Patent Application
20050078934
1. Field of Invention
This invention pertains to a system and apparatus for storing the output from a personal video recorder. The content is then stored and recorded on a CD, a DVD or similar media. The content can also be transmitted to others over a variety of networks including but not limited to broadcast, multicast, point-to-point, or peer-to-peer. Alternatively, the content may be stored on another device containing storage similar to that in the PVR (e.g. a hard drive).
2. Description of the Prior Art
Personal Video Recorders (also called PVRs or Digital Video Recorders), available from manufacturers such as TiVo, and SONICBlue, are devices similar to a Video Cassette Recorder (VCR) designed to record television programs. The PVR differs from a common VCR in that it digitizes, compresses and records all programs to an internal, non-removable hard disk drive or other digital storage device. PVRs are becoming more common in households as users discover the convenient features and flexibility of digital recording, as well as the advantages of having combined recording/program guide capabilities. With a PVR a user can, for example, find a program or series of programs of interest and direct the system to record an individual program, all of the programs in a series, or only the new episodes. PVRs also allow the user to “pause” live programming and resume playback several minutes to several hours later while the PVR continues to record the program. Some PVRs also allow the user to rate programs, and, based on the programs the user indicates are of interest, will “learn” what types of programs the user likes and will automatically record those types of programs. Other PVRs attempt to infer a profile of the viewer and automatically record programs that are a good match to the profile.
Since PVRs typically do not use removable storage media, and do not provide users with the ability to easily copy and distribute digital copies of content, they frequently have a feature called “Save to VCR”. With this feature the PVR will take a digitally recorded program and pass an analog copy of the program to a VCR so that the program can be recorded on a removable/archivable medium (typically, an analog video cassette tape). In some PVRs, the “Save to VCR” command causes the VCR to begin recording automatically, usually by using a so-called “IR Blaster” to start and stop the VCR through its infrared remote control input.
Storage of programs on analog tapes has a number of deficiencies. First, analog tapes do not provide the highest quality possible and degrade over time. Second, tapes are bulky and are therefore difficult to transport and require significant storage space.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a system for automatically creating digital copies of content recorded on PVRs, and allowing that content to be stored outside of the PVR and freely distributed.
A digitizing system is described that connects to a PVR in parallel with, or in place of a VCR. The digitizing system intercepts the analog audio and video signals generated by the PVR during a “Save to VCR” command. Upon receiving a “Start” command, the digitizing system automatically initiates digitization and compression of the video and audio signal outputs of the PVR and thus creates a digital copy of the material. In the event that additional information (e.g. title or other metadata) is presented to the VCR or to another device connected to the PVR, the digitizing system can also intercept that data and appropriately tag the newly created digital copy. The digitizing system provides a means for copying the digitized program to a removable storage medium or transferring the digitized program over a computer network.
The digitizing system can be a stand-alone dedicated device or may be implemented using a personal computer. The newly created digital copy of the content can be stored on a hard drive in the digitizing system, or the file can be streamed out for storage elsewhere in a computer network. Alternatively, the file can be shared or broadcast over a computer network, and individual users may choose to download and store the file on their local systems.
Alternatively, the PVR is modified so that when requested by a user, it outputs a program in a digital format. The program is then decoded (if needed), stored and viewed, recorded or distributed as desired.
These and other features and objects of the invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of the embodiments, which should be read in light of the accompanying drawings.
In this respect, before explaining the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein, as well as the abstract, are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be used as a basis for designing other structures, methods, and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention.
In describing an embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology will be used for the sake of clarity. However, the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific terms so selected, and it is to be understood that each specific term includes all technical equivalents which operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose.
Referring to
The digitized program is then provided to a storage and distribution device 130, which stores the digitized program in memory. The device 130 may also be connected to other devices that selectively record the program on a CD or a DVD, or which distribute the program electronically to other locations. Device 130 can be incorporated into the Digitizing System 100, however, it is shown herein as a separate element for the sake of clarity.
