Abstract: A method is disclosed for transferring a received media object to remote devices in accordance to attributes in a user profile. The profile information additionally determinates the versions of the media object that are available to such remote devices and whether the media object may be stored in such remote devices.

Abstract: In a television system in which at least program title information for programs which are to be transmitted in the future is transmitted in advance to form a channel guide listing, apparatus is provided for searching the listing for specific user-entered information, and upon successful conclusion to the search, the apparatus schedules the tuning of the desired program, or in the alternative, notifies the viewer of the availability of the program. In those instances where descriptive text accompanies the program listing, apparatus of the invention performs a search of the text for a particular text string which may relate to the title, the star, the director, or the context of the program, among other search criteria.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for transferring a received media object to remote devices in accordance to attributes in a user profile. The profile information additionally determinates the versions of the media object that are available to such remote devices and whether the media object may be stored in such remote devices.

Abstract: In a television system in which at least program title information for programs which are to be transmitted in the future is transmitted in advance to form a channel guide listing, apparatus is provided for searching the listing for specific user-entered information, and upon successful conclusion to the search, the apparatus schedules the tuning of the desired program, or in the alternative, notifies the viewer of the availability of the program. In those instances where descriptive text accompanies the program listing, apparatus of the invention performs a search of the text for a particular text string which may relate to the title, the star, the director, or the context of the program, among other search criteria.

Abstract: An enhanced electronic program guide (EPG) capable of displaying DBS program information and NTSC program information seamlessly and in real-time on a display device is accomplished, in one form, by a wide-band data link between a DBS receiver adapted to receive a DBS broadcast data stream and an internet set-top unit, the internet set-top unit adapted to receive NTSC audio/video signals and internet data/information. In another form, the DBS receiver is controlled by the internet set-top box. Supplemental information transmittable on the DBS data stream may also be displayed on the display device.

Abstract: In a television system in which at least program title information for programs which are to be transmitted in the future is transmitted in advance to form a channel guide listing, apparatus is provided for searching the listing for specific user-entered information, and upon successful conclusion to the search, the apparatus schedules the tuning of the desired program, or in the alternative, notifies the viewer of the availability of the program. In those instances where descriptive text accompanies the program listing, apparatus of the invention performs a search of the text for a particular text string which may relate to the title, the star, the director, or the context of the program, among other search criteria.

Abstract: In a television system in which at least program title information for programs which are to be transmitted in the future is transmitted in advance to form a channel guide listing, apparatus is provided for searching the listing for specific user-entered information, and upon successful conclusion to the search, the apparatus schedules the tuning of the desired program, or in the alternative, notifies the viewer of the availability of the program. In those instances where descriptive text accompanies the program listing, apparatus of the invention performs a search of the text for a particular text string which may relate to the title, the star, the director, or the context of the program, among other search criteria.

Abstract: A video decoder system collates program guide information acquired from a variety of local and remote sources. Program guide information is received from a first source and a selectable program guide menu icon is displayed. A category of program guide information items from the first source is collated by a display attribute in response to selection of the menu icon and the collated program guide information items are displayed. The display attribute allocated to the category of program guide information items is common to both the category of items and to the menu icon. Codes identifying program categories may be converted to other codes using equivalence mapping information for classifying programs according to a master set of program categories. Composite program map information may be formed including new data identifiers allocated to program guide information items for use in retrieving the items from a second source.

Abstract: A method for distributing video programs in a multiple dwelling unit from a receiver device associated with the unit to a plurality of client devices located in the multiple dwelling unit, including: receiving a plurality of video programs associated with a plurality of television channels from a signal source; receiving a request for a particular video program associated with a particular television channel from a selected one of the plurality of client devices; confirming that an account associated with the selected client device is authorized to receive the particular video program on the particular television channel; descrambling the particular video program using account data associated with the selected client device in response to the confirmation; scrambling the descrambled particular video program using a local key associated with the selected client device and transmitting the re-scrambled video program to the selected client device; and maintaining account data associated with each of the client d

Abstract: An enhanced electronic program guide (EPG) capable of displaying DBS program information and NTSC program information seamlessly and in real-time on a display device is accomplished, in one form, by a wide-band data link between a DBS receiver adapted to receive a DBS broadcast data stream and an internet set-top unit, the internet set-top unit adapted to receive NTSC audio/video signals and internet data/information. In another form, the DBS receiver is controlled by the internet set-top box. Supplemental information transmittable on the DBS data stream may also be displayed on the display device.

