Abstract: A method and apparatus for preserving matrix-surround information in encoded audio/video includes a receiver operative to receive matrix-surround encoded audio signals, separate the audio signals into a frequency spectrum having discrete audio frequencies, and determine a cutoff threshold used to encode the matrix-surround encoded audio signals. The method and apparatus further includes a decoder operative to decode a first set of the audio frequencies below the determined cutoff threshold using a first matrix-surround preserving audio encoding method and to decode a second set of audio frequencies above the cutoff threshold using a second non matrix-surround preserving audio encoding method.

Abstract: A method and computer program product for obtaining a main configuration file from a client electronic device upon the client electronic device being coupled to at least a portion of a media distribution system. The main configuration file defines one or more enhanced functionalities of the client electronic device. The client electronic device is coupled to the at least a portion of the media distribution system using a binary transfer protocol configured to transfer media data from the at least a portion of a media distribution system to a client electronic device.

Abstract: A layered media stream comprising media information layers of different priorities may be adaptively distributed by transmitting at least one of the media information layers to a client on a time-windowed basis. A client device obtains different media information layers during various time windows, and different portions of the media stream may be rendered using different combinations of layers obtained in each time window. In various embodiments, different layers may be obtained from different hosting devices using differing distribution models.

Abstract: A software and/or hardware facility enables shop and play remote media using a portable media player. Shopping may include, but is not limited to, allowing a user to identify media and acquire (via download or stream) the media to a portable media player for free or for compensation. The facility, in some embodiments, allows a user to shop for media on a network site or service using a portable media player via a wired or wireless connection. The facility, in some embodiments, automatically presents a user with media available from a network site or service that is related to the context of the user's use of the portable media player, such as when a user navigates or otherwise uses the portable media player. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: The invention is related to methods and apparatus for tailoring an amount of Pre-Data that can be used in media clip streaming applications. A variable-bit-rate encoded media clip can be encoded at an average playback bit rate. When the actual transmission bit rate exceeds the average playback bit rate, a maximum bit deficit computation that uses the average playback bit rate overestimates the amount of Pre-Data that can be used to buffer the media clip. Embodiments of the invention tailor the amount of Pre-Data at least in part to the amount of data used to encode intervals of data and to actual transmission bit rates or to predictions of actual transmission bit rates, thereby decreasing the amount of Pre-Data that can be used and decreasing a latency time before play of the media clip begins.

Abstract: A method of pre-processing an audio signal transmitted to a user terminal via a communication network and an apparatus using the method are provided. The method of pre-processing the audio signal may prevent deterioration of a sound quality of the audio signal transmitted to the user terminal by pre-processing the audio signal, and by enabling a codec module, encoding the audio signal, to determine the audio signal as a speech signal. The method of pre-processing may include encoding the audio signal using a speech codec and decoding the encoded audio signal using the speech codec. A codec module, transmitting the decoded audio signal to the user terminal via the communication network, may determine whether a speech interval or a speechless interval with respect to at least one frame is included in the audio signal and transmit at least one parameter with respect to the at least one frame as a result of the determination.

Abstract: A media player for creating a media archive may include a media reader to read media content from a recording medium inserted into the media reader. The media player may also include an archival component to store the media content in a storage medium. In one embodiment, the media player includes a playback component to play back the media content from the storage medium concurrently with the storage of the media content by the archival component.

Abstract: Embodiments of methods, apparatuses, devices and systems associated with adjusting for input latency within an electronic are disclosed. An electronic device may receive a user input, such as a user actuation of a device key. A latency adjusted time of the input may be calculated based, at least in part, on a latency of the electronic device in determining the user actuation of the device key. The latency adjusted time may be used to determine a result of the user input.

Abstract: An audio-on-demand communication system provides real-time playback of audio data transferred via telephone lines or other communication links. One or more audio servers include memory banks which store compressed audio data. At the request of a user at a subscriber PC, an audio server transmits the compressed audio data over the communication link to the subscriber PC. The subscriber PC receives and decompresses the transmitted audio data in less than real-time using only the processing power of the CPU within the subscriber PC. According to one aspect of the present invention, high quality audio data compressed according to lossless compression techniques is transmitted together with normal quality audio data. According to another aspect of the present invention, metadata, or extra data, such as text, captions, still images, etc., is transmitted with audio data and is simultaneously displayed with corresponding audio data.

