Transfer of television programs from channel-specific files to program-specific files

Abstract

A television receiver including a tuner and one or more processors may be presented. The television receiver may be configured to tune the tuner to a television channel. The television receiver may be configured to create and store an omnibus channel file containing a plurality of television programs broadcast consecutively on the television channel over a period of time. The television receiver may be configured to, after a predefined period of time, select the omnibus channel file for deletion. The television receiver may be configured to determine a television program to receive extended storage. The television receiver may be configured to store a portion of the omnibus channel file as an individual program file, wherein the portion of the omnibus channel file corresponds to the television program. The television receiver may be configured to, after storing the portion of the omnibus channel file, delete the omnibus channel file.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A television receiver, comprising:
 a tuner;   one or more processors; and   a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium communicatively coupled with and readable by the one or more processors and having stored therein processor-readable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
 create an omnibus channel file comprising a plurality of recordings of television programs that were broadcast consecutively on a television channel received via the tuner; 
 select the omnibus channel file for deletion after a predefined period of time has elapsed; 
 store a bookmark file that identifies content within the omnibus channel file identified as corresponding to the television program; 
 determine a television program of the plurality of television programs that is to receive extended storage beyond the predefined period of time; and 
 store a portion of the omnibus channel file as a separate program file such that information from the bookmark file is used to define the start and end of the portion stored to the separate individual program file from the omnibus channel file, wherein the television program is the only television program stored to the separate program file. 
   
     
     
         3 . The television receiver of  claim 2 , wherein the processor-readable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, are further configured to cause the one or more processors to:
 receive a user-provided indication that requests extended storage of the television program of the plurality of television programs, wherein:
 the processor-readable instructions, which are configured to cause the one or more processors to determine the television program of the plurality of television programs that is to receive extended storage, is based on the user-provided indication in performing the determination. 
   
     
     
         4 . The television receiver of  claim 2 , wherein the processor-readable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, are further configured to cause the one or more processors to:
 create the bookmark file based upon electronic programming guide (EPG) information stored by the television receiver.   
     
     
         5 . The television receiver of  claim 4 , wherein the processor-readable instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to create the bookmark file comprise processor-readable instructions which, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:
 create the bookmark file using file offset measurements made according to the EPG information stored by the television receiver.   
     
     
         6 . The television receiver of  claim 5 , wherein the processor-readable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, are further configured to cause the one or more processors to:
 delete the bookmark file in response to the predefined period of time having elapsed.   
     
     
         7 . The television receiver of  claim 2 , wherein the processor-readable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, are further configured to cause the one or more processors to:
 receive the bookmark file from a television service provider via the tuner, wherein the bookmark file defines a plurality of content segments within the omnibus channel file as corresponding to the television program.   
     
     
         8 . The television receiver of  claim 7 , wherein the processor-readable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, are further configured to cause the one or more processors to:
 output for presentation the individual program file; and   skipping from outputting for presentation a portion of the individual program file based on the plurality of content segments defined within the bookmark file.   
     
     
         9 . The television receiver of  claim 7 , wherein the portion of the individual program file comprises one or more television commercials. 
     
     
         10 . The television receiver of  claim 7 , wherein the bookmark files defines the portion of the individual program file based on one or more offsets from a defined string of characters present in closed captioning data of the television program. 
     
     
         11 . A method for selectively storing content, comprising:
 creating, by a television receiver, an omnibus channel file comprising a plurality of recordings of television programs that were broadcast consecutively on a television channel;   selecting, by the television receiver, the omnibus channel file for deletion after a predefined period of time has elapsed;   storing, by the television receiver, a bookmark file that identifies content within the omnibus channel file identified as corresponding to the television program;   determining, by the television receiver, a television program of the plurality of television programs that is to receive extended storage beyond the predefined period of time; and   storing, by the television receiver, a portion of the omnibus channel file as a separate program file such that information from the bookmark file is used to define the start and end of the portion stored to the separate individual program file from the omnibus channel file, wherein the television program is the only television program stored to the separate program file.   
     
     
         12 . The method for selectively storing content of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the television receiver, a user-provided indication that requests extended storage of the television program of the plurality of television programs, wherein:
 determining the television program of the plurality of television programs that is to receive extended storage is based on the user-provided indication. 
   
     
     
         13 . The method for selectively storing content of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 creating, by the television receiver, the bookmark file based upon electronic programming guide (EPG) information stored by the television receiver.   
     
     
         14 . The method for selectively storing content of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 creating, by the television receiver, the bookmark file using file offset measurements made according to the EPG information stored by the television receiver.   
     
     
         15 . The method for selectively storing content of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 deleting, by the television receiver, the bookmark file in response to the predefined period of time having elapsed.   
     
     
         16 . The method for selectively storing content of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the television receiver, the bookmark file from a television service provider via the tuner, wherein the bookmark file defines a plurality of content segments within the omnibus channel file as corresponding to the television program.   
     
     
         17 . The method for selectively storing content of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 outputting, by the television receiver, to a display device, the individual program file; and   skipping from outputting for presentation a portion of the individual program file based on the plurality of content segments defined within the bookmark file.   
     
     
         18 . The method for selectively storing content of  claim 11 , wherein the bookmark files defines the portion of the individual program file based on one or more offsets from a defined string of characters present in closed captioning data of the television program. 
     
     
         19 . A non-transitory processor-readable medium comprising processor-readable instructions configured to cause one or more processors to:
 create an omnibus channel file comprising a plurality of recordings of television programs that were broadcast consecutively on a television channel received via the tuner;   select the omnibus channel file for deletion after a predefined period of time has elapsed;   store a bookmark file that identifies content within the omnibus channel file identified as corresponding to the television program;   determine a television program of the plurality of television programs that is to receive extended storage beyond the predefined period of time; and   store a portion of the omnibus channel file as a separate program file such that information from the bookmark file is used to define the start and end of the portion stored to the separate individual program file from the omnibus channel file, wherein the television program is the only television program stored to the separate program file.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory processor-readable medium of  claim 19 ,
 wherein the processor-readable instructions are further configured to cause the one or more processors to:   receive the bookmark file from a television service provider via the tuner, wherein the bookmark file defines a plurality of content segments within the omnibus channel file as corresponding to the television program.   
     
     
         21 . The non-transitory processor-readable medium of  claim 20 , wherein the processor-readable instructions are further configured to cause the one or more processors to:
 output for presentation the individual program file; and   skipping from outputting for presentation a portion of the individual program file based on the plurality of content segments defined within the bookmark file.