Broadband Recording Scheduling via Delay-Aware EPG Conflict Resolution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for recording broadband content face challenges in managing time delays introduced by service providers, leading to conflicts and overlaps when customers attempt to record different content with varying delay times.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a programming processing component that identifies desired content, determines associated delays, and schedules recordings accordingly, utilizing an encoder to introduce delays for improved signal quality and a guide data server to incorporate delay information into electronic program guide data, allowing for conflict resolution by cutting off overlapping content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If encoding efficiency is improved by adding time delay, then signal quality is improved, but timing conflicts and overlaps occur between recorded content
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by determining the delay amount for each channel before scheduling recordings. The EPG data is preprocessed to include delay information, and the scheduling algorithm proactively adjusts recording times based on this advance knowledge, preventing timing conflicts before they occur.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual timing adjustment with an automated electronic scheduling system. The processor automatically calculates adjusted recording times by adding delay amounts to broadcast times, substituting mechanical timing coordination with computational scheduling that resolves conflicts algorithmically.
2Reliability
If delay information is tracked and scheduling is adjusted, then timing conflicts are resolved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The EPG data structure is enhanced to serve multiple functions: it continues to provide program information while also carrying delay amount data for scheduling purposes. The scheduling system performs multiple tasks including conflict detection, time adjustment, and recording coordination within a unified framework, reducing the need for separate specialized subsystems.
Solution Approach 2:
The scheduling system is self-sufficient by incorporating delay determination capabilities directly into the EPG processing. The system automatically retrieves delay information from EPG data, calculates adjusted times, and schedules recordings without requiring external intervention or complex external coordination mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods, and apparatus for recording time delayed broadband content are provided. Desired content to be recorded may be identified by a programming processing component configured to receive broadband content output by a service provider. A channel associated with the desired content and an amount of delay associated with the channel may be determined. Based at least in part upon the determined amount of delay, the recording of the desired content may be scheduled by the programming processing component.