Receivers for television signals

Abstract

A receiver for television signals receives and stores television signals encoded at a variable data rate. Time information is generated based on the time of receipt of the signals that defines the duration of the television signals when output in decompressed form at a substantially constant data rate. The received signals are then written to a file on a hard disk in received order together with the time information. The time information of signals stored in the file is monitored and old signals are deleted from the file such that the file stores signals corresponding to a predetermined period of time.

1 . A method of recording television programmes, the method comprising storing times that programmes are to be recorded and, if there is an overlap in the time that two or more programmes are to be recorded such that a conflict occurs, outputting a display screen which identifies the conflict and with which a viewer can interact to resolve the conflict between the two or more programmes, and revising the stored times to give priority to the programme having programme type with higher priority on a stored programme type priority list, wherein the display screen suggests to the viewer a revision to the stored times based upon priority rules, and wherein the viewer can interact with the display screen to resolve the conflict by confirming that the suggested revision should be made. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein if input is not received from the viewer, the stored times are automatically revised to give priority to the programme having programme type with higher priority on the stored programme type priority list. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein if the two or more programmes to be recorded have programme types with the same priority, then the shorter programme is given priority in the absence of any other input from the viewer. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein if one programme currently being recorded ends later than the start time of another programme to be recorded, the conflict is resolved by applying a prioritising rule to provide the end of the one programme currently being recorded with priority over the start of the another programme. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 storing the programme type priority list, wherein said programme type priority list identifies types of programmes to be recorded and their relative priorities;   storing information identifying the type of programme to be recorded together with said times that programmes are to be recorded;   receiving a data stream including data representing programme content, programme identity data and data identifying the broadcast times of programmes;   comparing the stored times that programmes are to be recorded with the received data identifying the broadcast times of programmes;   adjusting the stored times that programmes are to be recorded in the event of a change as determined from the received data identifying the broadcast times of programmes; and   comparing entries on the programme type priority list with the stored times that programmes are to be recorded and type information for each programme to be recorded.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising revising the stored times if there is a overlap in the time that two or more programmes are to be recorded to give priority in turn to programmes having respective programme types with higher respective priorities on a stored programme type priority list. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating the programme type priority list, wherein said programme type priority list identifies types of programmes to be recorded and their relative priorities;   storing information identifying the type of programme to be recorded together with said times that programmes are to be recorded; and   comparing entries on the priority list with the stored times that programmes are to be recorded and type information for each programme to be recorded.   
     
     
         8 . An apparatus for recording television programmes, the apparatus comprising means for storing times that programmes are to be recorded, means for outputting a display screen if there is an overlap in the time that two or more programmes are to be recorded such that a conflict occurs, the display screen being a display screen which identifies the conflict and with which a viewer can interact to resolve the conflict between the two or more programmes, and means for revising the stored times if there is an overlap in the time that two or more programmes are to be recorded to give priority to the programme having programme type with higher priority on a stored programme type priority list, wherein the display screen is arranged to suggest to the viewer a revision to the stored times based upon priority rules, and wherein the viewer can interact with the display screen to resolve the conflict by confirming that the suggested revision should be made. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the apparatus is arranged to automatically revise the stored times to give priority to the programme having programme type with higher priority on the stored programme type priority list if input is not received from the viewer. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the apparatus is arranged to give priority to the shorter of two or more programmes to be recorded having programme types with the same priority in the absence of any other input from the viewer. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the apparatus is arranged such that if one programme currently being recorded ends later than the start time of another programme to be recorded, the apparatus resolves the conflict by applying a prioritising rule to provide the end of the one programme currently being recorded with priority over the start of the another programme. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 means for storing said programme type priority list, wherein said programme type priority list identifies types of programmes to be recorded and their relative priorities;   means for storing information identifying the type of programme to be recorded together with said times that programmes are to be recorded;   means for receiving a data stream including data representing programme content, programme identity data and data identifying the broadcast times of programmes;   means for comparing the stored times that programmes are to be recorded with the received data identifying the broadcast times of programmes;   means for adjusting the stored times that programmes are to be recorded in the event of a change as determined from the received data identifying the broadcast times of programmes; and   means for comparing entries on the priority list with the stored times that programmes are to be recorded and type information for each programme to be recorded.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the revising means revises the stored times if there is an overlap in the time that two or more programmes are to be recorded to give priority in turn to programmes having respective programme types with higher respective priorities on a stored programme type priority list. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 means for generating said programme type priority list, wherein said programme type priority list identifies types of programmes to be recorded and their relative priorities;   means for storing information identifying the type of programme to be recorded together with said times that programmes are to be recorded; and   means for comparing entries on the priority list with the stored times that programmes are to be recorded and type information for each programme to be recorded.   
     
     
         15 . A television signal receiver including the apparatus of  claim 8 .