Technique for recording entertainment programming content with limited memory capacity
A personal video recording (PVR) system and method for allocating limited memory space to multiple users for recording programming content. A selected amount of storage space for storing programing content is allocated for each PVR user. Based on a storage priority protocol, such storage space allocation may change (i.e., increase or decrease) dynamically for additional PVR users. Further, the accessibility of recorded programming content by one or more PVR users and viewing thereof may be subject to different access rights accorded to the users. Based on predetermined storage access and content access protocols associated with each PVR user, certain restrictions may be placed on one or more of these users. For example, a first restriction may relate to the type of programming content that can be recorded or displayed by the PVR for specific user(s). A second restriction may limit designated users from accessing programming content that is stored but associated with another user.
1. A video content recording and playback system, comprising:
a personal video recording (PVR) system including:
an input coupled to a communications network for receiving television input streams communicated over said communications network;
a storage controller for dynamically allocating storage space on a hard disk included in the PVR system for storing entertainment programming content obtained from said television input streams to a plurality of users of the PVR system, the controller being configured to allocate separate storage subspaces on the hard disk to each of the plurality of users;
an interface for receiving a request from at least one of the plurality of users for recording or playback of selected entertainment programming content, a personal identifier being associated with the request, said personal identifier including at least one of a personal identification number (PIN) and a biometric identifier associated with the least one of the plurality of users;
wherein said storage controller is responsive to the request for recording or playback of the selected entertainment programming content, said storage controller controlling storage of the selected entertainment programming content when said request is a request for recording and said storage controller controlling retrieval of requested content when said request is a playback request, said storage controller maintaining user profiles relating to each of the plurality of users of the PVR system in a user database, each individual user profile including a storage priority, a disk access priority, a content access priority program listings information corresponding to the user to which the individual user profile corresponds;
wherein said storage controller is configured to use the storage priority level associated with a user to determine whether disk subspace allocated to the user can be taken away from said user when dynamically reallocating storage space in response to a request from another user;
wherein said storage controller is further configured to use the disk access priority associated with a user to determine the user's right to access stored content including the content of other users of the PVR system;
wherein said storage controller is further configured to use said content access priority associated with a user to determine the types of entertainment programming content the user is permitted to record and access using the PVR system; and
wherein the program listing associated with a user indicates content that has been recorded and is currently stored by the user.
2. The video content recording and playback system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a television for displaying television signals output by said personal video recording system.
3. The video content recording and playback system according to claim 1 , wherein the personal identifier includes a personal identification number (PIN).
4. The video content recording and playback system according to claim 1 , wherein said storage controller is configured to allocate a first storage subspace to said at least one of the plurality of users, said first storage subspace including at least two memory segments which are not contiguous.
5. The video content recording and playback system of claim 1 , wherein said user database further includes, for each of said plurality of users, content category information associated with said user.
6. The video content recording and playback system of claim 1 , wherein said system is a personal video recorder including a single hard disk providing said storage, said single hard disk being said hard disk.
7. The video content recording and playback system of claim 1 , wherein said television input streams are MPEG streams communicating video and audio content.
8. The video content recording and playback system of claim 1 , wherein said communications network is a cable network.
9. The video content recording and playback system of claim 1 , wherein said television input streams are television broadcasts.
10. The video content recording and playback system of claim 1 , wherein said storage controller is configured to provide different users different levels of storage priority, said different levels of storage priority including: i) a first level of storage priority which indicates a user is allowed to allocate storage space among users and change the allocation of storage space to users; ii) a second level of storage priority which indicates a user is allowed to maintain the available storage space allocated to the user; and iii) a third level of storage priority which indicates a user is limited to, at most, using the storage space allocated to the user and the user can lose storage space to another user having a higher storage priority.