Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed including one or more security structures. The one or more security structures includes: a weldable frame; a plurality of composite panels, each panel securable to the weldable frame, each composite panel configured to form at least one joint with at least one adjoining composite panel; and a respective security element embedded within each of the composite panels. The security element is configured to detect a breach in the composite panel.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, an apparatus having a tube with an ingress opening to receive a liquid, and an egress opening to release the liquid, a conductor positioned in a conduit of the tube, the conductor and the conduit having dimensions to cause a surface tension of the liquid to prevent a constant flow of the liquid from the egress opening, and a power supply coupled to the conductor to apply a charge to the liquid to overcome the surface tension and form at the egress opening a single jet stream of the liquid applicable on a substrate to create a pattern. The single jet stream can be controllable in part by a viscosity of the liquid. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Systems and methods for wireless systems provide a mechanism for resource sharing. In an embodiment, an electronic communication is routed between mobile wireless clients without first processing the electronic communication through an external domain. In an embodiment, an e-mail message is routed between mobile wireless clients without first processing the e-mail message through an external e-mail domain identified in the e-mail message. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a media device having a controller to present a graphical user interface for a selection of replacement content where the replacement content corresponds to a portion of media content presentable by the media device, receive the selection of the replacement content, transmit the selection to a server where the selected replacement content is retrieved using one or more metadata pointers associated with the media content, and receive the replacement content. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for securing sensitive material on a computer system comprising a network of computers from unauthorized access by a root level user of the computer system, the method including the steps of: limiting access to the sensitive material to one or more authorized users; controlling the operation of one or more system functions to prevent unauthorized access to the sensitive material.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example network device having a controller to receive multiple streams of content for portions of a multimedia work (MMW), perform a high level analysis for features in each of the streams for the MMW, perform a specialized analysis on the portion having a detected general feature to generate a content analysis output, correlate the content analysis output with other content analysis of the MMW, and output a weighted content description based on the correlation function. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A method for troubleshooting a set top box is disclosed and can include receiving a trouble ticket from a set top box and initiating a self test at the set top box. The method can also include receiving test results from the set top box and analyzing the test results to isolate a problem.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention is an apparatus, comprising a tunable antenna including a variable reactance network connected to the antenna a closed loop control system adapted to sense the RF voltage across the variable reactance network and adjust the reactance of the network to maximize the RF voltage. The variable reactance network may comprise a parallel capacitance or a series capacitance. Further, the variable reactance networks may be connected to the antenna, which may be a patch antenna, a monopole antenna, or a slot antenna.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, identifying a consumer account managed by a service provider to which purchases are chargeable, the identification of the account based on transactional information, enabling customer equipment to request a purchase of an electronically-purchasable item of a vendor via network equipment of the service provider, wherein the vendor is a party other than the service provider, charging the consumer account a fee for a purchase initiated by the customer equipment, and remitting a portion of the fee to an account of the vendor. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a transcoder module having a controller to manage power distribution in the transcoder module from power supplied to an HDMI port of the transcoder module, transcode audio-visual information into a digital compatible format used on an external device. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a computing device, including a controller to: transmit a client program having a graphical user interface (GUI) to a media device operating in an interactive television (iTV) network, wherein the client program presents a symbolic overlay that superimposes onto media content received by the media device and enables the media device to associate comments with the media content received at the media device, and wherein the comments are presented by at least one symbol in a temporal vicinity of the media content; and perform a highlighting event when a cursor of an input device is positioned at or near the at least one symbol of the presentation of the symbolic overlay. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, utilizing a first communication device for identifying a user interface adaptation according to operating characteristics of a second display of a second communication device, identifying first and second user interface portions according to the user interface adaptation, presenting the first user interface portion at a first display of the first communication device, transmitting the second user interface portion to the second communication device for presentation at the second display of the second communication device, and enabling user interface navigation that includes the first and second user interface portions as a single user interface based on user inputs received at the first communication device. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for determining a mitigation strategy to limit a potential source of interference on an Internet Protocol television (IPTV) system. A new user installation request is received at a server in the IPTV system. A first geographical location of a customer premises associated with the new user installation request is received. A second geographical location of an amplitude modulation broadcasting facility is received. The first geographical location and the second geographical location are plotted. A first distance between the first geographical location and the second geographical location is determined. A first signal transmission power rating for the amplitude modulation broadcasting facility is retrieved. A first mitigation strategy to limit a first interference of the amplitude modulation broadcasting facility on an IPTV signal provided to the first geographical location when the first distance is less than the first threshold distance is determined.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a display device having a controller to wirelessly receive media; wirelessly receive control signals for presentation of the media from a mobile communication device; and selectively disable control by the display device over presentation of the media on the display device. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for abstracting Internet content is disclosed. An apparatus that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a terminal device having a User Interface (UI) element that links a Graphical User Interface (GUI) element to each Internet resource identifier (IRI) of one or more subject matters of interest defined in a profile by an end user, and presents said one or more GUI elements in a GUI window without association to an Internet browser. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) system having a controller to retrieve a user profile, cause a set-top box (STB) to present an avatar having characteristics that correlate to the user profile, receive from the STB one or more responses of the user, detect from the one or more responses a change in an emotional state of the user, adapt a search for media content according to the user profile and the detected change in the emotional state of the user, adapt a portion of the characteristics of the avatar relating to emotional feedback according to the user profile and the detected change in the emotional state of the user, and cause the STB to present the adapted avatar presenting content from a media content source identified from the adapted search for media content. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: The present disclosure may include, for example, a method for establishing a remitting arrangement between a provider and a vendor to create between the provider and the vendor an electronic process for remitting a portion of a transaction amount billed to at least one billing account of at least one customer associated with the provider for products or services purchased by the at least one customer from the vendor. The method can further include enabling, by way of equipment of the provider, equipment of the at least one customer to communicate with equipment of the vendor, and receiving at the equipment of the provider transactional information indicating that the at least one customer initiated an order for a product or service from the vendor for a transactional amount. The method can also include initiating with equipment of the provider the remittance of the portion of the transaction amount by way of the account of the vendor according to the remitting arrangement.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus, comprising an RF input port, an RF output port connected to the RF input port via a multichip adaptive impedance matching module (AIMM), and the multichip AIMM comprising one or more voltage or current controlled variable reactive elements, wherein the multichip AIMM is adapted to maximize RF power transferred from the at least one RF input port to the at least one RF output port by varying the bias voltage or bias current to the voltage or current controlled variable reactive elements to maximize the RF voltage at the at least one RF output port.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a server having a controller to manage a library of pointers to altered media content, and enable a network element of an interactive media network to access additional media content responsive to detecting a selection of the watermark at the network element. The altered media content is created by embedding a watermark in media content presentable at the network element. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a server having a controller to determine video conferencing capability of a group of communication devices associated with a user where the group of communication devices comprises a set top box and where the determination of the video conferencing capability is performed in temporal proximity with establishing a voice call over an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) network between a mobile communication device and at least one device of the group of communication devices; and establish a video conference for participating devices in response to a request from one device of the mobile communication device and the group of communication devices, where the video conference is established over an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) network, and where the participating devices comprise the mobile communication device and the set top box. Other embodiments are disclosed.