Abstract: Provided is a positioning support table generation method performed by a computing apparatus, the method including generating a three-dimensional (3D) map based on geographic and building information about a predetermined area; setting a plurality of grid points on the 3D map; determining a first base station corresponding to a grid point with respect to each of the plurality of grid points set on the 3D map; calculating at least one physical parameter about a first signal that arrives at the grid point from the first base station and at least one physical parameter about a second signal that arrives at the gird point from a second base station that is one of base stations adjacent to the first base station; and generating a positioning support table based on the at least one physical parameter about the first signal and the at least one physical parameter about the second signal.

Abstract: A rear display displays a driver image of a driver to a rear occupant. An operational information acquisition unit acquires operational information for changing a size of the driver image displayed on the rear display. An image control unit changes the size of the driver image displayed on the rear display, on the basis of the operational information acquired by the operational information acquisition unit. A sound control unit controls, at a time of generating a synthetic sound by combining a spoken voice of the driver with a reproduced sound of an AV source, a sound-level ratio between the spoken voice of the driver and the reproduced sound of the AV source, on the basis of the size of the driver image displayed on the rear display. A rear speaker outputs the synthetic sound generated by the sound control unit toward the rear occupant.

Abstract: An embodiment of a method for enabling content personalization for a user based on a cognitive state of the user includes providing an interface configured to enable a third party to request cognitive state data of the user as the user interacts with a content-providing source; establishing bioelectrical contact between a biosignal detector and the user; automatically collecting a dataset from the user; generating a cognitive state metric; receiving a request from the third party for cognitive state data; transmitting the cognitive state data to the third party device; and automatically collecting a dataset from the user as the user engaged tailored content.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a bi-directional RF signal amplifier that includes both an active communications path and a passive communications path. The circuitry is simplified and the housing size is reduced by having one port which functions as part of the active communications path when the bi-directional RF signal amplifier is powered, and that functions as part of the passive communications path when the bi-directional RF signal amplifier is unpowered.

Abstract: Methods and systems for managing data and/or operations on data such as content are disclosed. A method can comprise receiving data from a source, determining timing information associated with the source and automatically modifying a storage operation of data received from the source based upon the timing information.

Abstract: A computer system or method may be provided for modulating content based on a person's brainwave data, including modifying presentation of digital content at at least one computing device. The content may also be modulated based on a set of rules maintained by or accessible to the computer system. The content may also be modulated based on user input, including through receipt of a presentation control command that may be processed by the computer system of the present invention to modify presentation of content. Content may also be shared with associated brain state information.

Abstract: A method and system is provided for controlling bandwidth rate limiting and client rendering rate limiting in a video delivery network. The method provides network service providers with a means for overriding video delivery data rates selected through dynamic client bitrate adaptation, as well as video data rendering rates of the clients, to limit the impact of network congestion. A system is also specified for implementing a client and a proxy computer in accordance with the method. The system works transparently with standard HTTP-based video delivery systems and includes an HTTP proxy cache infrastructure to support bandwidth rate limiting and client rending rate limiting. The system further provides for administrative overrides of client bitrate selection and client bandwidth usage.

Abstract: A mobile device include a processor coupled to memory media, a touch interface coupled to the processor, a wireless interface coupled to the processor, and a display aligned with the touch interface and coupled to the processor. The memory media includes processor executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations including remotely controlling a set top box associated with a client of a multimedia service provider and retrieving client-specific information from a client-specific websites provided by the service provider.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes methods and systems for providing virtual reality content based on user biometric data. In particular, the disclosed systems and methods can modify virtual reality content to elicit target user responses and/or target user actions. Specifically, the disclosed systems and methods generate biometric response thresholds and determine user responses by comparing biometric data with the biometric response thresholds. The disclosed systems and methods select virtual reality content based on the user response to drive the user toward a particular target user response and/or target user action. The disclosed systems and methods also tailor virtual reality content to individual characteristics of the user. For example, the disclosed systems and methods select virtual reality content based on baseline biometric characteristics and corresponding response categories of a user.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide server-side implementation and enforcement of blackout rules for streaming content. A server receives a request from an end user device and extracts a first identifier identifying the end user device and a second identifier identifying the requested stream from the request. The server determines if blackout rules identified for the requested streaming content using the second identifier apply to the end user device based on the first identifier. The blackout rules may restrict IP addresses, IP address subnets, or geographic regions defined using zip codes or DMAs. The first identifier can be an IP address that directly or indirectly maps to the blackout rules. If the first identifier is restricted by a blackout rule, the server identifies the restrictions of the rule, when they apply, and how they are to be applied before dynamically altering the content that is streamed to the end user device.

