Use of messages in or associated with program signal streams by set-top terminals

Abstract

A method of operating a receiving device coupled to a display device at a user location is disclosed, comprising programming the receiving device to record a program and recording the program based, at least in part, on at least one segmentation message in a program stream. In one example, the receiving device, which may be a set-top terminal, for example, is coupled to a display device, such as a television, at a user location. Devices are disclosed, as well.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of operating a receiving device comprising:
 receiving instructions to record a selected one of at least one program to be received in a program signal stream, starting at a first program start clock time;   receiving the program signal stream comprising at least the selected program and at least one message defining a second program start time for the selected program, in units of time with respect to progression of the program signal stream, the program signal stream and the at least one message being received from a same originator;   identifying the at least one message in the received program stream;   comparing the first program start clock time of the selected program with the second program start time, in units of time, defined by the at least one message; and   starting to record the selected program based, at least in part, on the second program start time, if the second program start time is different from the first program start clock time.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one message comprises a single message defining the second program start time and the second program end time, the method comprising:
 receiving the program signal stream including the single message.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising;
 receiving the instructions from a program listing; and   setting a recording start clock time for the selected program based on the first program start time defined by the program listing.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising;
 setting a recording end clock time for the selected program based on a first program end clock time defined by the program listing;   wherein the at least one message contains a second program end time of the selected program, the second program end time being in units of time with respect to progression of the program signal stream, from receipt of the message to an end of the selected program in the program stream, the method further comprising;   comparing the second program end time, in units of time, contained in the at least one message to the recording end time;   adjusting the recording end time of the selected program to the second program end time, if the recording end time is different than the second program end time; and   ending recording of the selected program at the second program end time, if the recording end time has been adjusted.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 after starting to record the selected program, receiving at least one second message in the program signal stream, the at least one second message defining a second program end time by indicating an amount of time until the end of the program, in units of time with respect to progression of the program signal stream, from receipt of the message to an end of the selected program in the program stream; and   ending recording of the program at the second program end time, in units of time, contained in the at least one second message.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 after starting to record the selected program;   receiving at least one second message defining a start time for unscheduled content of the selected program, wherein the unscheduled content follows the first program end clock time, the at least one second message being received prior to the scheduled end time, in the program signal stream;   continuing to record the selected program after the scheduled end time;   while recording the selected program, receiving at least one third message defining an end time for the unscheduled content of the selected program, the end time for the unscheduled content being after the first program end clock time of the selected program, the at least one third message being received prior to the end time of the unscheduled content, in the program signal stream; and   ending recording of the selected program at the end time of the unscheduled content defined by at least one of the at least one third message.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the selected program is a sporting event and the unscheduled content comprises overtime of the sporting event. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one third message comprises at least one fourth message defining at least one respective expected end time of the unscheduled content and at least one fifth message defining an actual end time of the unscheduled content, the method comprising:
 receiving the at least one fourth message prior to receiving the at least one fifth message; and   ending recording of the selected program at the actual end time defined by the at least one fifth message.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising receiving the program signal stream via a cable television network. 
     
     
         10 . A receiving device to receive a program signal stream comprising:
 an interface to receive a program signal stream comprising at least one program, the program signal stream comprising at least one message containing a first program start time for a selected one of the at least one program, the first program start time being in units of time with respect to progression of the program signal stream, from receipt of the message to a start time of the selected program in the program stream, wherein the program signal stream including the at least one message is received from a same originator;   a processing device configured to:   receive instructions from a user to record the selected program starting at a second program start clock time;   receive the program signal stream from the interface;   identify the at least one message in the received program signal stream;   compare the first program start time of the selected program in units of time contained in the at least one message to the second program start clock time; and   start to record the selected program starting at the first start time, in units of time contained in the at least one message, if the second start time is different from the first start clock time;   the receiving device further comprising memory coupled to the processor to store the selected recorded program.   
     
