Abstract: A method and system are provided in which a processor may perform fast source switching and/or automatic source switching by keeping active the signals from multiple sources. The processor may determine which received video signals are locked-in within a front-end portion of the processor. A video signal may be locked-in when a demodulator is locked to a carrier in the video signal or when a decoder is programmed to decode the video signal. During operation, the processor may switch from processing a current video signal to processing a video signal selected from those determined to be locked-in. The processor may maintain active a portion of a back-end portion of the processor to handle the switch from the current video signal to the selected video signal. The processor may switch to process between video signals when a predetermined content and/or metadata is detected within one of the video signals.

Abstract: A method and system are provided in which a processor may perform fast source switching and/or automatic source switching by keeping active the signals from multiple sources. The processor may determine which received video signals are locked-in within a front-end portion of the processor. A video signal may be locked-in when a demodulator is locked to a carrier in the video signal or when a decoder is programmed to decode the video signal. During operation, the processor may switch from processing a current video signal to processing a video signal selected from those determined to be locked-in. The processor may maintain active a portion of a back-end portion of the processor to handle the switch from the current video signal to the selected video signal. The processor may switch to process between video signals when a predetermined content and/or metadata is detected within one of the video signals.

Abstract: In general, in an aspect, the invention provides a multimedia entertainment system including a communication link, a video source coupled to the communication link and configured to produce a video signal and provide the video signal to the communication link, a video display coupled to the communication link and configured to receive the video signal from the video source via the communication link, and to provide dynamic display characteristic information indicative of a display capability of the video display to the video source via the communication link, wherein the video source is configured to receive the dynamic display characteristic information and to produce the video signal as a function of the dynamic display characteristic information, and wherein the video display is configured to display a video image in accordance with the video signal provided by the video source.

Abstract: A method and system are provided in which a video channel is selected from multiple video channels in a video processor. A picture quality profile associated with a content of the selected video channel is received by the video processor to modify a value of one or more picture quality control parameters utilized by the video processor that are mapped to a user level setting. Metadata associated with the content of the selected video channel may be determined and communicated to a server. The server may utilize the metadata to determine a picture quality profile for the video processor. In some instances, environmental conditions associated with a television or display device may be measured and communicated to the server to determine the picture quality profile. For example, the measured environmental conditions may comprise one or more of an ambient light, a sound, a motion, and a temperature measurement.

Abstract: A method and system are provided in which a processor may perform fast source switching and/or automatic source switching by keeping active the signals from multiple sources. The processor may determine which received video signals are locked-in within a front-end portion of the processor. A video signal may be locked-in when a demodulator is locked to a carrier in the video signal or when a decoder is programmed to decode the video signal. During operation, the processor may switch from processing a current video signal to processing a video signal selected from those determined to be locked-in. The processor may maintain active a portion of a back-end portion of the processor to handle the switch from the current video signal to the selected video signal. The processor may switch to process between video signals when a predetermined content and/or metadata is detected within one of the video signals.

Abstract: A video graphics chip includes a graphics module configured to process incoming video information in accordance with different modes to produce a video output signal and to transmit the video output signal toward a display screen for rendering of video corresponding to the video information, and a display mode module coupled to the graphics module configured to analyze the incoming video information to determine a type of video associated with the incoming video information and to send a video mode indication of a preferred video processing mode for the incoming video information to the graphics module, where the graphics module is configured to process the incoming video information in accordance with a selected mode from the plurality of different modes based on the video mode indication received from the display module.

Abstract: A method and system are provided in which a processor may perform fast source switching and/or automatic source switching by keeping active the signals from multiple sources. The processor may determine which received video signals are locked-in within a front-end portion of the processor. A video signal may be locked-in when a demodulator is locked to a carrier in the video signal or when a decoder is programmed to decode the video signal. During operation, the processor may switch from processing a current video signal to processing a video signal selected from those determined to be locked-in. The processor may maintain active a portion of a back-end portion of the processor to handle the switch from the current video signal to the selected video signal. The processor may switch to process between video signals when a predetermined content and/or metadata is detected within one of the video signals.

Abstract: A method and system are provided in which a video image may be scaled from a first to a second video format. The scaling may be a non-uniform scaling such as an anamorphic scaling. When panning associated with the scaled video image is detected, one or more end portions of a current frame of the scaled video image may be adjusted, the adjustment being based on one or more frames of the scaled video image that are previous to the current frame. The adjustment may result from combining information from the corresponding end portion of previous frames with the information of the current frame. One or more end portions that are opposite to the ones adjusted may also be adjusted based on one or more frames of the scaled video image that are subsequent to the current frame. The panning detected may be horizontal, vertical, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing capture functionality according to a security policy are provided. A request to capture content is received from a requesting application at a capture controller. The request is evaluated based on the security policy of the capture controller. Based on the evaluation, a determination is made as to whether the request is to be granted completely, denied, or granted subject to a constraint. Capture of the requested content is initiated via capture hardware or software if the request is granted completely or granted subject to the constraint.

Abstract: A method of distributing audio and video processing tasks among devices interconnected to a display device via a local network is disclosed. In one embodiment, the display device offloads some processing tasks to a computing device on the local network to achieve improved processing performance. The computing device receives audiovisual data, decodes, processes, encodes and transmits the encoded data to the display device in a suitable data format. The processing in the computing device is complementary to any processing to be performed in the display device. In another embodiment, the display device utilizes a plurality of devices on the local network to perform particular signal processing tasks. The other devices in network perform the processing tasks indicated by the display, and send processed data back to the display device for presentation, which helps improve the overall audiovisual data processing performance.

Abstract: A method and system are provided in which a video channel is selected from multiple video channels in a video processor. A picture quality profile associated with a content of the selected video channel is received by the video processor to modify a value of one or more picture quality control parameters utilized by the video processor that are mapped to a user level setting. Metadata associated with the content of the selected video channel may be determined and communicated to a server. The server may utilize the metadata to determine a picture quality profile for the video processor. In some instances, environmental conditions associated with a television or display device may be measured and communicated to the server to determine the picture quality profile. For example, the measured environmental conditions may comprise one or more of an ambient light, a sound, a motion, and a temperature measurement.

Abstract: A method and system are provided in which a video image may be scaled from a first to a second video format. The scaling may be a non-uniform scaling such as an anamorphic scaling. When panning associated with the scaled video image is detected, one or more end portions of a current frame of the scaled video image may be adjusted, the adjustment being based on one or more frames of the scaled video image that are previous to the current frame. The adjustment may result from combining information from the corresponding end portion of previous frames with the information of the current frame. One or more end portions that are opposite to the ones adjusted may also be adjusted based on one or more frames of the scaled video image that are subsequent to the current frame. The panning detected may be horizontal, vertical, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: A method and system are provided in which a processor may perform fast source switching and/or automatic source switching by keeping active the signals from multiple sources. The processor may determine which received video signals are locked-in within a front-end portion of the processor. A video signal may be locked-in when a demodulator is locked to a carrier in the video signal or when a decoder is programmed to decode the video signal. During operation, the processor may switch from processing a current video signal to processing a video signal selected from those determined to be locked-in. The processor may maintain active a portion of a back-end portion of the processor to handle the switch from the current video signal to the selected video signal. The processor may switch to process between video signals when a predetermined content and/or metadata is detected within one of the video signals.

Abstract: In accordance with one or more aspects of selecting between client-side and server-side market detection, a determination is made at a device as to which of a client-side detected market and a server-side detected market is to have priority for a service. An application of the device is configured in accordance with a client-side market configuration setting if the client-side detected market has priority, and is configured in accordance with a server-side market configuration setting if the server-side detected market has priority.

Abstract: A method of distributing audio and video processing tasks among devices interconnected to a display device via a local network is disclosed. In one embodiment, the display device offloads some processing tasks to a computing device on the local network to achieve improved processing performance. The computing device receives audiovisual data, decodes, processes, encodes and transmits the encoded data to the display device in a suitable data format. The processing in the computing device is complementary to any processing to be performed in the display device. In another embodiment, the display device utilizes a plurality of devices on the local network to perform particular signal processing tasks. The other devices in network perform the processing tasks indicated by the display, and send processed data back to the display device for presentation, which helps improve the overall audiovisual data processing performance.

Abstract: In general, in an aspect, the invention provides a multimedia entertainment system including a communication link, a video source coupled to the communication link and configured to produce a video signal and provide the video signal to the communication link, a video display coupled to the communication link and configured to receive the video signal from the video source via the communication link, and to provide dynamic display characteristic information indicative of a display capability of the video display to the video source via the communication link, wherein the video source is configured to receive the dynamic display characteristic information and to produce the video signal as a function of the dynamic display characteristic information, and wherein the video display is configured to display a video image in accordance with the video signal provided by the video source.

Abstract: A video graphics chip includes a graphics module configured to process incoming video information in accordance with different modes to produce a video output signal and to transmit the video output signal toward a display screen for rendering of video corresponding to the video information, and a display mode module coupled to the graphics module configured to analyze the incoming video information to determine a type of video associated with the incoming video information and to send a video mode indication of a preferred video processing mode for the incoming video information to the graphics module, where the graphics module is configured to process the incoming video information in accordance with a selected mode from the plurality of different modes based on the video mode indication received from the display module.

Abstract: A tuning module in a multi-tuner receiver stores channel parameters for tuning of channels within a channel list. Channels are tuned sequentially by the tuning module in response to channel advance (up/down) signals. Such signals may be provided by a central processor/controller. If a channel advance signal would cause the tuning module to advance past the beginning or end of the channel list, the module generates a list complete signal. The processor/controller may react accordingly. For example, the central processor/controller may disable a currently active tuning module and enable another tuning module/tuner in response to the list complete signal.