Abstract: A system, method, and article of manufacture is provided for updating content stored on a portable storage medium. Some embodiments provide systems that include means for receiving a request from a content player from over a communication network requesting updated content for use with a portable storage medium being accessed by the content player, wherein the request comprises information from the content player, means for determining whether updated content associated with the portable storage medium is available, and means for initiating a communication over the communication network of updated content associated with the portable storage medium to the content player in response to determining that updated content is available.

Abstract: A method for verifying sectors on an optical disc is provided. The method includes writing user data to unverified sectors of the optical disc and verifying the sectors of the optical disc with the user data. The sectors of the optical disc are verified by reading the user data on the unverified sectors of the optical disc and comparing the user data read from the unverified sectors of the optical disc with user data stored on a system buffer. The sectors of the optical disc are verified to determine whether any one of the unverified sectors having user data is defective. Also, the verifying of the unverified sectors establishes verified sectors having user data. The sectors of the optical disc that have been verified are tracked with a bitmap that is continually updated as the sectors are verified.

Abstract: A method of playing multimedia content comprising reading, at a local machine, local multimedia content stored on a portable storage medium; and utilizing a control structure stored on the separate storage medium to alter the playback of the local multimedia content stored on the portable storage medium. A method of providing multimedia content comprising the steps of reading, at a local machine, local multimedia content stored on a portable storage medium; and downloading a control structure to control the display of the local multimedia content.

Abstract: A system, method and article of manufacture are provided for identifying a plurality of events which are played back simultaneously on a plurality of networked client apparatuses. First, a plurality of events are stored in memory on a plurality of client apparatuses. The events each have a unique identifier associated therewith and which are stored in the memory. In operation, the client apparatuses are adapted to be coupled to a host computer via a network. The identifier of the event which is stored in the memory of the client apparatuses is then retrieved utilizing the network. Such identifier is subsequently compared with an identifier of a scheduled event. If the comparison renders a match, the playback of the event is begun on each of the client apparatuses.

Abstract: A media services interface for use in a readable medium playback device enables synchronization of disparate media playback, network directed playback of media, media playback control via displayed html/javascript file, logging of consumer identifier, media identifier, and playback device identifier in a cookie or log file. The media services comprises a command handler, a properties handler, an event generator, a cookie manager, a navigator state module, an identifier engine, an initialization module, and a bookmark manager. The command handler executes commands received from a connected network, a displayed html/javascript file, etc. The properties handler provides information relating to system states in response to queries including the status of any network connections. The event generator generates events in response to predetermined system occurrences.

Abstract: A method for chroma key masking is provided. The method includes adjusting a first parameter representing a size of a first ellipsoid in a color space, adjusting a second parameter representing a size of a second ellipsoid in the color space, and generating a mask value for a given pixel color based on the location of the given pixel color in the color space, relative to the first and second ellipsoids. The first ellipsoid is centered about a prescribed chroma key color and the second ellipsoid is also centered about the prescribed chroma key color. The second ellipsoid surrounds the first ellipsoid in the color space.

Abstract: A system and method for combining video/audio content with programmatic content perform the following steps: generating authoring output comprising a definition for a variable, and further comprising a representation of the video/audio content; selecting a source file, the source file comprising the variable; searching the source file for the variable, and replacing the variable with the definition for the variable; generating programmatic content in response to the searching; and generating an image as a function of the programmatic content and the representation of the audio/video content.

Abstract: The present invention relates to improvements in the generation of an authoring file, readable by an authoring program of a DVD-Video or other interaction video media, that defines the playback structure of the content residing in a given disc's “authored content zone” and also defines the location of the assets that make up the disc's “presentation data.” The improvements allow generation of an authoring file that references assets that are within the authored content zone of the medium. This allows the authoring “project” from which the final DVD-Video disc image was created to be reopened in a compatible authoring program—and to be modified by such a program—without reference to any of the original source materials.

Abstract: A software driven method for appending data to a rewritable optical disc is provided. The method includes detecting a rewritable optical disc, and the rewritable optical disc contains a first written session with a file system and an associated volume descriptor. The method then detects a request to write a new session to the rewritable optical disc. Now, it is determined that the new session is to be written past a boundary limit, e.g., such as an OS boundary. A new file system for the new session is then generated, where the new file system having an updated volume descriptor. Data for the new session is written and the volume descriptor of the first written session is replaced with the updated volume descriptor.

Abstract: The invention relates generally to improvements in systems used in the development of interactive visual media. More particularly, the invention relates in some embodiments to (a) the automatic or semi-automatic generation of a set of files representing “zoomed-in” sections of a master high-resolution image file, and (b) the automatic or semi-automatic generation of the logical data required to allow navigation of the generated files by an end-user of an interactive visual medium, including but not limited to such optical disc formats as DVD-Video, DVD-Audio, Video CD, and Super Video CD, as well as media hosted by a server and delivered over a network.

