Abstract: A method and arrangement for monitoring the audio portion of a broadcast signal includes a keyword listening device. A relatively limited set of keywords are stored in a memory and the keyword listening device monitors the broadcast signal for any of these keywords. Upon recognition of any one or more of the keywords, the broadcast audio signal is recorded for a period of time and then fully analyzed. After analysis, and in dependence upon the recorded and analyzed broadcast audio signal, a number of different functions, such as connection to an external network at a specified address, or control of a video cassette recorder, may be performed.

Abstract: A home network architecture has an internal digital network interconnecting devices in the home. Entertainment services are introduced into the network through network interface units that are coupled to an external network and to the internal network. The network interface units perform the necessary interfacing between the external and internal networks, and make the entertainment services available to all terminals connected to the internal network. A plurality of set-top electronics that do not have network interface units connect to the internal network and prepare the information in the digital data stream for display, by a television, for example.

Abstract: A graphics data decompression arrangement in a TV set top box that includes a system ROM for storing graphics data broken down into tiles, each of which is identified by a unique index number. The index numbers that identify the tiles of graphics data required to be included in a current picture on a TV set screen are written into a DRAM. An MPEG decoder reads the index numbers to convert them into a graphics address signal supplied via a ROM address bus to the system ROM to indicate the addresses of the required tiles of graphics data. In response, the required tiles are fed to the MPEG decoder for decompression in accordance with an MPEG decompression algorithm. A time-division multiplexing scheme allows the ROM address bus to be used for transmitting to the system ROM an address signal from a CPU that indicates where information required for CPU operations is located in the system ROM. In response to the CPU address signal, the required information is fed to the CPU.

Abstract: A system for providing a user controllable picture-in-picture formatted signal to a television is provided with a fast modem that interconnects the system with a computer network, such as the Internet. In order to allow a user to interact with the Internet, yet still enjoy video programming, the system has a picture-in-picture selection that a user controls to determine which video source (e.g., digital satellite signal, digital video disk signal, Internet graphics) will form the main picture displayed on the television, and which will form the picture-in-picture. A conventional television may be used with the system to display the signal, since it is already formatted in a picture-in-picture format at the output of the system.

Abstract: A time division multiplexing (TDM) digital audio signal processing and communication system is disclosed. The preferred embodiment applies time division multiplexing to a digital audio data transfer environment by providing a TDM patch bay bus structure to which digital audio devices can be plugged into and digital audio data transfer connections made. In the preferred embodiment, the patch bay bus structure includes the bus connection structure, a bus controller and a plurality of digital audio processing devices which each communicate with the bus structure which uses three (3) separate buses: A data bus, control bus and an address bus. Each processing device not only has its own unique address, but also one or more group addresses. Thus, the system allows communication to single recipient devices or multiple recipient devices in one time slice of the TDM signal.