Abstract: A “content re-entry” feature is provided that allows a user to return to an indicated point in a content stream, after being “distracted” by meta-information. Each time a user, or application, begins to follow a related or alternative content (a distraction path), a re-entry point in the original content stream is recorded, thereby facilitating a return to the point at which the distraction occurred. In a broadcast presentation, an access to meta-information is integrated with the storage of content material. Each time a user requests access to meta-information, a recording device is automatically activated to record the content material and to store the location of the start of the recording. When the user terminates the presentation of the meta-information, the presentation of the content material is automatically resumed at the stored location.

Abstract: A bridging device couples an IP (Internet Protocol) network to one or more non-IP networks, in order to facilitate the control of non-UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) devices by a UPnP controller on the IP network. Each of the non-IP slave networks may employ different network technologies, such as USB, Bluetooth, HAVi, Home API, HomeRF, X-10, Jini, and so on. The bridging device includes an IP network interface for receiving commands and requests from the UPnP controller, and one or more slave network interfaces that transform the received commands and requests into device and network specific commands and requests. These device and network specific commands and requests are communicated to the controlled non-UPNP device, via the slave network, using the slave network's protocol. The bridging device also communicates event status messages to the UPnP controller, corresponding to the non-UPnP devices' response to the UPnP controller's commands and requests.

Abstract: A system and method for preventing the illicit copying and processing of digital recordings. In particular, the system inhibits the merging or stitching together of fragments of a digital recording in order to defeat a protection scheme. To accomplish this, the invention provides a compliant device having a system for merging digital recordings and which comprises a system for receiving a first digital recording and a second digital recording; and a system for merging the first digital recording and the second digital recording into an output, wherein the output includes a disruption between the first digital recording and the second digital recording. Attempts at recording stitched together fragments will thus result in an outputted recording having disruptions, which will cause frequent interruptions or loudness fluctuations during playback.

Abstract: A power amplifier circuit includes an amplifying transistor and a dc bias circuit for biasing the amplifying transistor to obtain a conduction angle of less than about 180°. The dc bias circuit includes a dynamic biasing circuit for decreasing the dc bias signal provided to the amplifying transistor as the input signal to the power amplifier circuit increases. This configuration permits the amplifier circuit to operate as a linearized Class C amplifier, having a substantially linear input-output relationship similar to that of a Class B amplifier, but with increased operating efficiency.

Abstract: A video display device, such as a television, having a picture-in-picture (PIP) display and a processor. The processor detects cues, such as color/texture/events/behaviors, etc., present in a primary display image, that is overlaid by the PIP. These cues are utilized by the processor to determine important and relatively unimportant portions of the primary display image. The processor then determines whether a change in a display characteristic of the PIP leads to the PIP obscuring less of an important portion of the primary display image, and if so, the processor changes the display characteristic of the PIP. Display characteristics of the PIP that may be changed by the processor include the PIP position, size, and transparency. The processor may also utilize a combination of the detected cues to determine important and relatively unimportant portions of the primary display image. The processor may also change combinations of display characteristics of the PIP.

Abstract: For use in a video image upconversion unit of the type that uses motion compensation to generate an interpolated field using motion vectors, an improved method of motion compensation is disclosed. The method performs motion compensation on a pixel and determines whether a motion vector assigned to the pixel is correct or incorrect. If the motion vector is incorrect, the method sets the value of the pixel to a previously recorded pixel value. The previously recorded pixel value is obtained by calculating for the pixel the difference between the value of a corresponding motion compensated pixel from a previous frame and the value of a corresponding motion compensated pixel from a next field. The difference is then compared with a threshold value.

Abstract: A method for classification of a program includes receiving transcript information associated with the program, identifying at least one cue of a plurality of cues in the transcript information wherein each of the plurality of cues has associated therewith a type of program, correlating the at least one cue of the plurality of cues identified in the transcript information to the type of program, and classifying the program based on the correlation of the at least one cue of the plurality of cues identified in the transcript information.

Abstract: A method of program classification based on syntax of transcript information includes receiving transcript information associated with the program wherein the transcript information has a plurality of sentences, determining characteristics of at least one of the plurality of sentences of the transcript information to identify at least the type and subject of the sentence, comparing the characteristics of the at least one of the plurality of sentences with a list of sentence characteristics having associated therewith a plurality of program types, and based on the comparing step, selecting a classification of program which is most closely associated with the characteristics of the at least one of the plurality of sentences.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for the production of high quality thermally grown oxide on top of silicon carbide. The high quality oxide is obtained by selectively removing the carbon from the silicon carbide in the areas where oxide formation is desired or required.

Abstract: A system for monitoring the activity of an object at a remote location, includes a consumer electronic appliance having a first input for receiving data indicative of a program and a second input for receiving data indicative of the activity of the object. An activity sensor placed at the remote location senses the activity of the object and transmits data indicative of the activity to the second input of the consumer electronic appliance. The consumer electronic appliance may include an activity detector that measures the activity of the object in the object data. The activity detector may automatically cause the consumer electronic appliance to present the activity of the object if the measured activity meets a predetermined activity threshold. The consumer electronic appliance may also enable the user to momentarily observe the activity of the object or continuously monitor the activity of the object.

Abstract: The present invention provides an output driver circuit that can be used to determine whether a repeater buffer is the only device driving a bus low. According to the invention, the current through the output driver circuit of the repeater buffer is compared with a reference current. If that current is greater than the reference current, then the output driver circuit (i.e., the repeater buffer) is the only output driving the bus low. On the other hand, if that current is less than the reference current, then the output driver circuit (and thus the repeater buffer) is not the only device driving the bus low. This information can be used in an I2C repeater to determine the proper response of the repeater and prevent a latch condition.

Abstract: A video display device such as a television having a picture-in-picture (PIP) display and a processor. The processor, in response to user input, alters a display characteristic of the PIP with regard to an underlying video image on a primary display area of the television display. The display characteristic of the PIP that is alterable may be a transparency of the PIP, with regard to the underlying video image, and/or a color bias of the PIP. The processor may alter the display characteristic of the PIP by combining a weighted average of a PIP video image with the underlying video image and/or a color or color scheme. The display characteristic may be further alterable in response to user input by varying a relative weighting of the PIP with regard to the underlying video image and/or the color or color scheme.

Abstract: There is disclosed a system and method for recovering a recurring data segment synchronization pattern in the presence of an arbitrary phase rotation of a pilot carrier by detecting and compensating for the amount of the phase rotation. The system comprises a first synchronization pattern detector capable of receiving a real component of a complex signal and detecting a data segment synchronization pattern on the real component, and a second synchronization pattern detector capable of receiving an imaginary component of a complex signal and detecting a data segment synchronization pattern on the imaginary component. There is also disclosed a method for compensating a pilot carrier phase rotation comprising the steps of determining the angle of pilot carrier phase rotation present in a complex signal and rotating the pilot carrier signal through the same angle in the opposite direction.

Abstract: This invention relates to systems and methods for increasing image compression. The systems and methods are improvements applicable to encoder/decoders which compress images by, inter alia, transforming non-overlapping independent blocks of pixels into a frequency domain and then quantizing the resulting frequency domain coefficients. The invention achieves increased compression by predicting low frequency coefficients of a block from, preferably, the average intensities, or zero frequency coefficients, of the block and its adjacent blocks. In an encoder, the low frequency coefficients are predicted, are then subtracted from the actual transform coefficients, and the difference coefficients are transmitted to a decoder. In the decoder, the low frequency coefficients are again predicted, are added to the received difference coefficients, and the resulting actual transform coefficients are used to reconstruct an image.

Abstract: A security monitoring system including: an alarm system having detectors for detecting an unauthorized individual in a structure; at least one camera for capturing first image data of the unauthorized individual; a memory for storing second image data of at least one individual authorized to be in the structure; and a data link for transmitting third image data to a remote location upon the detection of the unauthorized individual. The third image data including at least portions of the first and second image data for comparison at the remote location. In a preferred implementation, the first image data includes image data of more than the face of the unauthorized individual and the system further includes a computer vision system for detecting the face of the unauthorized individual from the first image data.

Abstract: A search server provides a user address to an information source, to effect an access of the information source by the user. The user sends a request to the search server, and the search server identifies an address (URL) of an information source corresponding to the request. The request may be a verbal request, or model data corresponding to a verbal request, and the search server may include a speech recognition system. Thereafter, the search server communicates a request to the identified information source, using the user's address as the “reply-to address” for responses to this request. The user's address may be the address of the device that the user used to communicate the initial request, or the address of another device associated with the user.

Abstract: A low cost method for operating a high intensity discharge (HID) lamp including a ballast circuit. The method includes generating DC in an AC-to-DC converter, capturing any AC ripple of the DC with a buffer capacitor to generate a control signal, generating a high frequency lamp power signal from DC utilizing an HF inverter circuit and modulating the high frequency power signal utilizing the control signal to generate a frequency swept lamp power signal to drive the lamp while avoiding acoustic resonance.

Abstract: There is disclosed an improved system and method for providing a scalable dynamic objective metric for automatically evaluating the video quality of a video image. The system comprises an objective metric controller that is capable of receiving a plurality of objective metric figures of merit from a plurality of objective metric model units. The system determines a scalable dynamic objective metric from a weighted average of the plurality of objective metric figures of merit. The scalable dynamic objective metric represents the best correlation of objective metric measurements of the video image with subjective measurements of the video image. The weight value of individual objective metric figures of merit may be increased or decreased depending upon the type of video image being evaluated. Individual objective metric figures of merit may be added to the system or deleted from the system.

Abstract: A method and system for high resolution formatting of video images and dynamically adjusting the transmission resolution of the high-resolution images is presented. The method first downscales the high-resolution images and encodes the downscaled images into base layer frames. Quality enhancement layer data is generated from the downscaled video images and the encoded data contained in corresponding base layer frames. The quality enhancement layer data is encoded into quality enhancement layer frames. The data contained in the base layer frames and corresponding quality layer frames are then upscaled and spatial scalability data is determined from the upscaled data and the original image. The spatial scalability data is then encoded into spatial scalability data. During transmission of the encoded video image, each available encoded frame is transmitted using different amounts or portions of the enhancement layers so as to occupy the available bandwidth.

Abstract: In this document, we proposed a hybrid MAC protocol that can utilize the precious wireless link bandwidth efficiently in the environment of a partially connected wireless network topology and VBR connections running in the network.