Abstract: A video decoder system collates program guide information acquired from a variety of local and remote sources. Program guide information is received from a first source and a selectable program guide menu icon is displayed. A category of program guide information items from the first source is collated by a display attribute in response to selection of the menu icon and the collated program guide information items are displayed. The display attribute allocated to the category of program guide information items is common to both the category of items and to the menu icon. Codes identifying program categories may be converted to other codes using equivalence mapping information for classifying programs according to a master set of program categories. Composite program map information may be formed including new data identifiers allocated to program guide information items for use in retrieving the items from a second source.

Abstract: A video decoder system collates program guide information acquired from a variety of local and remote sources. Program guide information is received from a first source and a selectable program guide menu icon is displayed. A category of program guide information items from the first source is collated by a display attribute in response to selection of the menu icon and the collated program guide information items are displayed. The display attribute allocated to the category of program guide information items is common to both the category of items and to the menu icon. Codes identifying program categories may be converted to other codes using equivalence mapping information for classifying programs according to a master set of program categories. Composite program map information may be formed including new data identifiers allocated to program guide information items for use in retrieving the items from a second source.

Abstract: A system conditionally establishes a communication channel between two devices only if one device is authenticated by the other device. Authentication of the second device by the first device involves sending a message to the second device; receiving, from the second device, the message encrypted using a private key of the second device and a digital certificate having a public key of the second device; decrypting the digital certificate to obtain the public key, using the public key to decrypt the message and comparing the decrypted message to the message originally sent to the second device.

Abstract: A method for operating a video processing system by receiving initial copyright information from a first source, storing the initial copyright information, receiving updated copyright information from a second source, and updating the stored copyright information in response to the updated copyright information. For example in one embodiment of the present invention, the initial copyright information for a program is received from an electronic program guide and updated copyright information is received along with the selected program. The video processing system may be programmed to operate in a first operating mode in response to the initial copyright information and the operating mode of the video processing system may be switched to a second operating mode in response to the updated copyright information.

Abstract: In a television system in which at least program title information for programs which are to be transmitted in the future is transmitted in advance to form a channel guide listing, apparatus is provided for searching the listing for specific user-entered information, and upon successful conclusion to the search, the apparatus schedules the tuning of the desired program, or in the alternative, notifies the viewer of the availability of the program. In those instances where descriptive text accompanies the program listing, apparatus of the invention performs a search of the text for a particular text string which may relate to the title, the star, the director, or the context of the program, among other search criteria.

Abstract: A system for controlling apparatus processing a signal representing a television program comprises a source of schedule data comprising at least data representing the time remaining in a television program. Television signal processing apparatus selectively processes the television program representative signal in response to a control signal. A control circuit generates the control signal to condition the processing apparatus to begin processing the television program signal in response to a user control signal, and to stop processing the television program signal when the time remaining in the television program has elapsed, in response to the program schedule data.

Abstract: A method for operating a video recording apparatus in one of a digital recording mode and an analog recording mode. The method involves recording a digital video bit stream in the digital recording mode and switching to the analog recording mode for recording the corresponding analog video signal in response to a fault condition. For example, the fault conditions may occur in response to improper copyright information, an analog recording media being loaded into the video recording apparatus or the digital video bit stream being absent while the video recording apparatus operates in the digital recording mode. The fault condition may be indicated to a user and switching to a different mode, such as the analog recording mode, may occur in response to receiving a user initiated command responsive to the indicated fault condition.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatically establishing a data connection includes a telephone line interface circuit coupled to a subscriber telephone line, and a modulator and demodulator circuit coupled to the telephone line interface circuit. A control circuit is coupled to the modulator and demodulator circuit and conditions the modulator and demodulator circuit to establish a connection to the subscriber telephone line and comprises circuitry to determine whether a central office to which the subscriber telephone line is connected is a tone-dial central office or a pulse-dial-only central office, whether a dialing prefix is necessary to access the subscriber telephone line, and whether the call waiting feature is activated on the subscriber telephone line.

Abstract: A method for scheduling events between first and second video processing devices coupled together wherein each device having at least one event timer for storing a scheduled event. The method involves programming first event information into the first device, comparing the first event information to each event previously scheduled in the first device for determining conflicts therebetween, sending a message representing the first event information to the second device, comparing the first event information to each event previously scheduled in the second device for determining conflicts therebetween. A user may be provided with information regarding conflicts and may be notified that a password is required for the first event and the respective event timer is enabled in response to receiving the password entered into the first device.

Abstract: In a television system in which at least program title information for programs which are to be transmitted in the future is transmitted in advance to form a channel guide listing, apparatus is provided for searching the listing for specific user-entered information, and upon successful conclusion to the search, the apparatus schedules the tuning of the desired program, or in the alternative, notifies the viewer of the availability of the program. In those instances where descriptive text accompanies the program listing, apparatus of the invention performs a search of the text for a particular text string which may relate to the title, the star, the director, or the context of the program, among other search criteria.