Abstract: A content reproduction method is provided. First, a broadcast program having a program content is received and electronic program guide data including program information on the broadcast program is received. Then, a content corresponding to the program content of the broadcast program is retrieved from a network based on the electronic program guide data. Finally, identification information identifying the content is displayed with the program information.

Abstract: A method of controlling an apparatus for receiving an electronic program guide (EPG), and an EPG receiver using the same, enable preferred broadcast programs to be displayed and viewed using a reserved recording function, without performing specific searching or playback operations, by employing a user channel to simulate reception of real-time television broadcasting to enable a sequential display and viewing of at least one broadcast program via the user channel.

Abstract: The present invention offers a method for channel change in digital broadcasting consisting of: a step 1 for recognizing a command for a channel change while the currently connected channel is being decoded at the digital broadcasting terminal; a step 2 for completing reception of the current stream while maintaining the received picture if there is a command for a channel change according to said step 1; a step 3 for receiving and analyzing the information of the newly concatenated stream without re-initializing the decoder and concatenating two streams; and a step 4 for renewing information of the newly concatenated stream in order to maintain continuity between the previous stream and the newly concatenated stream using the information obtained in said steps 2 and 3. Therefore, time delay during channel change will be minimized by changing channels without decoder re-initialization and without break in the channel changing time.

Abstract: Methods for entertainment-programming distribution are provided. A set of entertainment programs is transmitted in real time over a public network for display on user computers in communication with the public network and identified as subscribers to the set of entertainment programs. A notification signal is transmitted with at least one of the entertainment programs to identify that entertainment program as available for download. A request is received from one of the user computers over the public network to download that entertainment program. It is verified that the user computer is authorized to receive downloaded entertainment programs in accordance with a subscriber agreement. The identified entertainment program is then downloaded to the user computer.

Abstract: A system and method is provided to automatically generate content for ITV products and services by processing primary media sources. In one embodiment of the invention, keywords are automatically extracted from the primary media sources using one or more of a variety of techniques directed to video, audio and/or textual content of the multimodal source. In some embodiments, keywords are then processed according to one or more disclosed algorithms to narrow the quantity of downstream processing that is necessary to associate secondary sources (reference items) with the primary video source. Embodiments of the invention also provide automatic searching methods for the identification of reference items based on the processed keywords in order to maximize the value added by the association of reference items to the video source.

Abstract: A portable media device for use in cooperation with passenger entertainment systems installed in vehicles, such as automobiles and aircraft, and methods for manufacturing and using same. The portable media device is configured to communicate with one or more content sources, which provide viewing content and which may be proximate to, and/or remote from, the portable media device. Preferably being configured to wirelessly communicate with the content sources, the portable media device can select content from any available content source and can download and present the selected content in any conventional manner. The selected content can be streamed to the portable media device for contemporaneous presentation and/or stored by the portable media device for viewing at any time, including after disembarking the vehicle once travel is completed. As desired, the portable media device likewise can be configured to transmit appropriate upload content to the content sources.

Abstract: Techniques are described to customize the functional capabilities of a remote control device with one or more modular hardware components. In an implementation, a modular hardware component coupled to a remote control device is identified. A user interface is configured according to the identified modular hardware component and/or the functional capabilities of the identified modular hardware component. The configured user interface corresponds to the modular hardware component and is operable via inputs or data provided through user manipulation of the modular hardware component.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a relay device includes an address management module which executes processing of acquiring a first physical address assigned to the relay device based on a sink device, processing of acquiring a second physical address assigned to the relay device based on another sink device, determination processing of determining, in the case where it is determined that the command needs to be transmitted to the other sink device, whether to perform conversion of the physical address included in a parameter in the other sink device, and conversion processing of converting, in the case where it is determined that the conversion of the physical address is not performed in the other sink device, the physical address included in the parameter into a physical address based on the other sink device using the first and second physical addresses.

Abstract: A system is presented having a graphical indicator in an interface screen of an electronic program guide. The graphical indicator is configured to focus a user's attention on a selectable program instance field. The indicator has a length that depends on the duration of the selectable program instance, thereby conveying the start and stop times of the selectable instance. At least one indicator attribute is controllable by the user. For example, the user may control the indicator height, weight, width or brightness.

Abstract: Application gadget techniques are described. In an implementation, a remote control device includes a display device and one or more modules. The one or more modules are configured to initiate one or more control functions related to control of a display of content by a client. The one or more modules also provide an environment to execute one or more application gadgets such that an output of the one or more application gadgets is displayable on the display device.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing content to users of a network that can be selectively recorded via the user's equipment. In an exemplary embodiment, the network comprises a hybrid fiber coax (HFC) network, and on-demand (OD) sessions are used to provide high-speed download of the requested content to the users. The user's equipment (e.g., set-top box) is equipped with a high-density recording device which can both record the content onto a selected medium (e.g., DVD) and optionally provide copyright protection via one or more means such as limiting the number of copies that can be made, and/or digital watermarking. The network operator can also restrict the establishment of the on-demand sessions and/or release of the content to subscribers based on parameters including prior purchase of the content by the user, and the timing of the release of the same content via other distribution channels such as rental and retail.

