Abstract: A system and method for merging of multiple encoded audio and video streams into a single program in the transport stream enables playback of any audio stream with any video stream. This is accomplished by first locking the frequency of audio and video input streams for a plurality of different programs to a source clock, independently encoding each program with its own PCR and PTS into a program stream, multiplexing the program streams into a transport stream, and then synchronizing the PCR and PTS of the program streams to a declared master PCR.

Abstract: A stream reproducing device performing automatic viewing of a non-viewed period of a stream. The stream reproducing device comprises a camera a person detecting unit detecting the viewer based on the output of the camera, a viewing information generating unit generating viewing information based on the person detecting unit, and a reproduction control unit receiving supply of a stream, to control reproduction of the stream. The person detecting unit detects each of the viewers by classifying based on the output of the camera. The viewing information generating unit generates the viewing information for each of the viewers based on the detection result of each of the viewers. The viewing information generated by the viewing information generating unit is related to a time stamp of the stream to identify a non-viewed period, for which each viewer does not view the reproduced result of the stream.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for displaying a plurality of objects on a display (105). Each object has at least a first attribute and a second attribute. The method sets a range of first attributes to be displayed. A set of objects is then displayed having the same second attribute on a radial line of an ellipse based on a comparison between the range and the first attribute of the objects. Desirably the method is used for displaying information regarding a plurality of broadcast programs on the display, each broadcast program having attributes comprising at least time of transmission and channel of transmission. In that implementation a display period is set. The method then compares the time of broadcast transmission of one or more programs with the display period and then displays (eg. 600) information regarding a set of programs (602, 604, 606) having the same channel of transmission (eg. 12) on at least one radial line of an ellipse, based on the comparison.

Abstract: A VSB communication system comprises a VSB transmission system and a VSB reception system. The VSB transmission system multiplexes a coded MPEG data and a coded supplemental data having a null sequence inserted therein, with required multiplexing information included in a field synchronization signal or in a supplemental data according to a number of the supplemental data packets being transmitted. The VSB reception system detects the required multiplexing information from the field synchronization signal or the supplemental data and decodes the multiplexed data by using the null sequence and the detected multiplexing information, as well as demultiplexes the multiplexed data into the MPEG data and the supplemental data.

Abstract: A content processing device is provided. Media content is selectively provided to the content processing device. A profile is used to determine the media content. A software application is included on the content processing device and is configured to receive a message from a remote computer, receive user inputs in response to the message, and update the profile based on the user inputs.

Abstract: Methods and systems provide customer support services through interactive television sessions via a cable services network. Cable services customers may pay bills or enroll in automatic bill payment via interactive television sessions. Information on pending work orders, answers to frequently asked questions and helpful service provider contact information may be obtained from a data services system through an interactive television session via a cable services network.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is a method for broadcasting information to a client device, which device utilizes presentation rates to present information at various presentation rates, and which method includes: (a) broadcasting information; and (b) broadcasting guidance information used to determine presentation rates for use by the client device in presentation of the information; wherein the guidance information comprises insistence information that specifies a measure of importance of utilizing presentation rate information contained in the guidance information.

Abstract: A method and system for multi-port aggregation in a digital return path CATV system digitizes each of a plurality of return path signals, splits each of the plurality of return path signals into a low band and an upper band (41), combines each of the plurality of low band signals to form a combined low band signal (43), downconverts each of the plurality of upper band signals from an original frequency range into a new downconverted frequency range (45) and time division multiplexes the plurality of downconverted upper band signals with the combined low band signal to form an aggregate data stream (46).

Abstract: System includes unit acquiring video content from video source, unit acquiring text data corresponding to video content from text data source, unit extracting topics from video content based on text data, unit dividing video content into video content segments for each of topics, unit generating one of first thumbnail image, first keyword and first key sentence, unit storing cue words corresponding to video portions, unit comparing text data with cue words to specify first video portion of video portions, first video portion corresponding to first cue word of cue words, unit concealing portion of one of second thumbnail image, second keyword and second key sentence and correspond to specified video portion and generate concealed portion, unit providing, after concealing one portion, combination of each of video content segments and one of second thumbnail image, second keyword and second key sentence, to provide combinations, and unit selecting one of combinations manually.

Abstract: A method and system for detecting automatic ad detection is presented in which video streams are modified such that features cannot be automatically recognized or statistical parameters and fingerprints derived from the video stream cannot be matched against fingerprints of known video segments in a database.

Abstract: Strategies are described for coalescing the processing tasks associated with a series of control events that occur relatively close together in time. The coalescing can involve eliminating redundant tasks by more directly advancing to a terminal control state. One exemplary application of the control coalescing is in the playback of media content information in a networked environment. When a user enters a series of commands to repeatedly change the channel, or repeatedly seek new positions within a single stream, the control coalescing comes into play by aggregating these control events so that it requires fewer control processing tasks to perform. This provision helps reduce the latency associated with handling multiple control events that occur close together in time.

