a2) United States Patent
`US 7,073,189 B2
`(0) Patent No.:
`
` McElhattenet al. (45) Date of Patent: Jul. 4, 2006
`
`
`US007073189B2
`
`(75)
`
`(54) PROGRAM GUIDE AND RESERVATION
`SYSTEM FOR NETWORKBASED DIGITAL
`INFORMATION AND ENTERTAINMENT
`STORAGE AND DELIVERY SYSTEM
`Inventors: David McElhatten, Marina Del Rey,
`on tus). StevenJohnson. Pasadena,
`;
`John
`W. Callahan,
`Broomfield, CO (US); Mare J.
`Apfelbaum, New York, NY (US);
`Robert Benya, Breezy Point, NY (US);
`Louis D. Williamson, Denver, CO
`(US); James A. Chiddix, New York,
`NY US)
`
`5,285,272 A
`5,335,277 A
`5,357,276 A
`5,371,551 A
`5,436,917 A
`ee A
`5,528,282 A
`
`2/1994 Bradley et al.
`8/1994 Harvey etal.
`10/1994 Banker etal.
`12/1994 Logan et al.
`7/1995 Karasawa
`2000 pCallaghan et al.
`6/1996 Voeten et al.
`(Continued)
`
`EP
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`1 087 619
`*
`3/9001
`
`(Continued)
`
`(*) Notice:
`
`(73) Assignee: Time WarnerInteractive Video
`Group, Ine., Stamford, CT (US)
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term ofthis
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 533 days.
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`Roy Furchgott, “Don’t want people to control their T.V.s?”,
`The New York Times, Aug. 24, 2000, Section G, p. 1, col.
`2, Circuits, 2000 The New York Times Company.
`.
`(Continued)
`Primary Examiner—VivekSrivastava
`(21) Appl. No.: 10/302,550
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Brown Raysman Millstein
`“yg,
`Felder & Steiner LLP
`(22)
`Filed:
`Nov. 22, 2002
`ABSTRACT
`(57)
`(65)
`Prior Publication Data
`US 2003/0208763 Al=Nov. 6, 2003
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`(60) Provisional application No. 60/377,963,filed on May
`3. 2002.
`(51)
`Intcl
`(2006.01)
`HOAN o/445
`(2006.01)
`GO6F 3/00
`(2006.01)
`GO6F 13/00
`(52) US. Che cicceccceccssscesssesssessessseesseeesnee 725/58; 725/25
`(58) Field of Classification Search ...........00.... 725/58
`See application file for complete search history.
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`(56)
`
`In a broadband communications system, e.g., a cable sys-
`tem, Programnne content can be readily reserved and
`accessed for viewing using interactive program guides in
`accordance with the invention. Such programming content
`may include in-progress programs, future programs and
`previously broadcast programs which are recorded at a
`headendin the cable system, and which may or may not have
`Overlapping broadcast
`times.
`In addition,
`the user may
`‘Teserve programsata set-top terminal, and may also do so
`remotely from the terminal through a communications net-
`work such as,
`the Internet, a public switched telephone
`network (PSTN), a wireless telephone network,etc.
`
`5,253,066 A
`
`10/1993 Vogel
`
`53 Claims, 32 Drawing Sheets
`
`100
`
`120
`1085
`HEADEND
`
` 123
`
`MODULATOR
`BANK
`
`
`
`
`
`HFC CABLE
`NETWORK
`150
`
` SERVICE
`
`MODEM
`AREA NODE
`
`POOL
`
`
`SERVICE
`AREA NODE
`
`
`
`SET-TOP
`TERMINAL
`
`158-1
`
`]
`
`_|
`
`SET-TOP
`TERMINAL
`
`158-2
`
`
`
`SET-TOP
`TERMINAL
`
`158-L
`
`Comcast, Exhibit-1006
`
`A/S PROCESSOR
`
`
`
`
`
`
`ya
`yall
` CACHE MANAGER PROCESSOR
`
`
`SWITCHING
`
`
`
`UNIT
` fils
`
`NETWORK
`LIBRARY MANAGER |
`
`CONTROLLER
`
`
`
`
`
`
`§
`
`Comcast, Exhibit-1006
`
`1
`
`

`

`US 7,073,189 B2
`
`Page 2
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`.....00.... 386/83
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`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
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`WO
`WO
`WO
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`WO 00/11871 Al
`WO 00/52928 Al
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`1/2001 Beard
`6,172,712 Bl
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`6,442,332 B1*
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`3/2003 Moroney
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`Cable News Network.
