DVR Overlapping Timer Recording with Linked Event Files

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Solution Overview

Problem

Digital video recorders (DVRs) often fail to provide a time buffer for recording multiple programs in adjacent time slots on the same channel, leading to incomplete event files that may miss the beginning or ending of a program, causing user inconvenience and potential loss of content if not accessed correctly.

Innovation Solution

A DVR system that recognizes overlapping recording timers for programs on the same channel, stores overlapping content in separate event files, and allows seamless playback by copying and linking data between files, ensuring complete recording of programs without truncation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a DVR records multiple programs in adjacent time slots using a single tuner, then the recording capacity and productivity are improved, but the time buffer for each program is lost, causing incomplete event files

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverecording capacityVSAvoidcompleteness of event files

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the recording process by creating separate event files for each program while maintaining overlapping time buffers. Each event file contains not only its program's content but also portions of adjacent programs' time buffers, ensuring completeness without requiring multiple tuners.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges content from multiple programs into a single event file when they are recorded on the same channel with overlapping time slots. This combining approach ensures that the time buffer for each program is preserved within the same file, maintaining reliability while improving productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Ease of operation

If a DVR creates separate event files for each program, then the organization and ease of operation are improved, but the user may miss content spread across multiple files, reducing reliability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefile organizationVSAvoidcontent completeness

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary action by pre-populating event files with time buffer content from adjacent programs before the user accesses them. This ensures that when users open an event file, they automatically receive the complete program including any overflow content from neighboring time slots, without requiring users to manually search multiple files.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If a DVR extends recording time to include time buffers, then the completeness of program recording is improved, but the storage space consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprogram completenessVSAvoidstorage space

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes the event file universal by allowing it to serve multiple purposes: containing the primary program content, time buffers for the primary program, and potentially content from adjacent programs. This multi-functionality ensures completeness without requiring separate dedicated storage for each time buffer, optimizing storage space utilization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS9154721B2Apparatus and methods for recording adjacent time slots of television programming on the same channel

Publication Date: 2015.10.06 DISH NETWORK LLC

AI summary

Various embodiments described herein provide techniques for a DVR to utilize the same data stream to record multiple events with adjacent time slots simultaneously. A DVR is configured to recognize when two recording timers for programs on the same channel overlap. Content for each program may be stored in separate event files on the DVR or the content in one event file may be linked with the content in another event file. Thus, overlapping content may be accessed through either of the event files.