Patent Application
20060257123
The present invention relates generally to a mobile device. In particular, the present invention relates to recording a broadcast being displayed on a mobile device.
Recent innovations enable mobile devices to display a broadcast in a format that is compatible with the device. However, due to limited resources (such as storage space, processing power and battery life) on the mobile device, recording the broadcast on the mobile device is difficult. Further, the broadcast received on the mobile device has a low resolution and is of inferior quality, making it unsuitable for recording. As a result, it is better to record the broadcast by using a secondary device such as a Digital Video Recorder (DVR).
DVRs allow a user to record a broadcast being transmitted by a broadcast source. The recorded broadcast may be stored on a storage device such as a Hard Disk Drive (HDD), a Compact Disk (CD) or a Digital Versatile Disk (DVD). The broadcast may be encoded and/or compressed before storing it on the storage device. The recorded broadcast may be displayed on a television (TV) set or other display device. The term display device, as used herein, refers to known display associated with a TV or computer system, including desktop and laptop systems.
There are various systems for recording a broadcast from a broadcasting source, using a recording device. In one such system, a server stores the broadcast when a user sends an instruction to the server through the Internet, using a computer. In another system, a user may access an Electronic Program Guide (EPG) through a network (such as a Local Area Network, Internet or a phone line) or a remote control, to record the broadcast on a Digital Video Recorder (DVR). Once the broadcast is selected for recording, the user may control the recording by using the EPG and the DVR. In yet another system, a user may log on to a program server, to select the broadcast to be recorded on a recording device. The program server has a program selection tool that helps the user to select the program to be recorded. Once a program is selected, the program server begins controlling the recording device to monitor the recording.
One concern with the above-mentioned systems is that they do not provide any mechanism to spontaneously record the broadcast being displayed on the mobile device.
Another concern with the above-mentioned systems is that they do not provide any mechanism to encode the broadcast in a desired format.
Yet another concern with the above-mentioned system is that they do not allow a user to control the recording of the broadcast.
Accordingly, there is a need of a system that allows spontaneous recording of the broadcast being displayed on the mobile device. The system should also provide a mechanism that encodes the broadcast in a desired format, and allows the user to control the recording of the broadcast.
The present invention is illustrated by way of example, and not limitation, in the accompanying figures, in which like references indicate similar elements, and in which:
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.
One aspect of the present invention is a system for recording a broadcast. The system includes a mobile device, a server, and a Digital Video Recorder (DVR). The mobile device receives and displays the broadcast transmitted from a first Broadcast Source (BS). The mobile device generates a first information pertaining to the broadcast and sends it to the server. The server also receives a first identity of the first BS and a second identity of a second BS. The second BS provides the broadcast to the DVR. The server generates a second information, based on the first information, the first identity, and the second identity. The second information is then sent to the DVR. The DVR, on receiving the second information, starts recording the broadcast being transmitted from the second BS.
Another aspect of the present invention is a method for playing back a recorded broadcast. The recorded broadcast is decoded in a predefined format, suitable for displaying the recorded broadcast on a mobile device. After decoding the recorded broadcast, the recorded broadcast is streamed to the mobile device. Further, a user of the mobile device user may control the playing back of the recorded broadcast.
Before describing in detail a method and system for recording a broadcast, in accordance with the present invention, it should be observed that the present invention resides primarily in combinations of method steps and apparatus components related to the above system. Accordingly, the apparatus components and method steps have been represented, where appropriate, by conventional symbols in the drawings. These drawings show only the specific details that are pertinent for understanding the present invention, so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be apparent to those with ordinary skill in the art, and the benefit of the description herein.
In this document, relational terms such as first and second, top and bottom, and the like may be used solely to distinguish one entity or action from another entity or action without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. An element proceeded by “comprises . . . a” does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises the element.
Referring to
The mobile device 102 is capable of displaying a broadcast. When a user selects a record option on the mobile device 102, for recording the broadcast, the mobile device 102 sends a first information related to the broadcast to the server 104. The mobile device 102 may send the first information through the Internet. The server 104, on receiving the first information, generates a second information. The server 104 then sends the second information to the DVR 106 through the Internet. The DVR 106, on receiving the second information, starts recording the broadcast.
