Abstract: A method and system in which a user manually changes the quality of portions of video frames after the frames have been previously encoded. Regions of one or more frames of video are selected to have an increased quality, a decreased quality, or a quality which should not be altered. After the regions are defined by a user, the frame of video is digitally re-encoded and inserted into the digitally encoded data stream in place of the previously encoded data. In order to easily remove a previously encoded frame from the data steam and replace it with a newly encoded frame having regions of quality defined by the user, it is preferable to have the newly encoded frame consume the same number of bits as the previously encoded frame. Accordingly, if the user desires a region of a frame to have an increased quality, the extra bits necessary to provide the increased quality must be taken from other areas of the frame. This is accomplished by an automatic process which is transparent to the user.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention is an ATM switch comprising a switch fabric, a controller, a buffer, a plurality of input line cards and a plurality of output line cards. The input line cards comprise input connectors and output connectors, with the number of input line card input connectors exceeding the number of input line card output connectors, and the output line cards comprising output connectors and input connectors, with the number of output line card output connectors exceeding the number of output line card input connectors. In another embodiment, the invention is an ATM switch comprising a switch fabric, a controller, a buffer, a plurality of input line cards and a plurality of output line cards, with the input line cards comprising input connectors but no output connectors and the line output line cards comprising output connectors but no input connectors. The invention is also drawn to a line card having either an input switch interface or an output switch interface.

Abstract: An interactive application on a set top computing is downloaded to the set top computing system from a headend in an interactive television network. The interactive application is automatically executed by the set top computing system currently running a video program for display on a television set connected to the set top. The automatic begins by waiting for an application token embedded in the video program and detecting the application token. In response to the detection of the application token, the video program is terminated and the application downloaded to the set top is captured. The application is then executed in the set top computing system for display on the television set. In addition, a warning token also embedded in the video program is detected. Then in response to detection of the warning token, the downloading of the ITV application to the set top computing system is initiated.

Abstract: An interactive cable TV system includes a large number of set-top terminals that are connected to a system headend by way of a low-speed, time division multiplexed, channel. The headend includes the mass storage of multimedia data-assets that each contain a large number of individual data-items that may be of interest to various set-top users. A set-top user initiates an inquiry to the data-asset storage by way of an item-descriptor comprising a word-picture of the item. When this set-top query is received at the headend, a table or list is established whereby the query and its set-top ID are associated with related data assets. As the headend's data-asset storage is changed from time to time, the changes that relate to listed set-top queries result in an update of the query list. This updated data-asset information is sent to the related set-tops immediately, or is sent only when the headend receives a request from the related set-top.

Abstract: An interactive integrated application, having a broadcast portion and an on-demand portion, is provided to a user station via a communication network. The broadcast portion of the application is broadcast over a first channel to a plurality of user stations from an application source. The broadcast portion has an interactive option embedded in it. This interactive option is displayed with the broadcast portion at a user station to provide a viewer at the user station an option to request the on-demand portion of the application. When the viewer at the user station selects the option displayed with the broadcast portion, the user station exercises the option and requests the on-demand portion of the application. An interactive communication session is established between the on-demand portion of the integrated application and the user station exercising the interactive option in the broadcast portion.

Abstract: For an interactive communication system, a method and apparatus for processing requests for interactive applications. One embodiment of the invention initially receives a request to transmit a first presentation of a particular interactive application. This embodiment then determines if transmission of the first presentation would constrain resources of the interactive communication system. If the system's resources would be constrained, then this embodiment causes a second presentation of the particular interactive application to be transmitted. This second presentation expends less resources of the system than the first presentation.

Abstract: For an interactive communication system, the invention provides a method and apparatus for processing requests for video presentations of particular interactive applications. One embodiment of the invention initially receives, from a viewing node, a request for a video presentation of a particular interactive application. This embodiment then provides a near-video-on-demand (NVOD) presentation of the interactive application to the viewing node. At the time of the offer of the NVOD presentation, or during the NVOD presentation, the viewing node might request a video-on-demand (VOD) version of the interactive application. If such a request is made, and if the system's resources would not be constrained by the transmission of the video-on-demand presentation of the interactive application, then this embodiment transmits the video-on-demand version of the interactive application to the viewing node.