     
         11 . The receiving device of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one message comprises a single message defining the first program start time and the first program end time, the processing device being programmed to:
 receive the program signal stream including the single message.   
     
     
         12 . The receiving device of  claim 10 , wherein the processing device is configured to:
 receive the instructions from a program listing; and   set a recording start time for the selected program based on the second program start clock time defined by the program listing.   
     
     
         13 . The receiving device of  claim 12 , wherein the processor is programmed to:
 set a recording end time for the selected program based on a second end clock time defined by the program listing; and   the at least one message defines a second program end time of the selected program, the second program end time being in units of time with respect to progression of the program signal stream, from receipt of the message to an end of the selected program in the program stream;   the processing device being further programmed to:   compare the recording program end time of the selected program to the second program end time in units of time, contained in the at least one message; and   adjust the recording end time of the selected program to the second program end time if the second program end time is different than the recording program end   
     
     
         14 . The receiving device  claim 13 , wherein:
 the program signal stream comprises at least one second message defining a start time for unscheduled content of the selected program and at least one third message defining an end time for the unscheduled content of the selected program, the end time for the unscheduled content of the selected program being after the scheduled end time of the selected program; and   the processing device is further programmed to;   receive the at least one second message defining a start time for the unscheduled content of the selected program after starting to record the selected program;   continue to record the selected program after the scheduled end time for the selected program;   receive the at least one third message defining an end time for the unscheduled content, while recording the selected program; and   end recording of the program at the end time of the unscheduled content defined by the at least one third message.   
     
     
         15 . The receiving device of  claim 13 , wherein:
 at least one of the at least one second message and at least one of the at least one third message comprises a single message; and   the processor is configured to derive the second program end time and the end time of the unscheduled content from the at least one third message.   
     
     
         16 . The receiving device of  claim 13 , wherein the unscheduled content starts at the scheduled end of the selected program. 
     
     
         17 . The receiving device of  claim 10 , wherein the processing device is configured to start to record the selected program based, at least in part, on the second program start time contained in the at least one message, if a difference between the second program start time and the first program start time is greater than a threshold. 
     
     
         18 . The receiving device of  claim 10 , wherein the interface is configured to receive the program signal stream via a cable television network. 
     
     
         19 . A method of operating a receiving device comprising:
 receiving instructions to record a selected one of at least one program to be received in a program signal stream from an originator, starting at a program start clock time and ending at a program end clock time;   receiving at least one message in the program signal stream defining an end time for the program, from the same originator;   comparing the program end clock time to the end time defined by the message and, if the end time defined by the message is later than the program end clock time, continuing to record the selected program after the program end clock time; and   ending recording of the program at the end time defined by the message.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the at least one message comprises a single message defining the second program start time and the second program end time, the method comprising:
 receiving the program signal stream including the single message.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , comprising;
 receiving the instructions from a program listing; and   setting a recording start clock time for the selected program based on the first program start time defined by the program listing.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising;
 setting a recording start clock time for the selected program based on a first program start clock time defined by the program listing;   wherein the at least one message contains a second program start time of the selected program, the second program start time being in units of time with respect to progression of the program signal stream, from receipt of the message to a start of the selected program in the program stream, the method further comprising;   comparing the second program start time, in units of time, contained in the at least one message to the recording start time;   adjusting the recording start time of the selected program to the second program end time, if the recording start time is different than the second program start time; and   ending recording of the selected program at the second program start time, if the recording end time has been adjusted.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 after starting to record the selected program, receiving at least one second message in the program signal stream, the at least one second message defining a second program end time by indicating an amount of time until the end of the program, in units of time with respect to progression of the program signal stream, from receipt of the message to the second end of the selected program in the program stream; and   ending recording of the program at the second program end time, in units of time, contained in the at least one second message.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 after starting to record the selected program;   receiving at least one second message defining a start time for unscheduled content of the selected program, wherein the unscheduled content follows the first program end clock time, the at least one second message being received prior to the scheduled end time, in the program signal stream;   continuing to record the selected program after the scheduled end time;   while recording the selected program, receiving at least one third message defining an end time for the unscheduled content of the selected program, the end time for the unscheduled content being after the first program end clock time of the selected program, the at least one third message being received prior to the end time of the unscheduled content, in the program signal stream; and   ending recording of the selected program at the end time of the unscheduled content defined by at least one of the at least one third message.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the selected program is a sporting event and the unscheduled content comprises overtime of the sporting event. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the at least one third message comprises at least one fourth message defining at least one respective expected end time of the unscheduled content and at least one fifth message defining an actual end time of the unscheduled content, the method comprising:
 receiving the at least one fourth message prior to receiving the at least one fifth message; and   ending recording of the selected program at the actual end time defined by the at least one fifth message.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 19 , comprising receiving the program signal stream via a cable television network. 
     
