Portable recorded television viewer

Abstract

An approach to recording of television programming for later viewing makes use of a small and relatively inexpensive handheld portable viewer. One or more television programs are loaded into the viewer from a receiver, such as a cable television set-top box. Later, the user selects a loaded program for viewing on the handheld viewer

1 . A method for portable viewing of television programs comprising:
 receiving one or more television programs at a terminal coupled to a television system;   encoding a first of the television programs at the terminal, including digitally compressing the first of the television program;   establishing communication between a portable device and the terminal, including downloading the encoded first of the television programs from the terminal to the portable device; and   at the portable device when it is not in communication with the terminal, accepting a command from a user to play the downloaded first of the television programs and in response presenting the downloaded program to the user using a screen on the portable device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein encoding the first of the television programs includes digitally compressing said program, including reducing a resolution of said program. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the terminal comprises a television set-top box. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the terminal comprises a program recorder and the method further comprises storing the first of the television programs at the recorder prior to encoding said program. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein establishing the communication includes inserting the portable device into a cradle attached to the terminal. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein establishing the communication includes establishing wireless communication between the portable device and the terminal. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein establishing the communication includes passing a recordable cartridge from the terminal to the portable device, and downloading the television program includes recording the encoded television program on the recordable cartridge at the terminal and reading the recorded cartridge at the portable device. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the portable device comprises a programmable game console, and wherein downloading the television program includes passing code for execution on the portable game console on the recordable cartridge. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising repeating encoding and downloading multiple of the television programs. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising accepting at the device coupled to the television system a command from a user identifying the first of the television programs. 
     
     
         11 . A portable device for viewing of audio-video programs comprising:
 a communication port for communicating with a terminal coupled to a television system;   a memory for storing a digitally compressed audio-video programs received through the communication port from the terminal;   a screen for displaying video of the stored programming; and   a processor coupled to the communication port, the memory, and the screen, and programmed to control operation of the device by downloading digitally compressed audio-video programming from the communication port, storing the programming in the memory, accepting commands from a user, and playing the stored programming to the user according to the accepted commands.   
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11  wherein the communication port includes a connector that mates with a slot in a cradle coupled to the terminal to provide communication with the terminal. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 11  wherein the communication port enables wireless communication with the terminal. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 11  wherein the communication port includes a portion for accepting a cartridge that is used to carry the digitally compressed programming from the terminal to the portable device. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 14  wherein the cartridge includes a component of the memory when the cartridge is inserted into the communication port. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 14  wherein the cartridge includes a component of a program that the processor uses for controlling the operation of the device when the cartridge is inserted into the communication port. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 16  wherein the portable device comprises a programmable game console. 
     
     
         18 . A system for viewing of television programs comprising:
 a terminal coupled to a television system, including a receiver for accepting television programs from the television system, a decoder for transmitting the programs to a television set, and an encoder for processing accepted television programs by digitally compressing the programs; and   a portable device for viewing television programs that includes
 a communication port for communicating with the terminal, 
 a memory for storing digitally compressed television programs received through the communication port from the terminal, 
 a screen coupled for displaying video of the stored programming, and 
 a processor programmed to control operation of the device by downloading digitally compressed television programs from the communication port, storing the programs in the memory, accepting commands from a user, and playing the stored programs to the user according to the accepted commands. 
   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18  wherein the terminal comprises a set-top box. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18  wherein the device coupled to a television system includes video recorder with a storage for holding television programs prior to processing the programs using the encoder.