Abstract: An interactive or electronic programming guide is provided, wherein a receiving device such as a DVD or Blu-Ray player, PVR, recorder, set top box, etc., receives data or video signals as well as a trigger, flag or bit pattern signal. A processing and or encoding circuit provides programming, enabling, or disabling of a content control signal in response to the trigger, flag, or bit pattern signal and the content control signal is combined with the video signal to provide a content controlled video signal which provides resistance to a circumvention device (e.g., a “black box”).

Abstract: Metadata of the type for instance associated with television or video Electronic Programming Guides (EPG) or Interactive Programming Guides (IPG), is transported via a digital delivery network such as the Internet to a video receiving device such as a personal video recorder (PVR). The receiving device extracts the metadata for a purpose such as determining from the metadata programming of control signals. The PVR thereby reads or interprets control signals derived from the metadata provided via the digital delivery network so as to control subsequent video recording.

Abstract: A gain control amplifier provides amplitude variation of an input signal that is coupled to the amplifier, by adding or combining a higher frequency signal that overdrives or distorts the amplifier to one or more degree(s), to provide the gain variation of the input signal. A predistortion circuit may be included to further reduce distortion of the input signal at the output of the amplifier.

Abstract: A new copy protection signal includes resistance to certain circumvention devices and includes improved playability. The new copy protection signal causes the certain circumvention devices to pass substantially the copy protection effects to a video recorder or to allow for content control effectiveness on a compliant device. The new copy protection signal also causes the circumvention device to add or enhance copy protection effectiveness, which is contrary to the circumvention device's original intent of removing or reducing copy protection effectiveness. The new copy protection signal is provided by inserting or adding one or more pseudo sync pulses or one or more pseudo sync/AGC pulse pairs immediately after, or one line after, a vertical sync signal in at least one television line.

Abstract: A copy protection system and method for allowing copying or distribution of a copy protected signal is disclosed. One embodiment includes an apparatus and method for receiving a content signal via a WiFi communications channel, the content signal including a control signal; and using a modifying circuit coupled with the WiFi communications channel to generate an analog copy protection signal based on the control signal, the control signal causing the modifying circuit to add or delete the analog copy protection signal to or from the content signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed which reduces or removes the effectiveness of commercial skip systems such as presently found in VCRs, PVRs, etc. which are designed to delete commercials from signal material upon playback of a previously recorded version of the signal material. In an embodiment, the effectiveness of the commercial skip system is reduced or removed by adding a flat field of selected signal level to active line portions of video lines of the signal material. Other embodiments modify the normal fade to black signal indicative of a commercial to provide a fade to non-black signal. In further embodiments, a fade to non-black signal is inserted in an overscan area of the signal picture. Still further embodiments modify audio signals or selected signals in the horizontal blanking interval which may be used in commercial skip systems to detect the presence of commercials.

Abstract: A system for identification of video content in a video signal is provided by a filter bank which provides a real time or near real time frequency analysis of a video signal to provide the identification. An alternative embodiment for video content identification includes frequency coefficients from one or more video frames along a curve, or from a region of the video frame. Other attributes of the video signal or transport stream may be combined with closed caption data or closed caption text for identification purposes. Example attributes include DVS/SAP information, time code information, histograms, and or rendered video or pictures.

Abstract: The “color stripe” process is well known in the video field for preventing copying by analog video tape recorders of video content, and operates by altering the phase of a portion of the video signal color burst. Here, a weakened version of the color stripe process is employed in a video signal whereby the color burst phase alterations are reduced or attenuated so there is no copy prevention effect on a typical video tape recorder. However the weakened color stripe process is still sufficient to be detectable by a suitable detector located in a compliant device, so the detected presence of the color stripe serves as an encoded indication of copy control or other content control for the video signal by the compliant device.

Abstract: A system for altering the recording time and or duration of a video program is provided via data sent to a recorder. The scheduled time for recording one or more programs then may be altered or overridden by the data sent to the recorder. For example, the data may be sent by a service provider or broadcaster of video programs. Alternatively, certain phrases relating to a change in a program's duration in an audio channel or closed caption channel are recognized or sensed to update or alter the recording time of the recorder. The system may include a provision to record one or more video programs with reduced commercial advertisements, or a recording with substantially commercial advertisements.

Abstract: Data for a programming guide or other type of media guidance application of the type associated with video, such as television Electronic Programming Guides (EPG) or Interactive Programming Guides (IPG), is transported via a digital delivery network such as the Internet to a video receiving or storage device such as a personal video recorder (PVR). The receiving device extracts one or more signals from the media guidance application data for a purpose such as programming of control signals. The receiving device thereby reads or interprets control signals derived from the programming guide data provided via the digital delivery network so as to control subsequent recording (or other storage) of the video programs or other video content assets associated with the media guidance application data.

