Real-time DVR polling system

摘要

Techniques for real-time DVR usage and reporting enable using instant message protocol in a DVR environment to obtain real-time DVR usage data and to report data reflecting such usage in real-time. An example of DVR usage data comprises data reflecting that a viewer is viewing a video program which is R-rated. Another example of DVR usage data comprises a viewer entering a password, such as a kids zone password, to exit kids zone operational mode.

主权项

1. A method, comprising:
receiving, by a server, a message from a client requesting a recording event for a user device, the client being different than the user device; responsive to the message, updating, by the server, a database at the server to include one or more database entries that indicate that the user device is to perform the recording event; sending, by the server, in one or more instant messages to the user device, a request to initiate synchronization of the one or more database entries between the database at the server and a local database at the user device; wherein the user device is configured to receive program guide data describing listings of programs; transmitting, by the server, information from the one or more database entries to the user device, the information, when stored in the local database at the user device, instructing the user device to perform the recording event; wherein the recording event causes the user device to schedule a recording of a data stream comprising a program indicated by the message from the client, the program guide data including a program description for the program; wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.