Abstract: A cable television diagnostic method for a cable television network sends a polling message to a plurality of television set top boxes from a cable television headend; wherein the polling message instructs the cable television set top boxes to obtain at least one operational parameter of each of the television set top boxes; receiving a plurality of response messages from the cable television set top boxes, each containing the at least one operational parameter; determining that one of the operational parameters is outside of a specified range of values; and aggregating the operational parameters of the plurality of set top boxes to determine if the same operational parameter is outside the range of specified values for more than the one of the television set top boxes.

Abstract: A registration request message for affiliation with a service provider using an Internet video link (IVL) communication feature hosted by an Internet video link (IVL) server is received from an IVL device by the IVL server, where the IVL communication feature utilizes an IVL communication module to provide a communication interface with the service provider. The IVL device is registered with the IVL communication feature. A registration response message is sent to the IVL device acknowledging the affiliation with the service provider using the IVL communication feature. IVL communication feature messages are processed between the registered IVL device and the service provider. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: A method of generating a glow discharge plasma involves providing a pair of electrodes spaced apart by an electrode gap, and having a dielectric disposed in the electrode gap between the electrodes; placing the electrodes within an environment, wherein the electrode gap can be provided with a gas or gas mixture containing carbon at a specified pressure; and applying a rapid rise time voltage pulse across the electrodes to cause an extreme overvoltage condition, wherein the rapid rise time is less than a plasma generation time so that the extreme overvoltage condition occurs prior to current flow across the electrode gap. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: A passive stethoscope chest piece has a chest piece housing containing a passive piezoelectric (piezo) element mounted within a metal housing. The piezo element converts body signals to an electrical representation. A pair of electrical connections attached to the metal plate and the piezoelectric layer of the piezo element pass the electrical representation outside the housing for processing by external circuitry. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: An interface adapter device consistent with certain embodiments has a first electrical connector adapted to connect to a conditional access service card to receive encrypted television signals therefrom. A second electrical connector is adapted to connect to a television receiver device in order to provide the encrypted television signals to the television receiver device. An interface circuit receives the encrypted television signals from the first electrical connector and adapts the signals for transmission to a television receiver device over the second electrical connector. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: In certain implementations, a television tutorial Widget method involves providing a tutorial Widget running on a television processor to produce video images rendered as a video overlay that overlays the picture on a television display. The tutorial Widget: loading upon receipt of a command to run the tutorial Widget; identifying an operating state of the television set; retrieving and presenting a list of available tutorial videos associated with the operating state of the television set in the video overlay; identifying a tutorial video selected by a user; and retrieving and playing the tutorial video selected by the user in the video overlay. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: In accord with embodiments consistent with the present invention, a first action in recognizing text from image and video is to locate accurately the position of the text in image and video. After that, the located and possibly low resolution text can be extracted, enhanced and binarized. Finally existing OCR technology can be applied to the binarized text for recognition. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: A television receiver device consistent with certain embodiment is controlled by a remote controller has an infrared receiver that receives control signals from the remote controller. An infrared transmitter transmits signals from the television to the remote controller. A processor, upon receipt of a control signal from the remote controller sends a challenge signal to the remote controller in order to obtain a reply from the remote controller. Upon receipt of a reply to the challenge, the processor determines if the reply is correct and if so, executes the command associated with the control signal, wherein if the reply is incorrect, the command is not executed. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: A stable colloidal suspension of carbon-based nanomaterials in a solvent has a stable colloidal suspension of nanodiamond particles having at least one additional carbon-based electromagnetic radiation attenuating nanomaterial nanomaterials disbursed and agitated into the solvent to produce said suspension. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: In certain embodiments, a method of receiving digital television signals involves tuning a radio frequency tuner to receive a radio frequency modulated channel containing a transport stream; demodulating the channel to produce an output transport stream; the output transport stream containing an Internet Protocol (IP) stream of packets containing non-real time content, a FLUTE file description table (FDT), NRT service metadata and NRT content metadata; demultiplexing the IP stream of packets to produce: NRT content that is stored in an electronic storage medium, the FLUTE FDT, NRT service metadata, and NRT content metadata; parsing the metadata to produces NRT service metadata; NRT content description text and NRT content metadata; and processing the NRT content description text derived from a Text Fragment Table (TFT). This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: In certain embodiments, a digital television broadcast method involves generating a digital television signal having one or more transport streams; where data in at least one of the one or more transport streams that supports non-real time (NRT) services, where such data comprises an Internet protocol (IP) stream of packets containing NRT content including a FLUTE file description table (FDT), a NRT information table (NRT-IT), and a Service Map Table (SMT); where the NRT-IT contains a content ID that relates the NRT-IT to the FLUTE FDT, and where the SMT contains a service ID that relates the SMT to the NRT-IT table; and outputting the one or more transport streams for broadcast as a digital television signal. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: In certain embodiments, a method carried out in a digital television receiver device incapable of full two way communications, of receiving switched digital television programs involves storing a virtual channel table in the digital television receiver device, the virtual channel table having entries for each available channel and having a channel type indicator that identifies switched digital channels; receiving a command indicative of selection of a switched digital channel having the switched digital channel type indicator in the stored virtual channel table; sending a request from the television receiver device for the switched digital channel; responsive to the request, receiving a response that either grants the request or denies the request; and if the response grants the request, receiving an updated virtual channel table having updated table entries. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: In certain embodiments, a digital television receiving method that receives non-real time (NRT) content involves receiving a transport stream containing an Internet Protocol (IP) stream of packets containing non-real time content, NRT service metadata and NRT content metadata; at a demultiplexer, demultiplexing the IP stream of packets to produce: NRT content that is stored in the electronic storage medium, NRT service metadata, and NRT content metadata; parsing the NRT metadata to produce NRT service metadata, and NRT content metadata; and where the NRT content metadata contains a signal that indicates that an update is available indicating whether or not a referenced content item will be updated periodically. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: In certain embodiments, a digital television broadcast method involves generating a digital television signal having one or more transport streams; where data in at least one of the one or more transport streams supports non-real time (NRT) services; where such data comprises an Internet protocol (IP) stream of packets containing non-real time content, a FLUTE file description table (FDT), NRT service metadata and NRT content metadata; where the NRT metadata further comprises NRT content description text that is contained in Text Fragment Table (TFT); and outputting the one or more transport streams for broadcast as a digital television signal. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: A method of acquiring data associated with a television program consistent with certain embodiments involves acquiring information that identifies a currently playing television program; receiving a command from a user interface that selects an image forming a portion of a frame of video displayed on the television, wherein said frame of video is a portion of the television program; accessing a specified web site that contains a database of metadata associated with television programs via the Internet; querying the specified web site for metadata associated with the image by providing the image along with the information that identifies the currently playing television program; receiving a response from the specified web site that provides metadata associated with the image; and displaying at least a portion of the metadata. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: A system and method for identifying the player that leaked content encryption keys by loading a set of player keys into individual content players and determining the number of encryptions and the number of encryption keys to use in multiple encrypting critical content. The method produces copies of critical data content packets, each copy of which is separately encrypted using any one of a set of encryption keys that are related to one another through a mathematical algorithm. The related set of encryption keys and data describing key relationship and content player identity are transmitted to a previously determined license management agency. The transmitted encrypted content is written to a receiving device or file, or streamed to an individual player for non-synchronous playback. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: A video display method consistent with certain embodiments involves sampling video from a video source using a sample and hold frame buffer such that frames are received and stored as the frames of video information are supplied from the video source at a refresh interval to a video display panel in a dynamic mode of operation wherein the screen is refreshed with a new frame of video data at each refresh interval; determining that a static mode of operation is to be entered; sending an output signal from the sample and hold frame buffer to the video display panel during the static mode of operation; and placing the video source in a lower power consumption mode in the static mode of operation. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: A method of positioning primary and secondary images on a stereoscopic display device involves ascertaining a perceived depth of the primary image and the secondary image; transforming the perceived depth of at least one of the primary and secondary image data by compressing the perceived depth of the at least one of the primary and secondary image data; and transforming at least one of the primary and secondary image data so as to position the perceived secondary image at a position that will be perceived by a viewer to be situated at a depth when viewed on the stereoscopic display such that the secondary image appears to be situated fully between the primary image and the viewer when viewed stereoscopically. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: A switching module, system and method facilitate communications between one or more non-CEC enabled devices and a television of an audio/visual (A/V) system. The switching module is able to accommodate both Consumer Electronic Control (CEC) enabled and non-CEC enabled devices for communication with the television. In response to user control of a user interface of the switching module, when a non-CEC enabled device is coupled to the switching module, a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI) input port of the HDMI switching module is selected and a default HDMI device type and corresponding HDMI logic address is set for the non-CEC enabled device. This information is displayed for the user by the television.

Abstract: A deviation from an expected wireless link status between a wireless display device and a local wireless media transmission device is detected via the wireless display device. The local wireless media transmission device is located proximate to the wireless display device. It is determined that an expected wireless signal is not incident upon a first wireless receiver of the wireless display device based upon the detected deviation from the expected wireless link status. A problem is identified that causes the detected deviation from the expected wireless link status. A wireless status indicator is displayed via the display. The wireless status indicator indicates that the expected wireless signal is not incident upon the first wireless receiver and indicates the identified problem that causes the detected deviation from the expected wireless link status. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.