Method and system for managing information on a video recording device

Abstract

A method and system that implement a process for managing video information on a video recording device. The management process involves receiving a video input signal including a video stream, obtaining content information corresponding to the video stream, associating the content information with the video stream, and storing the video stream and associated content information in a database as a searchable index for the video stream. The searchable index includes location of the stored video stream and identifies the associated content information. Then, content information from an input signal corresponding to a video stream is captured for analysis and searching the index to identify stored video streams related to the video program for suggestion to the user.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a functional block diagram of a management system implementing a process for video recording with related video suggestion list on a PVR, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a flowchart of an example management process implemented in the system of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows a functional block diagram of another management system, which is a variation of the system of FIG. 1, according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows a flowchart of another example management process implemented in the system of FIG. 3, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows a functional block diagram of a home network implementing a method for video recording with a related video suggestion list on a PVR, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method of managing video information on a video recording device, comprising the steps of: receiving a video input signal including a video stream;obtaining content information corresponding to the video stream;associating the content information with the video stream; andstoring the video stream and associated content information in a data base as a searchable index for the video stream.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the index includes a location of the stored video stream and identifies the associated content information.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein: the input signal further includes said content information corresponding to the video stream; andthe step of obtaining said corresponding content information further includes capturing said corresponding content information from the input signal.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the content information includes closed-captions and/or subtitles corresponding to the video stream.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the content information includes metadata corresponding to the video stream.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein: the video stream comprises a video program currently being watched by a user; andthe method further comprises the steps of using the content information to extract a list of keywords related to the video program.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the content information includes closed-caption and/or subtitle information for the video program.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of using the keywords to search the index and identify stored video streams related to the video program.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of providing a suggestion list to the user based on the identified stored video streams.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of using the keywords to search another source of stored video streams, to identify video streams related to the video program.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said other source comprises the Internet.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein searching another source further comprises using the keywords to generate queries for one or more Internet search engines, to identify video streams related to the video program.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising providing a suggestion list to the user based on the identified video streams and the identified video streams on the Internet.

14. The method of claim 9 further comprising receiving user selection of video streams from the suggestion list for viewing, and replaying the selected video stream from the database.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising receiving the user's selection of one or more video streams from the suggestion list for viewing and/or storing in the database.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising playing and/or storing the selected video stream.

17. A method of managing video information for a user, comprising the steps of: in a recording phase: receiving a video input signal including a video stream;obtaining content information corresponding to the video stream, including closed-caption and/or subtitle information for the video stream;associating the content information with the video stream;storing the video stream and associated content information in a database;generating an index that provides the location of the stored video stream in the database, and identifies the associated content information;in a viewing phase: receiving a video input signal including a video stream comprising a video program;upon user request, using the content information to extract keywords related to the video program; andusing one or more of the keywords to search the index for identifying whether the stored video streams relate to the video program.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising providing a suggestion list to the user based on the identified stored video streams.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising using the keywords to search another source of stored video streams, to identify stored video streams related to the video program.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein said other source comprises the Internet.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein searching another source further comprises using the keywords to generate queries for one or more Internet search engines, to identify video streams related to the video program.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising providing a suggestion list to the user based on the identified stored video streams and the identified video streams on the Internet.

23. The method of claim 18 further comprising receiving the user's selection of video streams from the suggestion list for viewing, and replaying the selected video stream from the database.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising receiving the user's selection of one or more video streams from the suggestion list for viewing and/or storing in the database.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising playing and/or storing the selected video stream.

26. A video information management system, comprising: an extractor that is configured to receive a video input signal including a video stream to obtain content information corresponding to the video stream;an analyzer that is configured to associate the content information with the video stream; anda recorder that is configured to store the video stream and associated content information in a database as a searchable index for the video stream.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein the index includes the location of the stored video stream and identifies the associated content information.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein: the input signal further includes said content information corresponding to the video stream; andthe extractor is further configured to obtain said corresponding content information by capturing said corresponding content information from the input signal.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein the content information includes closed-captions and/or subtitles corresponding to the video stream.

30. The system of claim 27 wherein the content information includes metadata corresponding to the video stream.

31. The system of claim 27 wherein: the video stream comprises a video program currently being watched by a user; andthe extractor is further configured to use the content information to extract a list of keywords related to the video program.

32. The system of claim 31 wherein the content information includes closed-caption and/or subtitle information for the video program.

33. The system of claim 32 further comprising a controller and a search module, wherein the controller is configured to use the keywords to form a query and the search module is configured to search the index and identify stored video streams related to the video program.

34. The system of claim 33 wherein the controller is further configured to provide the suggestion list to the user based on the identified stored video streams.

35. The system of claim 33 wherein the search module is further configured to use the keywords to search another source of stored video streams, to identify video streams related to the video program.

36. The system of claim 35 wherein said other source comprises the Internet.

37. The system of claim 36 wherein the search module is further configured to use keywords to perform a search using one or more Internet search engines, to identify video streams related to the video program.

38. The system of claim 37 wherein the controller is further configured to provide a suggestion list to the user based on the identified video streams and the identified video streams on the Internet.

39. The system of claim 34 wherein the controller is further configured to receive user selection of video streams from the suggestion list for viewing, and replay the selected video stream from the database.

40. The system of claim 38 wherein the controller is further configured to receive user selection of one or more video streams from the suggestion list for viewing and/or storing in the database.

41. The system of claim 39 wherein the controller is further configured to play and/or store the selected video stream.