Referring to
The mobile device 102 is capable of displaying a broadcast being transmitted by the first BS 202. The first BS 202 transmits the broadcast in a format that is compatible with the mobile device 102, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. For example, the first BS 202 may transmit the broadcast in a DVB-H format that is compatible with the mobile device 102. The second BS 204 transmits the broadcast to the DVR 106 in a format that is compatible with the DVR 106, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. For example, the second BS 204 may transmit the broadcast in one of a DVB-T format, a DVB-C format, and a DVB-S format that are compatible with the DVR 106. The DVR 106 receives the broadcast with the help of the tuner 206. The DVR 106 records the broadcast based on information received from the server 104, which generates the information based on details of the broadcast being sent by the mobile device 102, a first identity, and a second identity. In one embodiment of the present invention, the server 104 sends the information directly to the DVR 106. In another embodiment of the present invention, the server 104 sends the information to the mobile device 102, which then sends the information to the DVR 106. The first identity includes details pertaining to the broadcast. The second identity includes details pertaining to the second BS 204. The first identity and the second identity are provided to the server 104 by the EBG database 208.
The EBG database 208 stores details related to the broadcasts transmitted by various content sources, for example, the content source 212. The EBG database 208 includes details about the broadcasts. The details may include the time of the broadcasts, the broadcasting sources, and the duration of the broadcasts. For example, for a movie that is being broadcasted, the EBG database 208 may contain details such as the name of the movie, different broadcast sources that are transmitting the movie, the time of the different broadcast sources transmitting the movie, duration of the movie, and cast of the movie. The EBG database 208 provides details pertaining to the broadcast, through the EBG interface 210. The EBG interface 210 allows the server 104 and the content source 212 to access the EBG database 208. The server 104 accesses the EBG database 208 to query for the first identity and the second identity. The content source 212 accesses the EBG database 208, to store details pertaining to the broadcast, the first BS 202, and the second BS 204.
In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the content source 212 provides the broadcast to the first BS 202 and the second BS 204, to provide the broadcast to the mobile device 102 and the DVR 106, respectively. In one embodiment of the present invention, the system 200 includes a display device 214, to display a broadcast recorded in the DVR 106.
Referring to
The tuner port 302 connects the tuner 206 (shown in
The broadcast stored in the storage device 308 is retrieved whenever the user of the mobile device 102 selects a play back option on the mobile device 102. The broadcast, stored in the storage device 308, is then passed to the format decoder 310. The format decoder 310 decodes the broadcast in a format that displays the broadcast on the mobile device 102. The broadcast decoded by the format decoder 310 is sent to the mobile device 102, and may be sent to the mobile device 102 by using wireless means, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
A user may play the recorded broadcast on the display device 214 (shown in
Referring to
At step 406, the server 104 receives the first information from the mobile device 102. The server 104 also receives a first identity of the first BS 202 and a second identity of the second BS 204. At step 408, the server 104 sends a second information to the DVR 106. The second information is generated, based on the first information, the first identity, and a second identity, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. In an embodiment of the present invention, the second information includes a record instruction for the DVR 106. At step 410, the DVR 106 starts recording the broadcast being transmitted from the second BS 204, based on the second information. Thereafter, the process terminates at step 411.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the server 104 sends the second information directly to the DVR 106. In another embodiment of the present invention, the server 104 sends the second information to the mobile device 102. The mobile device 102 then sends the second information to the DVR 106.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the broadcast may be a content being provided by a service provider over the Internet. The first BS 202 and the second BS 204 may be the same, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
Referring to
In an embodiment of the present invention, a proactive shadow recorder 304 starts buffering the broadcast from the moment a user starts watching the broadcast on the mobile device 102. The user of the mobile device 102 may select the size of the buffer. As the buffering reaches a maximum size, a buffered portion of the broadcast is discarded in a First In First Out (FIFO) order. Further, the buffer always contains the latest interval of the broadcast (that is equal to the size of the buffer). The content of the buffer is added to the storage device 308 as soon as the user of the mobile device 102 selects the record option from the mobile device 102.
