Abstract: Customer premises weather station systems and methods are operable to present local weather information on a media presentation system display located at the customer premises. An exemplary embodiment detects at least one ambient weather condition using a detector located at a customer premises, determines occurrence of a degradation of at least one characteristic of an over the air (OTA) media content signal received by a receiving antenna located at the customer premises, and generates a report in response to the determined degradation of the OTA media content signal characteristic. The report is configured to be presented on a display to a customer. The report may indicate the at least one ambient weather condition.

Abstract: Various embodiments of apparatus and systems are provided for electrically isolating two devices while transferring power and RF signals therebetween. An electrical isolation apparatus includes an isolation transformer communicatively coupled to a first device. The isolation transformer operates to electronically isolate the first device from the second device and transfer power from the first device to the second device. A decoupling device of the apparatus transfers radio frequency (RF) signals between the first device and the second device.

Abstract: Various embodiments of apparatus and/or methods are described for skipping and/or filtering content from a video stream using text data associated with the video stream. The text data is parsed using metadata to identify portions of the video stream to skip during presentation, and/or to identify portions of the video stream to present to a user. The portions of the video stream that are to be skipped are filtered from the video stream, and the filtered video stream is presented to a user.

Abstract: Various embodiments of apparatus and/or methods are described for presenting information regarding interstitials of a video stream. A recording of a television show may include segments of the show interspersed with interstitials (e.g., commercials). The location of the interstitials within the recording is identified, and the locations of the interstitials are presented in progress bar during presentation of the video stream. The location of the interstitials may also be utilized to determine durations of the interstitials, and provide a user with information regarding the lengths of the interstitials of a recording, and/or the length of the other content of a recording (e.g., segments of a television show).

Abstract: Disclosed is a layout tool that verifies the operability of a printed circuit board design. Electrical parameters may be calculated for wire traces that are laid out for a given design. Based on the voltage drop calculations and the voltage and current requirement of the various system components, the layout tool may determine if a given system component will remain within its required operating range. The layout tool may additionally be operable to verify proper spacing between traces that make up a differential signal and to verify that certain pins of integrated circuit are properly connected.

Abstract: Various embodiments of apparatus and/or methods are described for remotely controlling an entertainment device using a mobile communication device. A user utilizes a mobile communication device to input information that requests manipulation of playback of content outputted for presentation by an entertainment device. The mobile communication device transmits the user input to the entertainment device and furthers transmits identifying data regarding the user. Responsive to receiving the user input and the identifying data, the mobile communication device authenticates the user and outputs the content for presentation to a user based on the user input.

Abstract: Various embodiments of apparatus and/or methods are described for skipping, filtering and/or replacing content from an audio/video stream using text data associated with the audio/video stream. The text data is processed using location information that references a segment of the text data of the first audio/video stream to identify a location within the first audio/video stream. The location within the first audio/video stream is utilized to identify portions of the audio/video stream that are to be skipped during presentation. The portions of the audio/video stream that are to be skipped are filtered from the audio/video stream, and some of the skipped portions of the audio/video stream are replaced with substitute content. The filtered video stream, including the substitute content, is outputted for presentation to a user.

Abstract: Systems and methods enable three dimensional (3-D) program content viewing in a media environment with different media presentation devices.

Abstract: A remote control includes sensing circuitry operable to detect a user touching the remote control. The remote control further includes a light source operable to backlight user input circuitry of the remote control. Control logic of the remote control activates the light source responsive to the sensing circuitry detecting the user touching the remote control.

Abstract: Various embodiments of apparatus and/or methods are described for skipping and/or filtering content from a video stream using closed captioning data associated with the video stream. The closed captioning data is parsed using metadata to identify portions of the video stream to skip during presentation, and/or to identify portions of the video stream to output to a user. The portions of the video stream that are to be skipped are filtered from the video stream, and the filtered video stream is presented to a user.

Abstract: Various embodiments of apparatus and/or methods are described for presenting information regarding interstitials of a video stream. A recording of a television show may include segments of the show interspersed with interstitials (e.g., commercials). The location of the interstitials within the recording is identified, and the locations of the interstitials are presented in progress bar during presentation of the video stream. The location of the interstitials may also be utilized to determine durations of the interstitials, and provide a user with information regarding the lengths of the interstitials of a recording, and/or the length of the other content of a recording (e.g., segments of a television show).

