Method to enable cooperative processing and resource sharing between set-top boxes, personal computers, and local devices

A method of resource sharing, comprising:

• storing an electronic programming guide application and an electronic programming guide;
• determining when local memory of a local video device lacks capacity to download additional time of the electronic programming guide;
• upon the local memory lacking capacity to download additional time of the electronic programming guide, communicating with another device to transmit a resource request to the another device to download the additional time of the electronic programming guide to storage in the another device;
• processing for display monitoring data that indicates remaining storage space in the storage of the another device;
• querying the another device to determine what programming is being viewed;
• processing controls included in the electronic programming guide application that enable access to the storage of the another device to interact with the electronic programming guide stored on the another device through the local video device to schedule recording of a broadcast program at the local video device;
• communicating with a remote personal computer to establish password protection of permissible channels to be received;
• and
• communicating with the remote personal computer to generate messages to a recipient through the remote personal computer, the messages including video content from the local memory.

A system, comprising:

• a storage element for storing an electronic programming guide application and an electronic programming guide;
• a processing element for determining when local memory on a local video device lacks capacity to download additional time of the electronic programming guide;
• upon the local memory lacking capacity to download additional time of the electronic programming guide, a communications element communicating with another device to transmit a resource request to the another device to download the additional time of the electronic programming guide to storage in the another device;
• the processing element processing for display monitoring data that indicates remaining storage space in the storage of the another device;
• the processing element querying the another device to determine what programming is being viewed;
• and
• the processing element processing controls included in the electronic programming guide application that enable access to the storage of the another device to interact with the electronic programming guide stored on the another device through the local video device to schedule recording of a broadcast program at the local video device;
• wherein the processing element communicates with a remote personal computer to establish password protection of permissible channels to be received and the communication element communicates with the remote personal computer to generate messages to a recipient through the remote personal computer, the messages including video content from the local memory.

A non-transitory computer readable medium on which is encoded instructions for performing:

• storing an electronic programming guide application and an electronic programming guide;
• determining when local memory on a local video device lacks capacity to download additional time of the electronic programming guide;
• upon the local memory lacking capacity to download additional time of the electronic programming guide. communicating with another device to transmit a resource request to the another device to download the additional time of the electronic programming guide to storage in the another device;
• processing for display monitoring data that indicates remaining storage space in the storage of the another device;
• querying the another device to determine what programming is being viewed;
• processing controls included in the electronic programming guide application that enable access to the storage of the another device to interact with the electronic programming guide stored on the another device through the local video device to schedule recording of a broadcast program at the local video device;
• communicating with a remote personal computer to establish password protection of permissible channels to be received;
• and
• communicating with the remote personal computer to generate messages to a recipient through the remote personal computer, the messages including video content from the local memory.