Abstract: An apparatus and a method for constraining the delivery rate of a plurality of bitstreams, such as MPEG bitstreams using a single software process.

Abstract: Modular storage functionality is provided for a digital video recorder (DVR), which may be configured in such a way as to limit a user's access to the whole storage capacity, and wherein a user may choose to increase or decrease the amount of accessible storage capacity of the internal storage medium.

Abstract: Wireless information transportation may be provided. An unlicensed radio frequency may be used to transmit information from a first point to a second point. Then, the unlicensed radio frequency may be determined to no longer provide a sufficient service level. Next, a license to operate in a licensed radio frequency may be purchased when it is determined that the unlicensed radio frequency no longer provides the sufficient service. The license may limit the use of the licensed radio frequency to a point-to-point configuration. Using the unlicensed radio frequency to transmit information from the first point to the second point may be discontinued when it is determined that the unlicensed radio frequency no longer provides the sufficient service level. Then the licensed radio frequency may be used to transmit information from the first point to the second point in the point-to-point configuration when use of the unlicensed radio frequency is discontinued.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide for an end-to-end system and method for identifying custodians, preserving, collecting, processing, reviewing, analyzing, producing, presenting, and dispositioning data responsive to a legal discovery request.

Abstract: Side loading of content elements is provided. A selection of a content element from a terminal device may be received and a content format associated with the terminal device may be identified. If the content element is not available in the identified content format, the content element may be transcoded from a current content format to the identified content format and the content element may be transferred to the terminal device in the identified content format.

Abstract: Video traffic smoothing may be provided. A video stream may be divided into segments for transmission. For each segment, a desired transmission rate and a range of possible transmission rates may be established. The desired transmission rate may be evaluated to determine whether the rate may result in an overflow and/or a starvation of a memory buffer associated with a receiver. The transmission rate and/or the segment size may be varied to avoid these scenarios.

Abstract: Video traffic transmission using video quality metrics may be provided. A video stream comprising a plurality of frames may be received. For each frame, a determination may be made whether or not to drop the frame rather than saving and/or transmitting it to an end user, thereby conserving network bandwidth. This determination may be made on the basis of a threshold metric, such as a size ratio between frames, an average frame size, an average quality metric.

Abstract: A method for paying back customers for unused service units remaining after a billing cycle. A payback amount is determined by the product of the number of unused service units remaining and the payback rate amount. The payback amount credited to the customer is the calculated payback rate or a maximum payback amount, wherever is smaller. A total payback amount can be determined based on a combination of payback amounts for various services, including voice services, texting services, email services, and/or data storage services.

Abstract: A device for controlling access to content. The device includes memory for storing data, a processor, coupled to the memory, for authorizing a user and presenting to the authorized user identification of access devices and information regarding the content being accessed by the access devices and a communications interface, coupled to the processor, for enabling data exchange between the processor and the access devices in the network. The processor is configured to initiate a selected control function of a chosen access device upon receiving a command from the authorized user based on the identification of the chosen access device and the information regarding the content being accessed by the chosen access device.

Abstract: Methods and systems for preparing, updating and maintaining customer profile data that may be utilized in an interactive television system for providing tailored customer-specific interactive services, and product offerings and helpful information content. The customer's set-top box queries an application server for profile data corresponding to the customer. A web services system queries each of a number of data services associated with the interactive television services provider to obtain profile data for the customer. Available customer data is passed to the application server. The application server prepares a customer profile from the customer data and formats the customer profile for use by the client-side set-top box. After the customer profile is stored at the set-top box, customer-specific services and product offerings may be presented to the customer in the form of targeted advertising, and customer-specific information content may be presented to the customer.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for maintaining building serviceability information for geographic locations. The disclosed systems and methods may include forming a future market in which the product developments lines are equated to stocks. Furthermore, the disclosed systems and methods may include determining participants in a trading session of the future market and setting rules governing how the trading session in the future market will operate. Moreover, the disclosed systems and methods may include opening the trading session for the participants, closing the trading session for trading and evaluating market session trends and participant purchases to determine the priority of a product line in relation to other product lines.

