Abstract: A client device receives a first image frame from a server, stores the first image frame and generates a first modified image that corresponds to the first image frame. The client transmits, to a remote device, the generated first modified image. The remote device uses the first modified image to determine the instruction for displaying the second image frame. The client receives, from the remote device, an instruction for displaying a second image frame. In response to receiving the instruction, the client device displays, on a display communicatively coupled to the client device, the second image frame.

Abstract: A server computing device receives, from a client device, a digest segment generated by the client device. The digest segment corresponds to a first media stream segment received by the client device, and the digest segment includes a representation of the first media stream segment. The server computing devices determines, using the digest segment, a playback command that corresponds to the first media stream segment and transmits, to the client device, the playback command.

Abstract: The method of providing audiovisual content to a client device configured to be coupled to a display. The method detects a selection of a graphical element corresponding to a video content item. In response to detecting the selection of the graphical element, a transmission mode is determined. The transmission mode is a function of: (i) one or more decoding capabilities of the client device; (ii) a video encoding format of the video content item; (ii) whether the video content item should be displayed in a full screen or a partial screen format; and (iv) whether the client device is capable of overlaying image data into a video stream. Next, audiovisual data that includes the video content item is prepared for transmission according to the determined transmission mode. Finally, the prepared audiovisual data is transmitted from the server toward the client device, according to the determined transmission mode, for display on the display.

Abstract: A server system determines, for a group of user sessions assigned to a single modulator, that an aggregate bandwidth for a first frame time exceeds a specified budget for the modulator. The user sessions comprise data in a plurality of classes, each class having a respective priority. In response to a determination that the aggregate bandwidth exceeds a specified budget, the server system allocates a portion of the aggregate bandwidth, including allocating a first portion of the data for a first user session in the group of user sessions and allocating a second portion of the data for a second user session in the group of user sessions, where both the first portion and the second portion are allocated in accordance with the class priorities. The server system transmits the allocated portions of the data for the group of user sessions through the modulator during the first frame time.

Abstract: A server remote from a client device executes an HTML-based virtual client application. The server uses the HTML-based virtual client application to traverse a Document Object Model (DOM) tree to identify differences between a set of sequential images in sequential video frames of a sequence of video frames to render a rendered image corresponding to a video frame, the rendered image associated with HTML commands. The server uses the HTML-based virtual client application to generate an HTML wrapper for the rendered image that includes data encoded in accordance with the differences identified by traversing the DOM tree. The server sends the HTML wrapper to the client device to be processed by an HTML-based application on the client device to enable the image to be displayed at a display coupled to the client device.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to user interfaces and systems and methods for generating a real-time “lean-back” user interface for use with a television or other display device and for reuse of encoded elements for forming a video frame of the user interface. An interactive session is established between a client device associated with a user's television and the platform for creating the user interface over a communication network, such as a cable television network. The user interface is automatically generated by the platform and is animated even without interactions by the user with an input device. The user interface includes a plurality of interactive animated assets. The animated assets are capable of changing over time (e.g. different images, full-motion video) and are also capable of being animated so as to change screen position, rotate, move etc. over time. A hash is maintained of cached encoded assets and cached elements that may be reused within a user session and between user sessions.

Abstract: The method of providing audiovisual content to a client device configured to be coupled to a display. The method detects a selection of a graphical element corresponding to a video content item. In response to detecting the selection of the graphical element, a transmission mode is determined. The transmission mode is a function of: (i) one or more decoding capabilities of the client device; (ii) a video encoding format of the video content item; (ii) whether the video content item should be displayed in a full screen or a partial screen format; and (iv) whether the client device is capable of overlaying image data into a video stream. Next, audiovisual data that includes the video content item is prepared for transmission according to the determined transmission mode. Finally, the prepared audiovisual data is transmitted from the server toward the client device, according to the determined transmission mode, for display on the display.

Abstract: A method is performed at a client device distinct from an application server. In the method, a first key is stored in a secure store of the client device. A wrapped second key is received from the application server. The first key is retrieved from the secure store and used to unwrap the second key. Encrypted media content is received from the application server, decrypted using the unwrapped second key, and decoded for playback.

Abstract: A method of displaying video embedded in a user interface is performed at an electronic device such as a server system or client device. The method includes obtaining user-interface frames having a first placeholder for a first video window and obtaining source video frames having a first video stream in the first video window. The source video frames and the user-interface frames are interleaved to form an output video stream, which is provided for decoding and display.

Abstract: A method of generating a blended output including an interactive user interface and one or more supplemental images. At a client device, a video stream containing an interactive user interface is received from a server using a first data communications channel configured to communicate video content and a command is transmitted to the server that relates to a user input received through the interactive user interface. In response to the transmitting, an updated user interface is received using the first data communications channel, and one or more supplemental images are received using a second data communications channel. Each supplemental image is associated with a corresponding transparency coefficient. The updated user interface and the one or more supplemental images are blended according to the transparency coefficient for each supplemental image to generate a blended output and the blended output is transmitted toward the display device for display thereon.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for reducing and controlling playback latency in an unmanaged, buffered data network. A delay cost function is determined, the function representing the effect of playback latency on end user experience. An encoder transmits audiovisual data through the network to a client device. Network latency is measured, and the delay cost function is evaluated to establish an encoding bitrate for the encoder. The encoding of the audiovisual data is altered in response to dynamic network conditions, thereby controlling end-to-end playback latency of the system, which is represented by the playout length of data buffered between the encoder and the client device.