A block diagram of an embodiment of a stand-alone Digitizing System 100 and the associated and distribution device 130 is shown in
As shown in
Standard video signals include a so-called “Vertical Blanking Interval”. The Vertical Blanking Interval (VBI) makes up the portion of the video signal during which the electron beam in the display tube (Cathode Ray Tube) within the television receiver returns to its origin after finishing a complete scan. Information present in the video signal during the VBI is not typically seen by the television viewer. For video signals based on the NTSC standard, the VBI consists of approximately 42 horizontal lines per video frame (a video frame in the NTSC standard comprises a total of 525 horizontal lines). Some of these 42 horizontal lines within the VBI are used by many television broadcasters to carry test signals for the purpose of measuring or improving the reception of television broadcasts (for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,211, entitled “System for echo cancellation comprising an improved ghost cancellation reference signal”, describes a system to reduce multipath effects—ghosts—by incorporating a reference signal in the VBI that is used by the receiver to cancel multipath propagation). Other horizontal lines within the VBI are used by many television broadcasters to carry digital data signals that provide general information or descriptive information (metadata) associated with the broadcast program content. The most common of this digital data is the so-called “Closed-Captions”, which provide on-screen captions for viewers with hearing impairments. Additional metadata includes rating and content descriptors for use with “V-Chip” enabled television receivers, time-of-day information, and teletext. These data services are described, for United States television systems, in the Electronic Industries Association standard: “EIA 608: Recommended Practice for Line 21 Data Service”.
The video compression process used by Digitizing System 100, is preferably optimized for processing video information and may not preserve the digital data on the horizontal lines within the VBI with sufficient quality to enable television receivers to accurately read this information from the decompressed and reconstructed video signal. To ensure that this data is faithfully reproduced after compression and subsequent decompression, Digitizing System 100 may, in one embodiment, include a VBI capture/data processor 211 that decodes the digital data on the horizontal lines within the VBI and store it in digital form along with the stored file of compressed video and audio data representing the recorded program. During subsequent decompression and playback of the stored file, the digital data would be re-encoded and inserted onto the appropriate horizontal lines within the VBI of the reconstructed video signal. In another embodiment, Digitizing System 100 does not store the information from the VBI of the recorded program. In this embodiment, subsequent decompression and playback of the stored file will not include the data stored within the VBI of the original program.
In addition to the data derived from the horizontal lines within the VBI, Digitizing System 100 may also add metadata to the stored file to identify the name, time, date and other associated information. For example, the Digitizing System 100 may (automatically or under user control) add information such as which user caused the file to be stored, how long the file shold be stored for, a priority storage code (i.e., do not overwrite unless a higher priority storage file is to be stored), automatic or user-selected codes relating to the content of file (e.g., “2 thumbs up” or “chick-flick”) or the like. This additional metadata may be derived from a time/date clock within Digitizing System 100 (not shown), signals relayed from Personal Video Recorder 102 through IR Blaster 112, or information entered manually by the user.
Once the digital media file has been stored in its entirety, the user has the option to record this file on a removable magnetic or optical media, or send it over a computer network to a computer or other device. Examples of removable magnetic media include floppy disks, hard disks, and Zip® disks. Optical media are those that incorporate a substrate whose optical properties can be modified either permanently (so-called “write-once” media) and those that can be repeatedly written, erased, and rewritten. Examples of removable optical media include CR-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD-RAM.
In an alternate embodiment, the user may configure the system to transfer the stored program to a hard drive, memory stick, or other electro-magnetic or electrical storage media, and record and/or transmit the program at a latter time.
Infrared Receiver 312 receives commands from Personal Video Recorder 102 via IR Blaster 112 and coveys them to Personal Computer 300. In one embodiment, Video Capture Device 310 and Infrared Receiver 312 are incorporated into the same electronics assembly or printed circuit board and communicate with Personal Computer 300 through the same means. In an alternate embodiment, Infrared Receiver 312 is a stand-alone unit that communicates with Personal Computer 300 through a Universal Serial Bus (USB), RS-232 serial interface, or parallel interface. Upon receipt of a “Start” command from Personal Video Recorder 102, Personal Computer 300 directs Video Capture Device 310 to begin digitizing and compressing the video and audio inputs. Personal Computer 300 receives the digitized compressed video and audio signals from Video Capture Device 310 and stores them on its internal hard disk drive or other internal digital storage device.
Referring to
Some of the Personal Video Recorders presently available on the market are very flexible and permit a user to modify its operation.
Once the data has been decoded, it can be stored in a local memory. The data can also be recorded on a portable media and/or distributed by device 130A, in the same manner as discussed above for the embodiment of
The digital data from the decoder 100A can also be sent to the television set 106 so that it can be viewed directly.
The many features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the detailed specification. Thus, the appended claims are intended to cover all such features and advantages of the invention that fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and variations will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation illustrated and described. Accordingly, all appropriate modifications and equivalents may be included within the scope of the invention.
Although this invention has been illustrated by reference to specific embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made which clearly fall within the scope of the invention. The invention is intended to be protected broadly within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
