Systems and methods for mirroring and transcoding media content

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9326016-B2
Application number	US-88998610-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 24, 2010
Priority date	Jul 11, 2007
Publication date	Apr 26, 2016
Grant date	Apr 26, 2016

Abstract

Systems and methods for mirroring and transcoding media content are provided. In some embodiments, media content stored on a user equipment device is mirrored on a remote server, and the mirrored copy is transcoded and provided to other user devices in a media content format that is appropriate for the user devices. By so doing, the present invention not only provides a convenient and easy way for users to backup media content and access the media content from virtually any device, but also reduces the complexity and costs associated with maintaining reliable and consistent access to media content across various user devices.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for providing access to media, the method comprising:
receiving a user request to schedule media content for recording on first user equipment;
in response to determining that recording of the media content scheduled for recording has been completed:
determining whether the media content recorded on the first user equipment is of a type selected by a user;
based on determining the media content recorded on the first user equipment is of the type selected, mirroring the media content recorded on the first user equipment on a remote server, coupled to the first user equipment over a network, to create a mirrored copy of the media content recorded on the first user equipment; and
storing the mirrored copy of the media content on the remote server, wherein the mirrored copy of the media content includes a pointer to a playback position in the mirrored copy of the media content;

determining a media content format that is appropriate for second user equipment;
transcoding, on the remote server, the mirrored copy of the media content to the media content format that is appropriate for the second user equipment;
automatically pushing the mirrored copy of the media content in the media content format that is appropriate for the second user equipment to the second user equipment; and
updating the pointer stored on the remote server based on playback controls activated on the second user equipment.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein transcoding the mirrored copy of the media content comprises transcoding the mirrored copy of the media content before a user input is received from the second user equipment requesting to access the mirrored copy of the media content.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein automatically pushing the mirrored copy of the media content that is appropriate for the second user equipment occurs before receiving a user input from the second user equipment requesting to access the mirrored copy of the media content.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first user equipment is a mobile user device and the second user equipment is installed equipment.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising periodically polling the first user equipment for updated media content.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising automatically pushing the mirrored copy of the media content based on a user-determined schedule.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first user equipment is installed equipment and the second user equipment is a mobile user device.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first user equipment is in a home network, and the second user equipment is outside of the home network.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein one of the first user equipment and the second user equipment is a mobile user device selected from the group consisting of a cellular telephone, a laptop computer, a personal digital assistant, a handheld computer, a portable television system, an automobile television system, a portable media player, and any combination thereof.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein automatically pushing the mirrored copy of the media content to the second user equipment comprises:
determining whether the second user equipment is included in a list of previously registered user equipment devices; and
transmitting the mirrored copy of the media content to the second user equipment in response to determining that the second user equipment is included in the list of previously registered user equipment devices.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein one of the first user equipment and the second user equipment is user equipment selected from the group consisting of a personal computer, a set-top box, a digital video recorder, an optical disc recorder, a digital camera, a home telephone, a laptop computer, a personal digital assistant, a handheld computer, a media player, and any combination thereof.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first user equipment utilizes an interactive media guidance application to access the media content.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second user equipment utilizes an interactive media guidance application to access the mirrored copy of the media content.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein transcoding the mirrored copy of the media content by the remote server is performed in real-time.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a user selection of the media content to be mirrored on the remote server.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein:
receiving a user selection of the media content to be mirrored on the remote server comprises receiving a user designation of a storage drive on the first user equipment; and
mirroring the media content recorded on the first user equipment comprises automatically mirroring the media content recorded on the designated storage drive.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein:
receiving a user selection of the media content to be mirrored on the remote server comprises receiving a user designation of a media content format; and
mirroring the media content recorded on the first user equipment comprises automatically mirroring the media content recorded in the designated media content format on the first user equipment.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the media content is a television program series recorded on the first user equipment.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first user equipment is a set-top box.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mirrored copy of the media content is stored on the remote server before a user input is received by the second user equipment to access the mirrored copy of the media content.

21. A method for providing access to media to a mobile user device, the method comprising:
receiving a user request to schedule media content for recording on user equipment in a home network;
in response to determining that recording of the media content scheduled for recording has been completed, receiving, at a remote server, media content recorded in a first format on the user equipment, wherein the remote server is outside of the home network, and wherein the media content recorded is of a type selected by a user;
generating a mirrored copy of the media content on the remote server based on determining the media content is of the type selected;
storing the mirrored copy of the media content on the remote server, wherein the mirrored copy of the media content includes a pointer to a playback position in the mirrored copy of the media content;
determining a second media content format that is appropriate for the mobile user device;
transcoding, at the remote server, the mirrored copy into the second media content format that is appropriate for the mobile user device;
automatically pushing the mirrored copy of the media content in the second format to the mobile user device; and
updating the pointer stored on the remote server based on playback controls activated on the mobile user device.

22. The method of claim 21 , further comprising selecting the second format from a plurality of formats based on capabilities of the mobile user device.

23. The method of claim 21 , wherein transcoding the mirrored copy of the media content comprises transcoding the mirrored copy when the media content is stored in the first format on user equipment in the home network.

24. The method of claim 21 , wherein transcoding the mirrored copy of the media content comprises transcoding the m

Assignees

• Grasset Jean-Francois Benjamin
• Rovi Guides Inc

Inventors

• Grasset Jean-Francois Benjamin

Classifications

• H04L12/2816

  Controlling appliance services of a home automation network by calling their functionalities (arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station; in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00) · CPC title

• H04L12/2812

  describing content present in a home automation network, e.g. audio video content (retrieval from the Internet G06F16/95) · CPC title

• G11B27/034

  on discs (G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence) · CPC title

• H04N21/436

  Interfacing a local distribution network, e.g. communicating with another STB {or one or more peripheral devices} inside the home · CPC title

• H04N21/2343

  involving reformatting operations of video signals for distribution or compliance with end-user requests or end-user device requirements {(video transcoding H04N19/40; media packet handling at the source H04L65/762)} · CPC title