Abstract: In one implementation a method of authenticating the installation of a television receiver involves generating a fingerprint value as function of the television network characteristics at an authorized installation location, where the fingerprint is a function of at least one of a gain value of a variable gain amplifier and an equalizer coefficient of an adaptive equalizer of the television appliance; receiving a code that is a function of both a decryption key and the fingerprint value from a broadcast source; ascertaining a value of the decryption key by applying an inverse function to the code that produces the decryption key as an output; and carrying out a decryption process at the television receiver appliance using the decryption key. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure consistent with certain implementations has a crystalline substrate oriented with a {111} plane surface that is within 10 degrees of surface normal. An epitaxially grown electrically insulating interlayer overlays the crystalline substrate and establishes a coincident lattice that mates with the surface symmetry of the {111} plane surface. An atomically stable two dimensional crystalline film resides on the epitaxial insulating layer with a coincident lattice match to the insulating interlayer. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: A method of encrypting a digital television signal involves examining unencrypted packets of data in the digital television signal to identify a selected packet type; duplicating packets identified as being of a selected packet type to produce pairs of duplicated packets; encrypting one of each pair of the duplicated packets; inserting the encrypted packets along with the unencrypted packets of the selected packet type to the digital television signal along with the unencrypted packets of data that are not of the selected packet type into produce a selectively encrypted digital television signal that contains duplicate packets of the selected packet type with one of the duplicate packets being encrypted while the other of the duplicated packets remains unencrypted; and broadcasting the selectively encrypted television signal. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: An example television Widget movement method involves receiving a dedicated command from a remote controller that activates the plurality of Widget programs, when in Display mode, display Widget representations on a display; receiving a command that establishes one of the plurality of displayed Widget programs as the Widget program that is currently in focus; and receiving a command that places the Widget program currently in focus in Move Mode. The Widget can be moved about the display while in Move Mode, where when the Widget is in Move Mode, the Widget representation is responsive to navigation commands to move about the display. Such movement is animated using a 3 dimensional graphics engine and accompanied by an audio sound effect. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: A television and camcorder combination include an acoustic echo canceller and a videoconference protocol stack in order to provide videoconferencing capabilities using only a television in combination with an attached camcorder. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: A method of presenting a video electronic program guide (EPG), consistent with certain embodiments involves establishing a sorting of television channels, with a selected channel having a highest sorting priority, and other channels being arranged in pairs in a hierarchy below the selected channel; displaying a plurality of windows representing a plurality of the channels in a cross media bar menu arrangement, with the principal focus channel being represented at a window appearing at an intersection of horizontal and vertical bars in the cross media bar menu arrangement and the pairs of channels arranged on either side of the selected channel in the cross media bar menu arrangement; and retrieving sample clips of the channels in focus section of the sort order, and presenting the clips as repeating clips in their respective windows. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: An exercise device with an arc shaped track having a concave side that is mounted upon a support structure that supports the arc shaped track at a position in which the concave side of the arc faces downward and in which the arc shaped track can be fixed at a location centered above a user's head to extend to each side of the user. When in use, a track follower engages the track and moves along a length of the track to follow a course defined by the arc shape of the track. A handle is coupled to the track follower to be gripped by the user's hand to guide the user's side to side bends. 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 receiver method for receiving 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; a demultiplexer that demultiplexes the IP stream of packets to produce: NRT content, NRT service metadata, and NRT content metadata; an NRT metadata parser that produces NRT service metadata and NRT content metadata; and where the NRT service metadata contains an indication whether or not a particular NRT service is to be offered on a subscription basis. 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 set of clear packets, involves receiving a selectively encrypted stream of data, detecting encrypted packets within the selectively encrypted stream of data, creating the set of clear packets by decrypting the encrypted packets detected within the selectively encrypted stream of data, and storing the set of clear packets as a computer file separate from the selectively encrypted stream of data. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract without departing from the invention.