Abstract: A system for protecting the digital rights of content owners allows digital media to be delivered to only those media rendering client devices that have been approved for the media content. Before delivering requested media, the media service provider may determines whether the media rendering client device that requested the media is the type of device that is authorized to receive the request media. If it is, the media service provider may transmit the media to a middleman server over a network (such as the Internet). A middleman server may then serves the media to the client device over a local network. By allowing the media content to be distributed to approved devices only, the media service provider can prevent a user from using the media in a way that is not authorized by the content owner.

Abstract: A method to generate revenue from supplied content is provided. Content is provided to a consumer via a network by providing a content service that allows the consumer to select and retrieve content as a package together with a clearing of the selectable content to an operator used by the consumer to select and retrieve the content via the network. Any content selected by the consumer is supplied directly to the consumer via the operator. The operator is charged for the supplied content.

Abstract: A method and computer program product for obtaining a main configuration file from a client electronic device upon the client electronic device being coupled to at least a portion of a media distribution system. The main configuration file defines one or more enhanced functionalities of the client electronic device. The client electronic device is coupled to the at least a portion of the media distribution system using a binary transfer protocol configured to transfer media data from the at least a portion of a media distribution system to a client electronic device.

Abstract: The invention is related to methods and apparatus for tailoring an amount of Pre-Data that can be used in media clip streaming applications. A variable-bit-rate encoded media clip can be encoded at an average playback bit rate. When the actual transmission bit rate exceeds the average playback bit rate, a maximum bit deficit computation that uses the average playback bit rate overestimates the amount of Pre-Data that can be used to buffer the media clip. Embodiments of the invention tailor the amount of Pre-Data at least in part to the amount of data used to encode intervals of data and to actual transmission bit rates or to predictions of actual transmission bit rates, thereby decreasing the amount of Pre-Data that can be used and decreasing a latency time before play of the media clip begins.

Abstract: Many media playback devices have a secure environment, with media decrypter and decoder components, and an insecure environment, with intermediate media processing components that are not suitable for secure implementation. In the secure environment, secure components decrypt encrypted media and store the clear-form media in secure memory that can only be accessed by secure components. Secure components also generate a media-data “proxy”, which corresponds structurally to the clear-form media, but which does not include actual clear-form media data. The media-data proxy is provided to insecure intermediate components, which manipulate the proxy to perform operations such as de-multiplexing, loss mitigation, and coded frame assembly. The manipulated proxy is returned to the secure environment, where secure components identify structural changes that were made to the proxy and make corresponding structural changes to the clear-form media before decoding the manipulated clear-form media.

Abstract: A multi-out media delivery system and method are provided herein.

Abstract: A method, computer program product and computing device for offering complementary products/services includes generating a result set based, at least in part, upon one or more actions taken by a user while browsing a website. At least one item is selected from the result set. A complementary result set is generated that defines, at least in part, one or more products/services that complement the at least one item selected from the result set.

Abstract: Embodiments of methods, apparatuses, devices and systems associated with adjusting for input latency within an electronic are disclosed. An electronic device may receive a user input, such as a user actuation of a device key. A latency adjusted time of the input may be calculated based, at least in part, on a latency of the electronic device in determining the user actuation of the device key. The latency adjusted time may be used to determine a result of the user input.

Abstract: A system and method automates a scheduled retrieval, storage, and access of media data. Media data is retrieved from an external source and downloaded to an end user media device storage for subsequent playback at the end user media device. Media data is accessible from the end user media device storage based upon criteria including a selection of the end user, rules regulating the media data, and whether a playback time of the media data is sufficient to retrieve additional media data. The system performs regularly scheduled dynamic controls to determine whether additional media data is required for continuous and uninterrupted access of the media data.

Abstract: A media agent that monitors multiple broadcast transmissions and a method for the same. The media agent establishes connections with broadcast transmissions and then identifies characteristics of the media content contained within the broadcast transmission. The association between the identified characteristic of the media content and the connected broadcast transmission is maintained to allow the information gathered from the broadcast transmission to be used meaningfully.

Abstract: A method and computer program product for processing a locally-stored, specific media data file portion to generate a first normalized packetized stream. A remotely-sourced, specific media data stream is processed to generate a second normalized packetized stream. At least a portion of the first normalized packetized stream and at least a portion of the second normalized packetized stream are combined, using a packet loss tolerant stitching algorithm, to generate a loss-compensated media data stream.