Apparatus, systems and methods for storing program events in an enhanced history buffer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9699495-B2
Application number	US-201615284013-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 3, 2016
Priority date	Jun 9, 2010
Publication date	Jul 4, 2017
Grant date	Jul 4, 2017

Abstract

Enhanced history buffer systems and methods are operable to temporarily store program content for program events. An exemplary embodiment receives program content corresponding to each of the plurality of program events, generates a unique discrete program content file in the enhanced history buffer for each of the plurality of program events, and stores the received program content for each of the plurality of program events in the associated one of the discrete program content files. Each discrete program content file begins at a known starting location in the enhanced history buffer and ends at a known ending location in the enhanced history buffer.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A media device, comprising:
a program content stream interface configured to receive at least one program content stream, wherein the program content stream comprises video and audio content of at least one of a plurality of broadcasting program events;
an enhanced history buffer configured to store a plurality of discrete program content files, wherein each discrete program content file comprises:
a first boundary marker portion configured to store information that identifies starting locations of each of the plurality of discrete program content files that are stored in the enhanced history buffer;
at least one content stream information portion configured to store at least the video and audio content of a currently presenting portion of one of a plurality of program events being received at the media device in the program content stream, wherein the content stream information portion follows after the first boundary marker portion in the discrete program content file; and
a second boundary marker portion configured to store information that identifies one of an ending location and a transition point location of each of the plurality of discrete program content files that are stored in the enhanced history buffer, wherein the second boundary marker portion follows after the content stream information portion in the discrete program content file; and

a processor system, wherein the processor system is configured to:
generate a first discrete program content file that is one of the plurality of discrete program content files, wherein the first discrete program content file is generated in response to a received first program event change initiated by a user who is using the media device to present a first program event, and wherein the first program event change corresponds to a change from presentation of the first program event to presentation of a second program event;
store in the first boundary marker portion of the first discrete program content file information that identifies a starting location of the storage of the first discrete program content file in the enhanced history buffer;
store a portion of at least the video and audio content of the currently presenting second program event into the content stream information portion of the first discrete program content file;
detect a second program event change initiated by the user, wherein the second program event change corresponds to a change from the currently presented second program event to one of the first program event or a third program event; and

wherein the processor system, in response to detecting the second program event change, is further configured to:
store in the second boundary marker portion of the first discrete program content file information that identifies one of an ending location of the storage of the first discrete program content file in the enhanced history buffer or a transition point location that identifies a transition location of the first discrete program content file corresponding to the second program event change.

2. The media device of claim 1 , wherein the processor system, in response to detecting the second program event change, is further configured to:
generate a second discrete program content file that is one of the plurality of discrete program content files;
store in the first boundary marker portion of the second discrete program content file information that identifies a starting location of the storage of the second discrete program content file in the enhanced history buffer; and
store a portion of at least the video and audio content of the currently presenting one of the first program event or the third presented program event into the content stream information portion of the second discrete program content file.

3. The media device of claim 2 , wherein the processor system is further configured to:
detect a third program event change corresponding to a change from the currently presented one of the first program event or the third presented program event; and
store in the end boundary marker portion of the second discrete program content file information that identifies one of an ending location of the storage of the second discrete program content file in the enhanced history buffer or a transition point location that identifies a transition location of the second discrete program content file corresponding to the third program event change.

4. The media device of claim 1 , wherein the first program event is received in a first program content stream, wherein the second program event is received in a second program content stream that is different from the first program content stream, wherein the third program event is received in a third program content stream that is different from the first program content stream and the second program content stream, and wherein the program content stream interface comprises:
a single tuner that is configured to receive only one of a plurality of program content streams that each include at least one program event, wherein the single tuner must retune from receiving the second program content stream with the second program event to receive one of the first program content stream with the first program event or the third program content stream with the third program event in response to the received second program event change initiated by the user who is using the media device,
wherein the processor system ends the storing of the portion of the currently presenting second program event in the content stream information portion of the first discrete program content file in response to detecting the second program event change, and
wherein the processor system stores in the second boundary marker portion of the first discrete program content file information that identifies the ending location of the storage of the first discrete program content file in the enhanced history buffer.

5. The media device of claim 1 , wherein the first program event is received in a first program content stream, wherein the second program event is received in a second program content stream that is different from the first program content stream, wherein the third program event is received in a third program content stream that is different from the first program content stream and the second program content stream, wherein the content stream information portion of the first discrete program content file is a first content stream information portion, and wherein the program content stream interface comprises:
at least a first tuner and a second tuner,
wherein the first tuner and the second tuner are each configured to receive only one of a plurality of program content streams that each include at least one program event,
wherein the first tuner, prior to the second program event change, is tuned to receive the first program content stream with the first program event,
wherein the second tuner is retuned to receive one of the first program content stream with the first program event or the third program content stream with the third program event in response to the received second program event change initiated by the user who is using the media device,

wherein the processor system ends the storing of the portion of the currently presenting second program event in the first content stream information portion of the first discrete program content file in response to detecting the second program event change,
wherein the processor system stores in the second boundary marker portion of the first discrete program content file transition point location information that identifies a location of an end of the first content stream information portion of the first discrete program content file in the enhanced history buffer at the time of the se

Assignees

• Echostar Uk Holdings Ltd

Inventors

• Blight Andrew

Classifications

• G11B27/28

  by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording {(G11B27/22 takes precedence)} · 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

• H04N5/775

  between a recording apparatus and a television receiver · CPC title

• H04N5/781

  on disks or drums · CPC title

• H04N21/44004

  involving video buffer management, e.g. video decoder buffer or video display buffer · CPC title