Patent ID: 8358913
Filing Date: 2013-01-22
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A method of modifying an existing recording schedule, comprising: (a) receiving a request from a user to record a program; (b) identifying a plurality of recording assignments associated with the program designated in the request received in step (a), each recording assignment associated with the program designated in the request received in step (a) designating a channel, an airing time and a tuner associated with the program designated in the request received in step (a); (c) sorting the plurality of recording assignments associated with the program designated in the request received in step (a) and identified in step (b) into a weighted order according to a comparison operator, sorting the plurality of recording assignments associated with the program designated in the request received in step (a) including ranking the plurality of recording assignments according to one or more properties; (d) separating the weighted order of the plurality of recording assignments into multiple groups of recording assignments responsive to said step of sorting, wherein one of the groups of recording assignments is designated as a preferred group of recording assignments; (e) combining the existing recording schedule and each of the recording assignments from the preferred group of recording assignments to generate new recording schedules, wherein each new recording schedule is a combination of the existing recording schedule and one of the recording assignments from the preferred group of recording assignments; (f) reducing the new recording schedules generated in step (e) to a final recording schedule; (g) replacing the existing recording schedule with the final recording schedule; and (m) downloading the final recording schedule to a digital recording device.