Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing template-based prefix caching advantageously identifies common prefixes (i.e., initial video segments) in video titles, stores common prefixes only once in a prefix cache, and uses these common prefixes when serving requests for video content. This advantageously enables a prefix cache to scale to a large number of video titles, since the cache stores each common prefix only once. A new video title that uses an already existing prefix may be advantageously added without requiring additional storage in the prefix cache. Template-based prefix caching also advantageously reduces the bandwidth required to distribute prefixes when new titles are ingested into the system—if the required template is already available in the prefix cache, prefix-caching is enabled instantly for this title and no additional bandwidth is required to distribute the prefix.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a DC-to-DC voltage converter. The DC-to-DC voltage converter has a plurality of pairs of outputs and is configured to apply voltages across the pairs of outputs in a time division multiplexed manner.

Abstract: In a radio frequency (RF)-photonic arbitrary waveform generator (AWG), an optical carrier signal is phase-modulated using an arbitrary waveform optical phase generator (AWPOG), which may include, e.g., sequential optical phase modulators. The phase-modulated optical signal is combined with a version of the optical carrier signal to yield an optical waveform, whose amplitude varies with a phase shift introduced by the AWPOG to the optical carrier signal. By manipulating electrical inputs to the AWPOG which control the phase shift, the optical waveform can be arbitrary shaped. The optical waveform may then be converted to an electrical waveform having a radio frequency.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for use in suppressing acoustic echo in a target speech signal being transmitted through a packet-based communications network uses frame energy estimation applied to the target speech signal and to a reference speech signal. The method or apparatus estimates one or more reference speech energy levels in one or more reference packets based on one or more of the speech parameters generated by the speech encoding of the reference signal; estimates a target speech energy level in a target packet based on one or more of the speech parameters generated by the speech encoding of the target signal; compares the target speech energy level to one or more reference speech energy levels; and detects an echo in the target speech signal based on the comparison of the target speech energy level to the one or more reference speech energy levels.

Abstract: True collaborative interactive video streaming is advantageously achieved in accordance with certain illustrative embodiments of the present invention. A method and apparatus in accordance with one illustrative embodiment of the present invention enables a plurality of clients to concurrently view and interactively modify the playout of a video program—which may advantageously comprise either a stored (i.e., prerecorded) video program (e.g., a movie) or a real-time (i.e., live) video program—wherein the video program is being streamed from a video server to all of the clients synchronously (i.e., the same video is being played out concurrently to all clients). In accordance with this illustrative embodiment of the present invention, each of the plurality of clients is advantageously capable of transmitting control commands to the video server, and the video server responds to such control commands by appropriately modifying the video streaming process, but does so synchronously to all clients.