Patent US5774186A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5774186A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Interruption tolerant video program viewing
Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC
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Filing: 1996-06-04
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Granted: 1998-06-30
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Expires: 2016-06-04
Abstract
Abstract Allows a video broadcast viewer to pause at anytime while viewing a program, and upon returning to be able to view the intervening segment. The video received during the pause period is stored and available for recall upon user command. The storage medium is circular in so much that the memory, upon becoming filled to capacity continues to write incoming information data over the previously stored data. The storage circuits employs a sequential access storage device and/or a direct access storage device. The storage circuit has a high speed memory input buffer and a high speed memory output buffer to account for the relatively long READ and WRITE access times of the storage device employed. At the end of the pause period, the user can view the stored video. The user has a choice between catching up to the regular broadcast or watching the remaining program video in a delay mode. The stored video may be viewed intermittently or continuously in regular, slow or fast motion, under user direct or remote VCR-type of video function control.
Inventors
- 👤 Marc Herbert Brodsky
- 👤 Steven Edward Millman
- 👤 Thomas Kimber Worthington
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 18:22
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N5/00; H04N5/44; H04N21/00; H04N21/40; H04N21/41; H04N21/422; H04N21/42204; H04N21/43; H04N21/431; H04N21/4312; H04N21/4316; H04N21/432; H04N21/4325; H04N21/433; H04N21/4333; H04N21/44; H04N21/44004; H04N21/47; H04N21/472; H04N21/47217; H04N5/76; H04N5/78; H04N5/782; H04N5/7824; H04N5/7826; H04N21/426; H04N5/4448
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 37
Claim 1
Independent Claim
138 words
A video signal viewing apparatus having a receiver circuit, a user command circuit coupled to said receiver circuit, and a display means coupled to said receiver circuit, said apparatus further comprising: an input buffer circuit coupled to said receiver circuit and having an input for receiving and buffering a portion of a signal, and an input buffer output; a memory circuit coupled to said input buffer output for storing said portion, and having a memory output; and an output buffer circuit having an output buffer input coupled to said memory output for receiving and buffering said memory output, and an output buffer output; and wherein said command circuit causes said output buffer output to be coupled to said receiver circuit for feeding said portion for display on said display means upon receiving a command from a user input.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
138 words
A video signal viewing apparatus having a receiver circuit, a user command circuit coupled to said receiver circuit, and a display means coupled to said receiver circuit, said apparatus further comprising: an input buffer circuit coupled to said receiver circuit and having an input for receiving and buffering a portion of a signal, and an input buffer output; a memory circuit coupled to said input buffer output for storing said portion, and having a memory output; and an output buffer circuit having an output buffer input coupled to said memory output for receiving and buffering said memory output, and an output buffer output; and wherein said command circuit causes said output buffer output to be coupled to said receiver circuit for feeding said portion for display on said display means upon receiving a command from a user input.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said memory circuit includes a device selected from the group consisting of at least one of: a direct access storage device; and a sequential access storage device.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
61 words
An apparatus as in claim 1 in which said input buffer circuit further comprises: an input coupling circuit for coupling said portion to said input for receiving; and a control circuit responsive to said user command circuit, coupled to said input coupling circuit, for causing said portion to be fed to said input for receiving when so commanded by said user.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
An apparatus as in claim 1 in which: said user has an interruption, said interruption having a duration; and wherein said signal portion corresponds to an amount of video data transmitted during said duration.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus as in claim 4 wherein said memory circuit has a capacity at least equal to said amount of video data transmitted.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
12 words
An apparatus as in claim 4 wherein said duration is 15 minutes.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
An apparatus as in claim 4 wherein said amount of video data transmitted is 170 Mbytes.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus as in claim 1 further including a video signal which comprises an entire program's video signal content; and wherein said signal portion includes said entire program's video signal content.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
48 words
An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said command circuit further comprises a video display function controller for controlling a function selected from a group consisting of at least one of: play, rewind, stop, still, continue, fast forward, and slow forward, selective picture, and picture in picture format.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
13 words
An apparatus as in claim 9 wherein said controller is a remote controller.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
140 words
A user command controlled apparatus receiving a video signal comprising: a video input circuit for receiving said video signal and having a video output; a receiving circuit having a first receiver input coupled to said video output for receiving said video signal, a second receiver input and a receiver output; a display means having a display input coupled to said receiver output for receiving and displaying said video signal; a storage circuit having a storage input coupled to said video output, and a storage output, said storage circuit receiving and storing a portion of said video signal; and a control circuit responsive to a user command coupled to said storage circuit and causing said storage output to be coupled to said second receiver input for feeding said portion for display on said display means when so commanded by a user.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
140 words
A user command controlled apparatus receiving a video signal comprising: a video input circuit for receiving said video signal and having a video output; a receiving circuit having a first receiver input coupled to said video output for receiving said video signal, a second receiver input and a receiver output; a display means having a display input coupled to said receiver output for receiving and displaying said video signal; a storage circuit having a storage input coupled to said video output, and a storage output, said storage circuit receiving and storing a portion of said video signal; and a control circuit responsive to a user command coupled to said storage circuit and causing said storage output to be coupled to said second receiver input for feeding said portion for display on said display means when so commanded by a user.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