`
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`2000 Cable News Network.
`
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`Demand File Service, Digital Equipment Corporation, p. 4
`(“CMFAP”).
`US 6,940,674, 09/2005, Sugiyamaet al. (withdrawn)*
`
`* cited by examiner
`
`2
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul. 4, 2006
`
`Sheet 1 of 32
`
`US 7,073,189 B2
`
`
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul. 4, 2006
`
`Sheet 2 of 32
`
`US 7,073,189 B2
`
`235
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`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul. 4, 2006
`
`Sheet 3 of 32
`
`US 7,073,189 B2
`
`FIG. 4
`
`IDENTITY OF REQUESTED
`READ RECEIVED REQUEST TO LEARN TSIDs,
`PROGRAM MATERIAL, AND ORIGINATION ADDRESS
`
`SELECT TRANSPORT STREAM AMONG THOSE IDENTIFIED BY RECEIVED TSIDs
`
`IDENTIFY CARRIER CARRYING SELECTED TRANSPORT STREAM
`
`DETERMINE PROGRAM ID IDENTIFYING PROGRAM STREAM
`REPRESENTING REQUESTED PROGRAM MATERIAL
`
`COMMUNICATE TO MEDIA PROCESSOR FIRST MESSAGE
`
` SEND SECOND MESSAGE RESPONSIVE TO RECEIVED REQUEST 10 SET-TOP TERMINAL
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`
` READ RECEIVED PAUSE MESSAGE
`
`
`
`NOTE IN RECORD THAT TRANSMISSION OF PROGRAM
`MATERIAL TO TERMINAL HAS BEEN HALTED
`
`5
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul. 4, 2006
`
`Sheet 4 of 32
`
`US 7,073,189 B2
`
`FIG. 7
`
`READ RECEIVED REWIND MESSAGE
`
`RETRIEVE RECORD ASSOCIATED WITH
`SET-TOP_TERMINAL
`
`|
`
`RETRIEVE REWIND TRICK FILE
`ASSOCIATED WITH PROGRAM
`
`IDENTIFY I-FRAME IN REWIND TRICK FILE
`
`READ ARRAY OF IDENTIFIERS OF I-FRAMES IN REWIND
`TRICK FILE STARTING FROM THAT OF IDENTIFIED [-FRANE
`
`CAUSE PROGRAM MATERIAL, CORRESPONDING TO I-FRAME
`IDENTIFIERS AS READ, TO BE RETRIEVED, AND TO BE
`TRANSMITTED IN TRANSPORT STREAM TO TERMINAL
`
`703
`
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`
`
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`
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`
`
`TRANSMITTED IN TRANSPORT STREAM TO TERMINAL
`
`B12
`
`B18
`
`6
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul. 4, 2006
`
`Sheet 5 of 32
`
`US 7,073,189 B2
`
`FIG. 9
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`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul. 4, 2006
`
`Sheet 6 of 32
`
`US 7,073,189 B2
`
`FIG. 10
`
`5010
`
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`INDICATE RESERVATION
`
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`9020
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`USER WANT TO RESERVE ALL
`
`PROGRAMS MARKED
`
`
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`FOR RESERVATION
`
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`
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`
`PROGRAM(S) ACCESSIBLE TO
`USER FOR PREDETERMINED TIME
`
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`
`FOR PREDETERMINED TIME
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`ACCESS 10
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`MAINTAINED
`
`YES
`
`SEND MESSAGE 10 USER THAT
`PROGRAM NO LONGER AVAILABLE
`
`OFFER USER OPPORTUNITY T0
`ARCHIVE RESERVED PROGRAM
`
`5060
`
`5070
`
`8
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul. 4, 2006
`
`Sheet 7 of 32
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`US 7,073,189 B2
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`U.S. Patent
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`Jul. 4, 2006
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`Sheet 10 of 32
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`US 7,073,189 B2
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`U.S. Patent
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`Jul. 4, 2006
`
`Sheet 11 of 32
`
`US 7,073,189 B2
`
`
`PROGRAM AVAILABLE 10
`USERS FOR PREDETERMINED
`
`
`AMOUNT OF TIME
`
`
`
`
`?
