IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,454,120
Granted Patent B2
US 7,454,120 · App. 10/613,400 · Granted Nov 18, 2008

Methods and apparatus for client aggregation of television programming in a networked personal video recording system

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,454,120
App. No.
10/613,400
Granted
Nov 18, 2008
Kind
B2
Abstract

A networked personal video recording (“PVR”) system couples a plurality of clients to one or more PVR media servers over a network. One or more PVR media servers include television tuners to tune television signals. A storage medium buffers the television signals to implement PVR functionality. For example, the PVR media server records television programs for clients. Clients are assigned to television tuners, and the clients display television programs received at the assigned tuner. The network transfers the buffered television signals to the clients.

Claims (34)

1. A method for aggregating television programming in a personal video recording (“PVR”) system, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving a plurality of television signals;

tuning each of said television signals in one of a plurality of tuners;

buffering said television signals on a storage medium in at least a first PVR media server, the PVR media server maintaining a write position for the buffering;

coupling a plurality of clients, over a home-based network comprising one or more PVR media servers, to said first PVR media server;

generating a request from a requesting client for a list of television programming from each of said PVR media servers on said home-based network;

receiving, from each PVR media server, a list of television programming available through each of said respective PVR media servers, each PVR media server configured for presenting live broadcast content and prerecorded content; and

aggregating, at said requesting client, a list of content available from a plurality of distributed locations within the home based network, the plurality of distributed locations comprising separate content that is tuned by using more than one tuner of the plurality of tuners within said PVR system, the list comprising the live broadcast content and the prerecorded content available for presentation at the requesting client via each PVR media server within the home-based network; and

presenting the aggregated list of content by using the requesting client.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising the step of transmitting buffered television signals from said PVR media server to said clients, so as to display television programs of said television signals at said clients.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the step of generating a request for a list of television programming comprises the step of discovering PVR media servers on said network.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the step of aggregating a list of television programming available on said PVR system comprises the step of aggregating a list of television programming across a plurality of PVR media servers.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the step of aggregating a list of television programming available on said PVR system comprises the step of aggregating a list of television programming across at least one PVR media server comprising a plurality of television tuners.

6. The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the step of aggregating a list of television programming available on said PVR system comprises the step of aggregating a list of television programming across a plurality of television service providers.

7. The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said television programming comprises buffered live television.

8. The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said television programming comprises television programming previously stored on said storage medium.

9. The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the step of aggregating a list of television programming available on said PVR system further comprises the step of determining whether television programming is unique from other television programming.

10. The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the step of aggregating a list of television programming available on said PVR system comprises the step of aggregating a list of television programming by channel.

11. The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the step of aggregating a list of television programming available on said PVR system comprises the step of aggregating a list of television programming by time slots.

12. The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the step of aggregating a list of television programming available on said PVR system comprises the step of aggregating a list of television programming by television shows.

13. The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the step of aggregating a list of television programming available on said PVR system comprises the step of aggregating a list of television programming by genre.

14. The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the step of aggregating a list of television programming available on said PVR system comprises the step of aggregating a list of television programming by television show episodes.

15. The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the step of aggregating a list of television programming available on said PVR system comprises the step of aggregating a list of television programming by actors appearing in television shows.

16. A personal video recording (“PVR”) system comprising:

at least a first PVR media server comprising:

input for receiving a plurality of television signals;

a plurality of tuners for tuning each of said television signals;

a storage medium for buffering said television signals, the first PVR media server configured for maintaining a write position for said buffering;

a home-based network comprising one or more PVR media servers; and

a plurality of clients, coupled over said home-based network to said first PVR media server, the first PVR media server configured:

for generating a request from a requesting client for a list of television programming from each of said PVR media servers on said home-based network,

for receiving, from each PVR media server, a list of television programming available through said respective PVR media servers, each PVR media server configured for presenting live broadcast content and prerecorded content; and

for aggregating, at said requesting client, a list of content available from a plurality of distributed locations within said PVR system, the plurality of distributed locations comprising separate content that is tuned by using more than one tuner of the plurality of tuners within the PVR system, the list comprising the live broadcast content and the prerecorded content available for presentation at the requesting client via each PVR media server within the home-based network; and

for presenting the aggregated list of content by using the requesting client.

