Apparatus and method for managing set top boxes
AssigneeAT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
InventorsScott White, James Cansler, Gerard Edwards, Loraine Sanchez
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a set top box having a controller to eliminate a scheduled recording of a targeted media program, where the scheduled recording is a redundant recording of the targeted media program that is determined based upon monitoring of recordings of media programs by a group of set top boxes in communication with each other over a network, where another set top box of the group of set top boxes is designated as a host set top box to record the targeted media program, and where the controller is provided access to the targeted media program by the host set top box. Other embodiments are disclosed.
Claims20
A media processor device, comprising:
- a memory that stores executable instructions;
- and
- a processing system including a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the executable instructions, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations comprising:
- receiving, from a server, a command to act as a host device for a group of media processors in communication with each other over a network, wherein each of the group of media processors is operable to record a media program, and wherein the media processor device is selected as the host device by the server based, in part, on the server determining that the media processor device is less frequently used relative to the group of media processors according to monitoring of recordings performed by the group of media processors and based, in part, on an indication of a time when the media processor device will be used for viewing the media program;
- determining that a first media processor of the group of media processors is scheduled to record a targeted media program based on the command to act as the host device;
- recording the targeted media program at the media processor device and directing the first media processor to cancel recording of the target media program responsive to determining that the first media processor is scheduled to record the targeted media program;
- and
- transmitting the targeted media program to the first media processor of the group of media processors responsive to a presentation request of the targeted media program by the first media processor.
A non-transitory machine-readable storage device, comprising executable instructions which when executed by a processor facilitate operations comprising:
- receiving a command from a server to act as a host device for a group of media processors in communication over a network, wherein the host device of the group of media processors is selected by the server according to, in part, the server determining a frequency of use of the host device relative to the group of media processors according to monitoring of recordings by the group of media processors and based, in part, on an indication of a time when the host device will be used for viewing a media program;
- determining that two media processors of the group of media processors are both scheduled to record the media program;
- recording the media program at the host device based on the command to act as the host device;
- and
- providing the group of media processors with access to a copy of the media program via the host device.
A method, comprising:
- receiving, by a media processor, an assignment from a server of the media processor as a host media processor, wherein the media processor is selected as the host media processor by the server based, in part, on a frequency of usage of the media processor relative to a group of media processors according to monitoring of recordings by the group of media processors and based, in part, on an indication of a time when the media processor will be used for viewing a targeted media program;
- recording, by the media processor, the targeted media program according to the assignment of the media processor as the host media processor;
- detecting, by the media processor, a first media processor of the group of media processors with a scheduled recording of the targeted media program;
- instructing, by the media processor, the first media processor to cancel the scheduled recording of the targeted media program;
- and
- transmitting, by the media processor, the targeted media program to the first media processor upon detecting that the targeted media program is being requested at the first media processor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.