Abstract: This invention discloses a method for displaying advertisements transmitted to a user unit, the method includes receiving, at the user unit, at least one advertisement tagged with a delay tag indicating whether display of the at least one advertisement can be delayed and only if the delay tag allows delaying display of the at least one advertisement, storing the at least one advertisement at the user unit, retrieving the at least one advertisement and displaying the at least one advertisement. A billing system for reporting a commercial broadcast to a multiplicity of users is also disclosed.

Abstract: This invention discloses a method for displaying advertisements transmitted to a user unit, the method includes receiving, at the user unit, at least one advertisement tagged with a delay tag indicating whether display of the at least one advertisement can be delayed and only if the delay tag allows delaying display of the at least one advertisement, storing the at least one advertisement at the user unit, retrieving the at least one advertisement and displaying the at least one advertisement. A billing system for reporting a commercial broadcast to a multiplicity of users is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for processing video content is disclosed. The method comprises: receiving, in a hardware device connected in operation to a computer, encrypted, encoded video content; decrypting the encrypted, encoded video content to form decrypted, encoded video content; decoding a first portion of the decrypted, encoded video content to form a decrypted, decoded video content portion; re-encrypting the decrypted, decoded video content portion to form a re-encrypted, decoded video content portion; re-encrypting a second portion of the decrypted, encoded video content to form a re-encrypted, encoded video content portion; and outputting the re-encrypted, decoded video content portion and the re-encrypted, encoded video content portion to the computer.

Abstract: A method for processing a data stream including receiving a transport stream (TS), storing at least a portion of the TS, the at least a portion of the TS having a beginning and including a plurality of TS packets, determining, from among the plurality of TS packets, at least one TS packet including a candidate access point, storing in an index store a byte offset of the candidate access point; and storing in the index store a plurality of indications of byte offset, each byte offset being associated with an arrival time of a received TS packet.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for managing, implementing and using interactive applications and content that are digitally recorded and viewed in real-time and/or a time-shifted moded are provided. The interactive applications may be associated with television programs or may be unrelated thereto, and may be transmitted together with television programs or separately therefrom. Interactive applications that are employed in a time-shifted mode can be matched to current conditions and interactive content may be updated to include current data. Users may view and manipulate highlights of television programs and receive alerts of occurrence of real-time events during viewing of recorded material. Additional manipulations of interactive applications and content are also enabled. Related apparatus and methods are also described.

Abstract: A method for controlling access to content, the method comprising: receiving content in an area in which access to the content is blacked out, the content corresponding to a blacked out event; preventing display of the content at the time of receipt; recording the received content; and allowing access to the recorded content after a time criterion is met, wherein the time criterion comprises an elapse of a predetermined period of time measured from a specified one of the following: commencement of the blacked out event and termination of the blacked out event.

Abstract: A method for controlling access to content, including preventing access to content that corresponds to a blacked out event, until at least one of a time criterion and payment criterion is met. Related methods and apparatus are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for processing a data stream including receiving a transport stream (TS), storing at least a portion of the TS, the at least a portion of the TS having a beginning and including a plurality of TS packets, determining, from among the plurality of TS packets, at least one TS packet including a candidate access point, storing in an index store a byte offset of the candidate access point; and storing in the index store a plurality of indications of byte offset, each byte offset being associated with an arrival time of a received TS packet.

Abstract: A method of digital television recording including receiving a content item at a first Personal Video Recorder (PVR), determining whether to transfer the content item based, at least in part, on at least one of the following currentness of the content item, a user preference, and a user profile, and transferring the content item from the first PVR to a mobile PVR only upon a positive result of the determining. Related methods and apparatus are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method is described for trick mode playback, the method including selecting a key-frame in a recording substantially in the vicinity of a trick mode playback starting position, preparing a decryption key associated with a key period including the selected key-frame, sending the prepared decryption key to a descrambler, thereby enabling decryption of video beginning at the selected key-frame, sending a first number P seconds of decrypted video frames, starting at the selected key-frame, at a predetermined speed for a predetermined number of seconds, to a video decoder, in parallel to the sending P seconds of video frames, choosing at least a second video section to stream to the video decoder, sending a decryption key associated with the chosen second video section to the descrambler, and repeating the steps of selecting, preparing, sending the prepared decryption key, and sending a first number P seconds of decrypted video frames. Related apparatus and methods are also described.

