System for remotely controlling client recording and storage behavior

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016014472-A1
Application number	US-201514799497-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 14, 2015
Priority date	Mar 30, 1999
Publication date	Jan 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system for remotely controlling client recording and storage behavior schedules the recording, storing, and deleting of multimedia content on a client system storage device. The viewer may request that certain content be captured. Capture requests also allow the service to determine content to be recorded by the client system in the same manner that a viewer requests that certain content are recorded but are more powerful than what a viewer can request. Recording requests for a capture request can preempt viewer requests or be entered at the same or lower priority as a viewer request. Capture requests can adjust all aspects of a recording request and affect the capture request itself. Client system operational functionality are also manipulated by the service using capture requests.

First claim

1 . A method, comprising:
sending over one or more networks, by a server, to specific client media devices of a plurality of client media devices, messages configured to cause the specific client media devices to record specific items of media content from a variety of sources, the specific client media devices having been configured to also record additional items of media content from the variety of sources, the additional items having been explicitly selected for recording by local users of the specific client media devices, the specific client media devices further having been configured to autonomously schedule recordings of the specific items and the additional items; receiving, at the server, data from the specific client media devices indicating when the specific items of media content are watched at the specific client media devices; wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising the server redistributing the specific items of media content to the plurality of client devices.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the specific client media devices is a digital video recorder.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the media sources include at least one cable, satellite, or broadcast sources and at least one source that transmits items of media content across a network.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the messages are capture requests that specify the specific items to capture.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the messages specify specific storage spaces in which the specific client media devices are to store the specific items of media content.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising the server sending instructions to one or more of the specific client media devices to delete a particular item of media content.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising sending messages to the specific client media devices that instruct the specific client media devices to allocate storage spaces at the certain client media devices for the control of the service provider.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising the server selecting, from the plurality of client media devices, which specific client media devices are to record which specific items of media content, based on data describing at least capabilities of the specific client media devices.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising the server selecting, from the plurality of client media devices, which specific client media devices are to record which specific items of media content, based on data describing at least content already at the specific client media devices.

11 . One or more non-transitory computer-readable media, storing instructions that, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause performance of:
sending over one or more networks, by a server, to specific client media devices of a plurality of client media devices, messages configured to cause the specific client media devices to record specific items of media content from a variety of sources, the specific client media devices having been configured to also record additional items of media content from the variety of sources, the additional items having been explicitly selected for recording by local users of the specific client media devices, the specific client media devices further having been configured to autonomously schedule recordings of the specific items and the additional items; receiving, at the server, data from the specific client media devices indicating when the specific items of media content are watched at the specific client media devices.

12 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause the server redistributing the specific items of media content to the plurality of client devices.

13 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein each of the specific client media devices is a digital video recorder.

14 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein the media sources include at least one cable, satellite, or broadcast sources and at least one source that transmits items of media content across a network.

15 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein the messages are capture requests that specify the specific items to capture.

16 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein the messages specify specific storage spaces in which the specific client media devices are to store the specific items of media content.

17 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause the server sending instructions to one or more of the specific client media devices to delete a particular item of media content.

18 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause sending messages to the specific client media devices that instruct the specific client media devices to allocate storage spaces at the certain client media devices for the control of the service provider.

19 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause the server selecting, from the plurality of client media devices, which specific client media devices are to record which specific items of media content, based on data describing at least capabilities of the specific client media devices.

20 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause the server selecting, from the plurality of client media devices, which specific client media devices are to record which specific items of media content, based on data describing at least content already at the specific client media devices.

Assignees

• Tivo Inc

Inventors

• Westbrook Paul
• Look Howard
• Young James
• Lacy Stephen
• Davison Timothy
• Barton James M

Classifications

• H04N21/4147

  PVR [Personal Video Recorder] (H04N5/76 takes precedence {; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40}) · CPC title

• H04N21/4334

  Recording operations (recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27) · CPC title

• H04N21/458

  Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules {; time-related management operations (arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10)} · CPC title

• H04N21/4622

  Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet (web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859) · CPC title

• H04N21/2407

  Monitoring of transmitted content, e.g. distribution time, number of downloads (arrangements for monitoring programmes for broadcast or for distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/14) · CPC title