Systems and methods for exporting digital content using an interactive television application

Abstract

The present invention relates to methods and systems for extracting digital content using an interactive television application. The interactive television application may allow the user to record programs on a set-top box. The interactive television application may also allow the user to extract the audio from one of the recorded programs and transfer the extracted audio to removable media (e.g., a CD-R). The interactive television application also be configured to perform a future transfer of digital content to removable media. The future transfer may occur without requiring any further user interaction.

1 . A method for providing audio content using an interactive television application, the method comprising: 
 allowing a user to record programs on a set-top box;    allowing the user to select a program, wherein the program is a complete recording or an incomplete recording;    allowing the user to select settings for extracting audio; and    allowing the user to extract audio from the selected recorded program using the selected settings.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein allowing the user to select settings for extracting audio comprises allowing the user to select a segment of the audio to extract.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising allowing the user to position a start and an end marker on a progress bar to indicate the segment of audio to extract.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising displaying a marker on the progress bar, wherein the marker indicates the location in the selected program from which audio is played.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein allowing the user to select settings for extracting audio comprises allowing the user to select a removable medium for storing the extracted audio.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising transferring the extracted audio to the removable medium.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein allowing the user to select settings for extracting audio comprises allowing the user to select the format and quality of the extracted audio.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein allowing the user to extract audio comprises separating audio and video information for the selected program.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising processing the audio information for the selected program using the selected settings.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising supplementing the extracted audio with information for the selected program.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the information is retrieved from a program schedule database.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the audio for an incomplete recording is extracted after the recording is complete.  
     
     
         13 . A system for providing audio content using an interactive television application, the system comprising: 
 means for allowing a user to record programs on a set-top box;    means for allowing the user to select a program, wherein the program is a complete recording or an incomplete recording;    means for allowing the user to select settings for extracting audio; and    means for allowing the user to extract audio from the selected recorded program using the selected settings.    
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the means for allowing the user to select settings for extracting audio comprises means for allowing the user to select a segment of the audio to extract.  
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , further comprising means for allowing the user to position a start and an end marker on a progress bar to indicate the segment of audio to extract.  
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , further comprising means for displaying a marker on the progress bar, wherein the marker indicates the location in the selected program from which audio is played.  
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the means for allowing the user to select settings for extracting audio comprises means for allowing the user to select a removable medium for storing the extracted audio.  
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising means for transferring the extracted audio to the removable medium.  
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the means for allowing the user to select settings for extracting audio comprises means for allowing the user to select the format and quality of the extracted audio.  
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the means for allowing the user to extract audio comprises means for separating audio and video information for the selected program.  
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20 , further comprising means for processing the audio information for the selected program using the selected settings.  
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 13 , further comprising means for supplementing the extracted audio with information for the selected program.  
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the information is retrieved from a program schedule database.  
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the audio for an incomplete recording is extracted after the recording is complete.  
     
     
         25 . A system for providing audio content, the system comprising: 
 a user input interface;    a display device; and    an interactive television application implemented at least partially on control circuitry configured to: 
 allow a user to record programs on a set-top box;  
 allow the user to select a program, wherein the program is a complete recording or an incomplete recording;  
 allow the user to select settings for extracting audio; and  
 allow the user to extract audio from the selected recorded program using the selected settings.  
   
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to allow the user to select a segment of the audio to extract.  
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to allow the user to position a start and an end marker on a progress bar to indicate the segment of audio to extract.  
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to direct the display device to display a marker on the progress bar, wherein the marker indicates the location in the selected program from which audio is played.  
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to allow the user to select a removable medium for storing the extracted audio.  
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to transfer the extracted audio to the removable medium.  
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to allow the user to select the format and quality of the extracted audio.  
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to separate audio and video information for the selected program.  
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to process the audio information for the selected program using the selected settings.  
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to supplement the extracted audio with information for the selected program.  
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein the information is retrieved from a program schedule database.  
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the audio for an incomplete recording is extracted after the recording is complete.  
     
