CA2355310C - Video tape indexing system and method - Google Patents
Video tape indexing system and method Download PDFInfo
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- CA2355310C CA2355310C CA002355310A CA2355310A CA2355310C CA 2355310 C CA2355310 C CA 2355310C CA 002355310 A CA002355310 A CA 002355310A CA 2355310 A CA2355310 A CA 2355310A CA 2355310 C CA2355310 C CA 2355310C
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- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title claims description 8
- 238000012544 monitoring process Methods 0.000 claims description 2
- 230000032258 transport Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000005540 biological transmission Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000010586 diagram Methods 0.000 description 1
Classifications
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
- H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
- H04N21/43—Processing of content or additional data, e.g. demultiplexing additional data from a digital video stream; Elementary client operations, e.g. monitoring of home network or synchronising decoder's clock; Client middleware
- H04N21/443—OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
- H04N21/4435—Memory management
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- G—PHYSICS
- G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
- G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
- G11B27/00—Editing; Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Monitoring; Measuring tape travel
- G11B27/10—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
- G11B27/102—Programmed access in sequence to addressed parts of tracks of operating record carriers
- G11B27/107—Programmed access in sequence to addressed parts of tracks of operating record carriers of operating tapes
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- G—PHYSICS
- G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
- G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
- G11B27/00—Editing; Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Monitoring; Measuring tape travel
- G11B27/10—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
- G11B27/11—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel by using information not detectable on the record carrier
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- G—PHYSICS
- G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
- G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
- G11B27/00—Editing; Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Monitoring; Measuring tape travel
- G11B27/10—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
- G11B27/19—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel by using information detectable on the record carrier
- G11B27/28—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel by using information detectable on the record carrier by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording
- G11B27/32—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel by using information detectable on the record carrier by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording on separate auxiliary tracks of the same or an auxiliary record carrier
- G11B27/327—Table of contents
- G11B27/328—Table of contents on a tape [TTOC]
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- G—PHYSICS
- G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
- G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
- G11B27/00—Editing; Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Monitoring; Measuring tape travel
- G11B27/10—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
- G11B27/34—Indicating arrangements
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
- H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
- H04N21/43—Processing of content or additional data, e.g. demultiplexing additional data from a digital video stream; Elementary client operations, e.g. monitoring of home network or synchronising decoder's clock; Client middleware
- H04N21/433—Content storage operation, e.g. storage operation in response to a pause request, caching operations
- H04N21/4334—Recording operations
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
- H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
- H04N21/43—Processing of content or additional data, e.g. demultiplexing additional data from a digital video stream; Elementary client operations, e.g. monitoring of home network or synchronising decoder's clock; Client middleware
- H04N21/434—Disassembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. demultiplexing audio and video streams, extraction of additional data from a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Extraction or processing of SI; Disassembling of packetised elementary stream
- H04N21/4345—Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
- H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
- H04N21/47—End-user applications
- H04N21/472—End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content
- H04N21/47214—End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
- H04N21/80—Generation or processing of content or additional data by content creator independently of the distribution process; Content per se
- H04N21/83—Generation or processing of protective or descriptive data associated with content; Content structuring
- H04N21/835—Generation of protective data, e.g. certificates
- H04N21/8352—Generation of protective data, e.g. certificates involving content or source identification data, e.g. Unique Material Identifier [UMID]
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
- H04N21/80—Generation or processing of content or additional data by content creator independently of the distribution process; Content per se
- H04N21/83—Generation or processing of protective or descriptive data associated with content; Content structuring
- H04N21/84—Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- H04N5/00—Details of television systems
- H04N5/76—Television signal recording
- H04N5/78—Television signal recording using magnetic recording
- H04N5/782—Television signal recording using magnetic recording on tape
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- G—PHYSICS
- G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
- G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
- G11B2220/00—Record carriers by type
- G11B2220/60—Solid state media
- G11B2220/65—Solid state media wherein solid state memory is used for storing indexing information or metadata
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- G—PHYSICS
- G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
- G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
- G11B2220/00—Record carriers by type
- G11B2220/60—Solid state media
- G11B2220/65—Solid state media wherein solid state memory is used for storing indexing information or metadata
- G11B2220/652—Solid state media wherein solid state memory is used for storing indexing information or metadata said memory being attached to the recording medium
- G11B2220/655—Memory in cassette [MIC]
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- G—PHYSICS
