, wherein the actual start time is after the commercial content; deleting, by the cloud-based DVR, extraneous content recorded in the video playback file before the actual start time set by the program marker to generate a smaller playback file, wherein the extraneous content includes the commercial content, wherein the smaller playback file has a smaller file size than the video playback file; operating the cloud-based DVR in a playback mode and selecting the program content for playback; and in response to selection of the program content, playing back the program content from the smaller playback file, wherein the smaller playback file begins at the start time set by the program marker contained in the manifest file. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The automated process of claim 1, further comprising: generating, by the cloud-based DVR, the manifest file that contains the program marker of the start time of the program content, wherein the start time is after recorded extraneous content at a beginning of the video playback file associated with the DVR event file. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The automated process of claim 1, further comprising: generating, by the cloud-based DVR, the manifest file that contains a set of program markers of both a start and an end time of recorded extraneous content in the video playback file associated with the DVR event file to omit by the set of program marker the recorded extraneous content in the video playback file when received by the video player device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The automated process of claim 1, wherein the cloud-based DVR generates the manifest file for starting at a beginning of the program marker rather than the beginning of the DVR event file. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The automated process of claim 1, wherein deleting the extraneous content saves storage space when storing the video playback file at a cloud server or a local device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The automated process of claim 1, further comprising: providing a recorded playback of the program content, without the commercial content based on the program marker, to the video player device for presenting the program content without the commercial content to the video player device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The automated process of claim 1, further comprising: monitoring the program channel to identify additional commercial content; and removing the additional commercial content during playback based on a second program marker. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The automated process of claim 7 further comprising continuing to monitor the program channel to detect an ending of the additional commercial content while recording the program content. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The automated process of claim 8 wherein the monitoring the program channel to identify the additional commercial content in the program channel comprises comparing content in the program channel to previously identified commercial content. ### Claim 10 An automated process executable by a cloud-based digital video recorder (DVR), the cloud-based DVR in communication with a video player device over a network, the automated process comprising: recording, by the cloud-based DVR, a video playback file containing program content beginning at a start time associated with a DVR event file, wherein the video playback file includes commercial content between the start time of the DVR event file and an actual start time of the program content; generating, by the cloud-based DVR, a manifest file that contains a program marker of the actual start time of the program content, wherein the actual start time is after the commercial content; deleting, by the cloud-based DVR, extraneous content recorded in the video playback file before the actual start time set by the program marker to generate a smaller playback file, wherein the extraneous content includes the commercial content, wherein the smaller playback file has a smaller file size than the video playback file; operating the cloud-based DVR in a playback mode and selecting the program content for playback; and in response to selection of the program content, playing back the program content from the smaller playback file, wherein the smaller playback file begins at the start time set by the program marker contained in the manifest file. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The automated process of claim 10, further comprising: generating, by the cloud-based DVR, the manifest file that contains the program marker of the start time of the program content omitting recorded extraneous content at a beginning of the smaller playback file associated with the DVR event file. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The automated process of claim 11, further comprising: generating, by the cloud-based DVR, the manifest file that contains a set of program markers of both a start and an end time of recorded extraneous content in the smaller playback file associated with the DVR event file to omit by the set of program marker the recorded extraneous content in the smaller playback file when received by the video player device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The automated process of claim 12, wherein the cloud-based DVR generates the manifest file for starting at a beginning of the program marker rather than the beginning of the DVR event file. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The automated process of claim 13, wherein deleting the extraneous content saves storage space when storing the video playback file at a cloud server or a local device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The automated process of claim 14, further comprising: providing a recorded playback of the program content, without the commercial content based on the program marker, to the video player device for presenting the program content without the commercial content to the video player device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The automated process of claim 15, further comprising: monitoring the program channel to identify additional commercial content in the program channel; and removing the additional commercial content during playback based on a second program marker. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The automated process of claim 16 wherein the monitoring the program channel to identify the additional commercial content in the program channel comprises comparing content in the program channel to previously identified commercial content. ### Claim 18 A cloud-based digital video recorder apparatus in communication with a video player device over a network, comprising a processor and a memory, wherein the processor is configured to perform an automated process by executing digital instructions stored in the memory, wherein the automated process comprises: recording, by the cloud-based DVR, a video playback file containing program content beginning at a start time associated with a DVR event file, wherein the video playback file includes commercial content between the start time of the DVR event file and an actual start time of the program content; generating, by the cloud-based DVR, a manifest file that contains a program marker of the actual start time of the program content, wherein the actual start time is after the commercial content; deleting, by the cloud-based DVR, extraneous content recorded in the video playback file before the actual start time set by the program marker to generate a smaller playback file, wherein the extraneous content includes the commercial content, wherein the smaller playback file has a smaller file size than the video playback file; operating the cloud-based DVR in a playback mode and selecting the program content for playback; and in response to selection of the program content playing back the program content from the smaller playback file, wherein the smaller playback file begins at the start time set by the program marker contained in the manifest file. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The automated process of claim 18, further comprising: generating, by the cloud-based DVR, the manifest file that contains the program marker of the start time of the program content, wherein the start time is after recorded extraneous content at a beginning of the video playback file associated with the DVR event file. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The automated process of claim 18, further comprising: generating, by the cloud-based DVR, the manifest file that contains a set of program markers of both a start and an end time of recorded extraneous content in the smaller playback file associated with the DVR event file to omit by the set of program markers the recorded extraneous content in the smaller playback file when received by the video player device, wherein the cloud-based DVR generates the manifest file starting at a beginning of the program marker rather than the beginning of the DVR event file.