Abstract: In an embodiment of the present invention, a first user may associate a second user with particular media characteristics. The second user may be notified when the first user consumes media having pre-defined characteristics matching those associated with the second user. The second user may keep records of the consumption of media with particular media characteristics, and may provide services or incentives to the first user. A system in accordance with various aspects of the present invention may comprise a first and a second set top box, each having storage with an associated network address. A user of the second set top box may have at least one associated media characteristic, and the second user may be sent a notification when the first user requests media with pre-defined characteristics matching the media characteristic associated with the second user.

Abstract: A system may include logic to provide a video program to a video display, logic to provide interactive content to indicate that a snapshot of the video program can be captured, and snapshot capturing logic to capture a video frame of the video program.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided to implement a number of improvements to the consumption process for television (and other services), including personalization, community viewing, shared presence and context, messaging, access to ratings and recommendations (including community reviews), alerts, etc. A content distribution server manages the delivery of television, messaging, on demand audio or video, online gaming, and other entertainment and information services to a plurality of client devices (e.g., televisions, personal computers, enhanced telephones, etc.). The server components include a television application component, messaging component, and application components that integrate the various services to deliver, for example, enhanced television, which includes television broadcast enhanced with messaging services, Internet access, informational alerts, and/or the like.

Abstract: A method and system for providing a distributed audience response for a broadcast records a response from a participating client of a broadcast and transmits the response to an audience server. The audience server combines the response with responses from other participating clients of the broadcast, and the combined response is then transmitted to a receiving client for playback in synchronization with the broadcast. Intelligible speech can be removed from the combined response. The participating client can be part of a group of clients of the broadcast, where the responses from the group of clients are combined and played back. A participant can invite certain other participants to “sit next to” him or her, where the responses of the invitees are configured to be intelligible over the combined response.

Abstract: A system for estimating audience state using the video signal relative to an imaged audience and audio signal according to voices from the audience generated in an input unit. A characteristic amount detection unit detects information on a movement amount, movement periodicity, a volume, voice periodicity of the audience, and a frequency component of voices from the audience based on the video signal or the audio signal. An estimation unit estimates an audience state based on the detected result. An output unit outputs the estimated result of the audience state. The audience state can be easily estimated without observing the audience state by a person.

Abstract: Certain embodiments of the invention may be found in a method for establishing a communication pathway for subsequent media exchanges between a television display in a first home and storage that contains media in a second home. The method may comprise securely receiving address correlation information associated with the television display in the first home and securely receiving address correlation information associated with the storage in the second home. Affirmative confirmation may be received and/or stored using the received address correlation information associated with at least one of the television display and the storage. The invention may also include verifying that affirmative information has been stored in association with any subsequent media exchanges.

Abstract: A broadcast receiving device includes a table storage component, a viewing control acquisition component, a first determination component, a table acquisition component and a table updating component. The first determination component determines whether or not one of a following is satisfied: a column determination condition that a column number of a program viewing control information is greater than a first specific number of a first viewing control table, and a row determination condition that a row number of the program viewing control information is greater than a second specific number of the first viewing control table. The table acquisition component acquires a second viewing control table via a television broadcast when the first determination component determines that one of the column determination condition and the row determination condition is satisfied. The table updating component replaces the first viewing control table with the second viewing control table.

Abstract: A program distribution system is disclosed. The system includes: a broadcast station; a recording and reproduction device that is capable of recording and reproducing data of program contents coming from the broadcast station by cable or by radio; and a content server that is capable of distributing, over a network, the data of the program contents to the recording and reproduction device through connection thereto over the network. In the system, the recording and reproduction device includes a storage section, a recording and reproduction control section, and a higher-quality data acquisition control section.

Abstract: A video display system for a motor vehicle is disclosed. The video display system includes a display screen configured for single display mode and dual display mode. The display screen further includes a left image portion and a right image portion associated with a left external input port and a right external input port, respectively.

Abstract: A method and system for initiating an emergency alert in a broadcast system includes a broadcast operations channel management system providing a user alert user interface and determining guide channels eligible for an emergency alert. The broadcast operations channel management system sends a trigger to the traffic scheduling system and initiates an emergency alert event in response to the trigger.