Abstract: A computer system or method may be provided for modulating content based on a person's brainwave data, including modifying presentation of digital content at at least one computing device. The content may also be modulated based on a set of rules maintained by or accessible to the computer system. The content may also be modulated based on user input, including through receipt of a presentation control command that may be processed by the computer system of the present invention to modify presentation of content. Content may also be shared with associated brain state information.

Abstract: An Ad Management System (AMS) for managing sales and insertion of targeted advertisements into advertising opportunities (“avails”). The AMS provides advertisers an ability to describe their advertisements (ad characteristics) in terms of target market demographics, required ad bandwidth, ad duration, and other ad specific parameters. The AMS receives the ad characteristics and matches the ads to the avails. The AMS tracks different avails including duration and bandwidth of the avail, and uses a number of schemes to determine if the ad can be placed in the avail including comparing bandwidth requirements. The AMS targets advertisements by correlating subscriber characteristics to the ad characteristics. The subscriber characteristics may be associated with groups of subscribers (e.g. nodes in cable television environments) or to individual subscribers.

Abstract: Video quality management (VQM) may be provided. First, transmitter metrics corresponding to a video stream may be determined by a transmitting endpoint. The determined transmitter metrics may then be transmitted from the transmitting end point and received by a receiver. The receiver may then determine receiver metrics for a video stream received at the receiver. A quality score may then be determined by the receiver. The quality score may be based on the received transmitter metrics and the determined receiver metrics.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an electronic device includes a content transmitter. The content transmitter is configured to output a content item including first data and second data to one transmission path, by applying a first copyright protection system to copyright protection of the first data and applying a second copyright protection system to copyright protection of the second data. The first copyright protection system involves encryption of data to be copyright-protected. The second copyright protection system involves no encryption of data to be copyright-protected.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes receiving information associated with a user of media services, wherein the received information does not uniquely identify one media head end for the user, identifying a plurality of head ends responsive to the received information, and generating, for display on a client device associated with the user, information for displaying a program guide aggregating channels for the plurality of head ends.

Abstract: A stream server system includes logic to provide an output stream to a machine data network; logic to specify to a stream splicer, without modifying the output stream, a playlist file as a file to provide ad content, the playlist file including identifications of multiple digital content files each comprising a separate advertisement; and logic to stream the multiple content files individually to a stream splicer as a Single Program Transport Stream and to identify the content from the multiple content files to the stream splicer as a single content segment.

Abstract: A system, method and computer-readable medium are presented for providing real-time content-based navigation of live video programming. The video programming is received and a searchable database is generated. The method aspect of the invention comprises receiving a live video program, generating an index to the received live video program by extracting images and/or text from the video program, recording the live video program, presenting at least a portion of data associated with the generated index to a user, receiving user input regarding a search to a portion of the recorded video program to which the user desires to navigate and playing back the recorded video program starting at the searched portion identified by the user input. The search may be of an image and/or text portion of the presentation.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes a display, a speaker, a connector to output a video signal and audio signal, a display driving module to control outputting of the video signal with respect to the display and connector, a sound driving module to control outputting of the audio signal with respect to the speaker and connector, and an output control module to instruct the sound driving module to output the audio signal from the connector when an event of instructing the display driving module to output a video signal to the connector occurs.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for making a playlist available to the public. In another embodiment, the present disclosure provides a method for creating a playlist comprising user-defined descriptor information. In another embodiment, the present disclosure provides a method for searching for such public playlists.

Abstract: A real time system to both televise and stream sporting events from sports paraphernalia that are ordinarily used by the players on soccer playing fields, ice hockey rinks, tennis courts, baseball playing fields and football playing fields are disclosed. The sports paraphernalia are instrumented with a variety of TV cameras, microphones, and bi-directional communication electronics. Instrumented sports paraphernalia such as ice hockey goals, ice hockey pucks, soccer goals, tennis nets, tennis posts, baseball bases, baseball home plates, baseball pitcher's rubbers and footballs are disclosed. Instrumentation is built into and contained internally within some of the instrumented sports paraphernalia. Instrumentation is mounted and attached onto some of the sports paraphernalia. The instrumented sports paraphernalia can both televise signals to a TV viewing audience, and simultaneously stream onto the internet.

Abstract: If an incoming call arrives at a mobile phone as an AV output device while a video signal is output to a TV as an AV input device, as incoming call processing, a command notifying arrival of the incoming call is transmitted to the TV, and thereafter output of the video signal is stopped. The reason for the stop is displayed on the TV. When the call is terminated in the mobile phone, a command notifying termination of the call is transmitted to the TV, and the output of the video signal is resumed. Thereby, a notification screen is stopped on the TV, and reproduction of video is resumed.

Abstract: A transmission device includes an image capturing part that captures a subject and generates a plurality of temporally successive frame images, an analyzer that analyzes a size of a motion of the subject by use of at least two or more of the frame images, a viewing condition receiver that receives viewing conditions from a reception device, and a network bandwidth measurement part that measures a congestion degree of a network. The transmission device further includes a controller that controls a data volume of the plurality of frame images based on the size of the motion of the subject, the viewing conditions, and the congestion degree of the network, to determine a predetermined parameter for encoding, an encoder that encodes the plurality of frame images based on the predetermined parameter, and a transmitter that transmits the plurality of encoded frame images.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to methods and systems for queuing events. In one aspect, a method is disclosed that receives or creates an event and inserts the event into a queue. The method determines at least one property of the event and associates a priority with the event based on the property. The method then processes the event in accordance with its priority.

Abstract: Techniques and mechanisms described herein facilitate the performance of feedback-based weighted content recommendation. According to various embodiments, input data for performing media content recommendation analysis may be identified. The input data may describe the presentation of a plurality of media content items in association with a plurality of content management accounts. The input data may comprise a plurality of data points. Each of the data points may identify respective feedback data for a respective one of the media content items previously recommended for presentation in association with a respective one of the content management accounts. The feedback data may identify a viewer reaction to the recommended media content item. For each or selected ones of the data points, a respective weighting factor based on the feedback data for the respective media content item presented in association with the respective content management account may be applied.

Abstract: The present application is directed to a test system for testing set-top boxes which provide a video output to a televisión. The test system records the execution of a test script, inputs to the set-top box and video output, each separately with a time stamp. The test system has a graphical user interface for playing back the video, inputs and scripts in a synchronised fashion.

Abstract: A method of managing digital rights is disclosed that includes recording media content at one or more servers supporting a multimedia content distribution service. The one or more servers are configured to transmit multimedia data to multiple customer premises equipment (CPE) devices. The method further includes determining recorded media content at the one or more servers that is associated with a content source and providing a graphical user interface (GUI) accessible to a content manager at the content source to manage digital rights. The GUI includes a list of the recorded media content and at least one selectable element associated with each item of the list accessible to select media content and to configure digital rights associated with the selected media content.

Abstract: Methods and systems for presenting multimedia information materials from a database, preferably as a video broadcast. In one example, a plurality of information segments, such as video clips, are stored in the database, information segments are selected from the database, and a user can organize a subset of the selected information segments to affect a presentation of those information segments in desired order. The selected information segments may be loaded into a memory. The selected information segments may also be represented using indicators. The subset of selected information segments may be presented in the same order as the corresponding indicators. The presentation may be realized on a computer, a media player, or a television, the latter of which may interface with a set-top box and/or a personal video recorder.

Abstract: A system and method for providing redundant video signals from a server blade in a blade center. A blade center is described that includes a capture system for capturing a video stream off a PCI-x bus in a server blade and delivering the pair of video streams to a midplane in the blade center; and a switch module that inputs the pair of video streams and generates an unroutable video signal and a routable video signal.

Abstract: The method for controlling interface according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises the steps of: detecting the state of connection with one or more sink devices and one or more source devices which are connected to input and output ports of a multimedia interface module; identifying one or more operation modes available for the detected connection state; and transmitting device information of the one or more sink devices to the one or more source devices, the device information being selectively edited in accordance with a requested operation mode among the identified operation modes. Therefore, various operation modes such as Through, Convert, Switch, Mix, Distribute, Duplicate and Exchange can be chosen for effective operation, thereby enhancing the convenience of the user and increasing the performance of interface between the sink devices and source devices.

Abstract: A media playout system for playing out media to receiver units, the system comprising: a broadcast data channel; a playout arrangement for broadcasting over the broadcast data channel enhanced content data associated with video data; a distribution unit for receiving the broadcast data and distributing it to the receiver units, and comprising a buffer for storing enhanced content data, and a transmission controller responsive to signalling from the playout arrangement to retrieve enhanced content data from the buffer and make it available to the receiver units.

Abstract: The present invention provides a service access method, device, and system, and relates to the field of television services, to guarantee multicast security of a network device. The method includes: obtaining an authorized multicast address list according to program channel list information provided by a server; receiving an Internet Group Management Protocol IGMP packet request sent by a user terminal device, where the IGMP packet request carries a multicast address; verifying the multicast address in the IGMP packet request according to the multicast address list; and sending a media data stream corresponding to the verified multicast address to the user terminal device. The solutions of the present invention are suitable for realizing the security of multicast of network device.