Abstract: A copy protection color stripe process is defeated first by determining the location of the video lines including the color stripe process. Then some or all of the lines including the modified color bursts are modified so as to render the overall video signal recordable. The modification is accomplished in a number of ways, including phase shifting the color stripe burst into the correct phase, replacing, attenuating and or eliminating some of the color stripe bursts or at least a portion of particular color burst envelopes so that they are no longer effective, mixing the color stripe burst with color stripe signals of the correct phase so as to eliminate most or all of the phase error present or modifying the horizontal sync pulse signals immediately preceding the modified color bursts so that the modified color bursts are not detected by a VCR and hence have no effect.

Abstract: A system for identification of video content in a video signal is provided by providing a difference signal between an input signal and the delayed input signal. An alternative embodiment includes providing frequency coefficients from one or more video frames along a curve, or from a region of the video frame. In another embodiment a filter bank provides a real time or near real time frequency analysis of a video signal to provide identification. Other attributes of the video signal or transport stream may be combined with closed caption data or closed caption text for identification purposes. Example attributes include DVS/SAP information, time code information, histograms, and or rendered video or pictures.

Abstract: Embodiments provide methods and apparatus for simultaneous presentation of multiple media user interfaces (UIs) based on user presentation settings. In some embodiments, a user may select presentation settings for a specific combination of at least two media UIs. The presentation settings may be stored and then retrieved and used when the specific combination of the at least two media UIs are later selected to be presented simultaneously. In some embodiments, presentation settings for a media UI comprise video and/or audio settings. Video settings may include position and size of a window presenting the media UI. Audio settings may include audio volume setting of the media UI. In some embodiments, each media UI in the combination of at least two media UIs may present a different type of media content (e.g., television content, Internet content, personal content, etc.).

Abstract: A system utilizing one or more auxiliary or scanning tuners provides real time information for providing programming guides. The one or more auxiliary tuner scans or tunes across the band of television signals to gather information relevant to metadata, programming guides, and or message alerts. For example, this information is converted to text, graphic, and or audio form for displaying or listening.

Abstract: A testing method or apparatus utilizes multiple frequencies applied to a device under test for measuring newly discovered frequency modulation effects. An embodiment may include a lower frequency signal with a smaller amplitude higher frequency signal to test a dynamic change in frequency response, gain, and or phase. This dynamic test can reveal frequency modulation effects. Another embodiment may include the use of a multiple frequency signal to dynamically induce a time varying phase or frequency distortion for the device that has differential phase distortion. The device's output is then measured with an FM detector to measure a shift in one of the frequencies used in the test signal or to measure frequency modulation effects of any signals, including distortion products, from the device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for defeating copy protection signals in a video signal, and also for providing copy protection signals for a video signal, is disclosed. The defeat technique generally utilizes a particular pulse position shifting, modulation, etc., of AGC, normal sync and/or pseudo sync pulses to increase the separation between the pulses. Various embodiments are disclosed including selective shifting of the relative positions of either the sync/pseudo sync or AGC pulses, trimming portions of the sync/pseudo sync and/or the AGC pulses and narrowing of either the sync/pseudo sync and/or the AGC pulses, all to provide the selective position separation between the sync/pseudo sync and AGC pulses.

Abstract: A system for identification of video content in a video signal is provided via a sound track audio signal. The audio signal is processed with filtering, frequency translation, and or non linear transformations to extract voice signals from the sound track channel. The extracted voice signals are coupled to a speech recognition system to provide in text form, the words of the video content, which is later compared with a reference library of words or dialog from known video programs or movies. Other attributes of the video signal or transport stream may be combined with closed caption data or closed caption text for identification purposes. Example attributes include DVS/SAP information, time code information, histograms, and or rendered video or pictures.

Abstract: A system for identification of video content in a video signal is provided via a sound track audio signal. The audio signal is processed with filtering and non linear transformations to extract voice signals from the sound track channel. The extracted voice signals are coupled to a speech recognition system to provide in text form, the words of the video content, which is later compared with a reference library of words or dialog from known video programs or movies. Other attributes of the video signal or transport stream may be combined with closed caption data or closed caption text for identification purposes. Example attributes include DVS/SAP information, time code information, histograms, and or rendered video or pictures.

Abstract: A system for identification of video content in a video signal is provided via the use of DVS or SAP information or other data in a video signal or transport stream such as MPEG-x. Sampling of the received video signal or transport stream allows capture of dialog from a movie or video program. The captured dialog is compared to a reference library or database for identification purposes. Other attributes of the video signal or transport stream may be combined with closed caption data or closed caption text for identification purposes. Example attributes include DVS/SAP information, time code information, histograms, and or rendered video or pictures.

Abstract: Metadata of the type for instance associated with television or video Electronic Programming Guides (EPG) or Interactive Programming Guides (IPG), is transported via a digital delivery network such as the Internet to a video receiving device such as a personal video recorder (PVR). The receiving device extracts the metadata for a purpose such as determining from the metadata programming of control signals. The PVR thereby reads or interprets control signals derived from the metadata provided via the digital delivery network so as to control subsequent video recording.