Abstract: The present embodiments provide methods and systems for use in generating, organizing, and/or playing back multimedia content. Some embodiments provide methods for use in organizing source content by accessing a plurality of media content having parameter data associated with each of the media content, identifying a first organizational style, identifying a first parameter data according to the first organizational style, analyzing the parameter data of each of the plurality of media content relative to the first parameter data, organizing the plurality of media content as the parameter data for each of the plurality of media content relates to the identified first parameter data according to the first organizational style, and generating an output content incorporating the plurality of media content as organized according to the first organizational style.

Abstract: A computer implemented system is disclosed for providing a graphical user interface (GUI) for an application program. The system includes a renderer, a proxy, and a workflow manager. The renderer is defined to render the GUI. The proxy is defined to provide to the renderer each component necessary for rendering the GUI. The proxy appears to the renderer as a single monolithic application program. The workflow manager is defined to communicate one or more document viewers and their associated user interface components to the proxy for provision to the renderer. The document viewers and their associated user interface components represent components necessary for rendering the GUI.

Abstract: The present embodiments provide methods and apparatuses for use in navigating through content. Some embodiments provide methods for use in navigating through content that receive an initial first directional control command, activate a seek mode upon receipt of the initial first directional control command comprising advancing over a first amount of content in a first direction from a first point in the content to a second point in the content, receive an initial second directional control command following the receipt of the initial first directional command, and activate a search mode upon receipt of the initial second directional control command, comprising advancing back over a second amount of the first amount of the content where the second amount is less than the first amount of the content.

Abstract: The present embodiments provide methods, apparatuses, systems for use in encoding and/or formatting content, such as multimedia content. Some embodiments provide methods for use in encoding content. These methods receive source content, encode the source content producing encoded content, evaluate a first encoded segment of the encoded content relative to a plurality of buffer models, determine whether the first segment of encoded content is to be re-encoded relative to one or more of the plurality of buffer models based on the evaluation; and re-encode the first segment when it is determined that the first segment is to be re encoded.

Abstract: Two dimensional data is converted into three dimensional picture data in a method that can provide a real time high quality display during conversion. Pixels of a frame of picture data are segmented to create pixel segments by applying a k-means algorithm. The k-means algorithm groups pixels based on closeness of a combined value that includes luma, chroma, and motion information. By balancing this information the algorithm collects pixels into groups that are assigned relative depths to turn the two-dimensional information into three-dimensional information for display. Another method includes determining a depth map for the different pixel segments by determining an amount of motion of one of the pixel segments between two frames of a video and scaling the three-dimensional depth of one of the pixel segments based on the amount of motion between the two frames.

Abstract: A method and system for delivering personal media over cable television have been disclosed. According to one embodiment, a computer implemented method comprises storing digital content, the digital content including digital photographs, digital video, and music. The digital content is queued for review. A photo show is generated from the digital content. The photo show is transmitted to a cable system for transmission on a video on demand system.

Abstract: The present embodiments provide methods, apparatuses, and systems for use in maintaining data quality upon conversion to a different data format. Some embodiments provide methods that receive media data in a first format, initiate a first conversion of the media data at the first format to a second converted format, identify parameters dictating the conversion to the second converted format, record the parameters, and distribute the recorded parameters to remote systems such that the parameters at least in part control the remote systems during a conversion of the media data to the second converted format.

Abstract: The present embodiments provide methods, apparatuses, systems for use in encoding and/or formatting content, such as multimedia content. Some embodiments provide methods for use in encoding content. These methods receive source content, encode the source content producing encoded content, evaluate a first encoded segment of the encoded content relative to a plurality of buffer models, determine whether the first segment of encoded content is to be re-encoded relative to one or more of the plurality of buffer models based on the evaluation; and re-encode the first segment when it is determined that the first segment is to be re encoded.

Abstract: The present embodiments provide methods, apparatuses, systems for use in encoding and/or formatting content, such as multimedia content. Some embodiments provide methods for use in encoding content. These methods receive source content, encode the source content producing encoded content, evaluate a first encoded segment of the encoded content relative to a plurality of buffer models, determine whether the first segment of encoded content is to be re-encoded relative to one or more of the plurality of buffer models based on the evaluation; and re-encode the first segment when it is determined that the first segment is to be re encoded.

Abstract: The present embodiments provide methods, systems and apparatuses for use in managing content on at least a local network. Some embodiments provide a method for use in managing content that detects there is a change to content on a local network, determines whether the change is additional content on a first client device, determines whether the additional content can be identified, determines whether there is a predictive distribution scheme when the additional content is identified, distributes the additional content over the local network according the predictive distribution scheme when a predictive distribution scheme applies to the additional content, determines whether a new predictive distribution scheme can be defined when a predictive distribution scheme does not apply to the additional content, and saving the new predictive distribution scheme when a new predictive scheme can be defined.

