Abstract: A method for storing data across N storage devices S1 . . . SN, wherein at least one the storage devices has a storage capacity not equal to a storage capacity of others involves identifying a storage device SMAX having a largest capacity; encoding the data with an erasure encoder to produce F erasure codewords, where F= ? K = 1 N ? F K and distributing the erasure codewords among storage devices S1 . . . SN in approximate proportion to the storage capacity CK of each of S1 . . . SN so that enough erasure codewords are stored in each of the N storage devices to assure that if any one of the storage devices become unavailable, all of the data stored in the systems can be restored using the fountain codewords stored in the remaining storage devices. The erasure codewords can be fountain codewords.

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: An arrangement for storing data has a plurality of N storage devices S1 . . . SN, wherein at least one of the storage devices has a storage capacity that not equal to a storage capacity of others of the storage devices. A storage device SMAX has a largest capacity of the plurality of storage devices S1 . . . SN. A fountain encoder encodes the data into F fountain codewords, wherein F = ? K = 1 N ? F K with K being a counting integer; and the fountain encoder distributes the fountain codewords among the N storage devices S1 . . . SN in approximate proportion to the storage capacity CK of each of the N storage devices S1 . . . SN subject to the constraint that enough fountain codewords are stored in each of the N storage devices, to assure that all of the data in all of the N storage devices can be recovered if any one of the N storage devices SP is lost using the fountain codewords stored in the remaining storage devices S1 . . . SN excluding SP.

Abstract: Herein, a display device, system and method are described for identifying digital content through comparison of one or more audio thumbnails when the digital content is provided without metadata. According to one embodiment, a display device comprises a display, audio conversion logic and a transceiver. The audio conversion logic is adapted to produce one or more audio thumbnails, which are compact representations of a snippet of audio from that incoming digital content without the metadata. The transceiver is adapted to transmit the one or more audio thumbnails in order to (i) retrieve metadata associated with the digital content from an external source separate from a source of the digital content and (ii) display information provided by the metadata on the display.

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: A method for identifying video content consistent with certain embodiments involves, selecting a plurality pixels using a pixel selection algorithm, the pixels being selected to provide a repeatable selection of pixels in a selected frame in the video content; establishing a scene signature by: extracting a characteristic of each selected pixel that can be represented in a digital form for each pixel, and generating a digital stream by concatenating the digital form for the extracted characteristic of each pixel; transmitting the scene signature to an identification device for comparison with scene signatures in a database having a plurality of video content items to identify the video content; and receiving either the identification of the video content or an indication that no video content is uniquely identified by the scene signature. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: A remote control device includes one or more mode buttons which, when manipulated, cause plural controlled devices to assume preset configurations.

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: A dongle for digital rights management protection, in accordance with one embodiment of the present technology, includes a digital right management engine and an encryption/decryption engine. The digital rights management engine is adapted to port digital rights management rules of a source of content to digital rights management rules enforced by the digital rights management engine. The encryption/decryption engine is adapted to re-encrypting the source of content into a managed copy of the content, wherein the managed copy of the content is locked to the dongle.

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

Abstract: A consumer electronics (CE) device is connected in a home network to a personal computer (PC) by first connecting them both to an Internet server, which downloads necessary communication information to the devices to allow them to communicate with each other.

Abstract: A system and method for renewing the ability of a component to play digital content. A timer is established, and before the elapse of the timer the component is engaged with a battery charging cradle. By virtue of the component being engaged with the cradle, the timer is reset.

Abstract: A method of displaying items from an RSS feed on a television display involves registering the RSS feed with an RSS aggregator, the RSS feed aggregator being operatively coupled to the television display for display of RSS feed items; at the RSS aggregator, polling the RSS feed for RSS feed items; determining if the RSS feed contains an item that has been newly added since a preceding poll of the RSS feed; and if the RSS feed contains an item that has been newly added since a preceding poll of the RSS feed, downloading and displaying the newly added item on the television display replacing a previously displayed item from the RSS feed. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a plurality of columns bound together, configured to display a single row of pixels scanned out from top to bottom. It also comprises a timing control unit to synchronize between the columns to allow all pixels of a single row to be lit at the same time.

Abstract: A PVR is selectively granted access to a hard disk drive. The HDD generates a random number, encrypts it with a key known to the PVR, and sends it to the PVR, which decrypts the number and increments it by one to render a new number. The new number is encrypted with the key and sent back to the HDD, which decrypts the new number, decrements it by one, and compares the result to the original number, granting the PVR access only when a match occurs.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a plurality of columns bound together, configured to display a single row of pixels scanned out from top to bottom. It also comprises a timing control unit to synchronize between the columns to allow all pixels of a single row to be lit at the same time.

Abstract: A system and method for switching television channels that includes a first tuner by which a current television channel is received and presented on a display, and a second tuner which tunes to other television channels digit by digit as a user is entering the digits. The current television channel continues to be presented on the display while the second tuner is tuning digit by digit until the user requests to view the television channel the second tuner is tuned to. In variations, a third tuner is implemented to tune to a predicted channel while the current television channel is presented on the display, and the predicted channel tuned by the third tuner is presented on the display when the user requests to view the predicted channel.

Abstract: A method and system for providing reduced network bandwidth for picture in picture (PIP) video transmissions. The method includes receiving a request signal from a client display to scale a video signal, a server scaling an auxiliary video signal from which pictures presented in an auxiliary display of a client display are derived and the server encoding signals from which pictures presented in a main display and a auxiliary display of said client display are derived. Further, the method includes combining the signals from which pictures presented in the main display and the auxiliary display are derived and the server transmitting to the client display combined signals from which pictures presented in the main display and the auxiliary display are derived. The client then displays the main image and the PIP image.

Abstract: Methods for providing fast channel change in a digital display system. Spare tuners can be provided for predicting a next channel that may be viewed. These spare tuners may be used to capture information that is used to provide a fast channel change to an accurately predicted next channel. A spare tuner may be a PIP tuner. A three tuner system can be used where multiple tuners are applied to multiple predicted channels. Also, a spare tuner can be used to scan available channels and cache information on a set of channels to provide a fast channel change to a cached channel. The information cached can include program information, e.g., table information. Spare decoders (e.g., virtual decoder) can also be used to predict a next channel and provide fast channel change thereto.

Abstract: A television Set-top box based content server consistent with certain embodiments of the present invention has a receiver that receives a transport stream containing data representing content in packets, wherein the packets are identified by packet identifiers (PIDs). A PID filter selects packets having a specified PID. A mapper maps packets having the specified PID to an Internet Protocol (IP) address. The mapper uses the PID as an index to a translation table and retrieves the IP address from the translation table. A packet converter converts the packets identified by the specified PID to an IP packet having the IP address. A router, such as a wireless ultra-wideband router, routes the IP packet to a recipient according to the IP address.