Abstract: A system for playing a selected one of multiple audio tracks recorded in synchronized fashion with a motion picture on an optical disk. The optical disk has encoded on it a mixing master music and effects ("M&E") track, or a switching master M&E track. Individual audio tracks are provided for language-specific versions of the same motion picture, but these tracks have data recorded in them only where there is dialog. In this way, for many a motion picture, all tracks but masters will have data recorded for well less than half of the running time of the motion picture. When a mixing master is used, it is mixed with a language-specific track when the latter has dialog; the mixing master contains no dialog. If a switching master is used, it may contain dialog recorded with the M&E; when a language-specific track has dialog recorded in it, it also contains M&E and the track is played to the exclusion of the switching master.

Abstract: A method and system in which a user manually changes the quality of specific time periods of encoded video. After the automatic encoding of video into a compressed digital format, a person editing the encoded video reviews the quality of the video and manually indicates that the quality of specific time periods of the video is to be altered. As the digital storage medium such as an optical disc which stores the encoded video has a finite storage capacity, the total number of bits for the encoded video and the quality of the video is limited. Consequently, in order to increase the quality for one time period, bits must be taken from other time periods. After the editor assigns the qualities to different time periods, a percentage of bits is removed from the time sequences and placed into a bit pool. The new number of bits for the various time periods are calculated using an exponential function and the bits in the bit pool are proportionally distributed to the video frames.

Abstract: A system for playing a selected one of multiple audio tracks recorded in synchronized fashion with a motion picture on an optical disk. The switching master M&E track. Individual audio tracks are provided for language-specific specific versions of the same motion picture, but these tracks have data recorded in versions of the same motion picture, but these tracks have data recorded in them only where there is dialog. In this way, for many a motion picture, all tracks but masters will have data recorded for well less than haft of the running time of the motion picture. When a mixing master is used, it is mixed with a language-specific track when the latter has dialog; the mixing master contains no dialog. If a switching master is used, it may contain dialog recorded with the M&E; when a language-specific track has dialog recorded in it, it also contains M&E and the track is played to the exclusion of the switching master.

Abstract: A scalable communications network employing shared logical nodes and a related method are provided. The network includes one or more sources for providing program streams. The program streams may comprise a number of frequency-division multiplexed program streams generated by media servers in an interactive network. Each such source is coupled to a corresponding logical node, which receives a corresponding set of program streams. One or more subscribers are allocated to a logical node according to an expected peak subscriber usage constraint. This constraint is met by allocating subscribers to a node so that an expected maximum number of simultaneously active subscribers within the node substantially avoids exceeding the number of program streams provided by the source corresponding to the node. Each logical node includes at least one physical node. Each physical node includes at least one subscriber.

Abstract: A method for formatting digital data on an optical disk that represents at least two versions of the same program. Data sequences which are unique to each version and data sequences which are common to the two of them are interleaved in a single data stream. In order to achieve seamless play of both versions on a player that is compatible with the disk format but has limited buffer storage, data which would otherwise be common to both versions is placed redundantly in the data sequences which are unique to both versions.

Abstract: A method and system for re-encoding frames of a digital video stream in which selected areas are designated to have increased or reduced image quality, i.e., decreased or increased quantization levels, respectively, as compared to a previously run automatic encoding process, but without changing the previously calculated bit length of the stream. A set of macroblocks at a time are re-encoded, the number of resulting bits is calculated and the deviation from an estimated number of bits is calculated, either set-by-set or cumulatively. Based on the accuracy of the estimate and the remaining number of sets of macroblocks to re-encode, a correction factor for the quantization level of the next set of macroblocks is chosen from a lookup table. The correction factor is added to the quantization level of the next set of macroblocks and the results stored as the new quantization level of the set.

