Mobile personal video recorder
View Patent ↗A method of digital television recording including receiving a content item at a first Personal Video Recorder (PVR), determining whether to transfer the content item based, at least in part, on at least one of the following currentness of the content item, a user preference, and a user profile, and transferring the content item from the first PVR to a mobile PVR only upon a positive result of the determining. Related methods and apparatus are also disclosed.
1. A method of digital television recording comprising:
receiving a content item at a first Personal Video Recorder (PVR);
determining whether to transfer the content item based on at least one of the following:
groups to which a user is known to belong;
user purchase history;
user recording history;
and
broadcaster requirements;
and
synchronizing the first PVR to a mobile PVR, the synchronizing comprising:
updating an electronic program guide (EPG);
updating conditional access information; and
transferring the content item from the first PVR to the mobile PVR only upon a positive result of the determining,
wherein the EPG is cached on the mobile PVR to allow a user to book a recording of a program or a series of programs when the mobile PVR is not connected to the first PVR; and
after booking a program or series of programs on the mobile PVR when the mobile PVR is synchronized with the first PVR the mobile PVR sends a booking request to the first PVR to instruct the first PVR to record the program or series of programs.
2. The method according to claim 1 and wherein the determining is based, at least in part, on currentness of the content item.
3. The method according to claim 1 and wherein the determining is based, at least in part, on a user preference.
4. The method according to claim 1 and wherein the determining is based, at least in part, on a user profile.
5. The method according to claim 1 and wherein the transferring occurs without user intervention.
6. The method according to claim 1 and wherein the transferring occurs in response to a user initiated request.
7. The method according to claim 3 and wherein the user preference comprises a plurality of individual user preferences.
8. The method according to claim 1 and wherein the mobile PVR comprises a plurality of individual mobile PVRs.
9. The method according to claim 1 and wherein the mobile PVR comprises a television tuner.
10. The method according to claim 1 and wherein the EPG is updateable in at least one of the following ways:
wirelessly; and
over a cable.
11. The method according to claim 1 and wherein the mobile PVR comprises a wireless remote control communication port, and also comprising:
a remote control device, the wireless remote control communication port being operative to communicate with the remote control device.
12. The method according to claim 11 and wherein the wireless remote control communication port is an infra-red communication port.
13. The method according to claim 1 and wherein the content item comprises an advertisement.
14. The method according to of claim 1 and wherein the first PVR comprises a plurality of individual first PVRs.
15. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining whether to transfer the content item is based on at least groups to which the user is known to belong.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein the groups to which a user is known to belong comprise a demographic group.
17. The method of claim 15 wherein the groups to which a user is known to belong comprise a group based on where the user lives.
18. The method of claim 15 wherein the groups to which a user is known to belong comprise a group based on what age children the user may have.
19. The method of claim 15 wherein the groups to which a user is known to belong comprise a group based on the user's income.
20. The method of claim 15 wherein the groups to which a user is known to belong comprise a group based on the user's occupation.
21. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining whether to transfer the content item is based on at least user purchase history.
22. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining whether to transfer the content item is based on at least user recording history.
23. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining whether to transfer the content item is based on at least broadcaster requirements.
24. A digital television recording system comprising:
a first Personal Video Recorder (PVR) operative to receive a content item, the first PVR comprising;
a determining unit on the first PVR operative to determine whether to copy the content item based on at least one of the following:
groups to which a user is known to belong;
user purchase history;
user recording history;
and
broadcaster requirements;
and
a synchronizer operative to synchronize the first PVR to a mobile PVR, the synchronizing comprising:
updating an electronic program guide (EPG);
updating conditional access information; and
transferring the content item from the first PVR to the mobile PVR only upon a positive result of the determining,
wherein the EPG is cached on the mobile PVR to allow a user to book a recording of a program or a series of programs when the mobile PVR is not connected to the first PVR; and
after booking a program or series of programs on the mobile PVR when the mobile PVR is synchronized with the first PVR the mobile PVR sends a booking request to the first PVR to instruct the first PVR to record the program or series of programs.
25. A digital television recording system comprising:
a first Personal Video Recorder (PVR) operative to receive a content item, the first PVR comprising;
determining means comprised in the first PVR for determining whether to copy the content item based on at least one of the following:
groups to which a user is known to belong;
user purchase history;
user recording history;
and
broadcaster requirements; and
synchronizing means synchronizing from the first PVR to a mobile PVR, the synchronizing comprising:
updating an electronic program guide (EPG);
updating conditional access information; and
transferring the content item from the first PVR to the mobile PVR only upon a positive result of the determining,
wherein the EPG is cached on the mobile PVR to allow a user to book a recording of a program or a series of programs when the mobile PVR is not connected to the first PVR; and
after booking a program or series of programs on the mobile PVR when the mobile PVR is synchronized with the first PVR the mobile PVR sends a booking request to the first PVR to instruct the first PVR to record the program or series of programs.
26. A method of digital television recording comprising:
receiving a content item at a first Personal Video Recorder (PVR);
determining whether to transfer the content item based, at least in part, on at least one of the following:
groups to which a user is known to belong;
user purchase history; and
broadcaster requirements;
and
synchronizing the first PVR to a mobile PVR, the synchronizing comprising:
updating an electronic program guide (EPG);
updating conditional access information; and
transferring the content item from the first PVR to the mobile PVR only upon a positive result of the determining,
wherein the EPG is cached on the mobile PVR to allow a user to book a recording of a program or a series of programs when the mobile PVR is not connected to the first PVR; and
after booking a program or series of programs on the mobile PVR when the mobile PVR is synchronized with the first PVR the mobile PVR sends a booking request to the first PVR to instruct the first PVR to record the program or series of programs.