Patent ID: 7773859

Claim:
In a system that includes a recording apparatus, a method for controlling the recording apparatus in response to programs that have been selected for recording and that have coinciding broadcast times, the method comprising the acts of: receiving user input from a particular user selecting a first program for recording, the first program having a first broadcast time; thereafter, receiving user input from the particular user selecting a second program for recording, the second program having a second broadcast time that at least partially coincides with the first broadcast time; determining that, at the time the user input selecting the second program for recording is received, a conflict exists between the first program and the second program; at the time the user input selecting the second program for recording is received, and immediately thereafter, abstaining from resolving the conflict; storing, at the system, a recording list specifying programs specified by the particular user for recording, the recording list including recording information for both the first program and the second program to be recorded, despite the existence of the conflict at the time the user input selecting the second program is received, and immediately thereafter; the system automatically selecting the first program for recording; using the recording list to program the recording apparatus to schedule recording of the first program at the first broadcast time; subsequent to programming the recording apparatus to record the first program at the first broadcast time, continuing to store, at the system, the recording list specifying that the user has selected the second program to be recorded at the second broadcast time which is at least partially coinciding with the first broadcast time, without requiring a user to resolve the conflict, wherein the continued storage preserves the possibility of automatically scheduling the recording of the second program; and in response to a subsequent event, wherein the subsequent event comprises at least one of detecting that a new tuner has been added to the recording apparatus or detecting that at least one of a start or stop time for the first program has changed from the first broadcast time, automatically programming the recording apparatus to schedule recording of the second program at the second broadcast time, using the stored recording information specifying that the user has selected the second program to be recorded, and without requiring the user to reselect the second program to be recorded.