Patent ID: 8752115
Filing Date: 2014-06-10
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A method, comprising: transmitting, from a particular digital video recorder, information for identifying the particular digital video recorder and for indicating a characteristic of broadcast content received by the particular digital video recorder, wherein the information includes: receiving, at the particular digital video recorder, one or more instructions selected based on matching the geographical area, broadcast provider, and channel characteristics of the particular digital video recorder, the one or more instructions configured to update a commercial detection function of the particular digital video recorder, wherein the one or more instructions configured to update the commercial detection function comprise one or more instructions for detecting commercials in broadcast content received by the particular digital video recorder and comprise instructions for using an average blackfield luminance value as a threshold blackfield luminance value for detecting commercials, and wherein the average blackfield luminance value is determined from a subset of a plurality of blackfield luminance values obtained from digital video recorders located in the same geographical area having the same broadcast provider associated with the particular digital video recorder; after receiving the one or more instructions, updating the commercial detection function of the particular digital video recorder based on the one or more instructions providing a user interface for mapping a plurality of control inputs to a plurality of navigation functions, wherein the plurality of control inputs comprise a commercial-skipping control input, and wherein the plurality of navigation functions comprise a commercial-skipping navigation function; receiving the commercial-skipping control input that is mapped to activate the commercial-skipping navigation function, wherein the commercial-skipping navigation function is configured to utilize the commercial detection function; detecting a commercial in the broadcast content received by the particular digital video recorder using the commercial detection function; and after detecting the commercial in the broadcast content and determining that the commercial-skipping function is activated, the particular digital video recorder: