Abstract: An information processor determines what media content is currently and/or could be displayed on a primary viewing screen. The information processor then mines other sources of information to obtain associated information. This information can then be accessed by a user as raw data and/or further processed by the information processor and then accessed by the user. Typically, the associated information is displayed on a secondary screen. This allows, for example, an electronic programming guide to be enhanced with additional information.

Abstract: The apparatus and method for estimating the size of content being received before the actual transmission of the data utilizes Electronic Service Guide (ESG) information. The ESG information assists a client device in obtaining file information before the file is actually transmitted by the source of the same. In this manner, the power supply of the user device can be managed more efficiently and provide the user with the ability to make storage determinations at their user device before expending the power resources necessary to obtain (i.e., download) and store a particular file of interest to the user without requiring any user intervention.

Abstract: A method comprising the steps of outputting periodically a schedule for a transmission of a plurality of multimedia contents to a client receiver over a unidirectional data communication channel; transmitting said schedule to said client receiver over said communication channel before said transmission of said plurality of multimedia contents, said schedule including a metadata indicating a plurality of broadcast times for respective ones of said plurality of multimedia contents for selectively activating said client receiver in accordance with said plurality of broadcast times; estimating first and second available bandwidths of said communication channel at respective ones of first and second points in time; selecting one multimedia content file of a given compression level for transmission in response to a change of available bandwidth of said communication channel between said first and second points in time so that said plurality of multimedia contents may be received at said client receiver in accordanc

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for generating parking permits reports for a parking permit system. The method includes aggregating parking permit data for each zone within the parking permit system into a logical grouping in a database. Then processing data according to report generation instructions. The data is then parsed to obtain a requested report and the report is distributed to a specified party.

Abstract: Robust Header Compression (ROHC) offers a way to compress packet header information for more efficient transmission of data. The compression is achieved through various confidence modes set up by the transmitter and the receiver. The Initialization and Refresh state (IR) is the first state of the compressor. This provides a complete, uncompressed context of the data that is being transmitted. In typically operation, the ROHC compressor will periodically transmit IR packets providing context information allowing the ROHC decompressor to decompress one or more packets following the IR packet. However, under certain conditions such as decompressor start-up, it is possible for the decompressor to miss an IR packet. Exemplary methods and apparatus are described in which a decompressor uses a later-received IR packet to decompress earlier packets for which the decompressor had not received context information.

Abstract: Creating a listing of suggested content and programming for a virtual channel is performed by generating rankings of previously viewed or accessed content. The method determines whether such content is either cyclical in nature as being related to a series or if such content is broadcasted less frequently.

Abstract: Robust Header Compression (ROHC) offers a way to compress packet header information for more efficient transmission of data. The compression is achieved through various confidence modes set up by the transmitter and the receiver. The Initialization and Refresh state (IR) is the first state of the compressor. This provides a complete, uncompressed context of the data that is being transmitted. In typically operation, the ROHC compressor will periodically transmit IR packets providing context information allowing the ROHC decompressor to decompress one or more packets following the IR packet. However, under certain conditions such as decompressor start-up, it is possible for the decompressor to miss an IR packet. Exemplary methods and apparatus are described in which a decompressor uses a later-received IR packet to decompress earlier packets for which the decompressor had not received context information.

Abstract: Robust Header Compression (ROHC) offers a way to compress packet header information for more efficient transmission of data. The compression is achieved through various confidence modes set up by the transmitter and the receiver. The Initialization and Refresh state (IR) is the first state of the compressor. This provides a complete, uncompressed context of the data that is being transmitted. In typically operation, the ROHC compressor will periodically transmit IR packets providing context information allowing the ROHC decompressor to decompress one or more packets following the IR packet. However, under certain conditions such as decompressor start-up, it is possible for the decompressor to miss an IR packet. Exemplary methods and apparatus are described in which a decompressor uses a later-received IR packet to decompress earlier packets for which the decompressor had not received context information.

Abstract: A search engine performs searches on displayed information to facilitate in limiting the search results and increasing relevancy. The search engine allows user inputs to influence a search boundary and/or a search result. The search boundaries and/or search results can also be influenced by social networking information and the like. The search results can be dynamically filtered by the search engine as the user enters in their search criteria. The searched information is limited to what is visually seen by a user on a screen/display device. This significantly reduces the displayed results and lets the user instantly see what their search parameters will yield.