`
`
` 6050
`
`6060
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`PROGRAM AVAILABILITY
`MAINTAINED
`
`PREDETERMINED TIME
`ELAPSED
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`
`
`PROGRAM GUIDE
`SERVER
`
`
`
`192
`
`WEB INTERFACE
`
`13
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul. 4, 2006
`
`Sheet 12 of 32
`
`US 7,073,189 B2
`
`FIG. 16
`
`
`
`5710
`
`PROGRAM IS SELECTED
`FOR RESERVATION
`
`
`
`
`IS CHANNEL
`
`SUBSCRIPTION-BASED
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`MESSAGE THAT FEE
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`?
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`DISPLAYED
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` MULTIPLE
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`EPISODES TO BE
`RESERVED
`
`9725
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`
`2
`
`SINGLE EPISODE
`
`
`RESERVATION FEE
`
`IS ASSESSED
`
`
`
`PROCEED TO 5315 OF
`
`MULTIPLE EPISODE
`
`
`FIG. 12 FOR CURRENT
`
`
`RESERVATION FEE IS
` ASSESSED
`
`PROGRAM, 9420 OF FIG. 13
`FOR PAST PROGRAM, 5515
`
`OF FIG. 14 FOR FUTURE
`
`PROGRAM
`
`
`
`PROCEED TO 5620 OF
`FIG.
`11
`
`14
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul. 4, 2006
`
`Sheet 13 of 32
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`US 7,073,189 B2
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`U.S. Patent
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`Jul. 4, 2006
`
`Sheet 14 of 32
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`US 7,073,189 B2
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`U.S. Patent
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`2Z0A
`FIG.
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`Jul. 4, 2006
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`Sheet 15 of 32
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`US 7,073,189 B2
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`U.S. Patent
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`Jul. 4, 2006
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`Sheet 17 of 32
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`Jul. 4, 2006
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`Jul. 4, 2006
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`U.S. Patent
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`Jul. 4, 2006
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul. 4, 2006
`
`Sheet 22 of 32
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`FIG. 25
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`LOOK BACK
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`8/19, 8:00 ~ 10:00pm
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`24
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`US 7,073,189 B2
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`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul. 4, 2006
`
`Sheet 23 of 32
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`LOOK SACK
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`LOOK_BACK
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`2:05pm
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`US 7,073,189 B2
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`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul. 4, 2006
`
`Sheet 24 of 32
`
`US 7,073,189 B2
`
`FIG. 27
`
`8324
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`26
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`26
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`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul. 4, 2006
`
`Sheet 25 of 32
`
`US 7,073,189 B2
`
`FIG. 28
`
`3130
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`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`66Old
`
`Jul. 4, 2006
`
`Sheet 26 of 32
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`US 7,073,189 B2
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`U.S. Patent
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`Jul. 4, 2006
`
`Sheet 27 of 32
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`US 7,073,189 B2
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`U.S. Patent
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`Jul. 4, 2006
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`Sheet 28 of 32
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`US 7,073,189 B2
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`Jul. 4
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`Sheet 30 of 32
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`32
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`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul. 4, 2006
`
`Sheet 31 of 32
`
`US 7,073,189 B2
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`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul. 4, 2006
`
`Sheet 32 of 32
`
`US 7,073,189 B2
`
`
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`
`
`RESERVED PROGRAM
`TRANSMITTED TO USER
`
`ADVERTISING COMMERCIAL
`BROADCASTED
`
`USER ACTIVITY IS
`MONITORED
`
`4240
`
`
`
`
`
`HAS USER
`PLAYED ENTIRE
`COMMERCIAL
`
`FIG. 35
`
`4210
`
`4220
`
`
`
`
`
`4230
`
`PLAYED PART OF
`COMMERCIAL
`?
`
`?
