METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING MEDIA CONTENT

1 . A method of delivering media content to a user, comprising:

providing an interface for a user to specify one or more events;

providing real-time media content to the user;

recording said real-time media content in a circular buffer having an end point; and

determining whether the real-time media content contains one or more user specified events and marking said user specified events in the circular buffer;

wherein recording real-time media content in the buffer comprises skipping over and not overwriting unviewed marked user specified events when recording contents in the circular buffer.

2 . The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising extending the ending point of the circular buffer to a new ending point if there are unviewed marked user specified events in the circular buffer.

3 . The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

determining whether the one or more marked user specified events in the circular buffer have been viewed and wherein recording real-time media content in the circular buffer comprises overwriting the marked user specified events in the buffer that have been viewed.

4 . The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein determining whether the real-time media content contains one or more user specified events and marking said user specified events in the circular buffer occurs as the real-time content is being provided to said user, as the real-time media content is being recorded to the circular buffer, or after said user has performed a playback function.

5 . The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein marking said user specified events in the buffer comprises recording a time stamp corresponding to the beginning of the event or a time stamp corresponding to a point of time before the beginning of the event.

6 . The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

marking the user specified events in the buffer using one or more index files.

7 . A method of delivering media content to a plurality of users, comprising:

providing at least one interface for a plurality of users to specify one or more events for each user;

providing real-time media content to said plurality of users;

recording real-time media content in a circular buffer;

determining whether the real-time media content contains one or more events specified by any of said plurality of users, marking said events in said circular buffer, and associating each marked event with an identity of one of said plurality of users; and

providing an interface that allows each of said plurality of users to select marked events associated with said user for playback,

wherein recording real-time media content in the buffer comprises skipping over and not overwriting unviewed marked user specified events when recording contents in the circular buffer.

8 . The method as recited in claim 7 , wherein recording real-time media content in the circular buffer further comprises extending the ending point of the circular buffer to a new ending point if there are unviewed marked user specified events in the circular buffer.

9 . The method as recited in claim 7 , further comprising:

determining whether the one or more marked user specified events in the circular buffer have been viewed and wherein recording real-time media content in the circular buffer comprises overwriting the marked user specified events in the buffer that have been viewed.

10 . The method as recited in claim 7 , wherein marking said user specified events in the buffer comprises recording a time stamp corresponding to the beginning of the event or to a period of time before the beginning of the event.

11 . The method as recited in claim 7 , further comprising:

marking the user specified events in the buffer using one or more index files.

12 . The method as recited in claim 7 , further comprising providing an interface to allow each of said plurality of users to select playback of marked events associated with each user.

13 . The method as recited in claim 12 , wherein recording real-time media content comprises recording said content in a buffer in a hub box; and wherein said interface to allow each of said plurality of users to select playback are a plurality of terminal boxes.

14 . The method as recited in claim 13 , further comprising:

providing real-time media content in a main display window; and

providing playback of a plurality of user selected marked events in a plurality of display windows overlaying the main display window.

15 . A system for delivering media content to a user, comprising:

a receiver for receiving real-time media content;

a non-volatile memory for buffering real-time media content;

an output interface for providing media content to a user;

an input interface for a user to specify one or more events; and

a processor for determining whether the real-time media content contains one or more user specified events;

wherein, the processor marks the user specified events in the memory if it determines that the real-time media content contains one or more user specified events, and

wherein the processor determines whether there are one or more marked user specified events in the buffer, and wherein the processor causes additional real-time media content recorded in the buffer not to overwrite marked user specified events in the buffer, if said processor determines there are one or more marked user specified events in the buffer.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the processor determines if marked user specified events in the buffer have been viewed, and wherein the processor causes additional real-time media content recorded in the buffer to overwrite marked user specified events in the buffer, if said processor determines that said marked user specified event has been viewed.

17 . The system of claim 15 , wherein if the processor determines there are one or more marked user specified events in the buffer, the processor extends the ending point of the circular buffer to a new ending point.

18 . The system of claim 16 , further comprising

at least one hub box, wherein said hub box comprises said non-volatile memory; and

a plurality of terminal boxes operatively connected to said hub box, wherein each of said terminal boxes comprises one of said input interface for a user to specify one or more events, and wherein each of said terminal boxes comprises an interface that allows a user to retrieve for playback events stored on said memory of said hub box.

19 . The system of claim 18 , further comprising:

a plurality of read pointers, said plurality of read pointers enabling reading a plurality of events simultaneously; and

one or more output interfaces for providing media content read from the plurality of read pointers to a plurality of users.

20 . The system as recited in claim 18 , further comprising:

at least one display comprising:

at least one main display window for displaying real-time content; and

a plurality of display windows overlaying said main display window, each of said plurality of display windows displaying a user selected event.