Abstract: In a cable network providing, among others, interactive video services, data cells carrying real-time data concerning, e.g., trick mode commands (pause, rewind and fast-forward) initiated by a user are instantly transmitted to a headend facility for immediate processing. The invention is premised upon a recognition that such real-time data typically does not fully utilize the transport capacity of the data cells. In accordance with the invention, non-real-time (NRT) data to be transmitted to the headend facility, although accorded a lower priority than the real-time data, is inserted into those underutilized data cells before their transmission, thereby fully exploiting the transport capacity of the data cells.

Abstract: A display apparatus has a display unit which displays a list of information on a first program content stored in a storage unit and information on a second program content to be broadcast. In a case in which the first and second program contents are program contents of the same title broadcast in series and the second program content is broadcast after the first program content, when the necessary playback time of at least part of the first program content that has not been played back is longer than the time interval between the current time point and the broadcast start time point of the second program content, the information on the first program content is excluded from the list display.

Abstract: Disclosed is a television broadcast receiver including: a reception member to receive a television broadcast signal with added time information; an acquirement member to acquire broadcast program information; program information storage member to store the broadcast program information; a time information storage member to store the time information; judgment member to judge whether a time period from interception of a power supply to re-activation is longer than a predetermined time or not, based on time information stored just before the interception and time information received just after the re-activation, the judgment being performed when the power supply of the television broadcast receiver is activated; and acquirement control member to make the acquirement member acquire new broadcast program information when the judgment member judges that the time period is longer than the predetermined time.

Abstract: A program recommendation apparatus that recommends a program to a user that is in accordance with the user's preference, by taking into account the importance of keywords used in classifying programs' contents into correct categories. The program recommendation apparatus has a category dictionary containing words as keywords, where each of the keywords is stored in association with contribution factors assigned with respect to categories respectively, searches program information of each program in an EPG for the keywords contained in the category dictionary, for any found keywords, obtains category summations of contribution factors of the found keywords for each of the categories, calculates category evaluation values of the program according to the category summations of the contribution factors, and recommends one or more programs to the user according to a degree of similarity between the category evaluation values of the programs and user preference factors.

Abstract: The present invention provides a service system of a thumbnail image and transmitting/receiving method thereof, by which a thumbnail image service of high quality of service and various application services can be provided to a user and by which a broadcasting station or thumbnail image service provider produces to transmit the thumbnail image to reduce a price of a broadcast receiver. The present invention includes a transmitting unit generating at least one thumbnail image for a specific program to transfer on a transport channel and a receiving unit demodulating the transferred at least one thumbnail image to display or store.

Abstract: A method and system of analyzing the perceived quality of streaming media that includes transmitting at least one data packet from a stream sender to a stream receiver via a network connection; analyzing the data packets at the stream receiver, where the stream receiver determines whether there are data packets missing from the stream sender's data packets; requesting retransmission of specific data packets missing from the stream receiver; and retransmitting at least one specific data packet missing from the stream sender to the stream receiver.

Abstract: A method for user assisted association between a television and a telephony device is provided. A set-top box requests an identification code from a server. The server identifies the set-top box, generates the code and transmits it to the set-top box. The set-top box displays the code and a user transmits the code back to the server via a telephony device. The server identifies the telephony device, and using the code, associates between the set-top box and the telephony device.

Abstract: Graphic images that overlay a transmitted video signal are provided in the form of bitmaps that allow any character or font size to be displayed. A color-look-up-table (CLUT) at a receiver is defined that maps “m” inputs to a combination of color and luminance values for display. One or more map tables are provided that allow pixel colors to be encoded using fewer than “m” bits, the map tables providing an “m” bit output for accessing the CLUT. The provider of the graphic images can also specify a required minimum number of CLUT colors for rendering the images; if this minimum is greater than “m”, the image is not rendered. The use of map tables provides compatibility between a variety of encoding techniques and a variety of rendering devices, without requiring different CLUTs to be transmitted for each different color encoding format.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is disclosed by which contents can be provided in accordance with the preference of a user. A selection control section of a contents providing apparatus selects sub contents conforming to a preference of a user from within a contents server based on static preference information of the user stored in a preference information storage section. A QoS controller adjusts the sub contents based on meta information included in the sub contents and transmits the adjusted sub contents to a user terminal apparatus through a sender section. The user terminal apparatus reproduces the sub contents and extracts and transmits dynamic preference information of the user for the reproduced sub contents to the contents providing apparatus. The QoS controller adjusts next sub contents based on the dynamic preference information and meta information included in the next sub contents. The invention can be applied to a system which provides contents.