Abstract: A digital television recording method comprising: broadcasting a television program associated with a broadcaster set of parameters enabling access to a first set of predetermined portions of the program; operating an agent for determining whether to record the program and for associating with the program, upon recording of the program, an agent set of parameters enabling access to a second set of predetermined portions of the program; storing the program together with the broadcaster set of parameters and the agent set of parameters to generate an addressable program; retrieving at least a portion of the addressable program; displaying the at least a portion of the addressable program to a user; receiving from the user a user set of parameters enabling access to a third set of predetermined portions of the addressable program; editing the addressable program to include the user set of parameters enabling access to the third set of predetermined portions of the addressable program thereby generating an edited

Abstract: This invention discloses a method for displaying advertisements transmitted to a user unit, the method includes receiving, at the user unit, at least one advertisement tagged with a delay tag indicating whether display of the at least one advertisement can be delayed and only if the delay tag allows delaying display of the at least one advertisement, storing the at least one advertisement at the user unit, retrieving the at least one advertisement and displaying the at least one advertisement. A billing system for reporting a commercial broadcast to a multiplicity of users is also disclosed.

Abstract: This invention discloses a method for displaying advertisements transmitted to a user unit, the method includes receiving, at the user unit, at least one advertisement tagged with a delay tag indicating whether display of the at least one advertisement can be delayed and only if the delay tag allows delaying display of the at least one advertisement, storing the at least one advertisement at the user unit, retrieving the at least one advertisement and displaying the at least one advertisement. A billing system for reporting a commercial broadcast to a multiplicity of users is also disclosed.

Abstract: This invention discloses a method for displaying advertisements transmitted to a user unit, the method includes receiving, at the user unit, at least one advertisement tagged with a delay tag indicating whether display of the at least one advertisement can be delayed and only if the delay tag allows delaying display of the at least one advertisement, storing the at least one advertisement at the user unit, retrieving the at least one advertisement and displaying the at least one advertisement. A billing system for reporting a commercial broadcast to a multiplicity of users is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for switching from playing a first compressed data segment to playing a second compressed recorded data segment, the method including playing an uncompressed copy of a start of the second compressed recorded data segment upon switching from playing the first compressed data segment, decoding the second compressed recorded data segment from a preceding random access point, the preceding random access point preceding, in the second compressed recorded data segment, a point at which playing is to be switched to the second compressed recorded data segment, stopping the decoding of the second compressed recorded data segment when reaching a point beyond a point currently being played in the uncompressed copy, and switching to playing the second compressed recorded data segment when playing the uncompressed copy of a start of the second compressed recorded data segment reaches the point at which the decoding of the second compressed recorded data segment was stopped.

Abstract: A digital television recording method comprising: broadcasting a television program associated with a broadcaster set of parameters enabling access to a first set of predetermined portions of the program; operating an agent for determining whether to record the program and for associating with the program, upon recording of the program, an agent set of parameters enabling access to a second set of predetermined portions of the program; storing the program together with the broadcaster set of parameters and the agent set of parameters to generate an addressable program; retrieving at least a portion of the addressable program; displaying the at least a portion of the addressable program to a user, receiving from the user a user set of parameters enabling access to a third set of predetermined portions of the addressable program; editing the addressable program to include the user set of parameters enabling access to the third set of predetermined portions of the addressable program thereby generating an edited

Abstract: A method for processing a data stream including receiving a transport stream (TS), storing at least a portion of the TS, the at least a portion of the TS having a beginning and including a plurality of TS packets, determining, from among the plurality of TS packets, at least one TS packet including a candidate access point, storing in an index store a byte offset of the candidate access point; and storing in the index store a plurality of indications of byte offset, each byte offset being associated with an arrival time of a received TS packet.

Abstract: A method for providing keys for descrambling scrambled content, the scrambled content being divided into frames, the method including: identifying a plurality of frames to be descrambled; for each frame of the plurality of frames, identifying a key period associated with a key for descrambling the frame; and for at least one frame f of the plurality of frames, substituting a substitute frame g for the frame f, the substitute frame g being chosen in order to reduce a total number of key periods associated with keys for descrambling all of the plurality of frames. Related apparatus and methods are also provided.

Abstract: A method for providing keys for descrambling scrambled content, the scrambled content being divided into frames, the method including: identifying a plurality of frames to be descrambled; for each frame of the plurality of frames, identifying a key period associated with a key for descrambling the frame; and for at least one frame f of the plurality of frames, substituting a substitute frame g for the frame f, the substitute frame g being chosen in order to reduce a total number of key periods associated with keys for descrambling all of the plurality of frames. Related apparatus and methods are also provided.

Abstract: A secure offline interactive gambling system includes a subscriber unit operative, through interaction with a user, to execute an offline interactive gambling application, a secure processor operatively associated with the subscriber unit and a central gambling facility. The secure processor includes a random gambling input generator operative to randomly or pseudo-randomly generate gambling input to the offline interactive gambling application during execution of the offline interactive gambling application, and a secure memory operatively associated with the random gambling input generator and operative to securely store information related to the execution of the offline interactive gambling application. The information, that is securely stored and the user cannot modify, typically includes the gambling input and user selections made in response to the gambling input and can be used to derive at least one result of the offline interactive gambling application.