- G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
- G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
- G11B2220/00—Record carriers by type
- G11B2220/90—Tape-like record carriers
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- G—PHYSICS
- G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
- G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
- G11B27/00—Editing; Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Monitoring; Measuring tape travel
- G11B27/10—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
- G11B27/19—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel by using information detectable on the record carrier
- G11B27/28—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel by using information detectable on the record carrier by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording
- G11B27/30—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel by using information detectable on the record carrier by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording on the same track as the main recording
- G11B27/3027—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel by using information detectable on the record carrier by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording on the same track as the main recording used signal is digitally coded
- G11B27/3036—Time code signal
- G11B27/3054—Vertical Interval Time code [VITC]
Abstract
A video tape indexing system (10) in which program broadcast identification information is entered into the system for use in recording the program (18). When the program is recorded, the system stores indexing information in an index memory (22). The system monitors a broadcast channel (12) for electronic program guide information that include s titles and usually channel, date, time and length for the titles. The system matches (20) the channel, date, time and length information from the broadcast channel with the identification information entered for the program to be recorded. The title in the broadcast channel associated with the channel, date, time and length information is then associated with the indexing information for the program.
Description
VIDEO TAPE INDEXING SYSTEM AND METHOD
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
One of the major cost items in the Index PIusTM system is the memory needed to store the information of the shows, which includes channel, date, time, length and title of a show. This practically requires as much memory as is needed for implementation of an electronic program guide (EPG). Also, the number of days in advance of the program telecast that recordings can be scheduled is limited by memory and data bandwidth.
The invention greatly reduces the memory requirement and hence the cost of implementation. It is primarily intended to be implemented without a locally stored EPG data base.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a system including an input that receives indications identifying a television program broadcast, including one or more of channel, start time, end time, date, day of the week and length. The system also includes a video system recorder controller that provides commands to one or more of a video recorder and a tuner to record a television program according to one of the input indications, an index memory that stores video tape identification and video tape index information and the identification indication for television programs recorded under control of the video system recorder controller and a data receiver that receives data comprising titles, sets of television broadcast identifiers, each such set including one or more of channel, start time, end time, date, day of the week and length, and associations between a plurality of the titles and a plurality of the sets of television broadcast identifiers. The title from the data receiver is stored in the index memory and associated with the video tape identification and video tape index information and the identification indication associated with the title.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a system comprising an input, a video system recorder controller, an index memory and a data receiver.
The input receives one or more sets of television program broadcast scheduling information, including one or more of channel, start time, end time, date, day of the week and length.
The video system recorder controller provides commands to one or more of a video recorder and a tuner to record a television program according to one of the sets of broadcast scheduling information.
The index memory stores video medium identification, video medium index information and the broadcast scheduling information for television programs recorded under control of the video system recorder controller.
The data receiver receives data, from a television broadcast, including titles, sets of television program broadcast identification information, each such set including one or more of channel, start time, end time, date, day of the week and length, and associations between a plurality of the titles and a plurality of the sets of television program broadcast identification information.
After one or more sets of television program broadcast scheduling information have been received by the input, the title of a television program scheduled to be recorded or having already been recorded is selected from a television broadcast being monitored by the data receiver, stored in the index memory, and associated with the previously stored broadcast scheduling information if the broadcast identification information associated with the title matches the broadcast scheduling information used to identify the program for recording.
The data receiver may comprise a VBI decoder.
The data receiver may include a wireless receiver.
The system may further comprise a microprocessor configured to discard the one or more of channel, start time, end time, date, day of the week and length indicators for a program stored in index memory after that program has been recorded.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for indexing programs recorded by a video recorder.
The method involves receiving broadcast scheduling information into the video recorder for use in scheduling a television program for recording, storing indexing information for the program in an index memory, monitoring a television broadcast channel for broadcast identification information that includes a title paired with one or more of channel, start time, end time, date, day of the week and length, matching the one or more of channel, start time, end time, date, day of the week and length information with the broadcast scheduling information for the television program scheduled to be or having already been recorded, and storing the title that is paired with the matching one or more of channel, start time, end time, date, day of the week and length information for the television program received from the broadcast channel in index memory with the indexing information for the television program scheduled to be or having already been recorded.