Abstract: A system, method and article of manufacture are provided for use in playing back content. Some embodiments provide a method for use in content playback by accessing an embedded object embedded within object oriented programming stored on a portable storage media where the embedded object controls playback of content, communicating a navigation command from the embedded object within the object oriented programming to the content, altering a register in response to the navigation command communicated, and controlling the playback of the content in response to the altering of the register.

Abstract: The present embodiments provide methods for writing content to a media that comprise retrieving a first portion of a key structure from the media or a remote server, generating or receiving a second portion of the key structure based on the first portion of the key structure, encrypting content based at least on the second portion of the key structure, producing encrypted content, and writing the encrypted content onto the media. The present embodiments further provide recording media that include a digitally writable surface that is optically readable, a control area optionally comprising a pre-recorded set of keys defining a first portion of a key structure, and a data portion that records non-pre-recorded content protected according to a second portion of the key structure generated according to at least a portion of the first portion of the key structure.

Abstract: The present embodiments provide methods, systems and apparatuses for use in managing content on at least a local network. Some embodiments provide a method for use in distributing content that receives a request to deliver premium content over a distributed network; identifies a location relative to where the request is made; determines whether there is a first additional content associated with the location; adds the first additional content to the requested premium content when there is the first additional content associated with the location; and distributes the requested premium content and the first additional content according to the request.

Abstract: A audio data collection and management system is provided for extracting music data from an optical media and managing the music data. The system is configured to extract at least a portion of an initial track of music data at an extracting rate that is different than the recording rate. The system simultaneously records the extracted portion of the initial track of music data to a storage media at the extracting rate while performing the extracting. The system is configured to be implemented in an automobile, a home stereo system, or a personal computer system.

Abstract: A software driven method for recording multiple sessions on a rewritable DVD is provided. Examples include a software-driven method for appending data to rewritable DVD disc. A rewritable DVD disc for recording, wherein the rewritable DVD disc contains previously written data is received for appending data. A request to append new data to the rewritable DVD disc is received. A file system for the previously written data is located and includes a pointer to the start of the file system. The file system for the previously written data is then read. The file system is modified to continue pointing to files associated with the previously written data and to generate pointers to files of the new data. An updated file system and the new data to the rewritable DVD disc are logically written after the previously written data. The pointer of the file system is then modified to refer to the updated file system.

Abstract: The present embodiments provide methods, apparatuses, and systems for use in maintaining data quality upon conversion to a different data format. Some embodiments provide methods that receive media data in a first format, initiate a first conversion of the media data at the first format to a second converted format, identify parameters dictating the conversion to the second converted format, record the parameters, and distribute the recorded parameters to remote systems such that the parameters at least in part control the remote systems during a conversion of the media data to the second converted format.

Abstract: A system, method, and article of manufacture is provided for updating content stored on a portable storage medium. Upon input of a portable storage medium into a machine by a user, the content stored on the portable storage medium is read. After reading the content of the portable storage medium, a separate storage medium is accessed and content is received therefrom. The content from the separate storage medium is an update of the content of the portable storage medium. This content of the separate storage medium is then displayed.

Abstract: The present embodiments provide methods, apparatuses, and systems for use in maintaining data quality upon conversion to a different data format. Some embodiments provide methods that receive media data in a first format, initiate a first conversion of the media data at the first format to a second converted format, identify parameters dictating the conversion to the second converted format, record the parameters, and distribute the recorded parameters to remote systems such that the parameters at least in part control the remote systems during a conversion of the media data to the second converted format.

Abstract: An invention is disclosed for automatically formatting removable media. A default media image is generated in computer memory in response to detecting unformatted media in a computer drive. The media image includes default file system structures for the media. In response to receiving a request to read the media, data is returned based on the default file system structures. However, the removable media is automatically prepared for content in response to receiving a request to write information to the media, wherein the default media image in memory is committed to the media.

Abstract: The present embodiments perform active volume restores on actively running initial operating systems in an active partition. The methods identify available memory within a partition, duplicate at least a portion of an initial operating system image into the identified available memory providing a duplicate operating system, remap access from an initial operating system to the at least the duplicate operating system image, store a temporary operating system on to the partition, reboot into the temporary operating system, operate through the temporary operating system and store a restore operating system into the partition; and reboot into the restore operating system.