Broadcast program recording overrun and underrun scheduling system

Abstract

A broadcast program recording overrun and underrun scheduling system provides a system for adjusting the start and end times of a broadcast program's recording schedule that has a start and end broadcast time. The viewer selects a particular broadcast program to record from the program guide using a remote input device. The system schedules the broadcast program to be recorded by inserting the program's information such as program identifier, start and end times, and storage duration into a recording schedule database. The system allows the viewer to adjust the scheduled start and/or end recording times for a broadcast program by specifying the time increment to add or subtract from the start and/or end recording times of a specific program or series of programs.

1 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A method, comprising:
 receiving user input to record multiple episodes of a particular program series, wherein each episode of the particular program series has a corresponding start availability time and a corresponding end availability time;   generating for display at least one input screen that includes an entry field that allows specifying a relative amount of time to adjust the corresponding end availability times for the multiple episodes of the particular program series;   receiving an input in the entry field specifying the relative amount of time to adjust the corresponding end availability times for the multiple episodes of the particular program series;   scheduling recording of the multiple episodes of the particular program series by using the corresponding start availability time and the corresponding end availability time of each of the multiple episodes of the particular program series, wherein the corresponding end availability time of each of the multiple episodes of the particular program series is adjusted by the received input in the entry field; and   recording the multiple episodes of the particular program series on at least one storage device in a digital format.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 displaying a program guide;   wherein the program guide lists scheduled availability times of a plurality of programs; and   wherein the particular program series is selected for recording from the program guide.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 receiving, while the multiple episodes of the program series are being recorded, user input specifying a desired amount of time to be added to or subtracted from the corresponding end availability time of each of the multiple episodes of the particular program series; and   adjusting the corresponding end availability time of each of the multiple episodes of the particular program series by adding or subtracting the desired amount of time from the corresponding end availability time.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 retaining the multiple episodes of the particular program series on the at least one storage device for at least a user specified a length of time.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 playing the at least one of the multiple episodes of the particular program series stored on the at least one storage device.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 creating a recording schedule for programs scheduled to be recorded;   wherein the recording schedule contains program identifiers and start and end times of programs to be recorded; and   wherein the episode recording step records programs on the at least one storage device according to the recording schedule.   
     
     
         25 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that receives user input to record multiple episodes of a particular program series, wherein each episode of the particular program series has a corresponding start availability time and a corresponding end availability time;   a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that generating for display at least one input screen that includes an entry field that allows specifying a relative amount of time to adjust the corresponding end availability times for the multiple episodes of the particular program series;   a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that receives an input in the entry field specifying the relative amount of time to adjust the corresponding end availability times for the multiple episodes of the particular program series;   a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that schedules recording of the multiple episodes of the particular program series by using the corresponding start availability time and the corresponding end availability time of each of the multiple episodes of the particular program series, wherein the corresponding end availability time of each of the multiple episodes of the particular program series is adjusted by the received input in the entry field; and   a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that records the multiple episodes of the particular program series on at least one storage device in a digital format.   
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , further comprising:
 a program guide;   wherein the program guide lists scheduled availability times of a plurality of programs; and   wherein the particular program series is selected for recording from the program guide.   
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , further comprising:
 a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that receives, while the multiple episodes of the program series are being recorded, user input specifying a desired amount of time to be added to or subtracted from the corresponding end availability time of each of the multiple episodes of the particular program series;   a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that adjusts the corresponding end availability time of each of the multiple episodes of the particular program series by adding or subtracting the desired amount of time from the corresponding end availability time.   
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , further comprising:
 a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that retains the multiple episodes of the particular program series on the at least one storage device for at least a user specified a length of time.   
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , further comprising:
 a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that plays the at least one of the multiple episodes of the particular program series stored on the at least one storage device.   
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , further comprising:
 a recording schedule for programs scheduled to be recorded;   wherein the recording schedule contains program identifiers and start and end times of programs to be recorded; and   wherein the episode recording subsystem records programs on the at least one storage device according to the recording schedule.   
     
     
         31 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more devices, cause performance of:
 receiving user input to record multiple episodes of a particular program series, wherein each episode of the particular program series has a corresponding start availability time and a corresponding end availability time;   generating for display at least one input screen that includes an entry field that allows specifying a relative amount of time to adjust the corresponding end availability times for the multiple episodes of the particular program series;   receiving an input in the entry field specifying the relative amount of time to adjust the corresponding end availability times for the multiple episodes of the particular program series;   scheduling recording of the multiple episodes of the particular program series by using the corresponding start availability time and the corresponding end availability time of each of the multiple episodes of the particular program series, wherein the corresponding end availability time of each of the multiple episodes of the particular program series is adjusted by the received input in the entry field; and   recording the multiple episodes of the particular program series on at least one storage device in a digital format.   
     
     
         32 . The computer readable medium of  claim 31 , further comprising:
 displaying a program guide;   wherein the program guide lists scheduled availability times of a plurality of programs; and   wherein the particular program series is selected for recording from the program guide.   
     
     
         33 . The computer readable medium of  claim 31 , further comprising:
 receiving, while the multiple episodes of the program series are being recorded, user input specifying a desired amount of time to be added to or subtracted from the corresponding end availability time of each of the multiple episodes of the particular program series; and   adjusting the corresponding end availability time of each of the multiple episodes of the particular program series by adding or subtracting the desired amount of time from the corresponding end availability time.   
     
     
         34 . The computer readable medium of  claim 31 , further comprising:
 retaining the multiple episodes of the particular program series on the at least one storage device for at least a user specified a length of time.   
     
     
         35 . The computer readable medium of  claim 31 , further comprising:
 playing the at least one of the multiple episodes of the particular program series stored on the at least one storage device.   
     
     
         36 . The computer readable medium of  claim 31 , further comprising:
 creating a recording schedule for programs scheduled to be recorded;   wherein the recording schedule contains program identifiers and start and end times of programs to be recorded; and   wherein the episode recording step records programs on the at least one storage device according to the recording schedule.