The method may involve discarding the one or more of channel, start time, end time, date, day of the week and length indicators for a program stored in index memory after that program has been recorded.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart of an example of a process according to an embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The concept is first to accept as an input at a user terminal either through (a) VCR PIusTM, (b) direct channel/date/time/length (CDTL) input, or (c) instant, i.e., real time. recording, the CDTL information of the shows) the user wishes to record.
In case (a), the Plus CodesTM are decoded to produce CDTL information. In case (c), the time that the record command is given is read from a real time clock and the channel to which the tuner is set is read at the time of the record command. (There is usually no length information in this case.) In cases (a) and (b), the CDTL
information, is stored in an appropriate memory (either in a RAM in the VCR, on the tape, or on a chip attached to the tape cassette, etc.). In case (c), the channel and time of the record command are stored in the memory. In cases (a) and (b), the time component of the CDTL information is compared with the output of a real time clock; when a match occurs, the tuner is set to the channel represented by the CDTL information and the VCR is turned on to record the show the user has selected. In all cases, the location of the program being recorded on the tape is also stored in the memory with the channel and time information. In all cases, date may be replaced with day of the week and length may be replaced with end time or start time and length can be replaced with end time and length. If the recording is performed on the same day as it is programmed to be recorded even the date or day of the week can be omitted.
Also, because recording automatically stops at the end of the tape, the length or end time is not critical to the system's operation either.
On a regular basis, e.g., once a day or every other day, all the program titles (and related data) for a specified time period are transmitted with the television signal, e.g., in the vertical blanking interval (VBI). Alternatively, the data may be sent in a distributed way over a long period of time, e.g., 24 hours. In the latter case, the receiving equipment has to monitor the VBI data over the time of data broadcast (e.g., 24 hours). The channel and time of telecast of each program are included with the program title. The title of a program, and other related information such as the theme of the program, if desired, is selectively accessed only at the users terminals that have already recorded or are scheduled to record that program. Specifically, the channels and times stored in memory at the user terminal are compared with the time and channel transmitted with each title. When a match occurs, the transmitted title is stored in memory. It may be used at the user terminal either together with the CDTL
information or as a replacement for the channel and time stored therein. As a result, ultimately the title is stored with the location of each recorded program and other accessed information in a tape directory in memory at the user terminals. When the user wishes to play a recorded program, the directory is displayed on the screen of a television monitor and the user marks the desired program with an on screen cursor.
The VCR then transports the tape to the beginning of the desired program and the desired program is played.
For example:
At time T1, the user inputs a PlusCodeTM (or other form of CDTL
information) indicating which program to record; the equipment generates and stores the CDTL information.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
One of the major cost items in the Index PIusTM system is the memory needed to store the information of the shows, which includes channel, date, time, length and title of a show. This practically requires as much memory as is needed for implementation of an electronic program guide (EPG). Also, the number of days in advance of the program telecast that recordings can be scheduled is limited by memory and data bandwidth.
The invention greatly reduces the memory requirement and hence the cost of implementation. It is primarily intended to be implemented without a locally stored EPG data base.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a system including an input that receives indications identifying a television program broadcast, including one or more of channel, start time, end time, date, day of the week and length. The system also includes a video system recorder controller that provides commands to one or more of a video recorder and a tuner to record a television program according to one of the input indications, an index memory that stores video tape identification and video tape index information and the identification indication for television programs recorded under control of the video system recorder controller and a data receiver that receives data comprising titles, sets of television broadcast identifiers, each such set including one or more of channel, start time, end time, date, day of the week and length, and associations between a plurality of the titles and a plurality of the sets of television broadcast identifiers. The title from the data receiver is stored in the index memory and associated with the video tape identification and video tape index information and the identification indication associated with the title.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a system comprising an input, a video system recorder controller, an index memory and a data receiver.
The input receives one or more sets of television program broadcast scheduling information, including one or more of channel, start time, end time, date, day of the week and length.
