Client-server based interactive television program guide system with remote server recording

Abstract

An interactive television program guide system is provided. An interactive television program guide provides users with an opportunity to select programs for recording on a remote media server. Programs may also be recorded on a local media server. The program guide provides users with VCR-like control over programs that are played back from the media servers and over real-time cached copies of the programs. The program guide also provides users with an opportunity to designate gift recipients for whom programs may be recorded.

1 - 329 . (canceled) 
     
     
         330 . A system comprising a first user equipment, and the first user equipment comprising:
 first storage circuitry configured to store a media asset;
 first communications circuitry configured to transmit packets to and receive packets from a first communications path; and 
 first control circuitry configured to:
 receive a record command to record the media asset; 
 based on receiving the record command, transmit the record command to a remote server, wherein the record command causes the remote server to record the media asset to second storage circuitry of the remote server; 
 receive a pause command to pause playback of the media asset; 
 based on receiving the pause command, temporarily store the media asset at the first user equipment using the first storage circuitry, while the media asset is being recorded to the second storage circuitry of the remote server; 
 receive a resume command to resume playback of the media asset; 
 based on receiving the resume command:
 retrieve the media asset from the first storage circuitry; 
 generate for display the media asset; 
 
 receive a play back command to play back the recorded media asset; and 
 based on receiving the play back command:
 receive the recorded media asset from the remote server; 
 play back the recorded media asset received from the remote server. 
 
 
   
     
     
         331 . The system of  claim 330 , wherein the record command transmitted to the remote server causes the remote server to record the media asset to a directory for media assets recorded for a user. 
     
     
         332 . The system of  claim 330 , further comprising a second user equipment, wherein the second user equipment comprises:
 second communications circuitry configured to transmit packets to and receive packets from a second communications path; and   second control circuitry configured to:
 receive a second play back command to play back the recorded media asset; and 
 based on receiving the second play back command:
 receive the recorded media asset from the remote server; and 
 play back the recorded media asset received from the remote server. 
 
   
     
     
         333 . The system of  claim 330 , further comprising a second user equipment, wherein the second user equipment comprises:
 second communications circuitry configured to transmit packets to and receive packets from a second communications path; and   second control circuitry configured to:
 receive a second play back command to play back the recorded media asset; and 
 based on receiving the second play back command:
 receive a copy of a portion of the recorded media asset from the remote server; and 
 play back the received copy of the portion of the recorded media asset from the remote server. 
 
   
     
     
         334 . The system of  claim 330 , wherein the record command transmitted to the remote server causes the remote server to store, to the second storage circuitry, media guidance data associated with the recorded media asset. 
     
     
         335 . The system of  claim 330 , wherein the first control circuitry is further configured to:
 receive at least one of the record command, the pause command, the resume command and the play back command from a user input device.   
     
     
         336 . The system of  claim 330 , where the first control circuitry is further configured to generate for display a list of media assets that comprises media assets that have been recorded to the second storage circuitry of the remote server and does not include media assets that are temporarily stored at the first user equipment using the first storage circuitry. 
     
     
         337 . A method comprising:
 receiving a record command to record a media asset;   based on receiving the record command, transmitting the record command to a remote server, wherein the record command causes the remote server to record the media asset to second storage circuitry of the remote server;   receiving a pause command to pause playback of the media asset;   based on receiving the pause command, temporarily storing the media asset at a first user equipment using first storage circuitry of the first user equipment, while the media asset is being recorded to the second storage circuitry of the remote server;   receiving a resume command to resume playback of the media asset;   based on receiving the resume command:
 retrieving the media asset from the first storage circuitry; 
 generating for display the media asset; 
   receiving a play back command to play back the recorded media asset; and   based on receiving the play back command:
 receiving the recorded media asset from the remote server; and 
 playing back the recorded media asset received from the remote server. 
   
     
     
         338 . The method of  claim 337 , wherein the record command causes the remote server to record the media asset to a directory for media assets recorded for a user. 
     
     
         339 . The method of  claim 337 , further comprising:
 receiving, at a second use equipment, a second play back command to play back the recorded media asset; and
 based on receiving the second play back command:
 receiving, at a second user equipment, the recorded media asset from the remote server; and 
 playing back, at the second user equipment, the recorded media asset received from the remote server. 
 
   
     
     
         340 . The method of  claim 337 , further comprising:
 receiving, at a second use equipment, a sixth command to play back the recorded media asset; and
 based on receiving the sixth command:
 receiving, at a second user equipment, a copy of a portion of the recorded media asset from the remote server; and 
 playing back, at the second user equipment the received copy of the portion of the media asset from the remote server. 
 
   
     
     
         341 . The method of  claim 337 , wherein the record command transmitted to the remote server causes the remote server to store, the second storage circuitry, media guidance data associated with the media asset recorded. 
     
     
         342 . The method of  claim 337 , further comprising:
 receiving at least one of the record command, the pause command, the resume command and the play back command from a user input device.   
     
     
         343 . The method of  claim 337 , further comprising:
 generating for display a list of media assets that comprises media assets that have been recorded to the second storage circuitry of the remote server and does not include media assets that are temporarily stored at the first user equipment using the first storage circuitry.