User-specified event-based remote triggering of a consumer digital video recording device

Abstract

A method, digital video recording (DVR) device/system and computer program provide a mechanism for recording video content associated with unpredictable events. A user specifies particular event classifications, keywords, or other control parameters from which the occurrence of an event can be determined, and when such event is detected, the DVR is triggered to record content from a specified channel/location. The events can be detected from feeds such as RSS feeds, websites, video content scans or other mechanisms. The event detection may be provided by a remote service that is accessible for user-configuration via a network, or the event detection may be performed in a DVR device or local computer system.

1 . A method of triggering a digital video recording device, comprising:
 receiving user input specifying event types or unscheduled events of interest to a user of the digital video recording device;   detecting particular data provided from a remote dynamic data source indicating that a detected event matching one of the specified event types or unscheduled events has occurred or will occur in a time substantially proximate to a time of the detecting; and   in response to detecting the particular data, triggering the digital video recording device to record video from a specified video source.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the remote dynamic data source provides data encoding textual information, and wherein the user input specifies keywords for matching the textual formation to detect mentions of the event types or unscheduled events of interest. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the remote dynamic data source is a feed from a remote network. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the remote dynamic data source provides data encoding numeric information, and wherein the user input specifies at least one numeric threshold for a value within the numeric information, and wherein the detecting particular data comprises detecting that the value has crossed the at least one numeric threshold. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the detected particular data further includes information indicating a particular video source, and wherein the method further comprises selecting the particular video source prior to the triggering. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising selecting the particular video source in conformity with a classification of the one of the event types or unscheduled events matching the detected event. 
   
   
       7 . A system for recording digital video, comprising a processor for executing program instructions and a memory for storing the program instructions, wherein the program instructions comprise program instructions for:
 receiving user input specifying event types or unscheduled events of interest to a user of the digital video recording device;   detecting particular data provided from a remote dynamic data source indicating that a detected event matching one of the event types or unscheduled events has or will occur in a time substantially proximate to a time of the detecting; and   in response to detecting the particular data, triggering the digital video recording device to record video from a specified video source.   
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the remote dynamic data source provides data encoding textual information, and wherein the user input specifies keywords for matching the textual formation to detect mentions of the event types or unscheduled events of interest. 
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the remote dynamic data source is a feed from a network, and wherein the system further comprises an interface for coupling the processor to the network. 
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the remote dynamic data source provides data encoding numeric information, and wherein the user input specifies at least one numeric threshold for a value within the numeric information, and wherein the program instructions for detecting particular data comprise program instructions for detecting that the value has crossed the at least one numeric threshold. 
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the detected particular data further includes information indicating a particular video source, and wherein the program instructions further comprise program instructions for selecting the particular video source prior executing the program instructions for triggering. 
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 7 , further comprising program instructions for selecting the particular video source in conformity with a classification of the one of the specified events or event types matching the detected event. 
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the processor and memory are a server processor and a server memory coupled to multiple digital video recording devices via a wide-area network, wherein the program instructions for receiving user input receive the user input from a network portal, and wherein the program instructions for triggering comprise program instructions for:
 determining a particular one of the multiple digital video recording devices for which the event types or unscheduled events of interest were specified; and   transmitting a message to the particular digital video recording device to commence recording.   
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the processor and memory are a processor and memory within a consumer digital video recorder, and wherein the consumer digital video recorder includes an interface for coupling the digital video recorder to the remote data source. 
   
   
       15 . A computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage media system encoding program instructions for execution by a processor, wherein the program instructions comprise program instructions for triggering digital video recording, wherein the program instructions comprise program instructions for:
 receiving user input specifying event types or unscheduled events of interest to a user of the digital video recording device;   detecting particular data provided from a remote dynamic data source indicating that a detected event matching one of the event types or unscheduled events has or will occur in a time substantially proximate to a time of the detecting; and   in response to detecting the particular data, triggering the digital video recording device to record video from a specified video source.   
   
   
       16 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein the remote dynamic data source provides data encoding textual information, and wherein the user input specifies keywords for matching the textual formation to detect mentions of the event types or unscheduled events of interest. 
   
   
       17 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , wherein the remote dynamic data source is a feed from a network, and wherein the system further comprises an interface for coupling the processor to the network. 
   
   
       18 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein the remote dynamic data source provides data encoding numeric information, and wherein the user input specifies at least one numeric threshold for a value within the numeric information, and wherein the program instructions for detecting particular data comprise program instructions for detecting that the value has crossed the at least one numeric threshold. 
   
   
       19 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein the detected particular data further includes information indicating a particular video source, and wherein the program instructions further comprise program instructions for selecting the particular video source prior executing the program instructions for triggering. 
   
   
       20 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , further comprising program instructions for selecting the particular video source in conformity with a classification of the one of the specified events or event types matching the detected event.