Abstract: An optical disk format for representing several synchronized signals, e.g., multiple versions of motion pictures and multiple soundtracks. All signals are represented digitally, and the bits are arranged in data blocks. Each data block may contain a variable number of bits for each signal, ranging from none to many (relative to the other signals). This allows each signal to be represented by a variable rate bit stream, without one signal necessarily constraining another as far as bit representation is concerned. Multiple buffers are provided to insure that there are a sufficient number of bits available for each signal as required for immediate needs. When any buffer is full, reading of the data blocks stops temporarily so that no bits are lost.

Abstract: An optical disk containing PG-rated and R-rated versions of the same motion picture. To minimize redundant storage of data, three types of video data blocks are provided in the same track, in an interleaved fashion - - - A-type blocks which contain material unique to version A, B-type blocks which contain material unique to version B, and C-type blocks which contain material common to both. A series of codes and pointers included in each block allow play of all common blocks, play of all A or B blocks depending on which version has been selected, and skipping over of the blocks which contain data unique to the unselected version. Play of adult-rated versions are automatically prevented if a parental lock option in the player has been keyed on. The disk may contain special software for identifying multiple versions of the same material where the selection criterion is one other than a rating.

Abstract: A system for playing a selected one of multiple audio tracks recorded in synchronized fashion with a motion picture on an optical disk. The optical disk has encoded on it a mixing master music and effects ("M&E") track, or a switching master M&E track. Individual audio tracks are provided for language-specific versions of the same motion picture, but these tracks have data recorded in them only where there is dialog. In this way, for many a motion picture, all tracks but masters will have data recorded for well less than half of the running time of the motion picture. When a mixing master is used, it is mixed with a language-specific track when the latter has dialog; the mixing master contains no dialog. If a switching master is used, it may contain dialog recorded with the M&E; when a language-specific track has dialog recorded in it, it also contains M&E and the track is played to the exclusion of the switching master.

Abstract: An optical disk containing PG-rated and R-rated versions of the same motion picture. To minimize redundant storage of data, three types of video data blocks are provided in the same track, in an interleaved fashion--A-type blocks which contain material unique to version A, B-type blocks which contain material unique to version B, and C-type blocks which contain material common to both. A series of codes and pointers included in each block allow play of all common blocks, play of all A or B blocks depending on which version has been selected, and skipping over of the blocks which contain data unique to the unselected version. Play of adult-rated versions are automatically prevented if a parental lock option in the player has been keyed on. The disk may contain special software for identifying multiple versions of the same material where the selection criterion is one other than a rating.

Abstract: A system for playing a selected one of multiple subtitle tracks recorded in synchronized fashion with a motion picture on an optical disk. Individual subtitle tracks in numerous languages may be provided for the same motion picture, with or without multiple soundtracks. The user may select a soundtrack in his/her language if it is available. If not, subtitles can be displayed in a selected language.

Abstract: A system for selectively combining numerous audio tracks recorded on an optical disk, including subtracting, by phase inversion, particular tracks from a full mix. Each track might contain a recording of an individual instrument, or a group of instruments. When the disk is played, the player provides the user with menu choices--which tracks should be played and mixed together. In this way, the user can create his/her own orchestral mix, perhaps omitting an instrument in a "play along" application, or playing one instrument alone to be mimicked for practice purposes. The disk further includes track definitions in multiple languages so that the same disk can be distributed throughout the world, with menu choices being given in a language selected by the user.

Abstract: An optical disk format for representing several synchronized signals, e.g., multiple versions of motion pictures and multiple soundtracks. All signals are represented digitally, and the bits are arranged in data blocks. Each data block may contain a variable number of bits for each signal, ranging from none to many (relative to the other signals). This allows each signal to be represented by a variable rate bit stream, without one signal necessarily constraining another as far as bit representation is concerned. Multiple buffers are provided to insure that there are a sufficient number of bits available for each signal as required for immediate needs. When any buffer is full, reading of the data blocks stops temporarily so that no bits are lost.