Abstract: A method of transmitting a Video-on-Demand (VOD) program involves at a service provider head-end, separating VOD program data into first and second parts; transmitting the first part over a communication network to a recipient receiver for storage at a storage device as cached speculative data, where the transmitting is carried out as a data push when the communication network has available bandwidth to permit such transmitting and without regard for any order having been received for the VOD program to be sent to the receiver; receiving an order for the VOD program to be sent to the receiver; and streaming the second part to the receiver for reassembly into the VOD program at the receiver by combining the second part as it is streamed with the cached speculative data. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: In accord with embodiments and implementations consistent with the present invention, rather than perform a full scan of every frequency to find a channel, the tuner is programmed to find a reasonable sample of channels. For example, the tuner can search for at least two or three (generalized as N) channels to determine the frequency plan of the channels (by virtue of detection of at least one channel) and then use one of the known plans to directly identify the frequency map. The process can then step quickly through each frequency, without optimizing or fine tuning each channel, to determine the existence of a channel. With this process the number of tunable channels is found quicker and the initial setup time is shortened. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: A communication device consistent with certain implementations has a coaxial cable having length and first and second ends. The coaxial cable further has a central conductor, a dielectric insulator surrounding the central conductor, and an electric shield conductor surrounding the dielectric insulator. The dielectric insulator serves as a dielectric waveguide having a characteristic impedance Z at an operating frequency range. A termination for electrical energy coupled into or out of the dielectric insulator at approximately the characteristic impedance Z at the operating frequency range to utilize the dielectric insulator as a waveguide for transmission of signals along the length of the coaxial cable, and wherein the center conductor is further used to communicate an electrical signal between the first and second ends. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention includes a technique to attach a wireless antenna to a consumer electronics (CE) device. A removable bezel holds a display assembly of the CE device. An antenna attachment mechanism integrated to the removable bezel at a pre-determined location to allow connection to a radio frequency (RF) communication circuit internal to the CE device. The antenna attachment mechanism is adapted for attachment to a wireless antenna used in a wireless transmission. In another embodiment, a wireless antenna is integrated within the removable bezel at a pre-determined location. The wireless antenna is coupled to the RF communication circuit for a wireless transmission. In yet another embodiment, an antenna assembly is attached to the removable bezel at a pre-determined location. The antenna assembly has a wireless antenna coupled to the RF communication circuit for a wireless transmission.

Abstract: The display of very high definition still images on a high definition television is achieved through the decryption of received images within a DRM capable decryption device embedded within a high definition TV. The decryption device stores a pre-set decryption key, decrypts the incoming high definition still image content, and applies pre-set licensing parameters against the decrypted content. If the license for the encrypted content is determined to be valid the very high definition still images are displayed on the TV, otherwise the TV will display a lack of authorization message if the licensing is determined to be not valid. The embedded DRM decryption device is capable of determining and enforcing a number of licensure conditions for any and all received encrypted imagery. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: A television receiver device consistent with certain embodiment is controlled by a remote controller has an infrared receiver that receives control signals from the remote controller. An infrared transmitter transmits signals from the television to the remote controller. A processor, upon receipt of a control signal from the remote controller sends a challenge signal to the remote controller in order to obtain a reply from the remote controller. Upon receipt of a reply to the challenge, the processor determines if the reply is correct and if so, executes the command associated with the control signal, wherein if the reply is incorrect, the command is not executed. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: A method of obtaining metadata associated with an element of television programming involves instructing an access device to generate and communicate a signal to a control device suitable for driving a display, wherein the signal contains metadata suitable for rendering on a display device in a visual representation; receiving the signal and storing a representation of the video frame; processing the video frame using OCR to extract enough information to identify an element of television programming content from the video frame; processing the video frame to extract sufficient information to identify an element of television programming content from the video frame; and retrieving metadata associated with the identified element of television programming content from a television programming content source of metadata. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: A system for sending multimedia data between a first High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) component and a second HDMI component that is engaged with a displayer of multimedia data includes a first Digital Visual Interface (DVI) component receiving HDCP-encrypted multimedia data from the first HDMI component over a wire. A wireless transmitter sends data from the first DVI component to a wireless receiver, preferably at 60 GHz, and the receiver in turn sends the data to a second DVI component. Neither DVI component encrypts or decrypts data. The second DVI component sends the multimedia data to a second HDMI component for decryption and display on, e.g., an LCD or plasma display.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention includes a technique to attach a wireless antenna to a consumer electronics (CE) device. A removable bezel holds a display assembly of the CE device. An antenna attachment mechanism integrated to the removable bezel at a pre-determined location to allow connection to a radio frequency (RF) communication circuit internal to the CE device. The antenna attachment mechanism is adapted for attachment to a wireless antenna used in a wireless transmission. In another embodiment, a wireless antenna is integrated within the removable bezel at a pre-determined location. The wireless antenna is coupled to the RF communication circuit for a wireless transmission. In yet another embodiment, an antenna assembly is attached to the removable bezel at a pre-determined location. The antenna assembly has a wireless antenna coupled to the RF communication circuit for a wireless transmission.

