Shared DVR programming via a web page
View Patent ↗Techniques for shared DVR programming via a web page enable using a DVR widget in a web page and DVR environment on a network to view DVR content from a publisher's DVR usage data and based on the viewed DVR content from the publisher's DVR, record or schedule to record particular content on the viewer's DVR.
1. A method, comprising:
receiving, from a device by a first server, a selected metadata item selected from a list of one or more selectable metadata items on a first user's web page displayed on the device, the first user's web page served from a social network web site server to the device, each of the one or more selectable metadata items are associated with one or more content stored or scheduled to be recorded in a first multimedia device associated with the first user; and
responsive to receiving from the device an indication that the metadata item was selected from the one or more selectable metadata items, automatically sending, by the first server, in real-time across a network a message causing a second multimedia device to record or schedule to record a content associated with the selected metadata item, the second multimedia device associated with a second user.
2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the message is an instant message and is sent using an instant message communication protocol.
3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein prior to sending the message, receiving first data that are associated with a second user and second data that are associated with the second multimedia device, wherein the first data and the second data are used for obtaining access to the second multimedia device.
4. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein sending the message causing a second multimedia device to record or schedule to record the content further comprises the step of:
sending the message to a server coupled to a storage device that stores database tables that are associated with the second multimedia device;
wherein the message comprises data that cause the database tables that are associated with the second multimedia device to be updated to reflect that the content is to be recorded or is scheduled to record and that cause synchronization between the updated database tables and the second multimedia device.
5. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein causing the second multimedia device to record further comprises copying the content and metadata that is associated with the content from the first multimedia device directly to the second multimedia device.
6. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein causing the second multimedia device to record further comprises copying the content and metadata that is associated with the content from the first multimedia device to the second multimedia device through an intermediate storage device.
7. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein causing the second multimedia device to record further comprises causing the second multimedia device to download the content from a content provider across a network.
8. An apparatus, comprising:
a web page receiver, at a first server, that receives, from a device, a selected metadata item selected from a list of one or more selectable metadata items on a first user's web page displayed on the device, the first user's web page served from a social network web site server to the device, each of the one or more selectable metadata items are associated with one or more content stored or scheduled to be recorded in a first multimedia device associated with the first user; and
a sending processor, at the first server, that responsive to receiving from the device an indication that the metadata item was selected from the one or more selectable metadata items, automatically sends in real-time across a network a message causing a second multimedia device to record or schedule to record a content associated with the selected metadata item, the second multimedia device associated with a second user.
9. The apparatus as recited in claim 8 , wherein the message is an instant message and is sent using an instant message communication protocol.
10. The apparatus as recited in claim 8 , wherein prior to sending the message, the sending processor receives first data that are associated with a second user and second data that are associated with the second multimedia device, wherein the first data and the second data are used for obtaining access to the second multimedia device.
11. The apparatus as recited in claim 8 , wherein the sending processor is configured to send the message to a server coupled to a storage device that stores database tables that are associated with the second multimedia device, and wherein the message comprises data that cause the database tables that are associated with the second multimedia device to be updated to reflect that the content is to be recorded or is scheduled to record and that cause synchronization between the updated database tables and the second multimedia device.
12. The apparatus as recited in claim 8 , wherein the message comprising data that cause the second multimedia device to record or schedule to record the content item further comprises data that cause the content and metadata that is associated with the content to be copied from the first multimedia device directly to the second multimedia device.
13. The apparatus as recited in claim 8 , wherein the message comprising data that cause the second multimedia device to record or schedule to record the content item further comprises data that cause the content and metadata that is associated with the content to be copied from the first multimedia device to the second multimedia device through an intermediate storage device.
14. The apparatus as recited in claim 8 , wherein the message comprising data that cause the second multimedia device to record or schedule to record the content item further comprises data that cause the second multimedia device to download the content from a content provider across a network.
15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing one or more sequences of instructions, which when executed by one or more processors, cause performance of:
receiving, from a device by a first server, a selected metadata item selected from a list of one or more selectable metadata items on a first user's web page displayed on the device, the first user's web page served from a social network web site server to the device, each of the one or more selectable metadata items are associated with one or more content stored or scheduled to be recorded in a first multimedia device associated with the first user; and
responsive to receiving from the device an indication that the metadata item was selected from the one or more selectable metadata items, automatically sending, by the first server, in real-time across a network a message causing a second multimedia device to record or schedule to record a content associated with the selected metadata item, the second multimedia device associated with a second user.
16. A method as recited in claim 15 , wherein the message is an instant message and is sent using an instant message communication protocol.
17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 15 , wherein prior to sending the message, receiving first data that are associated with a second user and second data that are associated with the second multimedia device, wherein the first data and the second data are used for obtaining access to the second multimedia device.
18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 15 , wherein sending the message causing a second multimedia device to record or schedule to record the content further comprises the step of:
sending the message to a server coupled to a storage device that stores database tables that are associated with the second multimedia device;
wherein the message comprises data that cause the database tables that are associated with the second multimedia device to be updated to reflect that the content is to be recorded or is scheduled to record and that cause synchronization between the updated database tables and the second multimedia device.
19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 15 , wherein causing the second multimedia device to record further comprises copying the content and metadata that is associated with the content from the first multimedia device directly to the second multimedia device.
20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 15 , wherein causing the second multimedia device to record further comprises copying the content and metadata that is associated with the content from the first multimedia device to the second multimedia device through an intermediate storage device.
21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 15 , wherein causing the second multimedia device to record further comprises causing the second multimedia device to download the content from a content provider across a network.