The video system recorder controller provides commands to one or more of a video recorder and a tuner to record a television program according to one of the sets of broadcast scheduling information.
The index memory stores video medium identification, video medium index information and the broadcast scheduling information for television programs recorded under control of the video system recorder controller.
The data receiver receives data, from a television broadcast, including titles, sets of television program broadcast identification information, each such set including one or more of channel, start time, end time, date, day of the week and length, and associations between a plurality of the titles and a plurality of the sets of television program broadcast identification information.
After one or more sets of television program broadcast scheduling information have been received by the input, the title of a television program scheduled to be recorded or having already been recorded is selected from a television broadcast being monitored by the data receiver, stored in the index memory, and associated with the previously stored broadcast scheduling information if the broadcast identification information associated with the title matches the broadcast scheduling information used to identify the program for recording.
The data receiver may comprise a VBI decoder.
The data receiver may include a wireless receiver.
The system may further comprise a microprocessor configured to discard the one or more of channel, start time, end time, date, day of the week and length indicators for a program stored in index memory after that program has been recorded.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for indexing programs recorded by a video recorder.
The method involves receiving broadcast scheduling information into the video recorder for use in scheduling a television program for recording, storing indexing information for the program in an index memory, monitoring a television broadcast channel for broadcast identification information that includes a title paired with one or more of channel, start time, end time, date, day of the week and length, matching the one or more of channel, start time, end time, date, day of the week and length information with the broadcast scheduling information for the television program scheduled to be or having already been recorded, and storing the title that is paired with the matching one or more of channel, start time, end time, date, day of the week and length information for the television program received from the broadcast channel in index memory with the indexing information for the television program scheduled to be or having already been recorded.
The method may involve discarding the one or more of channel, start time, end time, date, day of the week and length indicators for a program stored in index memory after that program has been recorded.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart of an example of a process according to an embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The concept is first to accept as an input at a user terminal either through (a) VCR PIusTM, (b) direct channel/date/time/length (CDTL) input, or (c) instant, i.e., real time. recording, the CDTL information of the shows) the user wishes to record.
In case (a), the Plus CodesTM are decoded to produce CDTL information. In case (c), the time that the record command is given is read from a real time clock and the channel to which the tuner is set is read at the time of the record command. (There is usually no length information in this case.) In cases (a) and (b), the CDTL
information, is stored in an appropriate memory (either in a RAM in the VCR, on the tape, or on a chip attached to the tape cassette, etc.). In case (c), the channel and time of the record command are stored in the memory. In cases (a) and (b), the time component of the CDTL information is compared with the output of a real time clock; when a match occurs, the tuner is set to the channel represented by the CDTL information and the VCR is turned on to record the show the user has selected. In all cases, the location of the program being recorded on the tape is also stored in the memory with the channel and time information. In all cases, date may be replaced with day of the week and length may be replaced with end time or start time and length can be replaced with end time and length. If the recording is performed on the same day as it is programmed to be recorded even the date or day of the week can be omitted.
Also, because recording automatically stops at the end of the tape, the length or end time is not critical to the system's operation either.
On a regular basis, e.g., once a day or every other day, all the program titles (and related data) for a specified time period are transmitted with the television signal, e.g., in the vertical blanking interval (VBI). Alternatively, the data may be sent in a distributed way over a long period of time, e.g., 24 hours. In the latter case, the receiving equipment has to monitor the VBI data over the time of data broadcast (e.g., 24 hours). The channel and time of telecast of each program are included with the program title. The title of a program, and other related information such as the theme of the program, if desired, is selectively accessed only at the users terminals that have already recorded or are scheduled to record that program. Specifically, the channels and times stored in memory at the user terminal are compared with the time and channel transmitted with each title. When a match occurs, the transmitted title is stored in memory. It may be used at the user terminal either together with the CDTL
information or as a replacement for the channel and time stored therein. As a result, ultimately the title is stored with the location of each recorded program and other accessed information in a tape directory in memory at the user terminals. When the user wishes to play a recorded program, the directory is displayed on the screen of a television monitor and the user marks the desired program with an on screen cursor.
The VCR then transports the tape to the beginning of the desired program and the desired program is played.
