Abstract: An application for a bezel with internal lighting includes at least one illuminated element situated behind a monitor/television bezel. The brightness and color of the illuminating elements and hence the bezel appearance are modified based upon either user preference or an internal or external parameters such as time, content being viewed, recording status, etc.

Abstract: A television with at least one connection, either wired or wireless. Detection of an active device connected to the connection results in proper software and hardware configuration of the television to properly communicate with the device and provide, for example, proper user interface support and access to the device.

Abstract: A television includes at least two inputs and at least one connected device (component). Upon a system event such as changing from one input to another input, the television signals the at least one connected device to change at least one operating parameter of the device.

Abstract: An unlock system for a computer such as a tablet. The screen of the tablet can be automatically locked after time were based on an action. Once locked, the contents of this screen are blocked by the locking screen which can be a blank screen or screen which shows status parts. Areas on the locking screen are defined, within which the user can touch the locking screen and drag it to the opposite side. During the time of dragging, the items underneath, showing the actual content of the screen, are revealed. In one embodiment, the unlock action may automatically continue after a certain point on the screen has been reached.

Abstract: A television includes a remote control, at least two inputs and at least one device, each device connected to one of the inputs. Upon a system event such as changing from one input to another input, the television signals the remote control to change operation of at least one function key.

Abstract: An application for a system for portraying a user interface of one device on another includes two devices, a primary device and a secondary device. Upon detection of the primary device, either within wireless range or direct connection, the devices communicate with each other, the secondary device portrays the user interface currently displayed on the primary device on a display of the secondary device.

Abstract: An application for a system that enables cooperating devices to transfer presentation of content from one device to the other by sending either the content or an identification of content from a source device to a destination device. In some embodiments, the actual content is transferred while in other embodiments, an identification of the content and a position within the content is transferred from the source device to the destination device.

Abstract: An application for a system for controlling speaker volume of externally amplified speakers connected to a television includes a television with one or more external amplifiers, each driving one or more speakers. There is a channel for connecting the external amplifiers to the television providing an audio signal to the external amplifiers and a channel for communicating commands from the television to the externally amplifiers, which in some embodiments is the same channel. Responsive to a signal (e.g. remote control command) to the television indicating a request to change the volume of one or more of the external amplifiers, a volume change command is sent to one or more of the external amplifiers over the channel for communicating.

Abstract: A system includes a television having one or more input ports. The television has software that displays both program information and input port information in an electronic program guide. Upon selecting of a program information entry in the electronic program guide, the software changes a current channel of the television to the channel associated with the program entry information. Upon selecting of one of the input port entries in the electronic program guide, the software changes the input of the television to the input port associated with the one of the input port entries. The software performs scrolling operations on the electronic program guide responsive to directional inputs from a remote control device.

Abstract: A television is interfaced to one or more on-line stores through a network connection. The television has purchasing data stored in a configuration file. Upon execution of a “one-button buy” function, metadata from a content stream and the purchasing data is used to find a purchase item related to the content stream, decide upon an on-line store and purchase the purchase item from the on-line store. In some embodiments, the a “one-button buy” function is a dedicated “buy” button on a remote control that is associated with the television. In some embodiments, without any further interaction, the purchase item is billed to the viewer and shipped to the viewer as if the viewer found the purchase item through the on-line store from a personal computer.

Abstract: A system includes a device such as a television interfaced to one or more servers through a network connection. The device (television) has software that accesses metadata related to a video stream and incorporates at least one search term from the metadata along with optional viewer-provided terms into a search query that is sent to one or more search engines through the network, returning one or more search results which are formatted and displayed on the device.

Abstract: A television includes at least two ports (e.g. HDMI ports). The television polls the ports before presenting a user interface that displays some or all of the ports and before toggling between any two of the ports. The polling ascertains whether a device is connected to each of the ports and whether the device is powered. The television modifies the display and/or toggling based on the current state of each port. For example, in toggling, ports that are not connected and ports that are connected to inactive devices are skipped. In another example, when displaying a list of ports, only those ports that are connected to devices appear in the list.

Abstract: A system includes a television that has access to one or more services hosted on provider servers through a network. The television has software that displays both program information and services information in an electronic program guide. Upon selecting of a program information entry in the electronic program guide, the software changes the current channel of the television to the channel associated with the program entry information. Upon selecting of one of the services entries in the electronic program guide, the software presents a browsing menu to the viewer, the browsing menu presenting pages from the provider servers and accepting inputs from the viewer.

Abstract: A system includes one or more devices connected to a television. The television has software that displays both program information and information about the devices in an electronic program guide. Upon selecting of a program information entry in the electronic program guide, the software changes a current channel of the television to the channel associated with the program entry information. Upon selecting of one of the device entries in the electronic program guide, the software displays an exploration menu for the viewer to select content from the device for viewing (or listening to) at the television. The software performs scrolling operations on the electronic program guide responsive to directional inputs from a remote control device.

Abstract: An application for a device includes at least two speakers and at least two-channels of audio. The at least two-channels of audio are selectively routed to the at least two speakers. Routing of the audio to the speakers is made based upon an orientation of the device. The orientation of the device and therefore the speaker configuration is either manually changed by a viewer input or is automatically detected such as when a hand-held device is rotated, for example, to view a display of the device in portrait mode instead of landscape mode.

Abstract: An application for a television interfacing to a social network includes an interface to the social network relating to a program or activity of the user. For example, if the user is watching a sporting event, using their remote control, the user easily informs other social network subscribers or groups of subscribers of the sporting event, in case they are unaware that the sporting event is being televised. With a simple command initiative, the receiving subscriber changes to the recommended content/program.

Abstract: An application for controlling the brightness of a display of a device includes having a first brightness setting and a second brightness setting, the first brightness setting is used to set the brightness of the display when two-dimensional content is displayed on the display while the second brightness setting is used to set the brightness of the display when three-dimensional content is displayed on the display. The first and second brightness settings are preferably administered through a user interface.

Abstract: An application for a caller-identification system includes a circuit for receiving caller-identification information from a tip and ring interface and a circuit for wirelessly transmitting at least a subset of the caller-identification information to a display system. In the display system includes a circuit for receiving the caller-identification information and a circuit for displaying the caller-identification information on a display.

Abstract: A method, system and device for deterring spam on a communication medium are disclosed. The method includes detecting a call with a device for accessing the communication medium, wherein calls thereon include Internet Protocol traffic. The device includes an interface for allowing a user of to flag the call as a spam call (e.g., SPIT, SPIM, etc). Upon the flag, a signaling message associated with the call is accessed. The signaling message is stored as information relating to spam call sources. Upon detecting a subsequent call, a signaling message associated with the subsequent call is compared with the information relating to spam call sources. Upon a match between the signaling message associated with the subsequent call and the information relating to spam call sources, the subsequent call is blocked.