67 words
An apparatus as in claim 11 wherein said storage circuit comprises: an input buffer circuit for buffering said portion, forming said storage input and having an input buffer output; a memory circuit coupled to said input buffer output for performing said storing, and having a memory output; and an output buffer circuit for receiving and buffering said memory output, said output buffer circuit forming said storage output.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
43 words
An apparatus as in claim 11 wherein said storage circuit includes a memory element selected from the group of elements consisting of at least one of: an input buffer; a direct access storage device; a sequential access storage device; and an output buffer.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
34 words
An apparatus as in claim 11 in which: said user having an interruption, said interruption having a duration; and wherein said signal portion corresponds to an amount of video data transmitted during said duration.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus as in claim 14 wherein said memory circuit has a capacity at least equal to said amount of video data transmitted.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
12 words
An apparatus as in claim 14 wherein said duration is 15 minutes.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
16 words
An apparatus as in claim 14 wherein said amount of video data transmitted is 170 Mbytes.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus as in claim 11 wherein: said video signal comprises an entire program's video signal content; and wherein said signal portion includes said entire program's video signal content.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
48 words
An apparatus as in claim 11 wherein said control circuit further comprises a video display function controller for controlling a function selected from a group consisting of at least one of: play, rewind, stop, still, continue, fast forward, and slow forward, selective picture, and picture in picture format.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
13 words
An apparatus as in claim 19 wherein said controller is a remote controller.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
84 words
A method for servicing a video program user being interrupted for a duration while viewing a video signal on a display, said signal having a portion corresponding to an amount of said video signal transmitted during said duration, comprising the steps of: receiving said video signal, coupling said portion to a circular storage circuit; storing said portion in said circular storage circuit; commanding said portion to be displayed; and feeding said portion to said display upon receiving a command from said step of commanding.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
84 words
A method for servicing a video program user being interrupted for a duration while viewing a video signal on a display, said signal having a portion corresponding to an amount of said video signal transmitted during said duration, comprising the steps of: receiving said video signal, coupling said portion to a circular storage circuit; storing said portion in said circular storage circuit; commanding said portion to be displayed; and feeding said portion to said display upon receiving a command from said step of commanding.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method as in claim 21 wherein: said step of coupling further comprises the steps of input buffering and forwarding said portion to a memory circuit; and wherein said step of feeding is preceded by a step of output buffering.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method as in claim 21 wherein said storage circuit comprises a memory element selected from the group of elements consisting of at least one of: an input buffer; a direct access storage device; a sequential access storage device; and an output buffer.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as in claim 21 in which said storage circuit having a capacity at least equal to said amount of video signal transmitted.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as in claim 21 wherein: said video signal comprises an entire program's video signal content; and wherein said signal portion includes said entire program's video signal content.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method as in claim 21 further comprising a step selected from a group consisting of at least one of: rewinding; stopping; continuing; playing in normal forward; playing in fast forward; and playing in slow forward.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method as in claim 26 wherein the step of commanding is performed remotely.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
106 words
An apparatus having a circuit to receive and display a video signal, comprising: at least one circular storage medium; an input buffer coupled to said medium; an output buffer coupled to said medium; a storage hierarchy for storing a portion of said video signal in said medium and buffers; a circuit for feeding said portion stored to said display; and a circuit for controlling said display, said circuit for controlling includes a video display function controller for controlling a function selected from a group consisting of at least one of: play; still; stop; rewind; continue; slow forward; fast forward; selective picture; and picture in picture format.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
106 words
An apparatus having a circuit to receive and display a video signal, comprising: at least one circular storage medium; an input buffer coupled to said medium; an output buffer coupled to said medium; a storage hierarchy for storing a portion of said video signal in said medium and buffers; a circuit for feeding said portion stored to said display; and a circuit for controlling said display, said circuit for controlling includes a video display function controller for controlling a function selected from a group consisting of at least one of: play; still; stop; rewind; continue; slow forward; fast forward; selective picture; and picture in picture format.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
15 words
An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said memory circuit comprises a circular storage device.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
16 words
An apparatus as in claim 11 wherein said storage circuit further comprises a circular storage device.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising a catchup circuit for said user to catch up with a video signal in progress.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as in claim 21 further comprising the step of catching up with said video signal in progress.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
33 words
An apparatus as in claim 31 wherein said catchup circuit provides catchup in a form selected from the group consisting of at least one of: picture in picture; frame skipping; and split screen.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-06-29 | 2001-12-29 | 2002-06-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-06-29 | 2005-12-29 | 2006-06-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-06-29 | 2009-12-29 | 2010-06-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |