Abstract: A process, method, and system includes determining if a user has access to a data source. In response to the user being denied access to the data source, a determination is made concerning which upgrade packages would allow the user to access the particular data source.

Abstract: A system and method of providing universal digital rights management system protection is described. One feature of the invention concerns systems and methods for repackaging and securing data packaged under any file format type, compression technique, or digital rights management system. Another feature of the invention is directed to systems and methods for securing data by providing scalability through the use of modular data manipulation software objects.

Abstract: A method of rendering digital media encoded content on a client electronic device is disclosed. The digital encoded media content comprises digital encoded local media content stored on the client electronic device and/or digital encoded radio media content provided via a network from a remote computing device to the client electronic device. The method includes: indicating a radio playlist that defines a rendering sequence for the digital encoded media content; and determining if a portion of the digital encoded media content to be rendered is stored as digital local media content in a memory of the client electronic device. The digital encoded radio media content not stored as digital encoded local media content on the client electronic device is received, on the client electronic device, from the remote computing device via the network.

Abstract: A video apparatus is provided with automatic deinterlacing and inverse telecine pre-filtering capability to automatically analyze the frames of the video to determine at least whether the video is one of telecine, non-telecine progressive and non-telecine interlaced formatted, and to automatically reformat the video into a non-telecine progressive format if the video is determined to be one of telecine and non-telecine interlaced formatted.

Abstract: A system and method of operation for a distributed media network and meta data server provides a low cost, efficient, reliable and versatile alternative to traditional media network systems. Multiple media data file servers are designated as primary or alternate data file servers for different media data media files. Related or linked media data files may be distributed throughout a media network which results in lower peak bandwidth usage at each media data file server. Each server in the distributed media network responds more quickly and efficiently due to its limited functionality and scope of media data files that it must server. Media data file servers transfer low bandwidth meta data to client devices allowing a significant increase in the number of clients which can simultaneously log in to a dedicated network server.

Abstract: A re-headerer media packaging and serving system and method are provided herein.

Abstract: A method, computer program product and computing device for automatically generating a result set includes monitoring one or more actions taken by a user while browsing a website. One or more search terms are assigned to each of the one or more actions taken by the user, thus defining one or more initial search terms. An initial query is executed on a datastore based on at least a portion of the one or more initial search terms to generate an initial result set. The initial result set is presented to the user of the website.

Abstract: An embodiment of a method for rendering an item of media content includes obtaining a media presentation having a media-content portion and a display-window-configuration component. The display-window-configuration component is recovered from the media presentation and causes a defined display window to be presented contemporaneously with rendering the media content of the media-content portion. And an embodiment of a method for rendering an item of media content having an action-indicator associated with an action includes analyzing the media content to detect the action-indicator and executing the associated action. For example, the action-indicator may be a watermark, which may be visible while an image portion of the media content is displayed.

Abstract: Method and apparatus, including computer program products, for producing a sequence of data request user interfaces that are rendered on a display, including receiving a request for a data request user interface included in the sequence of data request user interfaces, receiving data from a file for constructing the data request user interface, constructing the data request user interface, which when displayed the constructed data request user interface includes a step of the user activity, receiving a request based on the first data request user interface for another data request user interface included in the sequence of data request user interfaces, receiving data from the file for constructing the other data request user interface, and constructing the other data request user interface detached from the first data request user interface, which when displayed the constructed other data request user interface includes another step of the user activity.

Abstract: Methods and system deliver media to users of media presentation systems. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a media server communicates with a media presentation system, such as a media player for streaming video and audio, to present subscription and non-subscription media to the user of the media presentation system. Subscription media may include multi-tiered media packages and individual media offerings as selected by the user. The media may be presented in various formats, including video, a graphical display, an audio presentation, a graphical and audio presentation, URL links, and interactive windows. Information about the user, the user's subscription status, the user's media presentation system and information about the media providers and the media offered by the media providers are maintained by the media server.

Abstract: Systems and methods for packaging, delivery, and use of digital content. In one embodiment, a license matrix is created and used for evaluating the license rights applicable to a requested use of a content item. The license matrix can comprise a plurality of licenses grouped in license chains, and each license can include a set of entitlement rules and a set of grants. A license chain can be associated with an identifier corresponding to a use of content. In another embodiment, it is provided a method of packaging unsecured content for secured delivery over a computer network. In yet another embodiment, a system and method are provided for applying digital management rules to a content item at the time a user requests a use of the content item. In some embodiments, systems and methods allow evaluation of a requested use against a group of licenses to determine the applicable license rights for the requested use.