Abstract: A digital television (DTV) signal for use in a DTV receiver includes an extended text table (ETT) which includes a header and a message body. The header includes a table identification extension field which serves to establish uniqueness of the ETT, and the message includes an extended text message (ETM). If the ETT is an event ETT, the table ID extension field includes an event identification which specifies an identification number of an event associated with the ETT. On the other hand, if the ETT is a channel ETT, the table identification extension field includes a source identification which specifies a programming source of a virtual channel associated with the ETT. A section-filtering unit included in the DTV receiver is able to use table identification extension fields of a plurality of ETTs for section-filtering a pertinent event or channel ETT from the ETTs.

Abstract: The present invention enables a broadcaster to vary the time and the descriptive information in a program guide on a per-channel basis. A priority ranking system of the channels allows the preparation of multiple versions of a program guide in order to fit the guide into the memory space allocated in a receiver. When constructing the program guide, the algorithm of the present invention fits the longest title variation allowed while still keeping the total size of the guide product within space constraints supported by the receiver.

Abstract: A television receiver receives a programming signal including programming content and EPG data. The television receiver receives a request for an EPG display. The television receiver modifies the EPG data for one or more records in the EPG data which include content ratings that exceed a ratings lock setting of the television receiver. The television receiver may modify the EPG data for one or more records in a variety of different manners depending on a variety of different factors associated with the records. The television receiver then generates the EPG display from the modified EPG data and transmits the generated EPG display to a display device. The modification of the EPG data may prevent display of objectionable content in the EPG display and/or may indicate that the records correspond to blocked programs.

Abstract: A method for conveying private or enhancement information in a compressed bit stream comprising the steps of (A) generating a compressed bit stream in response to a first data stream and a plurality of encoding choices and (B) controlling the encoding choices in response to a second data stream comprising one or both of the private information and the enhancement information.

Abstract: A digital television setting information storage apparatus and a method for accessing digital television information are provided. The apparatus includes a random access memory and a non-volatile memory. The method includes steps of: receiving a setting information change signal, storing setting information into the random access memory, clearing the non-volatile memory, and transferring the setting information from the random access memory to the non-volatile memory when the non-volatile memory is erased. The setting information includes channel information and on screen display setting information.

Abstract: A method and system for adjusting picture display settings of a display device is provided. One embodiment involves simultaneously displaying multiple pictures of the same visual content on the display device, wherein the picture setting and one or more sample pictures each at a different picture setting relative to the reference picture. Then user selection of a picture among the multiple pictures is received, and the current picture setting is adjusted to the settings of the selected picture. The process may be repeated.

Abstract: A method includes receiving at a set-top box a broadcast signal including closed-captioning content. The closed-captioning content includes subtitles related to the broadcast signal and uniform resource locator (URL) data. The URL data is extracted from the closed-captioning content. The URL data is stored in a memory of the set-top box.

Abstract: Various technologies and techniques are disclosed that relate to providing interactive television by synchronizing content to live and/or recorded television shows. Content is synchronized without the use of in-band triggers. A broadcast stream is received, and search/action pairs are received from a transmission path, such as from the Internet or user. When the search criteria are found in the broadcast stream, the associated action is performed and the content is synchronized with the show. An application programming interface is used to facilitate synchronization, and includes a set search method, a search function template method, and a clear search method. The set search method initiates searching of the broadcast stream and registers one or more callback methods for performing the associated action when the match is found. The search function template serves as the template for registering the callback methods. The clear search method clears the system resources from the search.

Abstract: In an image processing apparatus and method, a digital broadcasting receiver enables electronic program guide (EPG) information data and digital broadcasting image data not to visually overlap each other when digital broadcasting image data of a channel, including caption information, is processed. The image processor of the digital broadcasting receiver determines whether a changed channel includes caption information, and when the changed channel includes the caption information, the image processor scales down the digital broadcasting image data received from a digital broadcasting server, displays the scaled down digital broadcasting image data on one side of a screen, and displays EPG information data on another side of the screen.

Abstract: Interactive program guide systems and related processes are provided which can automatically tune a television, or program a VCR, based on program selections made from program schedule information displayed on a television or other suitable video monitor. The interactive program guide is preferably implemented using a microprocessor-controlled set-top box that is coupled to the viewer's television set. The set-top box receives program schedule information and software from a headend telecasting center. Preferably, program schedule information for the current day and at least six subsequent days is stored in a memory within the set-top box. The interactive program guide provides a display mode for allowing the viewer to apply a restrictive search selection criterion and a nonrestrictive sort attribute to the program schedule information.