Abstract: A centralized Digital Video Recording (DVR) and reproduction system links several reproduction and control units (such as television receivers, etc.) and a centralized server via a home area network. This allows programming to be distributed throughout the premises, and novelly allows live-pause recording and playback to be effected from more than one reproduction and control unit in a seamless manner. For example, during a live-pause episode, a viewer can pause a program from one control and reproduction unit, and resume viewing the program from the same pause point at another control and reproduction unit on the premises. The present invention also allows a viewer to view multiple programs from the server on the same monitor using a multiple picture-in-picture display.

Abstract: A centralized interactive TV recording and reproduction system linking several “Quality of Service” (QoS) reproduction and control units (such as television and audio reproduction receivers), as well as high bandwidth non-QoS legacy devices such as PCs, via a Home Area Network (HAN) to a centralized media server, has novel traffic control to prevent non-QoS devices from establishing and maintaining high-bandwidth network connections during the real-time transmission of media (video and/or audio) information from the media server to the QoS devices. In the preferred embodiment, the media server also contains a gateway device for connecting the HAN to a Wide Area Network, Metropolitan Area Network, and/or the Internet, and the media server also receives video and audio signals from sources such as cable, satellite, terrestrial broadcast, etc. The media server also contains a network router.

Abstract: The present invention utilizes a gateway providing an open software interface to control in-home communications and to enable in-home devices of various divergent technologies to selectively access external communication features. An in-home communication network utilizes any one or more of several available in-home digital networking media to connect the gateway to device interfaces. The gateway comprises interfaces to a plurality of external communication networks, and one or more in-home communication media, a router coupled to the various interfaces and a controller. Each device specific accessing the in-home network connects to media through a device interface. There will be different interfaces for enabling access by different types of customer premises devices. Each device interface provides physical access to the media as well as functional interfacing, to enable operation with the particular type of customer premises device.