Digital video recorder with advanced user functions and network capability
A digital video recording system that uses a first digital video recording process to record at least one video program, and to form a list of recorded programs. A connection over a network is made to at least one other digital video recording process. A list is formed that indicates programs that have been recorded on both the first digital video recording process and on the other digital video recording process that is connected over the network.
1 . A method, comprising:
using a first digital video recording process to record at least one video program, and to form a list of recorded programs;
connecting over a network to at least one other digital video recording process; and
forming said list to indicate programs that have been recorded on both said first digital video recording process and on said at least one other digital video recording process that is connected over the network.
2 . A method as in claim 1 , further comprising maintaining a cache listing programs available on said at least one other digital video recording process associated with said first digital video recording process, and displaying said programs based on said cache without requiring connection to said at least one other digital video recording process.
3 . A method as in claim 1 , further comprising storing some part of the programs available on said at least one other digital video recording process associated with said first digital video recording process and enabling a preview of said programs.
4 . A method as in claim 1 , wherein said programs are stored in a list, and said list is accessible using at least one arrow key, and further enabling an action which goes up or down by more than one page.
5 . A method as in claim 1 , wherein said programs are stored in a list, and further comprising allowing entry of names of said programs into the number pad of a remote control using a predictive text input algorithm.
6 . A method as in claim 4 , wherein said action goes up or down by n pages, where n is some number greater than 1.
7 . A method as in claim 4 , wherein said action goes down to one of a bottom or top of a list.
8 . A method as in claim 1 , further comprising enabling an action and whereby the recorder can automatically transfer a program that it is recording to another DVR.
9 . An apparatus, comprising:
a first digital video recorder that records at least one video program, stores the recorded program, said recorder having a network connection that allows connecting to at least one other recorder that stores at least one other recorded program, and forms a list to indicate programs that have been recorded on both said first digital video recorder process and said at least one other digital video recorder.
10 . An apparatus as in claim 9 , wherein said first digital video recorder maintains a cache listing programs available on said at least one other digital video recorder, and displaying said list from said cache without requiring connection to said at least one other digital video recorder.
11 . An apparatus as in claim 9 , wherein said first digital video recorder also stores some part less than all, of the programs available on said at least one other digital video recorder process.
12 . An apparatus as in claim 9 , wherein said programs are stored in a list, and further comprising an interface to a remote control that controls navigation on said list using at least one arrow key, and further enabling an action which goes up or down by more than one page.
13 . An apparatus as in claim 9 , wherein said programs are stored in a list, and further comprising an interface to a remote control with number keys used to control channel selection, and that controls navigation on said list using entry of names of said programs into the number pad of the remote control using a predictive text input algorithm.
14 . An apparatus as in claim 9 , further comprising at least one sensor on said digital video recorder, sensing the presence of a person, and carrying out at least one operation based on said sensing.
15 . An apparatus, comprising:
a remote control for a video selection device including number keys allowing selection of channels, and a selectable mode which allows entry of program names into the number pad of the remote control using a predictive text input algorithm that converts said number entry into text names.
16 . An apparatus as in claim 15 , wherein said remote control controls a first digital video recorder that records at least one video program.
17 . An apparatus as in claim 16 , wherein said remote control enables selection of viewing either programs only on said first digital video recorder, or also those on other recorders connected to said at least one other digital video recorder.
18 . An apparatus as in claim 17 , wherein said selection includes first digital video recorder maintains a cache listing programs available on said at least one other digital video recorder, and wherein said selection enables displaying without requiring connection to said at least one other digital video recorder.
19 . An apparatus as in claim 18 , wherein said first digital video recorder also stores some part less than all, of the programs available on said at least one other digital video recorder process.