`4250 HAS USER
`
` 4280
`
`COMMERCIAL NOT PLAYED
`
`
`4290
`
`
`INDICATE THAT ENTIRE
`COMMERCIAL PLAYED
`
`INDICATE PORTION OF
`COMMERCIAL PLAYEO (TIME
`
`INDICATE THAT
`
`COMPILE RESULTS
`
`34
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`34
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`

`

`US 7,073,189 B2
`
`1
`PROGRAM GUIDE AND RESERVATION
`SYSTEM FOR NETWORK BASED DIGITAL
`INFORMATION AND ENTERTAINMENT
`STORAGE AND DELIVERY SYSTEM
`
`10
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`20
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`30
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`40
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`45
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`50
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`The present application claims under 35 U.S.C. §119(e)
`the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/377,
`963 filed on May 3, 2002.
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`
`The invention relates to communications systems and
`methods, and moreparticularly to a system and method for
`accessing and reserving entertainment programs and other
`information through a communications network, e.g., a
`cable network.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`Personal video recorders (PVRs), also known as digital
`video recorders (DVRs), e.g., TiVO and ReplayTV devices,
`are popular nowadays, stemming from their capabilities of
`“pausing”, “rewinding” and “fast-forwarding” live televi-
`sion (TV) broadcast while it is being recorded. They may
`also offer programming access and recording functions,
`including “season pass”—like options for automatically
`recording every episode of a show for an entire season and
`an “on-screen guide” for looking up recorded programs to
`view. The PVRs may also suggest programs for recording
`based on a user’s viewing habit.
`With the advent of digital communications technology,
`many TV broadcast streams are transmitted in digital for-
`mats. For example, Digital Satellite System (DSS), Digital
`Broadcast Services (DBS), and Advanced Television Stan-
`dards Committee (ATSC) broadcast streams are digitally
`formatted pursuant to the well known Moving Pictures
`Experts Group 2 (MPEG-2) standard. The MPEG-2 standard
`specifies, among others, the methodologies for video and
`audio data compressions which allow multiple programs,
`with different video and audio feeds, multiplexed in a
`transport stream traversing a single broadcast channel. A
`digital TV receiver may be used to decode an MPEG-2
`encoded transport stream, and extract the desired program
`therefrom. The prior art PVRs take advantage of MPEG-2
`compression of video and audio data to maximize use of
`their limited storage capacity.
`
`MPEG-2 BACKGROUND
`
`Tn accordance with the MPEG-2 standard, video data may
`be compressed based on a sequence of groups of pictures
`(GOPs), in which each GOP may begin with an intra-coded
`picture frame (also known as an “I-frame”), which is
`obtained by spatially compressing a complete picture using
`discrete cosine transform (DCT). As a result, if an error or
`a channel switch occurs,
`it
`is possible to resume correct
`decoding at the next I-frame.
`The GOP mayrepresent additional frames by providing a
`much smaller block of digital data that indicates how small
`portions of the I-frame, referred to as macroblocks, move
`over time. Thus, MPEG-2 achieves its compression by
`assuming that only small portions of an image change over
`time, making the representation of these additional frames
`extremely compact. Although GOPs have no relationship
`between themselves,
`the frames within a GOP have a
`specific relationship which builds off the initial I-frame.
`
`2
`The compressed video and audio data are carried by
`continuous elementary streams, respectively, which are bro-
`ken into access units or packets, resulting in packetized
`elementary streams (PESs). These packets are identified by
`headers that contain time stamps for synchronizing, and are
`used to form MPEG-2 transport streams. For digital broad-
`casting, multiple programs and their associated PESs are
`multiplexed into a single transport stream. A transport
`stream has PES packets further subdivided into short fixed-
`size data packets, in which multiple programs encoded with
`different clocks can be carried. A transport stream not only
`comprises a multiplex of audio and video PESs, but also
`other data such as MPEG-2 program specific information
`(sometimes referred to as metadata) describing the transport
`stream. The MPEG-2 metadata may include a program
`associated table (PAT)that lists every program in the trans-
`port stream. Each entry in the PAT points to an individual
`program map table (PMT)thatlists the elementary streams
`making up each program. Some programs are open, but
`some programs may be subject to conditional access (en-
`cryption) and this informationis also carried in the MPEG-2
`transport stream, possibly as metadata.
