Abstract: A presentation device, such as a personal video recorder or a digital audio receiver, and a method for saving alternative presentation data for possible future presentation. According to the method, a broadcast stream is received on a selected channel. The broadcast stream includes a plurality of programming media segments and at least one rich media segment associated with the alternative presentation data. The at least one rich media segment and the associated alternative presentation data are embedded within the plurality of programming media segments. Presentation of the at least one rich media segment commences on the selected channel. If presenting the at least one rich media segment on the selected channel is interrupted prior to completely presenting the at least one rich media segment on the selected channel, the alternative presentation data associated with the at least one rich media segment is saved for possible future presentation.

Abstract: An electronic program guide processing device is connectable to a set-top box configured to receive electronic program guide information. The set-top box includes at least one auxiliary interface that supports communication between the electronic program guide processing device and the set-top box. The electronic program guide processing device includes at least one device interface connectable to the auxiliary interface. The electronic program guide processing device further includes an electronic program guide subsystem connected to the device interface to receive and process the electronic program guide information from the set-top box. In one aspect, a digital video recorder is connectable to a set-top box configured to receive electronic program guide information and broadcast audiovisual data. The set-top box includes at least one auxiliary interface that supports communication between the digital video recorder and the set-top box.

Abstract: An audio/video (A/V) system for storing A/V programs includes an interface configured to receive a transport stream structured in packets and representing a plurality of A/V programs. Each A/V program is represented by a plurality of packets and is identified by program identification data in each packet. A storage management system is connected to receive the transport stream from the interface and to detect the program identification data of each received packet. A buffer is coupled to the storage management system and has a plurality of separate buffer portions. Each buffer portion is in communication with the storage management system to receive data of packets having program identification data related to a single A/V program and to store the data of the packets separate from data of packets having program identification data related to different A/V programs. A storage medium is coupled to the storage management system and has a plurality of separate storage files for the A/V programs.

Abstract: An audiovisual system and a method make audiovisual programs available to a user and present on a display device a first available audiovisual program selected from the available audiovisual programs. The audiovisual system includes a disk drive and a preference determination module. The preference determination module estimates a degree of interest for each available audiovisual program. The audiovisual system further includes an alert module that generates an interrupt signal in response to the degrees of interest of the available audiovisual programs. The audiovisual system further includes a system controller responsive to user input and electronic program guide information to present the first available audiovisual program to the user. The system controller is further responsive to the interrupt signal from the alert module to interrupt presenting the first available audiovisual program to provide information to the user regarding at least a second available audiovisual program.

Abstract: A video system for presenting content from a content provider to a user includes a tuner to select a program from a plurality of programs. The tuner outputs the selected program at an analog output when the selected program is represented by an analog signal. An analog output port is coupled to the analog output of the tuner, and is configured to be connectable to a storage device to record the selected program represented by an analog signal. An analog signal processing circuit is coupled to the analog output of the tuner to receive the analog signal representing the selected program from the tuner and to generate a digital representation of the analog signal. A first interface module is configured to be connectable to the storage device to receive recorded programs from the storage device. An overlay module is coupled to the analog signal processing circuit and to the first interface module.

Abstract: The present invention may be regarded as a video recording system and method of transferring a non-time-critical, error-intolerant data segment stored on a disk drive, which is responsive to a set of data transfer commands generated by a host processor and which is operating in a mode optimized for transferring time-critical, error-tolerant streaming data segments stored or to be stored on the disk drive. The method includes sending a sequence of data transfer commands generated by the host processor to the disk drive to transfer a respective sequence of time-critical, error-tolerant streaming data segments at a required data transfer rate. The method further includes selectively interposing a first data transfer command into the sequence of data transfer commands, the first data transfer command initiating a first transfer of the non-time-critical, error-intolerant data segment from a first storage location.

Abstract: A digital video recorder (DVR) for use with a monitor and a set top box (STB) is disclosed. The STB demodulates program data by tuning to at least one of a plurality of channels and comprises a DVR interface. The DVR comprises a local memory for storing the program data received from the STB, and a STB interface for communicating with the DVR interface. The DVR further comprises a DVR controller for communicating control data to direct the STB to tune to a selected channel, and for receiving a channel-change event from the STB in connection with the STB changing the tuned channel.

Abstract: A method of operating a personal video recorder, which is coupled to a display device to selectively present broadcast programs and recorded content to a viewer, maintains a viewing menu in the personal video recorder. The viewing menu includes for a predetermined day of a week at least channel and time information of broadcast programs the viewer has previously selected on the predetermined day of a previous week. The method displays the viewing menu on the predetermined day of the week to enable the viewer to select between executing and not executing the viewing menu in accordance with at least the channel and time information of the broadcast programs. Further, the method selectively updates the viewing menu upon viewer input on the predetermined day of the week to provide for a history of broadcast programs the viewer actually selected on the predetermined day of the week.

Abstract: A digital video recorder (DVR) for use with a monitor and a set top box (STB) is disclosed. The STB demodulates program data from a program signal received over a communication channel and generates a STB graphical user interface (GUI). The DVR comprises a local memory for storing the program data received from the STB, a DVR interface for communicating with the STB, and a DVR controller. The DVR controller generates a DVR GUI, and in response to user input, communicates with the STB to coordinate whether the STB GUI or the DVR GUI is displayed on the monitor.

Abstract: A system for receiving and presenting content at a user location includes a profiling agent that creates a user profile based upon a plurality of inputs by a user. The user profile represents preference characteristics of the user. A storage device is coupled to the profiling agent and stores the user profile. A receiver is configured to receive a set of parameters defined for at least one content. The set of parameters originates from a source of contents. A processing module is coupled to the receiver and the storage device and correlates the user profile with the set of parameters to determine whether parameters in the set of parameters match preference characteristics in the user profile. The processing module further generates a match signal when a sufficient number of the parameters match preference characteristics in the user profile.

