Abstract: The invention particularly relates to an electrical device for connection to a predetermined network containing at least one watchdog device. The electrical device comprises configuration means for authorising its operation in the presence of said watchdog device, where these configuration means are based on the recording of a watchdog device public identifier in storage means of the electrical device; means for identifying at least one watchdog device when the electrical device is connected to any network containing such a watchdog device, and means for disabling the electrical device if the watchdog device identified does not correspond to the watchdog device for which it was configured or if said network does not contain a watchdog device. The invention also concerns an antitheft system and a method for pairing devices.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method comprising a step which consists in comparing a label to a value counted from a transfer clock to define the transfer time on the bus of a packet read on a recording medium. The invention is characterized in that for implementing a special mode or trick mode, it further comprises the following steps: calculating a difference between two consecutive packets based on the values of recorded labels; calculating an offset value based on said difference and parameters received on the bus defining the special mode; adding said offset value to the label value of the transmitted packet to obtain a new label value defining the transfer time on the bus of the following packet to be transmitted. The invention is applicable to the storage of MPEG data.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to a system and method for providing data in a multiple dwelling facility. The system may comprise a headend unit that receives a data stream that comprises a plurality of programs, and a multiple dwelling unit network that is adapted to receive at least a portion of the data stream from the headend unit and provide at least a subset of the plurality of programs to individual users in the multiple dwelling facility. The method may comprise the acts of receiving a data stream that comprises a plurality of programs, distributing at least a portion of the data stream to a multiple dwelling unit network, and providing access to a specific one of the plurality of programs to each of a plurality of individual users within the multiple dwelling facility via the multiple dwelling unit network depending on whether each of the plurality of individual users has met at least one predetermined condition.

Abstract: A media center operates in two modes where each mode is used for rendering a media object. When a first mode is enabled, a media object is rendered in conformance with parameters within a time duration defined for the operation of the first mode. A second mode is later enabled for rendering a media object, the rendering of the media object is in conformance with parameters within time duration defined for the second mode.

Abstract: An apparatus such as a television signal processing apparatus provides a means to control power dissipation by high speed signal processing circuitry associated with tuners while continuing to receive auxiliary data such as administrative data, guide data, or emergency alert notifications.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention relate to a method of controlling the appearance of a graphical object in a graphical user interface. In an embodiment of an aspect of the invention, an object, such as a widget, in a graphical user interface comprises an instance of a widget class in which arr defined properties and/or methods which control operation of the object; and an associated instance of a look object class in which are defined properties and/or methods which control the look of the object.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for storing data in a prerecorded area of an optical recording medium, and to an optical recording medium having at least one prerecorded area in which data is stored according to the method. It is an object to propose a method for storing data in a prerecorded area of an optical recording medium using pits and lands, whereby the signal obtained from the pits and lands is compatible with a high frequency modulated groove signal. According to the invention, the pits and lands adjacent to bit cell signal transitions are arranged in a predefined manner, either in a fixed recurring sequence of pits and lands or symmetrically to the bit cell signal transitions.

Abstract: A method for calling up information about current radio and television programs wherein desired signals are transmitted together or separately with decodable additional information signals. The method includes the steps of selecting from the additional information signals that information which is directly or indirectly linked to time information. The selected information is compared with a time period which can be predetermined and within which the current time and/or the time assigned to the current program occurs. The information corresponding to this time period is then displayed on a display device of a receiving device which receives the desired signals and additional information signals.

Abstract: Errors in coded macroblocks are concealed during decoding by way of an error concealment stage present in a decoder. Error-concealed macroblocks produced by the error concealment stage undergo deblocking filtering by a deblocking filter before being output by the decoder to avoid the spread of erroneous pixel values. The error concealment stage controls the deblocking filter in accordance with the error concealment technique to vary the strength of the deblocking filter to force maximum strength on transitions artificially created by the recovery of lost macroblocks.

Abstract: An apparatus such as a television signal receiver includes an emergency alert function which, when activated, provides an alert output to notify users of an emergency event. According to an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus includes a tuner operative to tune signals including emergency alert signals capable of activating the emergency alert function. A processor is operative to detect a condition indicating relocation of the apparatus after a power interruption to the apparatus, and to enable a predetermined output associated with the emergency alert function responsive to detecting the condition.

Abstract: The switched-mode power supply according to the invention has a power factor correction circuit, which operates on the principle of a current pump and has a first coil for damping voltage spikes, as well as a second coil for power factor correction. The two inductances are in this case connected in series and are arranged on a coil former and on a common core. In one preferred exemplary embodiment, an E/E ferrite core is used as the core, and a coil former with chambers is used as the coil former, with the windings of the two inductances being arranged in different chambers. An empty chamber, which is located in the region of the air gap in the core, is advantageously arranged between the two inductances. This partially decouples the two inductances by means of the air gap, so that the damping response of the first inductance is better.

Abstract: The invention relates to performing an MDCT of a digital input signal of length N, wherein by generating a specific intermediate signal of length N/2 the MDCT can be performed by a number of only N2/4 multiplications of data values of the intermediate signal with cosine values.

Abstract: An improved image processing system involves decoding compressed image data including frequency domain coefficients defining blocks of pixel values representing an image at a first resolution to provide an image at a reduced second resolution for display from a selected sub-set of the frequency domain coefficients. The apparatus includes an enhanced motion-compensation-unit (MCU) operating with blocks of pixel values representing an image at an intermediate third resolution lower than the first resolution but higher than the reduced second resolution.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for preventing illegal exportation of a content protected by a global copy protection system to a local copy protection system. According to the invention, each content liable to be exported contains a unique identifier and the device comprises a table for storing unique identifiers of all contents that have already been exported through said device. The invention also relates to a method for recording a content received by such a device. This method comprises the steps consisting, if the copy is to be made for a local copy protection system, in checking whether the unique identifier of said content is contained in the table of said device; and should said checking be positive, in preventing the recording; andshould said checking be negative, in recording the content and storing said unique identifier in said table.

Abstract: In a multi-channel video transmission system in which channel video segments are operated on by corresponding channel video encoders to encode the video segments into frames organized into groups of defined frame types, an apparatus and method to cause a temporal staggering for the processing of a specific frame type among the various channels. In one preferred embodiment, the apparatus includes a frame counter to synchronize reset signals associated with the corresponding channel video encoders and a means for providing a timing offset to channel video encoders corresponding to a selected frame stagger for a particular corresponding channel.