For example:
At time T1, the user inputs a PlusCodeTM (or other form of CDTL
information) indicating which program to record; the equipment generates and stores the CDTL information.
At time T2, either before or after the recording of the desired program, a download session occurs in which all the program titles, channels, and times for a given time period are transmitted with the television signal to the users; the VCR of each user flags down only the titles (including other information such as theme related to the program) corresponding to the CDTL information stored at that user terminal, stores these titles in memory or replaces the corresponding CDTL information in the memory with the titles.
After T2, the titles will be utilized by the user for display of directories and selection of recorded programs at that user terminal.
The drawing illustrates a user terminal. A cable feed 10 or other television signal source such as an antenna or satellite dish is connected to a tuner 12, which is part of a cable box, television receiver, or satellite receiver. A switch 14a alternatively connects tuner 12 to a television monitor 16 for program viewing or to a VCR
18 for program recording. A switch 14b alternatively connects tuner 12 for viewing or VCR
18 for playback to monitor 16. Tuner 12, switch 14a, switch 14b, monitor 16, and VCR 18 are controlled by a microprocessor 20 having a memory 22 such as a RAM.
Assuming analog transmission of the television signal, a VBI decoder 24 is connected between tuner 12 and switch 14a to extract program title information from the VBI of the television signal. (If the television signal is transmitted in digital form, no VBI
decoder is needed.) This title information is coupled to microprocessor 20 for storage in memory 22. An input device 26 such as a remote controller is coupled to microprocessor 20 to enter user commands. As is well known, another tuner and appropriate switching could be provided to permit simultaneous television viewing and VCR recording. The Plus CodesTM, CDTL information, or instant recording command is entered into microprocessor 20 by input device 24. Microprocessor stores the CDTL information, or channel and time, as the case may be, in memory 22 and, in cases (a) and (b), compares the time component with the output of the real time clock, which is internal to microprocessor 20. At the time of the program to be recorded, microprocessor 20 connects tuner 12 to VCR 18 through switch 14a, sets tuner 12 to the channel represented by the CDTL information in cases (a) and (b) or the selected channel in case (c), turns on VCR 18 for the duration of the program, and stores the tape location in memory 22 with the title or CDTL information, depending -S-upon whether the title is accessed before or after the recording. The title, channel, and time information for each time period, e.g., a 24-hour day, may be transmitted several times during the time period, and thus may arnve before or after the CDTL
information or the instant record command is entered through input device 26.
(In an alternative embodiment, the title, channel, and time information may be transmitted after the time period in which the programs are transmitted, and thus would always arrive after the CDTL information or the instant record command is entered through input device 26.) As the title, channel, and time information for each program is being transmitted in the television signal, it is extracted by VBI decoder 24.
Microprocessor 20 compares the channel and time with the channel and time of the CDTL
information stored in memory 22. If a match occurs, the title is accessed and stored. The title is substituted for the CDTL information if the title is accessed after recording.
The title is stored in addition to the CDTL information if the title is accessed before recording and then the CDTL information is discarded after recording. Otherwise the transmitted title, channel, and time information is discarded. Alternatively, the CDTL
information could be stored for later use and display in either case.
In summary, only the titles of the recorded programs or the programs to be recorded are selectively accessed and stored, rather than all the programs telecast during a specified time period. In addition, only the CDTL information of the programs to be recorded is also stored. The result is a versatile tape management capability with a small storage requirement.
When the user wishes to play back a recorded program, VCR 18 is connected to monitor 16 through switch 14b. The user loads the corresponding tape cassette into VCR 18. Microprocessor 20 retrieves the program titles on the tape from memory and feeds this information through VCR 18 to monitor 16 for display as a directory of the tape. When the user selects one of the titles from the on-screen directory, microprocessor 20 transports VCR 18 to the start of the selected program on the tape.
If the CDTL information is stored early enough, the transmitted program titles could be included in a conventional EPG data stream transmitted before the program is recorded and extracted therefrom for the described purpose. Further details of this are provided in US 6,028,599, issued February 22, 2000. Otherwise, the titles are selectively accessed from a customized data stream transmitted before and/or after the program is recorded.
