Abstract: A DRM disk such as a Blu-ray stores content in a high resolution version for playing by a disk player. The disk also stores the same content in a lower resolution version for playing by a secondary device such as a Playstation Portable (PSP). The disk can be engaged with the disk player and the lower resolution format transferred to the secondary player through a mechanism such as a removable medium (e.g., a Sony Memory Stick®) or a USB connection or other means in accordance with DRM restrictions on the disk.

Abstract: A packetized data transmitter notes packet transmission times and the times, if any, of retransmission requests from a receiver. Based on the period between original transmission and retransmission of a dropped packet, the transmitter establishes a packet discard period, essentially a transmitter packet buffer length.

Abstract: A DRM disk such as a Blu-ray stores content in a high resolution version for playing by a disk player. The disk also stores the same content in a lower resolution version for playing by a secondary device such as a Playstation Portable (PSP). The disk can be engaged with the disk player and the lower resolution format transferred to the secondary player through a mechanism such as a removable medium (e.g., a Sony Memory Stick®) or a USB connection or other means in accordance with DRM restrictions on the disk.

Abstract: A computer dock communicates with a TV over a HDMI link and a USB and/or Ethernet link. The dock can include a keyboard and mouse and the user can select whether the keyboard/mouse signals are sent to the computer or the TV. The input devices of the computer in the dock and/or the input devices of the dock can be used to provide navigation input to the TV to navigate around user interfaces such as a cross-media bar (XMB).

Abstract: A TV includes a TV processor and a TV display and a PC includes a PC processor but no PC monitor. A HDMI link is established between the processors for conveying multimedia content from the PC to the TV for display thereof on the TV display. Also, a link such as a USB link is established between the processors for exchanging control signals therebetween.

Abstract: A communication device consistent with certain implementations has a coaxial cable having length and first and second ends. The coaxial cable further has a central conductor, a dielectric insulator surrounding the central conductor, and an electric shield conductor surrounding the dielectric insulator. The dielectric insulator serves as a dielectric waveguide having a characteristic impedance Z at an operating frequency range. A termination for electrical energy coupled into or out of the dielectric insulator at approximately the characteristic impedance Z at the operating frequency range to utilize the dielectric insulator as a waveguide for transmission of signals along the length of the coaxial cable, and wherein the center conductor is further used to communicate an electrical signal between the first and second ends. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: A mobile telephone docking station that makes use of a TV as a display and that allows use of a standard keyboard and mouse to have a faster, more comfortable means to control the phone. Access to all of the cell phone's functions is allowed through the docking station/TV.

Abstract: The decode rate of an MPEG decoder of streaming video is set to a relatively slow value at the start of a stream to permit playing, albeit at relatively low speeds, of the video until an appropriate number of packets are in a receive buffer, at which time the decode rate is speeded up to normal.

Abstract: A television and camcorder combination include an acoustic echo canceller and a videoconference protocol stack in order to provide videoconferencing capabilities using only a television in combination with an attached camcorder. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: A method for abstracting a TV hardware component to a service class to facilitate providing services through a TV.

Abstract: In a TV displaying thumbnails of videos grouped by genre, genre labels are shown so that a user can conveniently move genre to genre with a single click on a remote control device.

Abstract: When a person uses a first portable music player to wirelessly transmit a tune to a person with a second player in a social networking transaction for playing by the second player for a limited time, if the second person subsequently purchases an unrestricted version of the tune, the first person is compensated.

Abstract: In response to a channel change command in a home network, to reduce latency a real time network bandwidth determination is made and if the determination indicates that bandwidth is sufficient to support only I-frame transmission, then only I-frames are sent temporarily from the source to the sink. Otherwise, I and P frames only are sent and may he encoded at a faster than normal frame rate and displayed at a lower than normal frame rate. If the sink is not configured for non-standard groups of pictures (GOP) some of the P frames can be indicated to the sink as being B-frames.

Abstract: The display of very high definition still images on a high definition television is achieved through the decryption of received images within a DRM capable decryption device embedded within a high definition TV. The decryption device stores a pre-set decryption key, decrypts the incoming high definition still image content, and applies pre-set licensing parameters against the decrypted content. If the license for the encrypted content is determined to be valid the very high definition still images are displayed on the TV, otherwise the TV will display a lack of authorization message if the licensing is determined to be not valid. The embedded DRM decryption device is capable of determining and enforcing a number of licensure conditions for any and all received encrypted imagery. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: A method of processing a boot sequence for a processor forming a part of a module apparatus involves interrogating a host television device to determine if the host television device requires use of an application execution engine residing on the module apparatus; receiving a reply to the interrogation; and responsive to the reply, establishing a mode of operation wherein the application execution engine is used to execute application code for the host television device. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: Intuitive visualization of a home network is provided by providing on screen images of devices in the network around an image of the TV, and by establishing sizes, motion, and other visualization features of the images to reflect selections, bandwidths, different sub-networks, etc.

Abstract: In a TV displaying thumbnails of videos grouped by genre, genre labels are shown so that a user can conveniently move genre to genre with a single click on a remote control device.

Abstract: An external module for use with a host television device consistent with certain embodiments wherein the host television device receives at least one content service has a connector for attaching to the module. Java™ code is received from the content service being received by the host television device over the connector. An application execution engine residing on the external module carries out execution of the Java™ code. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: A packetized data receiver establishes at the beginning of receiving each respective stream a buffer length for sending packets to higher levels of a protocol stack in the event that a packet is missed. This can be done by requesting retransmission of the first packet and measuring the actual time delay between request and receipt of the retransmitted packet.

Abstract: A method for storing data across a plurality of N storage devices S1 . . . SN, wherein at least certain of the storage devices have a storage capacity CMIN=CJ?CK . . . ?CMAX, and CMIN<CMAX involves establishing a first capacity band equal in capacity to CMIN in each of the storage devices; encoding a collection of source data with an erasure encoder to produce FJ erasure codewords; allocating the FJ erasure codewords uniformly among the N storage devices S1 . . . SN; establishing a second capacity band equal in capacity to CK?CJ in each of the storage devices having capacity ?CJ; encoding a collection of source data with an erasure encoder to produce FK erasure codewords; and allocating the FK erasure codewords uniformly among the storage devices S1 . . . SN having capacity ?CJ. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.