Abstract: A translation transceiver device consistent with certain embodiments has a 60 GHz band receiver for receiving SD type device compatible transmissions. A demodulator demodulates the SD type transmissions. A decoder decodes the demodulated SD type transmissions into received data. An AD type encoder encodes the received data to produce AD type transmitter compatible data. An AD type modulator modulates the AD type transmitter compatible data, and an AD type 60 GHz band transmitter transmits the modulated AD type transmitter compatible data. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: A system for sending multimedia data between a first High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) component and a second HDMI component that is engaged with a displayer of multimedia data includes a first Digital Visual Interface (DVI) component receiving HDCP-encrypted multimedia data from the first HDMI component over a wire. A wireless transmitter sends data from the first DVI component to a wireless receiver, preferably at 60 GHz, and the receiver in turn sends the data to a second DVI component. Neither DVI component encrypts or decrypts data. The second DVI component sends the multimedia data to a second HDMI component for decryption and display on, e.g., an LCD or plasma display.

Abstract: In certain embodiments consistent with the invention, a method of associating a controlled device with a remote controller device involves providing a controlled device with a near field communication (NFC) module; providing a remote controller device with a near field communication (NFC) module; bringing the remote controller device into close enough proximity to the controlled device to establish an NFC communication link; communicating secret data between the remote controller device and the controlled device to establish an association between the remote controller device and the controlled device so that commands from the remote controller device to the controlled device will be accepted. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention includes a technique to identify a piece of content. A content identifier is embedded into the piece of content in a pre-determined format. The content identifier identifies the content. The content embedded with the content identifier is encoded into a packaged content to be transmitted from a content provider to a content delivery operator via a transmission medium. The packaged content is delivered to a subscriber by the content delivery operator free of obfuscation according to a contractual agreement between the content provider and the content delivery operator such that the content identifier is preserved for identification of the content. In another embodiment, an interface to a delivering unit receives a piece of content embedded with a content identifier in a pre-determined format. The content identifier identifies the content.

Abstract: A method for identifying video content consistent with certain embodiments involves, selecting a plurality pixels using a pixel selection algorithm, the pixels being selected to provide a repeatable selection of pixels in a selected frame in the video content; establishing a scene signature by: extracting a characteristic of each selected pixel that can be represented in a digital form for each pixel, and generating a digital stream by concatenating the digital form for the extracted characteristic of each pixel; transmitting the scene signature to an identification device for comparison with scene signatures in a database having a plurality of video content items to identify the video content; and receiving either the identification of the video content or an indication that no video content is uniquely identified by the scene signature. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: A display reader device that reads a channel displayed on a television set top box channel display consistent with certain embodiments has an array of light sensitive electronic elements receiving light signals from a television set top box's channel display and producing an output signal representative of the light pattern received by the array of light sensitive electronic elements. An image processor converts the output signal representative of the light pattern received by the array of light sensitive elements and converts the output signal to a signal representing the channel number displayed on the display. An output from the image processor carries the signal representing the channel number. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: A recording method consistent with certain embodiments involves monitoring an output from a video source for video signals encoded in a first format; detecting a frame synchronization signal in the video signal; and responsive to detecting the frame synchronization signal in the video, beginning a recording process. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: A method of expansion of a television receiver's functionality consistent with certain embodiments involves connecting an accessory device to the television receiver, wherein the accessory device adds functionality to the television receiver; sending a menu legend and an associated function command to the television receiver from the accessory device for display on the television's display; populating a television menu selection with the legend; upon selection of the menu selection populated with the legend, the television receiver sending the function command to the accessory; and at the accessory device, upon receipt of the function command; running an application at the accessory. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: A method of acquiring data associated with a television program consistent with certain embodiments involves acquiring information that identifies a currently playing television program; receiving a command from a user interface that selects an image forming a portion of a frame of video displayed on the television, wherein said frame of video is a portion of the television program; accessing a specified web site that contains a database of metadata associated with television programs via the Internet; querying the specified web site for metadata associated with the image by providing the image along with the information that identifies the currently playing television program; receiving a response from the specified web site that provides metadata associated with the image; and displaying at least a portion of the metadata. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: A TV has a TV processor and a display presenting a map showing the topology of the home network of which the TV is a part. A user can manipulate the user input device to navigate around the map and cause content to be transmitted from a source component shown in the map to a sink component shown on the map. The map can change the appearance of component icons and/or paths between icons to provide visible indication of advantageous component and/or path selection for executing a user-desired task. Also, map information can be uploaded to an Internet server that can respond by sending back information pertaining to components represented on the map.

Abstract: A method of providing access to content associated with a television program consistent with certain embodiments involves acquiring information that identifies a currently playing television program; accessing a specified web site that contains a database that relates television programs with links to associated content on the Internet; querying the specified web site for a link associated with the currently playing television program; receiving a response from the specified web site that provides the link associated with the currently playing television program; presenting a displayed offer to navigate to associated content using the link; receiving an instruction accepting the offer to navigate to the associated content using the link; and navigating to the link to acquire the associated content. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.