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system and method for identifying and responding to missing or absent receivers. The invention includes determining, at a particular receiver that is a member of a group of receivers, that one member of the group is currently or was at a particular time missing, absent or otherwise unresponsive. Embodiments of the invention are directed to notifying a service provider of a receiver status or absence, which, in response, may take one of a number of predetermined actions.

Abstract: A method for operating an audio/video device is presented. In the method, audio/video data, and caption data associated with the audio/video data, is received. The audio/video data is presented for display. An indication of a portion of the caption data is also received into the audio/video device. In response to receiving the indication, response data describing the indicated portion of the caption data is generated and presented for display.

Abstract: A circuit, electrical device or other apparatus for band stacking and/or band translating multiple transmissions. Such transmissions may be satellite transmissions, terrestrial transmissions, signals carried across a wired network such as a cable network, and so forth. Two sets of left-hand polarized and right-hand polarized signals may be accepted by an embodiment. One left-hand polarized signal and one right-hand polarized signal may be band stacked such that the left-hand polarized signal occupies a first frequency and the right-hand polarized signal occupies a second frequency, thereby permitting the two signals to be transmitted simultaneously across a single transmission line as a first unique signal. The second left-hand polarized signal and second right-hand polarized signal may likewise be combined into a second unique signal for transmission. The first and second unique signals may be stacked as a first stacked output and a second stacked output by a band translating circuit.

Abstract: An enhanced electronic program guide (EPG) for television programming may allow access to program information based on a specified date. In embodiments, the EPG may be output for display with timeslots containing program information corresponding to television programs being broadcast currently and to television programs scheduled for future broadcast, and a header indicating a plurality of dates for accessing corresponding program information. User input received while the EPG is being output for display with the header indicating a plurality of dates that identifies one of the plurality of dates may cause program information in the EPG corresponding to the identified date to be accessed and the EPG to be output for display with the program information corresponding to the identified date and with a header indicating times of the timeslots. In embodiments, the header indicating times of the timeslots may replace the header indicating a plurality of dates.

Abstract: Described herein are techniques for facilitating the testing of cable television receivers during manufacturing and remanufacturing. More particularly, described herein techniques for simulating a conditional access module and/or cable television communication network/head-end for use during a testing process. The simulated conditional access module allows for the testing of a cable television receiver without the use of a head-end and/or fully functional conditional access module to verify all communication paths through the cable television receiver.

Abstract: Described herein are systems, methods and apparatus which allow users to remotely access content from other devices. One embodiment provides a method for presenting available content to a user via a television receiver. A first content selection menu is output for display that includes at least a first content selection item associated with locally accessible content and a second content selection item associated with an external device. Responsive to a request associated with the second content selection item, the method includes outputting for display a second content selection menu. The second content selection menu specifies at least one content item remotely available through the external device. A user provides a selection of the at least one content item and the television receiver receives the selected content item from the external device and outputs the selected content item for presentation by a presentation device.

Abstract: This disclosure generally relates to a television that includes a foldable stand for selective support of the device in a variety of positions and/or viewing orientations. In some cases, a television includes a display having a substantially flat display surface, a housing coupled to the display, and a stand having an elongated support leg, the support leg pivotably coupled to the housing about a pivot axis such that the stand is movable between a first position in which a majority of the stand is located within a perimeter of the display surface projected towards a back surface of the housing and a second position in which the stand is adapted, when placed on a support surface, to support the display in a viewing orientation.

Abstract: Presented herein is a method of blocking user-selected media content, such as, for example, audio and/or video content. In the method, at least one media content stream is presented to a user, wherein the at least one media content stream includes multiple showings of an identifiable contiguous segment of media content. One example of such a segment may be a commercial or advertisement. While presenting a current showing of the segment of media content to the user, a command is received from a user to block the segment of media content from presentation to the user. In response to receiving the command, information identifying the segment of media content is generated. The at least one media content stream is analyzed using the information to detect subsequent showings of the segment of media content. Presentation of at least one of the subsequent showings of the segment of media content is prevented when detected in the at least one media content stream.

Abstract: A method for providing remote access to segments of a transmitted program is presented. The program is recorded, and then stored at a communication server. Information specifying a segment of the stored program is transferred from a communication device to the communication server. Also, a request for access to the specified segment of the stored program is transferred from another communication device to the communication server. In response to the request, the specified segment of the program is transferred from the communication server to the requesting communication device.