Abstract: An audio/video (“A/V”) apparatus for selecting programs from a plurality of programs includes a memory, which receives and stores program information describing a plurality of programs through program attributes, and a source of user-defined criteria. The user-defined criteria identify preferred program attributes and non-preferred program attributes. The A/V apparatus includes further a preference module configured to sort through the program information to determine a program having program attributes that include the preferred program attributes and exclude the non-preferred program attributes.

Abstract: The present invention may be regarded as a digital video recorder (DVR) comprising a storage device for storing an encrypted video program, a unique ID for interlocking the encrypted video program with the digital video recorder, and a cryptography facility. The cryptography facility comprises an encoder, responsive to the unique ID, for encrypting a plaintext video program into the encrypted video program stored on the storage device, and a decoder, responsive to the unique ID, for decrypting the encrypted video program stored on the storage device into the plaintext video program during playback.

Abstract: A digital video recorder (DVR) is disclosed comprising a unique ID, a hard disk drive (HDD) for storing a plurality of encrypted video programs and an encrypted file system, the encrypted file system comprising a plurality of encrypted file system entries for decrypting the plurality of video programs. The DVR further comprises host circuitry for interfacing with the HDD, the host circuitry comprising a cryptography facility for encrypting plaintext file system entries into the encrypted file system entries stored on the HDD, and for decrypting the encrypted file system entries read from the HDD into plaintext file system entries. The cryptography facility comprises a pseudo-random sequence generator, responsive to the unique ID, for generating a pseudo-random sequence.

Abstract: A digital video recorder (DVR) is disclosed for storing a plaintext video program as an encrypted video program. The DVR comprises a random access storage (RAS) device for storing the encrypted video program in encrypted segments. The DVR further comprises a cryptography facility comprising an encoder for encrypting plaintext segments of the plaintext video program into the encrypted segments stored on the RAS device, and a decoder for randomly and independently decrypting the encrypted segments of the encrypted video program into plaintext segments during playback.

Abstract: The present invention may be regarded as a video recording system and method of transferring a non-time-critical, error-intolerant data segment stored or to be stored on a disk drive, which is responsive to a set of data transfer commands generated by a host processor and which is operating in a mode optimized for transferring time-critical, error-tolerant streaming data segments stored or to be stored on the disk drive. The method includes sending a sequence of data transfer commands generated by the host processor to the disk drive to transfer a respective sequence of time-critical, error-tolerant streaming data segments at a required data transfer rate. The method further includes selectively interposing a first data transfer command into the sequence of data transfer commands, the first data transfer command initiating a first transfer of the non-time-critical, error-intolerant data segment.

Abstract: A set-top box is connectable to a digital video recorder that includes at least one recorder interface that supports connection of the digital video recorder to the set-top box, and a disk that stores a selected video segment. The digital video recorder has a video data stream manager that, in response to a real-time video signal, provides a first video stream to store the selected video segment on the disk, and that, in response to a command from the set-top box that initiates a playback interval, receives a second video stream based on the selected video segment stored on the disk to generate a recorded video signal. The digital video recorder is configured to (a) continuously receive the real-time video signal from the set-top box, and (b) provide the recorded video signal to the set-top box during the playback interval.

Abstract: A disk drive connectable to a host system includes a disk, a buffer memory, and an audiovisual interface responsive to first data from the host system to provide audiovisual data. The disk drive further includes a host command interface adapted to receive host commands from the host system. The disk drive further includes a disk controller coupled to the audiovisual interface, the host command interface, the disk, and the buffer memory. The disk controller is responsive to the host commands to selectively allocate at least a portion of the buffer memory among the audiovisual data, and to selectively transfer the audiovisual data from the audiovisual interface to the buffer memory. The disk controller is further responsive to the host commands to selectively transfer the audiovisual data from the buffer memory to the disk to be stored.

Abstract: The present invention may be regarded as a data storage system and a method of controlling the acoustic noise generated by a storage drive of a data storage system. The data storage system includes a storage drive adapted to operate in a selected operational state of a plurality of operational states. Each operational state generates a corresponding acoustic noise level and operates at a corresponding performance level. The data storage system further includes a system controller coupled to the storage drive, the system controller including a system profile. The system controller is adapted to: (a) receive at least one variable parameter; (b) use the at least one variable parameter as an index to the system profile to autonomously select one of the plurality of operational states as the selected operational state; and (c) transmit a control signal to the storage drive.

Abstract: The present invention may be regarded as a method of permitting a viewer to view alternative subject matter data (e.g., an advertisement) on a display while receiving streaming video data without loss of the streaming video data. The method receives streaming video data and displays the streaming video data as a program of a first content. Upon selection by a viewer of the alternative subject matter data, the method stores the streaming video data on a personal video recorder. When the viewer selects returning to viewing of the streaming video data on the display, the method displays the streaming video data stored on the personal video recorder on the display while continuing to store incoming streaming video data on the personal video recorder. This method allows a viewer with “one click” to select and view the alternative subject matter data and with “one click” to return to the first content where it was left.

Abstract: A system stores an incoming video stream in an MPEG format while simultaneously creating a look-up table of the logical block addresses (LBAs) of the memory locations at which frames of the video stream is stored. The system stores the look-up table and the associated MPEG stream on a personal video recorder (PVR) hard drive. The system uses the look-up table to rapidly access the starting points of the individual frames of the MPEG stream to enable rapid random access into the MPEG stream at logical start locations. The system provides the contents of the MPEG frames to an MPEG decompressor to thereby provide TrickPlay of the MPEG stream. The system employs a hardware comparator to rapidly flag the frame start locations within the MPEG stream and to thereby create the look-up table.