Abstract: Techniques for delivering video on demand (VOD) channel content via streaming from a first edge aggregation device are provided. The first edge aggregation device receives the VOD channel content from a VOD server, and the streaming VOD channel content from the first edge aggregation device can stream down to a requestor. The streaming VOD channel content from the first edge aggregation device can also stream or up through a metro aggregation switch to a second edge aggregation device to reach the requestor. Techniques for buffering a cache of a video stream are also provided for bursting to a requestor, either after a request is made or before.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for storing a compressed video stream or an uncompressed video stream is disclosed. The uncompressed video stream may be ZOOM VIDEO data. The compressed video stream may be a TRANSPORT STREAM data from a High Definition Television (HDTV) broadcast. A video graphics adapter is configured to properly receive one of the two types of video data. The received data and control signals are monitored to provide a second set of control of data signal which are used by a packer and an window control to provide data of a predetermined width and control to an address generator. The data is buffered within a graphics memory such as a frame buffer. The graphics memory can be written to system memory when full, or accessed by the system memory controller during the fill operation if a multi-ported memory is used.

Abstract: A method for managing access to a signal representative of an event of a service provider by permitting a subscriber of the service provider to view an event for which the subscriber is not authorized for a specified time period; and transmitting at least one authorization code for the event to the subscriber during the specified time period.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for distributing programming. A fixed linear programming schedule identifying an order of transmission for multiple programs is generated. The programs are transmitted in the order of transmission. An on-demand flag is embedded in at least one of the programs to identify it as available on an on-demand basis. An electronic program guide for the linear schedule displays the programs available on-demand with an on-demand identifier. The identified programs are then made available on an on-demand basis.

Abstract: A scheme for retrieving digital multimedia content from a network node. A message is provided to the network node by a client application executing on a digital multimedia device, wherein the message includes a multidimensional pointer to a depository of digital multimedia content associated with the network node as well as a timing parameter operable to indicate when the message is to take effect. The multidimensional pointer contains a relative time offset variable as well as a plurality of media identifier dimensions corresponding to a plurality of nested hierarchical levels into which the digital multimedia content is organized. Responsive to the message, content from a particular content source identified by the multidimensional pointer is streamed to the digital multimedia device at a time indicated responsive to the timing parameter.

Abstract: A method for preventing disconnection of an audio/video stream in a home network includes: a step in which a renderer connected to a server requests A/V streams; a step in which the server judges whether A/V streams can be outputted in response to the request from the renderer; and a step in which the server provides the A/V streams to the renderer sequentially or simultaneously if the A/V stream can be outputted, or outputting a server unavailableness message to the renderer if the server judges that the A/V streams can not be outputted. Without a memory, even though plural renderers are simultaneously or sequentially connected to the server, an abnormal image is prevented from being outputted, so that a service user can be provided with an image without disconnection.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for group billing purchasers of transmitted programming events is provided. In one embodiment, a subscriber group includes two or more individual subscribers who receive programming from a programming provider. The individual subscribers periodically elect to view a program provided via the program provider. The program is provided on a pay-per-view basis, meaning that the program provider requires a sum of money to be paid in order to view the program. The sum of money is determined according to the number of viewers in a single subscriber group. In one embodiment, the subscribers interact during a program via a network connection.

Abstract: A system and method for monitoring direct broadcast satellite signals. In a most general embodiment, the invention (10) includes a mechanism (20) for receiving direct broadcast wireless signals encoded in accordance with a DSS transport protocol. The received signals are analyzed with respect to various parameters and an output is provided in response thereto. In a specific embodiment, the wireless signals are transmitted via satellite and plural integrated receiver decoders (20) are used, one with an associated channel, to receive the wireless signals and provide audio, video, program guide and conditional access signals in response thereto. These signals are analyzed by software (100) running on a computer (56) which outputs alarm data on the detection of anomalies in the received signals.

Abstract: A synchronization mechanism embeds synchronization triggers into a television signal or stream at regular intervals. The triggers include an accurate representation of the time in which the triggers were embedded. A receiving device decodes the triggers and synchronizes its internal timer based on the triggers. In this regard, the receiving device obtains a reference time from the internal timer and computes an offset between the reference time and the trigger time. The computed offset is then applied to the reference time. With the receipt of each new trigger, the application compares the trigger time to a new reference time with the most recently computed offset value applied. If there is any variance between these two values, the application creates a new smoothed offset.