In an alternative embodiment, the title information is received using a wireless receiver (not shown) such as a pager receiver.
After T2, the titles will be utilized by the user for display of directories and selection of recorded programs at that user terminal.
The drawing illustrates a user terminal. A cable feed 10 or other television signal source such as an antenna or satellite dish is connected to a tuner 12, which is part of a cable box, television receiver, or satellite receiver. A switch 14a alternatively connects tuner 12 to a television monitor 16 for program viewing or to a VCR
18 for program recording. A switch 14b alternatively connects tuner 12 for viewing or VCR
18 for playback to monitor 16. Tuner 12, switch 14a, switch 14b, monitor 16, and VCR 18 are controlled by a microprocessor 20 having a memory 22 such as a RAM.
Assuming analog transmission of the television signal, a VBI decoder 24 is connected between tuner 12 and switch 14a to extract program title information from the VBI of the television signal. (If the television signal is transmitted in digital form, no VBI
decoder is needed.) This title information is coupled to microprocessor 20 for storage in memory 22. An input device 26 such as a remote controller is coupled to microprocessor 20 to enter user commands. As is well known, another tuner and appropriate switching could be provided to permit simultaneous television viewing and VCR recording. The Plus CodesTM, CDTL information, or instant recording command is entered into microprocessor 20 by input device 24. Microprocessor stores the CDTL information, or channel and time, as the case may be, in memory 22 and, in cases (a) and (b), compares the time component with the output of the real time clock, which is internal to microprocessor 20. At the time of the program to be recorded, microprocessor 20 connects tuner 12 to VCR 18 through switch 14a, sets tuner 12 to the channel represented by the CDTL information in cases (a) and (b) or the selected channel in case (c), turns on VCR 18 for the duration of the program, and stores the tape location in memory 22 with the title or CDTL information, depending -S-upon whether the title is accessed before or after the recording. The title, channel, and time information for each time period, e.g., a 24-hour day, may be transmitted several times during the time period, and thus may arnve before or after the CDTL
information or the instant record command is entered through input device 26.
(In an alternative embodiment, the title, channel, and time information may be transmitted after the time period in which the programs are transmitted, and thus would always arrive after the CDTL information or the instant record command is entered through input device 26.) As the title, channel, and time information for each program is being transmitted in the television signal, it is extracted by VBI decoder 24.
Microprocessor 20 compares the channel and time with the channel and time of the CDTL
information stored in memory 22. If a match occurs, the title is accessed and stored. The title is substituted for the CDTL information if the title is accessed after recording.
The title is stored in addition to the CDTL information if the title is accessed before recording and then the CDTL information is discarded after recording. Otherwise the transmitted title, channel, and time information is discarded. Alternatively, the CDTL
information could be stored for later use and display in either case.
In summary, only the titles of the recorded programs or the programs to be recorded are selectively accessed and stored, rather than all the programs telecast during a specified time period. In addition, only the CDTL information of the programs to be recorded is also stored. The result is a versatile tape management capability with a small storage requirement.
When the user wishes to play back a recorded program, VCR 18 is connected to monitor 16 through switch 14b. The user loads the corresponding tape cassette into VCR 18. Microprocessor 20 retrieves the program titles on the tape from memory and feeds this information through VCR 18 to monitor 16 for display as a directory of the tape. When the user selects one of the titles from the on-screen directory, microprocessor 20 transports VCR 18 to the start of the selected program on the tape.
If the CDTL information is stored early enough, the transmitted program titles could be included in a conventional EPG data stream transmitted before the program is recorded and extracted therefrom for the described purpose. Further details of this are provided in US 6,028,599, issued February 22, 2000. Otherwise, the titles are selectively accessed from a customized data stream transmitted before and/or after the program is recorded.
In an alternative embodiment, the title information is received using a wireless receiver (not shown) such as a pager receiver.
