Abstract: An applications registry provides a repository of television-based applications. The registry stores information about television-based applications registered, and allows users to view information regarding the registered television-based applications through one or more portals. The information includes a general description of the television-based applications, a description of an entitlement model for the television-based applications, and downloading information to permit a user to download the application to the home media system. The user accesses the registry, to view information about the television-based application, through a home media system. The home media system, which includes a television, accesses the portal over a network, such as the Internet.

Abstract: An applications registry provides a repository of television-based applications. The registry stores information about television-based applications registered, and allows users to view information regarding the registered television-based applications through one or more portals. The information includes a general description of the television-based applications, a description of an entitlement model for the television-based applications, and downloading information to permit a user to download the application to the home media system. The user accesses the registry, to view information about the television-based application, through a home media system. The home media system, which includes a television, accesses the portal over a network, such as the Internet.

Abstract: A system to convey user alert messages is disclosed. The system may have a alert service coupled between alert providers and a number of households. After receiving in the alert service an alert message from an alert provider, the alert service may alter the alert message to identify the household designated to receive the alert message. The alert service sends a notification to a home media system within the household designated to receive the alert message.

Abstract: A system to convey user alert messages is disclosed. The system may have a alert service coupled between alert providers and a number of households. After receiving in the alert service an alert message from an alert provider, the alert service may alter the alert message to identify the household designated to receive the alert message. The alert service sends a notification to a home media system within the household designated to receive the alert message.

Abstract: A method and system for navigating content in a personal video recorder (“PVR”) is disclosed. The PVR detects events, or dark frames, during recording of television content, and records the locations of the events. The PVR can use the recorded locations of the events by applying commercial grouping rules, contained in a logic that is accessible by a processing unit, to divide the recorded television program into scenes. In applying such commercial grouping rules, a group of back-to-back television commercials comprises a single scene. Such division allows a user to skip over an entire scene (e.g. an entire block of commercials) with the press of a single navigation button.

Abstract: An applications registry provides a repository of television-based applications. The registry stores information about television-based applications registered, and allows users to view information regarding the registered television-based applications through one or more portals. The information includes a general description of the television-based applications, a description of an entitlement model for the television-based applications, and downloading information to permit a user to download the application to the home media system. The user accesses the registry, to view information about the television-based application, through a home media system. The home media system, which includes a television, accesses the portal over a network, such as the Internet.

Abstract: Media content is received in a windows management application. The media content is from a set of content including zero or more television signal content and zero or more application content. The media content is incorporated into a television signal containing a window configuration. The television signal is then sent from the windows management application to a television where it is displayed.

Abstract: A system to convey user alert messages is disclosed. The system may have a alert service coupled between alert providers and a number of households. After receiving in the alert service an alert message from an alert provider, the alert service may alter the alert message to identify the household designated to receive the alert message. The alert service sends a notification to a home media system within the household designated to receive the alert message.

Abstract: A system for distributing media includes a wide area network (WAN), a media player coupled to the WAN at a first home, and a media server coupled to the WAN at a second home for providing media. A service is coupled to the WAN for receiving a request for media from the media player and for establishing a connection between the first and second homes over the WAN. Media is streamed across the WAN from the second home to the first home. The system may include a storage device coupled to the media player where media is transferred across the WAN for storage at the storage device. A media device may be coupled to the media player for playing the streamed/transferred media where the media player and the media device may comprise a television, stereo, or computer and the media item may comprise video, photographs, or audio.

Abstract: A method and a system for intelligent indexing of recordable event identifiers that improve user satisfaction in searching for recordable events or recorded events. Intelligent indexing of recordable event identifiers permits the indexing of recordable event identifiers based on the most likely methods that any of a plurality of users may use to enter data for performing a search for a recordable event or a recorded event. The intelligent indexing of recordable events allows any given user to use any of the most likely methods for entering data for use in searching for a recordable event or a recorded event, instead of being restricted to a single method for entering data to be used in performing a search for a recordable event or recorded event.

Abstract: A method and system for navigating content in a personal video recorder (“PVR”) is disclosed. The PVR detects events, or dark frames, during recording of television content, and records the locations of the events. The PVR can use the recorded locations of the events by applying commercial grouping rules, contained in a logic that is accessible by a processing unit, to divide the recorded television program into scenes. In applying such commercial grouping rules, a group of back-to-back television commercials comprises a single scene. Such division allows a user to skip over an entire scene (e.g. an entire block of commercials) with the press of a single navigation button.