To accommodate the above technique, the mobile device 102 may notify the DVR 106 every time the user of the mobile device 102 switches from one broadcast to another. Further, the proactive shadow recorder 304 initializes the buffer for buffering a new broadcast.
Referring to
In one embodiment of the present invention, the user of the mobile device 102 may control the recording. The user of the mobile device 102 may stop the recording, pause the recording, continue a paused recording, or delete a recorded broadcast.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the DVR 106 sends a confirmation of the recording to the mobile device 102. The confirmation may contain details such as availability of the broadcast to the DVR 106, and the time at which the DVR 106 started recording the broadcast.
Referring to
Case 2 shows that the broadcast being displayed on the mobile device 102 starts at time 710 and ends at time 714. Further, the broadcast received by the DVR 106 starts at time 712 and ends at time 716. The time 710 is earlier than the time 712, i.e. the broadcast being displayed on the mobile device 102 starts before the broadcast being received at the DVR 106 starts. In case 2, the sever 104 notifies the user of the mobile device 102 that the broadcast received at the DVR 106 has not yet started. Further, the server 104 notifies the user about the time 712 the broadcast will be available for recording at the DVR 106. The server 104 also asks the user of the mobile device 102 whether the user wants to record the broadcast or discontinue the recording.
Case 3 shows that the broadcast displayed on the mobile device 102 starts at time 718 and ends at time 722. Further, the broadcast received by the DVR 106 starts at time 720 and ends at time 724. However, the time 718 is almost equal to the time 720, i.e., the time difference between the broadcast displayed on the mobile device 102 and the broadcast received at the DVR 106 is less than or equal to a predefined value. The user of the mobile device 102 may set the predefined value. In case 3, the DVR 106 starts recording the broadcast received by the mobile device 102.
Referring to
The user may cause the streaming of the recorded broadcast to pause for a desired length of time or may continue the play back after the streaming of the recorded broadcast has been paused. The user may also replay a portion of the recorded broadcast or may skip a portion of the play back. The user may also delete the recorded broadcast from the storage device 308 in the DVR 106.
In various embodiments of the present invention, the broadcast may be a video broadcast, an audio broadcast, an image broadcast, a data broadcast, or a combination of the above broadcasts.
Various embodiments of the present invention provide a system and a method for recording a broadcast. The broadcast may be spontaneously recorded on the DVR 106, since the user of the mobile device 102 is watching the broadcast on the mobile device 102.
Various embodiments of the present invention provide a method and a system for playing back a recorded broadcast. Playing back the recorded broadcast gives the user of the mobile device 102 the flexibility to watch the broadcast (that is recorded on the DVR 106) at a convenient time and place.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the EBG database 208 is accessed through the server 104. The implementation of the server 104 improves the efficiency of the system, as the access to the EBG database 208 through the server 104 is faster than the access to the EBG database 208 through the DVR 106.
Various embodiments of the present invention provide a system and a method to send the recorded broadcast to other electronic devices. The other electronic devices may be devices that are capable of storing the recorded broadcast or the display device 214. Accordingly, the recorded broadcast received by the electronic devices may either be stored on the electronic devices or may be displayed on the display device 214.
Various embodiments of the present invention provide a system and a method to that encode the broadcast in a desired format, such as a DVB-H, a DVB-S, a DVB-T, a MHEG, and a MPEG.
Various embodiments of the present invention provide a system and a method to control the recording of the broadcast by the mobile device 102. The user of the mobile device 102 may stop the recording, pause the recording, continue a paused recording, or delete a recorded broadcast.
In the foregoing specification, the invention and its benefits and advantages have been described with reference to specific embodiments. However, one of ordinary skill in the art appreciates that various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the claims below. Accordingly, the specification and figures are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of present invention. The benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any element(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as a critical, required, or essential features or elements of any or all the claims. The invention is defined solely by the appended claims including any amendments made during the pendency of this application and all equivalents of those claims as issued.