Abstract: System and methods are provided to cache encoded graphical objects that may be subsequently combined with other encoded video data to form a data stream decodable by a client device according to a format specification. Paint instructions relating to a graphical object are sent from a layout engine to a rendering library. A shim intercepts these instructions and determines whether the graphical object already has been rendered and encoded. If so, a cached copy of the object is transmitted to the client device. If not, the shim transparently passes the instructions to the rendering library, and the object is rendered, encoded, and cached. Hash values are used for efficiency. Methods are disclosed to detect and cache animations, and to cut and splice cached objects into encoded video data.

Abstract: Switched digital television programming for video-on-demand and other interactive television services are combined utilizing class-based, multi-dimensional decision logic to simultaneously optimize video quality and audio uniformity while minimizing latency during user interactions with the system over an unmanaged network. For example, a method of adapting content-stream bandwidth includes generating a content stream for transmission over an unmanaged network with varying capacity; sending the content stream, via the unmanaged network, toward a client device; monitoring the capacity of the unmanaged network; determining whether an aggregate bandwidth of an upcoming portion of the content stream fits the capacity, wherein the upcoming portion of the content stream corresponds to a respective frame time and includes video content and user-interface data; and, in response to a determination that the aggregate bandwidth does not fit the capacity, reducing a size of the upcoming portion of the content stream.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for processing video content, associated with a source image, for display on a television. The source image, such as a web page, and its associated (e.g., linked) video content are retrieved and separately encoded. The encoded source image and the encoded video content are composited together to form a sequence of encoded video frames, where a frame type of the video content is used to determine a type of a composited frame. For example, if all displayed frames of the video content are MPEG I-frames, then the composited frame also may be an I-frame. However, if any displayed frame of video content is an MPEG P-frame or B-frame, then the composited frame may be a P-frame.

Abstract: A method and related system of generating a frame of video is disclosed. In the method, a request is received. For instance, the request may initiate a video game. A motion search between an object in a subsequent frame of video and the object in a current frame of video is performed. A pre-determined motion vector for the object is selected. The object in the subsequent frame of video may correspond to a set of pre-encoded macro-blocks and the performing the motion search may include searching a corresponding set of macro-blocks associated with the current frame of video. The pre-encoded macro-blocks may be pre-encoded prior to the request. The motion vector may be pre-determined prior to the request.

Abstract: A system for creating composite encoded video from two or more encoded video sources in the encoded domain. In response to user input, a markup language-based graphical layout is retrieved. The graphical layout includes frame locations within a composite frame for at least a first encoded source and a second encoded source. The system either retrieves or receives the first and second encoded sources. The sources include block-based transform encoded data. The system also includes a stitcher module for stitching together the first encoded source and the second encoded source according to the frame locations of the graphical layout to form an encoded frame. The system outputs an encoded video stream that is transmitted to a client device associated with the user. In response to further user input, the system updates the state of an object model and replaces all or a portion of one or more frames of the encoded video stream. The system may be used with MPEG encoded video.

Abstract: Systems and methods are presented that permit an individual to share digital video between video devices using a cable television system. A first video device streams digital video to a cable headend, which transcodes it and stitches it with other video content, such as a menuing system. The headend then transmits the digital video to a second video device, such as a set top box, for display. The data stream may be controlled using a standard set top box remote control, and the system may be used without purchasing additional hardware or software, or configuring a wireless local area network.

Abstract: A method and related system of generating a frame of video is disclosed. In the method, a request is received and a frame of video is generated using a plurality of pre-encoded macro-blocks. Generating the frame of video includes assigning the plurality of pre-encoded macro-blocks to respective positions in a grid. The frame of video may be compatible with an MPEG compression standard. The plurality of pre-encoded macro-blocks are pre-encoded prior to the request.

Abstract: Metadata are provided to video generators using a syndication protocol, so that the video generators may produce interactive video content for television subscribers. Metadata relating to source media content are transformed in a computer process from a storage format into a syndication format. Relevant metadata to transform are chosen to reflect the type of interactivity desired by a television service provider and the demands of the video generation process. The transformed metadata are published according to a syndication protocol, so that another computer process that participates in the protocol may generate the interactive video content using the metadata, the source media content, and subscriber commands.

Abstract: A method for regulating bandwidth usage in an output data stream transmitted on an analog channel from a cable head end. The output data stream comprises a plurality of input information content signals. For each input information content signal, a series of images are captured, compressed and formed into an input digital data stream. The bandwidth of each input digital data stream is regulated by associating the stream with a current bit allocation total. During each frame time: a bit allocation increment is added to the current bit allocation total for each input digital data stream. When a data packet to be transmitted for an input digital data stream is received by the multiplexer, the data packet is stored.