Video Recording Time Offset Calculation for DVR Timing Accuracy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current time shifting recording systems, such as DVRs, may experience discrepancies between service provider and content provider system clocks, leading to incomplete recordings due to timing mismatches.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method to calculate and apply offset start times for recording schedules based on channel or channel group-specific offset values, ensuring accurate timing for video recording devices and services.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If system clocks of service provider and content provider are assumed to be synchronized, then recording scheduling is simplified, but recording accuracy deteriorates due to clock discrepancies between providers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calculating and storing offset values for each channel or channel group based on observed timing discrepancies between service provider and content provider clocks. When a recording request is received, the system retrieves the pre-stored offset value and applies it to the scheduled recording time, eliminating the need for real-time clock synchronization while maintaining accurate recording timing.
2Measurement precision
If channel-specific offset values are implemented, then recording accuracy for individual channels is improved, but system complexity increases due to managing multiple offset values
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies merging by combining multiple channels with similar timing characteristics into channel groups that share common offset values. Instead of maintaining separate offset values for each individual channel, the system groups channels and assigns a single offset value to each group, reducing the number of offset values that need to be managed while still maintaining accurate recording timing for channels within each group.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies universality by creating channel groups where a single offset value serves multiple channels simultaneously. The offset management system becomes multi-functional, handling both individual channel offsets and channel group offsets, allowing the same mechanism to serve different levels of granularity (individual channels or groups of channels) based on the specific recording requirements.
3Measurement precision
If real-time clock synchronization between service provider and content provider is implemented, then recording accuracy is improved, but system complexity and communication overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing clock synchronization measurements and offset calculations in advance, before actual recording operations. The system pre-determines the timing offsets between service provider and content provider clocks for each channel or channel group and stores these values for later use. This eliminates the need for continuous real-time synchronization during recording operations, reducing system complexity and communication overhead while maintaining recording accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems are provided for recording time offset for video recording devices and services including receiving a request to record a program, wherein the program is associated with show schedule information including a start time and a channel identifier, determining that the channel identifier is associated with at least one offset value, calculating an offset start time based at least in part on the start time and the offset value, and storing a scheduled record time for the program using the offset value.