     
         37 . Machine-readable media for providing audio content using an interactive television application, the machine-readable media comprising machine-readable instructions recorded thereon for: 
 allowing a user to record programs on a set-top box;    allowing the user to select a program, wherein the program is a complete recording or an incomplete recording;    allowing the user to select settings for extracting audio; and    allowing the user to extract audio from the selected recorded program using the selected settings.    
     
     
         38 . The machine-readable media of  claim 37 , wherein allowing the user to select settings for extracting audio comprises allowing the user to select a segment of the audio to extract.  
     
     
         39 . The machine-readable media of  claim 38 , further comprising machine-readable instructions recorded thereon for allowing the user to position a start and an end marker on a progress bar to indicate the segment of audio to extract.  
     
     
         40 . The machine-readable media of  claim 38 , further comprising machine-readable instructions recorded thereon for displaying a marker on the progress bar, wherein the marker indicates the location in the selected program from which audio is played.  
     
     
         41 . The machine-readable media of  claim 37 , wherein allowing the user to select settings for extracting audio comprises allowing the user to select a removable medium for storing the extracted audio.  
     
     
         42 . The machine-readable media of  claim 41 , further comprising machine-readable instructions recorded thereon for transferring the extracted audio to the removable medium.  
     
     
         43 . The machine-readable media of  claim 37 , wherein allowing the user to select settings for extracting audio comprises allowing the user to select the format and quality of the extracted audio.  
     
     
         44 . The machine-readable media of  claim 37 , wherein allowing the user to extract audio comprises separating audio and video information for the selected program.  
     
     
         45 . The machine-readable media of  claim 44 , further comprising machine-readable instructions recorded thereon for processing the audio information for the selected program using the selected settings.  
     
     
         46 . The machine-readable media of  claim 37 , further comprising machine-readable instructions recorded thereon for supplementing the extracted audio with information for the selected program.  
     
     
         47 . The machine-readable media of  claim 46 , wherein the information is retrieved from a program schedule database.  
     
     
         48 . The machine-readable media of  claim 37 , wherein the audio for an incomplete recording is extracted after the recording is complete.  
     
     
         49 . A method for transferring digital content recorded by a user to a removable medium, the method comprising: 
 allowing the user to set up a future transfer of digital content to the removable medium, wherein the user selects digital content to be transferred;    establishing communications with the removable medium; and    transferring the digital content to the removable medium without requiring any further user interaction after set up.    
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein allowing the user to set up a future transfer of digital content to the removable medium comprises allowing the user to select settings for transferring the digital content to the removable medium.  
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 49 , further comprising determining whether the removable medium is a valid target, wherein the determination is made without requiring any further user input after set up.  
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein information regarding whether the digital content has been viewed is stored on the removable medium.  
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 49 , further comprising: 
 storing a reference to the digital content in a database and retrieving the reference to the digital content from the database after establishing communications with the removable medium, wherein the reference is retrieved without requiring any further user interaction after set up.    
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 49 , further comprising: 
 storing a reference to the digital content in a configuration file stored on the removable medium and    retrieving the reference to the digital content from the configuration file after establishing communications with the removable medium, wherein the reference is retrieved without requiring any further user interaction after set up.    
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein transferring the digital content to the removable medium comprises: 
 extracting audio from the digital content and    transferring the audio of the digital content to the removable medium.    
     
     
         56 . A system for transferring digital content recorded by a user to a removable medium, the system comprising: 
 means for allowing the user to set up a future transfer of digital content to the removable medium, wherein the user selects digital content to be transferred;    means for establishing communications with the removable medium; and    means for transferring the digital content to the removable medium without requiring any further user interaction after set up.    
     
     
         57 . The system of  claim 56 , wherein the means for allowing the user to set up a future transfer of digital content to the removable medium comprises means for allowing the user to select settings for transferring the digital content to the removable medium.  
     
     
         58 . The system of  claim 56 , further comprising means for determining whether the removable medium is a valid target, wherein the determination is made without requiring any further user input after set up.  
     