Abstract: In one embodiment consistent with the invention, an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) information collector device has an Internet interface for communication with an aggregator via the Internet and for communication with IPTV service providers. A processor functions to carry out a process of: conducting a query of an IPTV service and at least one IPTV channel supplied thereby; gathering quality of service (QOS) information from the at least one IPTV channel of the IPTV service as a result of the query; and reporting the QOS service to an aggregator device. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for integrating a bi-directional control channel into an entertainment display device to deliver content and exchange control information. The system collects request and response information from the entertainment display device. The system also provides format translation of received and collected content to and from a plurality of formats such as N-PCS technology formats and video display formats in such a manner that the integrated system is independent of broadcasters, satellite, IPTV and cable operators. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: Address book content information and an input command set are synchronized by an audio-only user interface mobile phone with a mobile device pairing server, such that the address book content information and the input command set of the audio-only user interface mobile phone are synchronized with a display-based mobile phone and the audio-only user interface mobile phone is synchronized with the display-based mobile phone via a shared unified single telephone number. The synchronized address book content information and the synchronized input command set are stored. Audio voice input information is detected. A command associated with the stored input command set is identified within the detected audio voice input information, and the identified command is processed. Audio output is generated confirming that processing associated with the identified command is in process. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: A television device has a display panel having a video display situated therein, the display panel being housed in a substantially rectangular housing. A support electronics housing separate from the display panel, is sized to be no wider than a standard household wall stud spacing and no deeper than a standard household wall cavity depth. The support electronics housing carries electronics that support use of the display panel as a television. One or more electrical cables electrically interconnects the support electronics housing with the display panel. An electronic video interface resides in the support electronics housing and having an electrical connector to provide video signals thereto. A power source resides in the support electronics housing that receives household electrical power and supplies electrical power to the display panel through the one or more electrical cables. A mounting bracket assembly mounts the display panel to a wall such that the rear surface is approximately flush with the wall.

Abstract: A method of transmitting a Video-on-Demand (VOD) program involves at a service provider head-end, separating VOD program data into first and second parts; transmitting the first part over a communication network to a recipient receiver for storage at a storage device as cached speculative data, where the transmitting is carried out as a data push when the communication network has available bandwidth to permit such transmitting and without regard for any order having been received for the VOD program to be sent to the receiver; receiving an order for the VOD program to be sent to the receiver; and streaming the second part to the receiver for reassembly into the VOD program at the receiver by combining the second part as it is streamed with the cached speculative data. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: A method of sharing keys among a plurality of conditional access (CA) vendors having differing CA systems used at a distribution headend involves receiving a CA Value contribution from each of the plurality of CA vendors at the headend; hashing the CA Values from each of the plurality of CA vendors together using a hashing function to produce an output control word; and at an encrypter at the headend, using the output control word as a content key, wherein the content key is used as an encryption key to encrypt content provided to a plurality of receivers that decrypt the content using any of the conditional access systems. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: In certain embodiments consistent with the invention, a method of associating a controlled device with a remote controller device involves providing a controlled device with a near field communication (NFC) module; providing a remote controller device with a near field communication (NFC) module; bringing the remote controller device into close enough proximity to the controlled device to establish an NFC communication link; communicating secret data between the remote controller device and the controlled device to establish an association between the remote controller device and the controlled device so that commands from the remote controller device to the controlled device will be accepted. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: A method of providing improved quality of Internet Protocol (IP) video content over the Internet involves, for an item of content, calculating a score representative of a likelihood that a particular viewer will order the item of content; if the score is greater than a threshold score T, then downloading a portion of the item of content from a content provider, and storing the portion of the item of content in a storage location local to the viewer; if the viewer elects to view the item of video content, then: retrieving the stored portion of the item of video content, streaming an augmentation to the stored portion of the item of video content from the content provider, and combining the stored portion with the augmentation of the stored portion to produce an improved resolution version of the item of video content. This process can be carried out in an IPTV adapter. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: An example television Widget movement method involves receiving a dedicated command from a remote controller that activates the plurality of Widget programs, wherein the Widget programs, when in Display mode, display Widget representations on a display; receiving a command from the remote controller that establishes one of the plurality of displayed Widget programs as being in focus; and receiving a command from the remote controller that places the Widget program that is currently in focus in a Move Mode, where the Widget representation can be moved about the display while in Move Mode, wherein when the Widget is in Move Mode, the Widget representation is responsive to navigation commands from the remote controller to move about the display, and wherein such movement is animated using a 3 dimensional graphics engine. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: A food and beverage tray in various implementations has one or more of drink bands, retractable legs and/or a collapsing tray assembly. 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 player device that receives and plays content stored on packaged media, the player device has a media reader that receives a packaged media to read digital data stored thereon. The player device has a secure persistent storage device storing a key table containing a plurality of keys indexed by an index. A decrypter decrypts the digital data stored on the packaged media using at least one of the encryption keys referenced by a key index stored on the packaged media. A decoder decodes the decrypted digital data stored on the packaged media and provides the decoded data as an output. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.