Abstract: An audio/video storage/retrieval system and method that permits efficient and cost-effective simultaneous recording of multi-channel A/V information from a variety of sources is disclosed. The system/method may be broadly described as generally incorporating baseband conversion of source RF modulated A/V information followed by analog-to-digital conversion and storage on a storage device utilizing a dual port interface that incorporates an additional computer access port to permit transparent storage access by a computer system. Retrieval of stored A/V programming from the storage device via the dual port interface permits the stored A/V data to be converted to analog and RF modulated for presentation to an A/V presentation device. Additional A/V source and/or target selectors may be incorporated into the system/method to permit recording a plethora of A/V sources such as raw A/V signaling, OTA broadcasts, clear/encrypted cable QAM broadcasts, cable set top boxes (STBs), and the like.

Abstract: A system and method for providing video signals wherein the video signals from a single video source may be separately passed over two different transmission paths. Each transmission path includes an encoder, a communications channel and a decoder. The output of each communications path at the decoder provides the video signals and an alarm signal. The alarm signal indicates an error or disruption of the video signals over the corresponding communications path. The outputted video and alarm signals are provided to a video protection switch (VPS) device which provides the video signal from the second transmission path if the alarm signals indicates an error or disruption in the first transmission path. In one embodiment, the VPS has multiple switches, one for each of plural video sources, and a redundant switch and protection ports. The redundant switch and protection ports may be connected to receive the video and alarm signals if one of the switches in the VPS fails.

Abstract: An audio/video (A/V) component networking system, comprising a presentation device and a sink component configured to simultaneously present on the presentation device A/V program data received from at least two different source components.

Abstract: Systems and methods for presenting audio messages are provided. In some aspects, a method includes receiving an audio message from a first user and generating a text-based representation of the audio message. The method also includes generating one or more identification tags based on the text-based representation of the audio message. At least one of the one or more identification tags includes a subject of the audio message. The method also includes presenting at least one of the text-based representation of the audio message or the one or more identification tags to a second user using a graphical user interface.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a set top box having a controller to eliminate a scheduled recording of a targeted media program, where the scheduled recording is a redundant recording of the targeted media program that is determined based upon monitoring of recordings of media programs by a group of set top boxes in communication with each other over a network, where another set top box of the group of set top boxes is designated as a host set top box to record the targeted media program, and where the controller is provided access to the targeted media program by the host set top box. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system and method for providing an interactive, visual complement to one or more audio programs. In one aspect, the system comprises an audio subsystem for generating an audio signal corresponding to a sound recording. The system also comprises a video subsystem for generating a video image specification based, at least in part, on the sound recording. In one aspect, the audio signal and video image specification are transmitted to an audio/video signal transmission system. The transmission system receives the video image specification and generates a video signal that conforms to the video image specification. The video signal and the audio signal are transmitted to at least one consumer receiver. In this way, the system provides a visual complement to an audio program.

Abstract: Under a resource manager, unexpected blocking is prevented without calling a handler for resolving a resource contention, by assigning a priority level depending on the program that has requested for a reservation of a resource as well as by assigning a special priority level which permits a reservation of a resource without any conditions in the case of a program which is urgently needed such as an EAS module.

Abstract: Under a resource manager, unexpected blocking is prevented without calling a handler for resolving a resource contention, by assigning a priority level depending on the program that has requested for a reservation of a resource as well as by assigning a special priority level which permits a reservation of a resource without any conditions in the case of a program which is urgently needed such as an EAS module.

Abstract: There is provided a transmitter device including an interface unit that is an interface for connection to a receiver device via a transmission path, a pre-emphasis unit configured to generate a pre-emphasis signal, the pre-emphasis signal being obtained by adding to an input signal another signal for compensating for a high-frequency component of the input signal, and a transmission control unit configured to acquire identification information indicating whether the receiver device is capable of performing a process of receiving the pre-emphasis signal, switch the receiver device to a state in which the receiver device is capable of performing the process of receiving the pre-emphasis signal in accordance with the identification information, and control the pre-emphasis unit to generate the pre-emphasis signal.

Abstract: A channel remapping pre-notification (RPN) message is transmitted in each of multiple frequencies prior to movement of data associated with one or more virtual channels to one or more different frequencies. The RPN message is also sent prior to transmission of a Virtual Channel Table (VCT) reflecting channel movement. If a receiving device is unable to find data associated with a selected channel subsequent to the channel movement, the stored RPN information can be used to identify a new frequency for that selected channel.

