Abstract: A software-driven method for the initialization of re-writable optical media is provided. Embodiments include a software-driven method for the formatting of re-writable optical media to include defining a file system and writing a UDF reader to the optical media to enable implementation on a plurality of optical media devices in a plurality of operating system environments. The re-writable optical media is initialized using either user data or initialization patterns in a background operation to allow user interaction with the optical media during initialization. Methods are provided for multi-track capabilities of the optical media. Prior to initialization of the entire media space of an optical media, a session can be closed to enable compatibility of a partially initialized media in a ROM device. Further methods are provided to re-open a closed session to complete initialization of the media space.

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: Some embodiments provide methods for use in storing digital content on a storage media. These methods store a first portion of digital content on a first portion of a storage media; store a second portion of digital content on a second portion of the storage media separate from the first portion of digital content, wherein the second portion of digital content is read separately from the first portion of digital content on the storage media and does not affect the reading of the first portion of digital content; and store control information on the storage media, wherein the control information defines a combination of the first portion of digital content and the second portion of digital content for reproduction of a unified digital content.

Abstract: Some embodiments provides a highly directional audio response that is flat over five octaves or more by the use of multiple colinear arrays followed by signal processing. Each of the colinear arrays has a common center, but a different spacing so that it can be used for a different frequency range. The response of the microphones for each spacing are combined and filtered so that when the filtered responses are added, the combined response is flat over the selected frequency range. To improve the response, the output of the microphones for a given array spacing can also be filtered with windowing functions. To receive the response from other directions a “steering” delay may also be introduced in the microphone signals before they are combined. Some embodiments can also extend to two and three dimensional arrays.

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: 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: 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: 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.

Abstract: The present invention presents a way to augment the playback of a compact disk by increasing the resolution, the number of channel, or both during reproduction, while still allowing the resultant CD to be playable on a standard CD player. From a high quality original master or other source, it produces a set of conventional two track audio signals and a set of residual or additional audio data derived from the original master using this conventional stereo audio signal. Additionally, it extracts a set of control information relating this additional audio data to the conventional stereo signals. This additional audio data contains information from the original master that would otherwise be lost when encoded onto a conventional CD. Upon playback, the control information allows the additional audio data to be recombined with the conventional stereo signal in order to reconstruct the original master.

Abstract: Methods for determining recording speeds to optical media are provided. In one example, a method includes an algorithm in which a digital audio extraction (DAX) speed is determined for a first part of an audio track is measured, a DAX speed for an end part of an audio track is measured, and the DAX speeds are compared. The slower of the two speeds is selected as the DAX speed for the audio track. Subsequent audio tracks are sampled by first measuring the DAX speed for an end part of the audio track. If the DAX speed for the end part of the audio track is faster than the DAX speed for the end part of the previous audio track, the first part of the audio track is sampled, and the slower DAX speed of the first and end parts of the audio track is selected as the DAX speed for the audio track.

Abstract: A method for enabling access to resources connected to client nodes of a network is provided. The method includes establishing communication between a local client and a remote client. The local client establishes communication with the remote client by providing a remote client identification code and a password to the remote client. The communication is established when the remote client confirms that the remote client identification code and the password match. After communication is established, a determination is made if adapters are connected to the remote client and connection is established with a selected adapter connected to the remote client. Once a connection is established with the selected adapter, the local client is connected to the selected adapter. The selected adapter is configured to appear on a graphical user interface (GUI) of the local client as if the selected adapter of the remote client were physically connected to the local client.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide methods and systems for use in processing encrypted media content through a media processing stack, wherein the media processing stack comprises one or more ordered and successively arranged processing components. These embodiments receive the media content at each successive processing component and pass the media content to a successive processing component; optionally process the media content at each processing component; receive one or more decryption keys associated with the media content at one of the processing components; relay the decryption keys to one or more successive processing components to a decrypting one of the processing components that is capable of decrypting the media content, and decrypt the media content at the decrypting one of the processing components before passing the media content to the successive processing component.

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: 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, in one exemplary embodiment, for automatically detecting scene changes within a digital video sequence including a succession of frames, including computing metrics, for each of a plurality of frames from a digital video sequence, the metric of a frame being a measure of distance between the frame and a given frame, identifying a candidate frame for which the metric of the candidate frame differs from the metric of the predecessor frame to the candidate frame, by at least a first threshold, determining whether the metrics of successive ones of each of a first plurality of frames, successively following the candidate frame, differ from one another by less than a second threshold, and further determining whether the metrics of each frame of a second plurality of frames, successively preceding the candidate frame, are larger than a third threshold. A system, of one exemplary embodiment, is also described and claimed.

Abstract: A software-driven method for the initialization and defect management of re-writable optical media is provided. Embodiments include a software-driven method for the formatting of re-writable optical media to include defining a file system and writing a UDF reader to the optical media to enable implementation on a plurality of optical media devices in a plurality of operating system environments. The re-writable optical media is initialized using either user data or initialization patterns in a background operation to allow user interaction with the optical media during initialization. Data integrity is managed over the life of the re-writable optical media through use of a write count table with entries corresponding to each packet written to the re-writable optical media and tallied to prompt packet verification upon a pre-determined number of user writes to the packet.

Abstract: A system for localizing an EPG program schedule, including an EPG service provider station including a database of channels and corresponding EPG program schedule information, a database manager identifying a plurality of channel line-ups potentially receivable at a viewing location, a transmitter, and a receiver, a multimedia viewer situated at the viewing location including an automatic channel line-up identifier identifying a first line-up of television channels receivable at the viewing location, a channel line-up processor at the viewing location calculating a channel line-up from among the plurality of channel line-ups that substantially matches the first line-up, a receiver receiving from the EPG service provider station the plurality of channel line-ups, and a transmitter transmitting to the EPG service provider station the identifier of the channel line-up calculated by the channel line-up processor, and a network connection linking the multimedia viewer to the EPG service provider, wherein the EPG s

Abstract: A multi-session optical media has data recorded thereon. The multi-session optical media is recorded in compliance with UDF 1.02, and the data in each session of the multi-session optical media is accessible by a UDF 1.02 compliant optical media device. A partition space of a subsequent session to a first session of the multi-session optical media is defined to begin at a sector at which the start of a first partition is defined in the first session on the multi-session optical media.

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 for chroma key masking including for a given pixel color, calculating a quadratic function of the pixel color coordinates based on a prescribed chroma key color, the quadratic function corresponding to an ellipsoid in a color space, generating a substantially transparent mask value for the given pixel color, if the quadratic function is less than a prescribed lower threshold, generating a substantially opaque mask value for the given pixel color, if the quadratic function is greater than a prescribed upper threshold, and generating a partially transparent mask value for the given pixel color, based on the value of the quadratic function, if the quadratic function is between the prescribed lower threshold and the prescribed upper threshold. A system is also described and claimed.