Automatic Memory Management for a Home Transcoding Device
A content moving device which enables providing content stored on a first user device, such as a DVR, in a first format and resolution to be provided to a second user device, such as a portable media player (PMP) in a second format and resolution. The content moving device identifies content on the first user device as candidate content which may be desired by the PMP and assigns a priority level to the content. The content moving device transcodes the candidate content in order of highest priority first and lowest priority last. The content moving device may also use the priority level to manage deletion of the transcoded content from the storage on the content moving device. The lowest priority level content may be deleted first as storage space is needed.
1 . An apparatus for moving content from a first user device to a second user device, comprising:
a first device interface configured to receive content in a first format from the first user device;
a device manager configured to assign a priority level to a candidate content;
a transcoder configured to transcode candidate content by decoding the candidate content in the first format as decoded content and encoding the decoded content into a second format compatible with the second user device as transcoded content;
a storage unit which stores the transcoded content; and
a second device interface configured to provide transcoded content to the second device,
wherein the candidate content is transcoded prior to other candidate content based on the assigned priority level of the candidate content.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the priority level is assigned based on user input.
3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein user input includes user selection of the candidate content through a user interface, the user interface including one of, a web page, a computer interface, television remote, a portable media player, touch screen display, keypad or pointer device.
4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the priority level is assigned based on rights management rules associated with the candidate content.
5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the priority level is assigned based on a type of content of the candidate content, the type of content including genre or content series.
6 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the priority level assigned based on a type of content is assigned based on user selection of transcoded content to be transferred to the second device.
7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the priority level is assigned based on a rating associated with the candidate content.
8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein first device includes a plurality of storage devices, and the priority level is assigned based on the amount of time the candidate content has been stored relative to other content stored on any storage device of the plurality of storage devices.
9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the transcoded content is deleted from the storage unit based on one or more of: the assigned priority level, an amount of time the transcoded content has been stored, an amount of time the candidate content has been stored, or settings in the first device.
10 . A method for moving content from a first user device to a second user device using a content moving device, comprising the steps of:
the content moving device assigning a priority level to candidate content on the first user device in a first format to be moved to the second user device;
receiving the candidate content from the first device;
transcoding the candidate content by decoding the candidate content in the first format as decoded content and encoding the decoded content into a second format compatible with the second user device as transcoded content;
storing the transcoded content in a storage associated with the content moving device;
wherein the candidate content is transcoded prior to other candidate content based on the assigned priority level of the candidate content.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the priority level is assigned based on user input.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein user input includes user selection of the candidate content through a user interface, the user interface including one of, a web page, a computer interface, television remote, a portable media player, touch screen display, keypad or pointer device.
13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the priority level is assigned based on rights management rules associated with the candidate content.
14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the priority level is assigned based on a type of content of the candidate content, the type of content including genre or content series.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the priority level assigned based on a type of content is assigned based on user selection of transcoded content to be transferred to the second device.
16 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the priority level is assigned based on a rating associated with the candidate content.
17 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the transcoded content is deleted from the storage unit based on one or more of: the assigned priority level, an amount of time the transcoded content has been stored, an amount of time the candidate content has been stored, or settings in the first device.
18 . A non-transitory computer readable medium carrying instructions for a computer to perform a method for moving content from a first user device to a second user device using a content moving device, comprising the steps of:
the content moving device assigning a priority level to candidate content on the first user device in a first format to be moved to the second user device;
receiving the candidate content from the first device;
transcoding the candidate content by decoding the candidate content in the first format as decoded content and encoding the decoded content into a second format compatible with the second user device as transcoded content;
storing the transcoded content in a storage associated with the content moving device;
wherein the candidate content is transcoded prior to other candidate content based on the assigned priority level of the candidate content.
19 . The computer readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the priority level is assigned based on user input.
20 . The computer readable medium of claim 19 , wherein user input includes user selection of the candidate content through a user interface, the user interface including one of, a web page, a computer interface, television remote, a portable media player, touch screen display, keypad or pointer device.
21 . The computer readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the priority level is assigned based on rights management rules associated with the candidate content.
22 . The computer readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the priority level is assigned based on a type of content of the candidate content, the type of content including genre or content series.
23 . The computer readable medium of claim 22 , wherein the priority level assigned based on a type of content is assigned based on user selection of transcoded content to be transferred to the second device.
24 . The computer readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the priority level is assigned based on a rating associated with the candidate content.
25 . The computer readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the transcoded content is deleted from the storage unit based on one or more of: the assigned priority level, an amount of time the transcoded content has been stored, an amount of time the candidate content has been stored, or settings in the first device.