     
         28 . A receiving device to receive a program signal stream comprising:
 an interface to receive a program signal stream comprising at least one program, the program signal stream comprising at least one message containing a first program end time for a selected one of the at least one programs, the first program end time being in units of time with respect to progression of the program signal stream, from receipt of the message to an end time of the selected program in the program stream, wherein the program signal stream including the at least one message is received from a same originator;   a processing device configured to:   be programmable by a user to record the selected program starting at a second program end clock time;   receive the program signal stream from the interface;   identify the at least one message in the received program signal stream;   compare the first program end time of the selected program in units of time contained in the at least one message to the second program end clock time; and   end recording of the selected program at the first end time, in units of time contained in the at least one message, if the second end time is different from the first end clock time;   the receiving device further comprising memory coupled to the processor to store the selected recorded program.   
     
     
         29 . The receiving device of  claim 28 , wherein the at least one message comprises a single message defining the first program start time and the first program end time, the processing device being programmed to:
 receive the program signal stream including the single message.   
     
     
         30 . The receiving device of  claim 28 , wherein the processing device is programmable to record the selected program by selecting the program from a program listing. 
     
     
         31 . The receiving device of  claim 30 , wherein the program listing defines the second program start time of the selected program and the processing device is programmed to:
 set a recording start time for the selected program based on the second program start clock time defined by the program listing.   
     
     
         32 . The receiving device of  claim 31 , wherein the processor is programmed to:
 set a recording start time for the selected program based on a second start clock time defined by the program listing; and   the at least one message defines a second program start time of the selected program, the second program start time being in units of time with respect to progression of the program signal stream, from receipt of the message to a start of the selected program in the program stream;   the processing device being further programmed to:   compare the recording program start time of the selected program to the second program start time in units of time, contained in the at least one message; and   adjust the recording start time of the selected program to the second program start time if the second program start time is different than the recording program start time.   
     
     
         33 . The receiving device  claim 32 , wherein:
 the program signal stream comprises at least one second message defining a start time for unscheduled content of the selected program and at least one third message defining an end time for the unscheduled content of the selected program, the end time for the unscheduled content of the selected program being after the scheduled end time of the selected program; and   the processing device is further programmed to:   receive the at least one second message defining a start time for the unscheduled content of the selected program after starting to record the selected program;   continue to record the selected program after the scheduled end time for the selected program;   receive the at least one third message defining an end time for the unscheduled content, while recording the selected program; and   end recording of the program at the end time of the unscheduled content defined by the at least one third message.   
     
     
         34 . The receiving device of  claim 33 , wherein at least one of the at least one second message and at least one of the at least one third message are a single message. 
     
     
         35 . The receiving device of  claim 33 , wherein the unscheduled content starts at the scheduled end of the selected program. 
     
     
         36 . The receiving device of  claim 28 , wherein the processing device is configured to end recording of the selected program based, at least in part, on the second program end time contained in the at least one message, if a difference between the second program end time and the first program start time is greater than a threshold. 
     
     
         37 . The receiving device of  claim 28 , wherein the interface is configured to receive the program signal stream via a cable television network.