     
         59 . The system of  claim 56 , wherein information regarding whether the digital content has been viewed is stored on the removable medium.  
     
     
         60 . The system of  claim 56 , further comprising: 
 means for storing a reference to the digital content in a database and    means for retrieving the reference to the digital content from the database after establishing communications with the removable medium, wherein the reference is retrieved without requiring any further user interaction after set up.    
     
     
         61 . The system of  claim 56 , further comprising: 
 means for storing a reference to the digital content in a configuration file stored on the removable medium and    means for retrieving the reference to the digital content from the configuration file after establishing communications with the removable medium, wherein the reference is retrieved without requiring any further user interaction after set up.    
     
     
         62 . The system of  claim 56 , wherein transferring the digital content to the removable medium comprises: 
 means for extracting audio from the digital content and    means for transferring the audio of the digital content to the removable medium.    
     
     
         63 . A system for transferring digital content recorded by a user to a removable medium, the system comprising: 
 a user input interface;    a display device; and    an interactive television application implemented at least partially on control circuitry configured to: 
 allow the user to set up a future transfer of digital content to the removable medium, wherein the user selects digital content to be transferred;  
 establish communications with the removable medium; and  
 transfer the digital content to the removable medium without requiring any further user interaction after set up.  
   
     
     
         64 . The system of  claim 63 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to allow the user to select settings for transferring the digital content to the removable medium.  
     
     
         65 . The system of  claim 63 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to determine whether the removable medium is a valid target, wherein the determination is made without requiring any further user input after set up.  
     
     
         66 . The system of  claim 63 , wherein information regarding whether the digital content has been viewed is stored on the removable medium.  
     
     
         67 . The system of  claim 63 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to: 
 store a reference to the digital content in a database and    retrieve the reference to the digital content from the database after establishing communications with the removable medium, wherein the reference is retrieved without requiring any further user interaction after set up.    
     
     
         68 . The system of  claim 63 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to: 
 store a reference to the digital content in a configuration file stored on the removable medium and    retrieve the reference to the digital content from the configuration file after establishing communications with the removable medium, wherein the reference is retrieved without requiring any further user interaction after set up.    
     
     
         69 . The system of  claim 63 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to: 
 extract audio from the digital content and    transfer the audio of the digital content to the removable medium.    
     
     
         70 . Machine-readable media for transferring digital content recorded by a user to a removable medium, the machine-readable media comprising machine-readable instructions recorded thereon for: 
 allowing the user to set up a future transfer of digital content to the removable medium, wherein the user selects digital content to be transferred;    establishing communications with the removable medium; and    transferring the digital content to the removable medium without requiring any further user interaction after set up.    
     
     
         71 . The machine-readable media of  claim 70 , wherein allowing the user to set up a future transfer of digital content to the removable medium comprises allowing the user to select settings for transferring the digital content to the removable medium.  
     
     
         72 . The machine-readable media of  claim 70 , further comprising machine readable instructions recorded thereon for determining whether the removable medium is a valid target, wherein the determination is made without requiring any further user input after set up.  
     
     
         73 . The machine-readable media of  claim 70 , wherein information regarding whether the digital content has been viewed is stored on the removable medium.  
     
     
         74 . The machine-readable media of  claim 70 , further comprising machine readable instructions recorded thereon for: 
 storing a reference to the digital content in a database and    retrieving the reference to the digital content from the database after establishing communications with the removable medium, wherein the reference is retrieved without requiring any further user interaction after set up.    
     
     
         75 . The machine-readable media of  claim 70 , further comprising machine readable instructions recorded thereon for: 
 storing a reference to the digital content in a configuration file stored on the removable medium and    retrieving the reference to the digital content from the configuration file after establishing communications with the removable medium, wherein the reference is retrieved without requiring any further user interaction after set up.    
     
     
         76 . The machine-readable media of  claim 70 , wherein transferring the digital content to the removable medium comprises: 
 extracting audio from the digital content and    transferring the audio of the digital content to the removable medium.