Abstract: The present invention teaches methods, systems and articles of manufacture for embedding information within the vertical blanking interval (VBI) of a video signal. Such embedded data may be operative for the control of a set-top-box receiver, VCR, DVD player/recorder, computer or television, or may contain software which may be installed on a receiver unit. Embedded data may include electronic signatures which identify the source of a video signal and may be used as a copy-protection message. The information is inserted into closed caption (CC1) bandwidth. The term CC1 bandwidth refers to the capacity for insertion of closed caption data within Channel 1 of the Line-21 (VBI) of the video program. The CC1 band is especially suited for use in embedding data both because CC1 data is invisible to content viewers and because the United States and other nations require CC1 content to be transmitted with all publicly distributed video content.

Abstract: The present invention teaches methods, systems and articles of manufacture for embedding information within the vertical blanking interval (VBI) of a video signal. Such embedded data may be operative for the control of a set-top-box receiver, VCR, DVD player/recorder, computer or television, or may contain software which may be installed on a receiver unit. Embedded data may include electronic signatures which identify the source of a video signal and may be used as a copy-protection message. The information is inserted into closed caption (CC1) bandwidth. The term CC1 bandwidth refers to the capacity for insertion of closed caption data within Channel 1 of the Line-21 (VBI) of the video program. The CC1 band is especially suited for use in embedding data both because CC1 data is invisible to content viewers and because the United States and other nations require CC1 content to be transmitted with all publicly distributed video content.

Abstract: A method for sending data to a client to provide data-on-demand services comprises the steps of: receiving a data file, specifying a time interval, parsing the data file into a plurality of data blocks based on the time interval such that each data block is displayable during a time interval, determining a required number of time slots to send the data file, allocating to each time slot at least a first of the plurality of data blocks and optionally one or more additional data blocks, such that starting from any of the time slots, (i) the data file can be displayed by accessing the first of the plurality of data blocks; (ii) at a consecutive time slot, a next data block sequential to a prior displayed data block is available for displaying; and (iii) repeating step (ii) until all of the plurality of data blocks for the data file has been displayed, and sending the plurality of data blocks based on the allocating step.