Abstract: Under a resource manager, unexpected blocking is prevented without calling a handler for resolving a resource contention, by assigning a priority level depending on the program that has requested for a reservation of a resource as well as by assigning a special priority level which permits a reservation of a resource without any conditions in the case of a program which is urgently needed such as an EAS module.

Abstract: A web server presents a web page to a user. The web page dynamically presents information corresponding to a digital video recorder (DVR) associated with the user. The web server accepts input information to control the DVR. A delayed-job server accepts input from the web server and stores a job entry corresponding to the input in a message queue. The delayed-job server processes the job entry from the message queue and creates a function request representative of the web server input. An access server accepts the function request from the delayed-job server and bi-directionally communicates messages with the DVR. The access server communicates a response to the function request back to the delayed-job server. The delayed-job server communicates data from the response to the web server, wherein the web server is not blocked while waiting for the response from the delayed-job server.

Abstract: A Headend system including a video codec to encode a video sequence yielding an encoded video sequence having video packets, a multiplexer, a signal generator to receive a notification of a splice point, analyze at least some of the encoded video packets based on the notification in order to find a random-access-point-packet, the random-access-point being a point from which to start decoding the encoded video sequence by the rendering device so that the video sequence may be rendered for output from the splice point, create a timing signal estimating a location of the random-access-point-packet in the encoded video sequence, and output the timing signal to the multiplexer or transmission equipment. Related apparatus and methods are also described.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes storing a caption file including a set of visual representations of captions for a media program and a video file including video information for the media program. A server receives a request for the media program where the request is associated with a user device. The method determines the caption file and the video file for the media program based on the request. The server then sends visual representations of the captions from the caption file out of band with video information from the video file over a network to the user device. The user device is configured to overlay a visual representation of a caption over a portion of the video information.

Abstract: A wireless communication device retrieves a continuous stream of data by receiving a request for retrieval of content from a remote server, retrieving data of the requested content over a first radio access technology (RAT) interface and connection, and determining if the data retrieved meets a content playback threshold. When the retrieved data does not to meet the content playback threshold, the device activates a second RAT interface for retrieval of data of the requested content over a second RAT connection. The first and second RAT interfaces simultaneously retrieve part of the requested content during a multipath time period, which part is divided into at least a first portion for retrieval over the first RAT connection and a second portion for retrieval over the second RAT connection and which first and second portions are selected such that their retrieval is estimated to meet the content playback threshold.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention discloses a system and method for decoding multiple independent encoded audio streams using a single decoder. The system includes one or more parsers, a preprocessor, an audio decoder, and a renderer. The parser extracts individual audio frames from each input audio stream. The preprocessor combines the outputs of all parsers into a single audio frame stream and enables sharing of the audio decoder among multiple independent encoded audio streams. The audio decoder decodes the single audio frame stream and provides a single decoded audio stream. And the renderer renders the individual reconstructed audio streams from the single decoded audio stream.

Abstract: Embodiments enable multimedia broadcast systems to temporarily suspend broadcast of data in an active content flow when insufficient data is available for efficient use of the broadcast bandwidth, while signaling receiver devices so they may deactivate receiver circuits to conserve power while data broadcasts are suspended. Flow content received in the broadcaster during the temporary suspension of data broadcasts may be stored in flow buffers for broadcast at the end of the temporary suspension. An indication of the duration of suspended data broadcasts may be included in the overhead information symbols (OIS) within the broadcast signal. Receiver devices receiving the indication of suspended data broadcasts may deactivate their receiver circuits for the indicated duration. The broadcast suspensions may be coordinated across multiple content flows so that receiver devices can periodically wake up at induced sleep intervals to monitor any data flow of the broadcast system.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for receiving data from each of a plurality of components in a network, the components being arranged as a plurality of multicast trees, the data from each of the components indicating a structure of a portion of the network and at least one attribute associated with the respective component. The disclosure further provides for determining, based on the data, a structure of at least some of the multicast trees, receiving search criteria, and determining which of the multicast trees meet the search criteria.

Abstract: A method and system of provisioning a set-top box (STB) with a STB provisioning system are provided which include storing STB profile information in a provisioning datastore, receiving a customer order at a service provisioning system, notifying a billing system of the customer order, and notifying a conditional access system of the customer order. The method and system further include storing information from the customer order in a provisioning datastore, notifying a video device manager about the STB, and delivering a cable operator configuration message from the video device manager to the STB, the configuration message being based on information from the provisioning datastore, thereby provisioning the STB without essential involvement of the conditional access system.