Abstract: An interactive video/multimedia application (IVM application) may specify one or more media assets for playback. The IVM application may define the rendering, composition, and interactivity of one or more the assets, such as video. Video multimedia application data (IVMA data may) be used to define the behavior of the IVM application. The IVMA data may be embodied as a standalone file in a text or binary, compressed format. Alternatively, the IVMA data may be embedded within other media content. A video asset used in the IVM application may include embedded, content-aware metadata that is tightly coupled to the asset. The IVM application may reference the content-aware metadata embedded within the asset to define the rendering and composition of application display elements and user-interactivity features. The interactive video/multimedia application (defined by the video and multimedia application data) may be presented to a viewer in a player application.

Abstract: Compression of audio signal data is described herein. In various embodiments, the compression of each unit of the audio signal data includes the employment of a distribution substantially representative of a subblock of residual data of the unit of audio signal data, to reduce the amount of data having to be transmitted to transmit the unit of audio signal data to a recipient.

Abstract: A system and method for selling software products over a network. The system includes a server computer with access to software products. The system is configured to allow a user to purchase a subscription for the periodic acquisition of selected software products. In one embodiment, as part of the subscription, the user pays an amount during selected billing intervals. In return, the system issues to the user a number of credits for downloading at no additional charge at least one of the software products during a credit interval, which may be equal in length to the billing interval. In one embodiment, the system debits a number of credits in response to fulfilling a user's purchase request. The system may be also configured to deduct credits that are not used within selected credit intervals.

Abstract: System and method for generating video frames. The system includes a frame generator which generates one or more intermediate frames based upon one base frames. Each of the base frames are comprised of a plurality of macroblocks. Furthermore, one or more of the macroblocks have a motion vector. The macroblocks are comprised of a plurality of pixels. In the frame generation process, the frame generator performs a number of steps such as: (i) determines whether frame generation is appropriate, (ii) examines the first and second base frames to check for the presence of textual characters, (iii) selects a frame generation method based upon information in the first and second frames, (iv) filters the generated frames. In one embodiment, the system includes a server computer having an encoder, a client computer having a decoder, and a network connecting the server computer to the client computer.

Abstract: A number of digital content rendering modules are equipped such that selective subsets of the modules may be employed to render digital content of different media, and of different format types. The modules are organized into a hierarchy, with a selected one occupying a root position of the hierarchy, to exclusively receive the digital contents to be rendered, and that each module is further responsible for verifying the integrity of its immediate downstream modules, to collectively protect the digital contents being rendered. Additionally, in accordance with another aspect, a tamper resistant module is employed to recover digital contents provided in a protected state, obfuscating the recovery. Further, the modules may be of different application domains.

Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, secure content objects are transcoded from an input format to an output format based upon identified capabilities of a receiving device. In one embodiment, a plurality of trusted processing components are identified to collectively transcode the secure content object from the identified input format to the determined output format. In one embodiment, each of the trusted processing components are authenticated prior to operating on the secure content object.

Abstract: A system and a method for providing update information. The system includes a client computer which is operably connected to a program information server. The program information server maintains one or more program information items. The system also includes a program selection server which allows the user to select which of the program information items are to be viewed by the user. Based upon a dynamically adjustable polling period, the client computer requests the program information server to provide the client computer new program information items. The program information items include one or more media items that may be selected for viewing by a user positioned at the client computer. The client computer provides a newness indicator to the user, the newness indicator indicating to the user when one or more items of the media content is new and has not been previously viewed by the user.

Abstract: The invention relates to a content recommendation device comprising a selection engine (2) that selects content items from a content item pool (4) and generates a selection list (9) comprising the selected content items, and/or means to receive a selection list The content recommendation device also comprises an arrangement engine (3) that generates a content recommendation list (12) by re-arranging at least a part of content items of the selection list (9) so that preferably a dramaturgic sequence of content items is generated.

Abstract: A method, computer program product and computing device for offering complementary products/services includes monitoring one or more actions taken by a user while browsing a website. One or more search terms are assigned to at least one of the one or more actions taken by the user. One or more complementary terms are assigned that define one or more products/services that complement the one or more actions taken by the user. A query is executed on a datastore based on at least a portion of the one or more search terms and at least a portion of the one or more complementary terms to generate a result set.