The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 15, 2004
Filed:
Jun. 28, 2000
Timothy J. Elliott, Fountain Valley, CA (US);
William B. Boyle, Lake Forest, CA (US);
Other;
Abstract
A set-top box is connectable to a digital video recorder that includes at least one recorder interface that supports connection of the digital video recorder to the set-top box, and a disk that stores a selected video segment. The digital video recorder has a video data stream manager that, in response to a real-time video signal, provides a first video stream to store the selected video segment on the disk, and that, in response to a command from the set-top box that initiates a playback interval, receives a second video stream based on the selected video segment stored on the disk to generate a recorded video signal. The digital video recorder is configured to (a) continuously receive the real-time video signal from the set-top box, and (b) provide the recorded video signal to the set-top box during the playback interval. The set-top box includes a video input interface that receives a broadcast signal to generate the real-time video signal, and a video output interface that provides an output video data stream to a display device. The set-top box further includes a microprocessor that recognizes connection of the digital video recorder to the set-top box, and that, in response to user input, generates the command that initiates the playback interval. The set-top box further includes at least one auxiliary interface that supports connection of the set-top box to the recorder interface of the digital video recorder, the auxiliary interface continuously providing the real-time video signal to the digital video recorder subsequent to the microprocessor recognizing connection of the digital video recorder to the set-top box. The set-top box further includes a multiplexer, coupled to the video output interface and the microprocessor. The multiplexer selects the real-time video signal during a real-time interval and selects the recorded video signal during the playback interval to generate the output video data stream that is provided to the display device.