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US 2011/0255838 A1Published application
Systems and methods for storing a plurality of video streams on re-writable random-access media and time- and channel-based retrieval thereof
AssigneeTm SF Media Holdings, L.L.C.
InventorsJames L. Geer, Ivan H. Darius
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A digital video recorder (DVR) and a method of operating the same. In one embodiment, the DVR includes: (1) a mass data storage unit that concurrently and continuously receives and digitally stores a plurality of channels and (2) a channel viewer, coupled to the mass data storage unit, that retrieves a portion of one of the plurality of channels from the mass data storage unit based on a received command and presents the portion on a video display device.
Claims43
A method for the simultaneous storage and play back of multimedia data, the method comprising:
- receiving television signals;
- tuning the television signals to a specific channel;
- converting the specific channel to a compressed digital data stream;
- storing the compressed digital data stream on a random access storage device;
- storing program information relating to the compressed digital data stream on the random access storage device;
- extracting the compressed digital data stream from the random access storage device;
- converting the compressed digital data stream into output signals;
- delivering the output signals to a display;
- accepting control commands from a user, wherein the control commands request that the delivered output signals change from a program that was originally received on a first channel at a first time to a program that was originally received on a second channel at a second time, the second channel and time being different than the first channel and time;
- and
- accepting additional control commands from the user, wherein the additional control commands request that the delivered output signals change from the program that was originally received on the second channel at the second time to a program that was originally received on the second channel at a third time, the third time being different than the second time.
8 more elements
A method of operating a digital video recorder, the method comprising:
- providing a television guide to a user, the television guide containing program information;
- receiving an indication of programming that is of interest to a user, the indication indicating programming on at least a first channel and a second channel;
- tuning to the first channel during a first time period when the programming that is of interest to the user is being broadcast;
- storing video data representing a first program carried on the first channel during the first time, the video data representing the first program being stored on a random access mass storage unit;
- storing program information related to the first program, the program information being stored on the random access mass storage unit;
- tuning to the second channel during the first time period;
- storing video data representing a second program carried on the second channel during the first time, the video data representing the second program being stored on the random access mass storage unit;
- storing program information related to the second program, the program information being stored on the random access mass storage unit;
- generating a list of programs that have been stored on the random access mass storage unit;
- providing the list of programs for display to the user, wherein for each program in the list of programs the display includes at least a title of the program, a date the program was stored, and a channel on which the program was originally broadcast;
- marking the second program so that the video data representing the second program will not be automatically overwritten;
- receiving a second indication from the user to provide the video data representing the first program, the second indication being received at a second time which occurs after the first time period;
- providing the first program to a display device in response to the second indication;
- receiving a third indication from the user to skip forward an amount of time;
- and
- in response to the third indication, skipping over an amount of the first program that is determined by the amount of time.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.