`The aforementioned fixed-size data packets in a transport
`stream each carry a packet identifier (PID) code. Packets in
`the same elementary streams all have the same PID, so that
`a decoder can select the elementary stream(s) it needs and
`reject the remainder. Packet-continuity counters may be
`implemented to ensure that every packet that is needed to
`decode a stream is received.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`Although prior art PVRs offer such attractive program-
`ming access and recording functions (e.g., the aforemen-
`tioned “season pass”-like options and “on-screen guide”),
`we have recognized certain disadvantages associated with
`use of the PVRs. For example, one disadvantage is that a
`prior art PVR only records(a) the last X minutes of program
`material played on the channel to which the user actually
`tunes, where X represents a limited value, and (b) desired
`programs which needto be identified to or by the PVR in
`advance of their broadcast. Thus, any program material
`other than (a) or (b) is not recorded by a PVR, thereby
`limiting the materials that a user can review. For example,
`the PVR user cannot review any unrecorded program (or
`sometimes even in its entirely after its broadcast has started)
`although the program is recommendedbya friend after its
`broadcast. Another disadvantageis that limited by the num-
`ber of tuners therein, a prior art PVR is not capable of
`recording programsin their entirety which have overlapping
`broadcast times and the number of which is greater than the
`numberoftuners, thereby further limiting the materials that
`a user can review.
`
`limitations by
`The invention overcomes the prior art
`providing network-based interactive programming andser-
`vices. For example, in accordance with the invention, broad-
`cast programsare recorded at a headend of a cable network
`before they are delivered to a userat a set-top terminal. Thus,
`the user may reserve, for later review, not only in-progress
`programs and future programs as in prior art, but also
`previously broadcast programs
`since they have been
`recorded at the headend regardless of any user request. As
`such,
`the user may also restart an in-progress program
`without a prior request. In addition, by removing the pro-
`gram recording function from a local device, e.g., a prior art
`PVR,to the network, the user no longer needs to be bothered
`with the local device (or its remote control for that matter),
`
`35
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`

`US 7,073,189 B2
`
`4
`FIG. 4 is a flow chart depicting a process for providing
`program material in response to the request of FIG. 3;
`FIG. 5 illustrates selected carriers for transmitting pro-
`gram materials in a forward passband of the system of FIG.
`1;
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`FIG.3 illustrates a request for program material from a
`set-top terminal in the system of FIG. 1;
`
`3
`and may also reserve programs having overlapping broad-
`cast times. Further, the user may reserve programs using a
`device located remotely from the user’s terminal, such as
`any computer connected to the internet or any telephonic
`device connected to the public switched telephone network
`FIG.6 is a flow chart depicting a process for pausing a
`(PSTN)or a wireless telephone network.
`Thus, with the invention, a user advantageously can enjoy program in response to a pause message fromaset-top
`
`terminal;
`any desired programs anytime, thereby transcending tradi-
`tional program schedule limitations. The invention fully
`FIG.7 is a flow chart depicting a process for rewinding a
`meets such common needs as multiple membersof a house-
`program in response to a rewind message from a set-top
`terminal;
`hold wanting to reserve and/or archive different shows that
`have overlapping broadcast
`times, e.g., Sunday football
`FIG. 8 is a flow chart depicting a process for fast-
`games. The invention also makes possible reserving and/or
`forwarding a program in responseto a fast-forward message
`archiving, e.g., news events, election coverage, etc. across
`from a set-top terminal;
`networks and channels for later comparative review.
`FIG.9 is an illustration of a remote control according to
`Further, the invention obviates the need of a proactive
`one embodimentof the present invention;
`effort otherwise required of a PVR user, which includes
`FIG. 10 is a flow chart depicting a program reservation
`deciding and actively electing in advance what showsto
`process in a first embodiment of the invention;
`record. If the user forgets or is too busy to set the PVR to
`FIG.11 illustrates screen displays in reserving a group of
`record the desired shows, the shows normally would not be
`programs in accordance with the invention;
`recorded, thereby depriving the user of a chance to review
`FIG. 12 illustrates screen displays in reserving a current
`show in accordance with the invention;
`them. To solve such a problem, for example, an inventive
`“Lookback” feature is implemented here to allow a user to
`FIG. 13 illustrates screen displays in reserving a past
`show in accordance with the invention;
`go back and access previously broadcast programs up to a
`predetermined period in the past.
`FIG. 14 illustrates screen displays in reserving a future
`In addition, as mentioned before, the invention obviates
`show in accordance with the invention;
`use of a prior art PVR which is undesirable in manyre