Abstract: A computer implemented method for authoring a multimedia compact disc is provided. The method includes obtaining multimedia content from at least one source and enabling manipulation of the obtained multimedia content. The method further includes arranging the obtained multimedia content in a graphical hierarchical tree structure. The arranging of the multimedia content graphically defines the hierarchical arrangement relative to other multimedia content to be recorded to the multimedia compact disc.

Abstract: An apparatus and methods for providing content-owner control in a device is optionally networked. A method for accessing media content has steps of initiating a first view providing access to at least a portion of a first content within the first view, initiating a second view providing access to a second content within the second view and preventing the second content from being accessed with the first content in the first view. Additionally, access to a third content with the first content is allowed in the first view. An apparatus includes a first view configured to provide access to a first content, a second view configured to provide access to a second content, and a graphical subsystem configured to prevent the second content from being access in the first view. In one variation, the first view is a media content view, and the second view is a web view.

Abstract: A method of reproducing an interactive recording medium in a reproducing apparatus, comprising the steps of: checking attribute information for auxiliary contents data of A/V data recorded on the interactive recording medium; and determining a presentation method for the auxiliary contents data based on the attribute information and presenting the auxiliary contents data accordingly.

Abstract: The present embodiments provide methods and apparatuses for use in searching and/or retrieving video data. Some embodiments provide method for use in searching video data, that extract a spatiotemporal representation of at least a portion of a query sequence of video data, produce a query slice image from the spatiotemporal representation of the at least the portion of the query sequence, extract a spatiotemporal representation of at least a portion of candidate video data, produce a candidate slice image from the spatiotemporal representation of the at least the portion of the candidate video data, and determine when the query slice image matches at least a portion of the candidate slice image. In some embodiments, an apparatus is provided for use with video data. The apparatus comprises a memory storing candidate video data and a query sequence, a slice generator and a two-dimensional image generator.

Abstract: A method for writing to multiple recording devices where at least two of the multiple recording devices are configured to respond dissimilarly to a command associated with the writing is provided. The method initiates with establishing a plurality of independent write threads configured to read data from a circular buffer composed of an initial amount of buffer elements. Then, each one of the plurality of independent write threads are associated with one of the multiple recording devices. Next, detection of when a write thread associated with a fastest one of the multiple recording devices is reading a last available buffer element occurs. In response to this detection the method includes adding at least one additional buffer element to the circular buffer. A computer readable medium and a system configured to write to multiple recording devices simultaneously are also provided.

Abstract: The present embodiments provide methods, systems and mediums for use in protecting content. Some embodiments provide methods for use in protecting content that access media content with sectors reserved for error data, search for and identify a reserved sector, access error data, replace at least a portion of the reserved sector in the media content with the error data, and record the media content and the error data onto a medium.

Abstract: When recording data to optical media, data to be recorded is selected using a client application. An image mastering application programming interface is provided which is comprised of a collection of COM objects and integrated into the operating system. The plurality of COM objects includes a disc master, a file, a disc recorder, and a burn engine. The data selected for recording is sent through an application format interface to the file that is part of the image mastering application interface. The selected data in the file is recorded to optical media directly from Kernel Mode of the operating system.

Abstract: A method for providing enhanced content for play across multiple play platforms employs steps of delivering media content to a client device; delivering HTML content to a client device, the HTML content being accessible and usable by a plurality of client device platforms; activating a browser to access the HTML content, the browser being located on and compatible for use with the client device; activating firmware on the client device to access the media content; and incorporating the accessed HTML content with the accessed media content.

Abstract: The invention relates generally to improvements in systems used in the development (“authoring”) of interactive visual media. More particularly, the invention relates to (a) the automatic or semi-automatic generation of a set of files representing “zoomed-in” sections of a master high-resolution image file, and (b) the automatic or semi-automatic generation of the logical data required to allow navigation of the generated files by an end-user of an interactive visual medium, including but not limited to such optical disc formats as DVD-Video, DVD-Audio, Video CD, and Super Video CD, as well as media hosted by a server and delivered over a network.

Abstract: A method for recording data to optical media is provided. A selection of files to record from a source to a destination optical media is received, and an enumeration of the data files to record to the destination optical media is generated. The enumeration of data files includes the determining of whether any source file is in the enumeration of data files to record to the destination optical media more than one time. A destination file path node is mapped for each data file to be recorded to the destination optical media, and the selection of data files is recorded to the destination optical media. The recording includes only one occurrence of any source file in the enumeration of data files to record to the destination optical media.