Claims (6)
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A system comprising:
an input that receives one or more sets of television program broadcast scheduling information, including one or more of channel, start time, end time, date, day of the week and length;
video system recorder controller that provides commands to one or more of a video recorder and a tuner to record a television program according to one of the sets of broadcast scheduling information;
an index memory for storing video medium identification, video medium index information and the broadcast scheduling information for television programs recorded under control of the video system recorder controller;
a data receiver that receives data, from a television broadcast, including titles, sets of television program broadcast identification information, each such set including one or more of channel, start time, end time, date, day of the week and length, and associations between a plurality of the titles and a plurality of the sets of television program broadcast identification information; and wherein after one or more sets of television program broadcast scheduling information have been received by the input, the title of a television program scheduled to be recorded or having already been recorded is selected from a television broadcast being monitored by the data receiver, stored in the index memory, and associated with the previously stored broadcast scheduling information if the broadcast identification information associated with the title matches the broadcast scheduling information used to identify the program for recording.
an input that receives one or more sets of television program broadcast scheduling information, including one or more of channel, start time, end time, date, day of the week and length;
video system recorder controller that provides commands to one or more of a video recorder and a tuner to record a television program according to one of the sets of broadcast scheduling information;
an index memory for storing video medium identification, video medium index information and the broadcast scheduling information for television programs recorded under control of the video system recorder controller;
a data receiver that receives data, from a television broadcast, including titles, sets of television program broadcast identification information, each such set including one or more of channel, start time, end time, date, day of the week and length, and associations between a plurality of the titles and a plurality of the sets of television program broadcast identification information; and wherein after one or more sets of television program broadcast scheduling information have been received by the input, the title of a television program scheduled to be recorded or having already been recorded is selected from a television broadcast being monitored by the data receiver, stored in the index memory, and associated with the previously stored broadcast scheduling information if the broadcast identification information associated with the title matches the broadcast scheduling information used to identify the program for recording.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein the data receiver comprises a VBI decoder.
3. The system of claim 1 wherein the data receiver is a wireless receiver.
4. The system of claim 1 further comprising:
a microprocessor configured to discard the one or more of channel, start time, end time, date, day of the week and length indicators for a program stored in index memory after that program has been recorded.
a microprocessor configured to discard the one or more of channel, start time, end time, date, day of the week and length indicators for a program stored in index memory after that program has been recorded.
5. A method for indexing programs recorded by a video recorder comprising:
receiving broadcast scheduling information into the video recorder for use in scheduling a television program for recording;
storing indexing information for the program in an index memory;
monitoring a television broadcast channel for broadcast identification information that includes a title paired with one or more of channel, start time, end time, date, day of the week and length;
matching the one or more of channel, start time, end time, date, day of the week and length information with the broadcast scheduling information for the television program scheduled to be or having already been recorded; and storing the title that is paired with the matching one or more of channel, start time, end time, date, day of the week and length information for the television program received from the broadcast channel in index memory with the indexing information for the television program scheduled to be or having already been recorded.
receiving broadcast scheduling information into the video recorder for use in scheduling a television program for recording;
storing indexing information for the program in an index memory;
monitoring a television broadcast channel for broadcast identification information that includes a title paired with one or more of channel, start time, end time, date, day of the week and length;
matching the one or more of channel, start time, end time, date, day of the week and length information with the broadcast scheduling information for the television program scheduled to be or having already been recorded; and storing the title that is paired with the matching one or more of channel, start time, end time, date, day of the week and length information for the television program received from the broadcast channel in index memory with the indexing information for the television program scheduled to be or having already been recorded.
6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:
discarding the one or more of channel, start time, end time, date, day of the week and length indicators for a program stored in index memory after that program has been recorded.
discarding the one or more of channel, start time, end time, date, day of the week and length indicators for a program stored in index memory after that program has been recorded.