Abstract: A secondary screen device sends information relating to media content viewed on a primary screen device to the primary screen device. The information sent can be altered and/or unaltered information. The secondary screen device can send the information to the primary screen device automatically and/or manually via a user interface on the secondary screen device. In some instances, an intermediate device can be employed to relay the information from the secondary screen device to the primary screen device. The intermediate device can also process the information received from the secondary screen device before sending it to the primary screen device.

Abstract: An information processor determines what media content is currently and/or could be displayed on a primary viewing screen. The information processor then mines other sources of information to obtain associated information. This information can then be accessed by a user as raw data and/or further processed by the information processor and then accessed by the user. Typically, the associated information is displayed on a secondary screen. This allows, for example, an electronic programming guide to be enhanced with additional information.

Abstract: Proper representation of the meaning of texts is crucial to enhancing many data mining and information retrieval tasks, including clustering, computing semantic relatedness between texts, and searching. Representing of texts in the concept-space derived from Wikipedia has received growing attention recently, due to its comprehensiveness and expertise. This concept-based representation is capable of extracting semantic relatedness between texts that cannot be deduced with the bag of words model. A key obstacle, however, for using Wikipedia as a semantic interpreter is that the sheer size of the concepts derived from Wikipedia makes it hard to efficiently map texts into concept-space. An efficient algorithm is proved which is able to represent the meaning of a text by using the concepts that best match it. In particular, this approach first computes the approximate top- concepts that are most relevant to the given text. These concepts are then leverage to represent the meaning of the given text.

Abstract: Analyzing auxiliary information associated with a video asset is performed. A topic is then determined from the extracted keywords where the topic is used as a basis of a query to return results such as news articles and other related information that is relevant to the topic of a video asset current being viewed or accessed.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for encoding and decoding a broadcast data stream that includes encrypted advertisement cue messages. The encrypted advertisement cue message data representing a advertisement to be inserted into a stream and data representing an insertion time within said broadcast data stream that is associated with said advertisement. The advertisement cue messages are encrypted and encrypted using a encryption technique. The encrypted advertisement cue message masks the insertion time for the advertisement and prevents automatically skipping of the advertisement data.

Abstract: A permit enforcement system is a computer-implemented system that enforces parking rights within a parking zone. The system may include a processor(s) that allows the system to first capture parked vehicle images within the parking zone during a specified time period. The images are then transmitted to a computing system with a time and date stamp and geographic location. The images are processed to obtain vehicle identifiers. The processor then queries a permit database to compile a list of vehicles permitted to park in the parking zone during the specified time period. This list is compared the vehicle identifiers and the vehicles identifiers which were not authorized to park within the parking zone during the specified time period are identified. These vehicle are then associated with owner information using an outside entity database and vehicle owners are notified of the violations.

Abstract: A parking permit system that allows a permit applicant to electronically apply for a permit. Once the applicant submits application data, the system will automatically verify the applicant data by comparing the applicant data against a system database. Once verified, the system will automatically, qualify parking rights associated with the permit application by applying the parking rights to a set of rules governing a parking zone. Once the application data is verified and the parking rights are qualified, the system will issue the parking permit.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for generating parking permits reports for a parking permit system. The method includes aggregating parking permit data for each zone within the parking permit system into a logical grouping in a database. Then processing data according to report generation instructions. The data is then parsed to obtain a requested report and the report is distributed to a specified party.

Abstract: Robust Header Compression (ROHC) offers a way to compress packet header information for more efficient transmission of data. The compression is achieved through various confidence modes set up by the transmitter and the receiver. The Initialization and Refresh state (IR) is the first state of the compressor. This provides a complete, uncompressed context of the data that is being transmitted. In typically operation, the ROHC compressor will periodically transmit IR packets providing context information allowing the ROHC decompressor to decompress one or more packets following the IR packet. However, under certain conditions such as decompressor start-up, it is possible for the decompressor to miss an IR packet. Exemplary methods and apparatus are described in which a decompressor uses a later-received IR packet to decompress earlier packets for which the decompressor had not received context information.

Abstract: Creating a listing of suggested content and programming for a virtual channel is performed by generating rankings of previously viewed or accessed content. The method determines whether such content is either cyclical in nature as being related to a series or if such content is broadcasted less frequently.

Abstract: Advanced multiplexing methods and apparatus that are especially useful in multiplexing variable bit rate input video streams onto a fixed bandwidth output stream with minimum effect on video quality are described. A multiplexer provides feedback to a stagger transmitter to help it maintain its output bit rate. In addition, the stagger transmitter parses Network Abstraction Layers (NALs) from the given streams and makes decisions on which NALs to forward to the MUX.