Abstract: A method of transmitting programs from a source of programs to a user location divides a program into a plurality of program streams, wherein each program stream represents a temporal segment of the program. The method adds identification data to the plurality of program streams and multiplexes the plurality of program streams comprising the identification data into a transport stream. The transport stream is transmitted to a user location. The program represented by the plurality of program streams is transmitted in a reduced amount of time. The amount of time decreases with the number of program streams used.

Abstract: A system for storing video data includes a receiver configured to receive a stream of video data that includes a sequence of original transport packets. Each original transport packet has a first predetermined number of bytes including video data bytes. A first circuit is configured to add a second predetermined number of bytes to each original transport packet to create a modified transport packet having a third predetermined number of bytes. A storage medium is addressable on sector boundaries, wherein each sector has a predetermined number of user data bytes different from the first predetermined number of bytes. The first byte in a modified transport packet aligns with a first user data byte in a sector after a first predetermined number of sectors following a previous alignment.

Abstract: The present invention may be regarded as a video recording system and method of enabling the recording of an external video data stream for a video program segment selected using an electronic program guide. The video recording system comprises a user interface that receives user input, a video input interface that receives the external video data stream for the selected video program segment, an isochronous interface connectable to an external rotating storage drive, and a video data management system. The video data management system uses the electronic program guide to select the video program segment in response to the user input. The video data management system recognizes connection of the external rotating storage drive to the video recording system and subsequently identifies the external rotating storage drive as available for video data storage.

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: 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 data stream control system and a method selectively store a series of selected data packets with interpacket time intervals from an incoming data transport stream. The data stream control system includes a programmable data packet filter that transmits the series of selected data packets in response to the packet filter parameter. A counter provides counter values for the selected data packets representing a time of reception for the respective selected data packet. The counter values are stored in association with the respective selected data packets to preserve information regarding the interpacket time intervals. The data stream control system can further include a timing restorer to transmit a stored series of selected data packets with interpacket time intervals which substantially match the corresponding interpacket time intervals of the series of selected data packets.

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: 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.

Abstract: The present invention may be regarded as a digital video recorder connectable to a set-top box. The digital video recorder receives a real-time video signal from the set-top box and provides a recorded video signal to the set-top box during a playback interval. The digital video recorder includes a disk and a video data stream manager that in response to the real-time video signal provides a first video stream to store a selected video segment on the disk. The video data stream manager, in response to commands from a microprocessor in the set-top box, receives a second video stream based on the selected video segment stored on the disk to generate the recorded video signal. The set-top box includes a multiplexer that selects the real-time video signal during a real-time interval and selects the recorded video signal during the playback interval to generate an output video data stream to a display device.