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| US6788882B1 (en) * | 1998-04-17 | 2004-09-07 | Timesurf, L.L.C. | Systems and methods for storing a plurality of video streams on re-writable random-access media and time-and channel- based retrieval thereof |
| US6608963B1 (en) * | 1998-12-18 | 2003-08-19 | Index Systems, Inc. | Video medium indexing system and method |
| JP4310846B2 (en) * | 1999-04-28 | 2009-08-12 | ソニー株式会社 | Broadcast program recording control apparatus and broadcast program recording control method using EPG |
| WO2002030114A1 (en) * | 2000-10-02 | 2002-04-11 | Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba | Recording/reproducing apparatus having recording programming function and its method |
| AUPR190500A0 (en) * | 2000-12-07 | 2001-01-04 | Right Hemisphere Pty Limited | Video recorder programming |
| JP2003244565A (en) * | 2002-02-15 | 2003-08-29 | Fujitsu Ltd | Apparatus, program and virtual channel setting method |
| US8225368B2 (en) * | 2004-11-17 | 2012-07-17 | Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. | Identifying broadcast content |
| TW200704183A (en) | 2005-01-27 | 2007-01-16 | Matrix Tv | Dynamic mosaic extended electronic programming guide for television program selection and display |
| US8875196B2 (en) * | 2005-08-13 | 2014-10-28 | Webtuner Corp. | System for network and local content access |
| CN101097659A (en) * | 2006-06-29 | 2008-01-02 | 夏育君 | Language learning system and method thereof |
| US8117664B2 (en) * | 2007-06-28 | 2012-02-14 | Microsoft Corporation | Radio-type interface for tuning into content associated with projects |
| CN102143351B (en) * | 2010-08-06 | 2014-11-19 | 华为软件技术有限公司 | Surveillance video positioning method, image capturing method, device and system |
| KR20140033412A (en) | 2011-05-17 | 2014-03-18 | 웹튜너 코포레이션 | System and method for scalable, high accuracy, sensor and id based audience measurement system |
| WO2012162464A1 (en) | 2011-05-24 | 2012-11-29 | WebTuner, Corporation | System and method to increase efficiency and speed of analytics report generation in audience measurement systems |
| CN103703786A (en) | 2011-05-26 | 2014-04-02 | 韦伯图纳公司 | Highly scalable audience measurement system with client event pre-processing |
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| US5253066C1 (en) | 1989-06-01 | 2001-05-22 | United Video Properties Inc | Tv recording and viewing control system |
| US5353121A (en) * | 1989-10-30 | 1994-10-04 | Starsight Telecast, Inc. | Television schedule system |
| EP0439290B1 (en) * | 1990-01-21 | 1996-10-16 | Sony Corporation | Recording and reproducing apparatus |
| JPH04200082A (en) | 1990-11-29 | 1992-07-21 | Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd | Teletext broadcast receiver |
| US5390027A (en) * | 1990-08-23 | 1995-02-14 | Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. | Television program recording and reproducing system using program data of text broadcast signal |
| WO1992022983A2 (en) * | 1991-06-11 | 1992-12-23 | Browne H Lee | Large capacity, random access, multi-source recorder player |
| JP3026686B2 (en) | 1992-09-22 | 2000-03-27 | 三洋電機株式会社 | Video tape recorder |
| JPH0721748A (en) | 1993-07-07 | 1995-01-24 | Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd | Video tape recorder |
| US5541738A (en) | 1994-04-12 | 1996-07-30 | E. Guide, Inc. | Electronic program guide |
| KR0124605B1 (en) * | 1994-07-06 | 1997-11-28 | 구자홍 | Method and apparatus of recording of sub data for video cassette tape recorder |
| JPH0832922A (en) * | 1994-07-14 | 1996-02-02 | Hitachi Ltd | Magnetic recording/reproducing device |
| US5867226A (en) * | 1995-11-17 | 1999-02-02 | Thomson Consumer Electronics, Inc. | Scheduler employing a predictive agent for use in a television receiver |
| US6177931B1 (en) * | 1996-12-19 | 2001-01-23 | Index Systems, Inc. | Systems and methods for displaying and recording control interface with television programs, video, advertising information and program scheduling information |
| US6608963B1 (en) * | 1998-12-18 | 2003-08-19 | Index Systems, Inc. | Video medium indexing system and method |
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- 1999-12-20 CN CN99816196A patent/CN1354952A/en active Pending
- 1999-12-20 AU AU22049/00A patent/AU2204900A/en not_active Abandoned
- 1999-12-20 WO PCT/US1999/030525 patent/WO2000036834A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
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| US20090210906A1 (en) | 2009-08-20 |
| CN1354952A (en) | 2002-06-19 |
| HK1046342A1 (en) | 2003-01-03 |
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| JP2002533027A (en) | 2002-10-02 |
| US8078031B2 (en) | 2011-12-13 |
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