Abstract: A temporary Internet bandwidth increase is provided. A speed preview interface is presented for obtaining a request for an Internet bandwidth increase from a customer. The eligibility of the customer for the requested increase of the Internet bandwidth is verified. The increase of Internet bandwidth for the customer is provisioned for a predetermined period of time based on the verification of eligibility of the customer. The predetermined period of time may be a temporary fixed period of time or a period of time based on billing status. When the predetermined period of time is a temporary fixed period of time, the increase in Internet bandwidth is terminated after lapse of the temporary fixed period of time.

Abstract: A telecommunications network capacity planning system. The telecommunications network capacity planning system includes a telecommunications network including a telecommunications services provider, subscribers and a network coupling the telecommunications services provider and the subscribers for provisioning of the telecommunications services. A database system is used for collecting and storing data at the user-level associated with provisioning of telecommunication services over the telecommunications network. A processor is coupled to the database system. The processor models the telecommunications network by generating upward projections from the stored user-level data and transforms the modeling of the network to a visual display of capacity information and network parameters for manipulation to evaluate capacity planning scenarios.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for preprocessing and postprocessing content in an interactive information distribution system. Content is retrieved from a storage medium and encapsulated in accordance to an Internet Protocol (IP) format. The encapsulated content is then uploaded for storage in a stream caching server and for future streaming of content to different types of access networks.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for providing real-time notification and disposition of voice services in a cable television services system. A voice services application server enables communications between one or more telecommunications sources and subscriber set-top boxes in the cable television services system. The voice services application server, in communication with a telecommunications network, enables a subscriber to receive real-time notification of incoming telephone calls on a television connected to a set-top box and to issue disposition instructions for managing the incoming telephone calls. The disposition instructions may include answering a call, not answering a call, or forwarding a call to a voicemail system, or forwarding a call to an alternate telephone number.

Abstract: A content protection management system that enables interoperability with other Content Protection and DRM technologies. A managed security domain provides a simple, consistent and reliable experience to whole-home network subscribers. The architectural concept for the whole-home network includes an underlying control plane with an overlaying content security control plane running a particular DRM technology.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for intelligently managing on-demand content in a cable services system. High demand video programs (e.g., movies, documentaries, mini-series, educational films, and the like) are stored at cable system hubs that service a number of individual cable customers. When a given video program is requested, the requested title is steamed from the hub servicing the requesting customer rather than streaming the requested program from the cable system head end. The video programs cached at the cable system hubs are determined based on attributes associated with individual video programs including time since initial release, association with other programs, association with hub locations, association with current events, and the like.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for predicting the behavior of an individual, e.g., one engaged in an on-line session, based on a comparison of the individual's activities during that session with those participated in by multiple other parties. The individual's activities during the session and certain attendant conditions are monitored and compared with a continually updated database that reflects (a) the cumulative activities of all other parties and their attendant conditions and (b) behavioral trends exhibited by those other parties based on their participation in various types of activities under various conditions. When similarities are detected between the individual's activities and their attendant conditions and those of certain other parties, the corresponding behavioral trend of those other parties is attributed to the individual.

Abstract: A system for automatically pausing a video program in response to detection of the occurrence of a audio communications event or triggering event. In response to an incoming phone call, message, web page, or other communications information, the system pauses the video program and displays an indication of the occurrence of the audio communications event. The system also buffers the video programming while paused, permitting a user to replay missed portions of the video programming. Alternatively, the system waits for a triggering event, which includes the user's access to the audio communications event, in order to pause the video program. The audio (voice) portion of a phone call or voice mail message is converted to text for display to a recipient of the call.

Abstract: A method for providing subscription-on-demand services for video-on-demand programs within an interactive information distribution system. The method includes associating a plurality of video-on-demand programming packages as a programming bundle and identifying a number of video-on-demand programming packages within the programming bundle that a subscriber has subscribed. When the number of video-on-demand programming packages exceeds a pre-specified number of programming packages, the subscriber is automatically subscribed to all the video-on-demand programming packages in the programming bundle.