Networked DVR Content Guide for Seamless Playback
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional digital video recorder systems face challenges in managing and navigating content across multiple devices in a local area network, leading to cumbersome user experiences and limitations in accessing and sharing recorded programs across different rooms in a household.
Innovation Solution
The system allows for networked digital video recording devices to access and share content through a common guide, enabling users to navigate and play programs stored on remote devices, pause a program on one device, and resume it on another, with features like unit identification and customizable labels for seamless navigation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple digital video recording devices are connected in a local area network to enable access to programs across different devices, then the versatility and adaptability of the system is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal guide interface that can access programs from multiple different DVR devices through a network. The guide system is designed to work with any number of DVRs on the network, providing a single point of access for users to view programs stored on any connected device, thereby achieving multi-functionality without requiring separate interfaces for each device.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a networked guide system as an intermediary between the user and multiple DVR devices. This guide acts as a mediator that consolidates program information from various DVRs into a single interface, allowing users to access programs without needing to understand or interact with the individual devices' complex configurations.
2Ease of operation
If a common guide interface is provided to access programs from multiple DVRs, then the ease of operation is improved, but the loss of information about program location and device-specific metadata increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the guide interface into distinct functional areas: a program listing section that displays available programs, a device identification section that shows which DVR the program is stored on, and a playback control section. This segmentation allows the interface to maintain simplicity for user navigation while preserving detailed information about program locations and device metadata through structured display elements.
Data Source
AI summary
Access to programs using network connected digital video recording devices is disclosed. A DVR causes display of a content guide including a unit identification area. When the unit identification area is updated, the content guide also updates to reflect programs available on the currently selected DVR. The content guide of a remotely connected DVR can thus be displayed, from which programs are selected for playback. Playback can be resumed from a point at which a viewer terminated viewing, either at the local or remote location, or from the beginning of the program.