Assignments (16)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 25, 2024
From: ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
To: ROVI SOLUTIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 069047/0372 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 25, 2024
From: ROVI SOLUTIONS LLC
To: ADEIA SOLUTIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 069047/0464 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; TIVO SOLUTIONS, INC.; VEVEO, INC.
Reel/Frame 053481/0790 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: HPS INVESTMENT PARTNERS, LLC
To: ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; TIVO SOLUTIONS, INC.; VEVEO, INC.
Reel/Frame 053458/0749 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 1, 2020
From: ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; TIVO SOLUTIONS INC.; VEVEO, INC.; INVENSAS CORPORATION; INVENSAS BONDING TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; TESSERA, INC.; TESSERA ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DTS, INC.; PHORUS, INC.; IBIQUITY DIGITAL CORPORATION
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053468/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Nov 25, 2019
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: APTIV DIGITAL INC.; GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION; INDEX SYSTEMS INC.; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; SONIC SOLUTIONS LLC; STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC.; UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.; VEVEO, INC.
Reel/Frame 051145/0090 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 25, 2019
From: ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; TIVO SOLUTIONS, INC.; VEVEO, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 051110/0006 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 22, 2019
From: ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; TIVO SOLUTIONS, INC.; VEVEO, INC.
To: HPS INVESTMENT PARTNERS, LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 051143/0468 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 24, 2014
From: APTIV DIGITAL, INC.; GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION; INDEX SYSTEMS INC.; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; SONIC SOLUTIONS LLC; STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC.; UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.; VEVEO, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 033407/0035 →
PATENT RELEASE Recorded Jul 24, 2014
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: ALL MEDIA GUIDE, LLC; APTIV DIGITAL, INC.; GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION; INDEX SYSTEMS INC.; ROVI CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC.; TV GUIDE INTERNATIONAL, INC.; UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 033396/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 13, 2011
From: APTIV DIGITAL, INC., A DELAWARE CORPORATION; GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION; INDEX SYSTEMS INC, A BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS COMPANY; ROVI CORPORATION, A DELAWARE CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC., A DELAWARE CORPORATION; ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION, A DELAWARE CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION, A DELAWARE CORPORATION; STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC., A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION; UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC., A DELAWARE CORPORATION
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 027039/0168 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 29, 2010
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A. (A NATIONAL ASSOCIATION)
To: ALL MEDIA GUIDE, LLC; APTIV DIGITAL, INC.; GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION; INDEX SYSTEMS INC.; ODS PROPERTIES, INC.; ROVI DATA SOLUTIONS, INC. (FORMERLY KNOWN AS TV GUIDE DATA SOLUTIONS, INC.); ROVI GUIDES, INC. (FORMERLY KNOWN AS GEMSTAR-TV GUIDE INTERNATIONAL, INC.); ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION (FORMERLY KNOWN AS MACROVISION CORPORATION); ROVI SOLUTIONS LIMITED (FORMERLY KNOWN AS MACROVISION EUROPE LIMITED); ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC.; TV GUIDE, INC.; TV GUIDE ONLINE, LLC; UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 025222/0731 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 15, 2010
From: MACROVISION CORPORATION
To: ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 024539/0284 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 15, 2008
From: APTIV DIGITAL, INC.; GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION; GEMSTAR-TV GUIDE INTERNATIONAL, INC.; INDEX SYSTEMS INC; MACROVISION CORPORATION; ODS PROPERTIES, INC.; STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC.; TV GUIDE ONLINE, LLC; UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 020986/0074 →
MERGER Recorded Apr 23, 2007
From: MEDIABOLIC, INC
To: MACROVISION CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 019466/0865 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 31, 2003
From: PUTTERMAN, DANIEL; DIETRICH, BRAD; TOEMAN, JEREMY; FREITAS, PEDRO; LEGRAND, LUDOVIC; MCCAFFREY, SHAWN; GRIMM, JAMES; JIN, LIJIA; NOVAES, PAUL
To: MEDIABOLIC, INC
Reel/Frame 014644/0331 →