Abstract: Disclosed is a system for generating a graphics window that is capable of emulating enhanced video from a combined video and interactive content stream. The set-top emulator can randomly access the combined video and interactive content stream to provide an easy manner of randomly accessing portions of the combined video and interactive stream for quality control purposes. Random access allows selective viewing of the enhanced video which saves time. Additionally, the combined video and interactive content stream can be simultaneously viewed as it is being produced to allow immediate feedback to an interactive television producer.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for preventing a user from bypassing a viewer blocking system using program related information, such as content ratings, included in a program signal. The present invention prevents the user from exploiting the time delay associated with detecting, decoding and comparing the program related information by switching channels to observe portions of objectionable programs before the blocking system can react. The present system comprises a processor (110) which controls the output of a selected program signal (VIDEO, VIDEO IN, AUDIO IN) in response to a determination of whether an associated program related information meets a user selected blocking criteria. The processor blocks display of a program signal when a predetermined sequence of signal channel selections is detected and then continues to block the display of the program signal at least until the determination is performed.

Abstract: An inverting adapter is disclosed that inverts inverted DVB-ASI signals to produce an adapted DVB-ASI signal. This adapted DVB-ASI signal may be used by any DVB-ASI device. The inverting adapter can be contained in one small package and easily connected to any of the various amplification devices that produce inverted DVB-ASI signals. Alternatively, the inverting adapter of the present invention may be integrally formed with an amplification device to automatically provide the adapted DVB-ASI signal.

Abstract: In a television programming management system, contributors access television programming functionality of legacy systems using a web-based interface provided by a network operations center. The network operations center is a best-of-breed J2EE-based implementation that provides a middleware interface to legacy systems. Using the interface provided by the network operations center, contributors can access any functionality required to create and distribute television programming. The present invention provides security features though a classifier. Use of playlists allows synchronization of created objects. Television programming can be performed by users and contributors.

Abstract: A low power circuit for providing power and control signals to a low noise block converter of a satellite receiver over a single coaxial cable includes a tracking switch-mode power supply. The power and control signals have a DC voltage level selected from a plurality of DC voltage levels and are modulated by an analog AC tone signal. The switch-mode power supply provides a regulated output voltage which tracks the selected DC voltage level. The regulated output voltage provides the input voltage to an adjustable linear amplifier which generates an output voltage having the selected DC voltage level modulated by the analog AC tone signal.

Abstract: Internet access is provided over a digital cable television system using Internet protocol (IP) over MPEG digital video. Simultaneous Internet access and TV viewing is provided by an IP over MPEG-2 video system with channel tracking. Whenever a video channel change is detected, the viewer's Internet connection is routed from one video channel to another video channel so that the Internet connection is dynamically routed and tracks the channel changes made by the viewer. Additionally, if there is no available data carrying capacity in the video channel selected by the viewer (a “busy” condition), the Internet connection is routed to an out-of-band frequency. The Internet connection tracks the channel changes made by the viewer using a single tuner/digital MPEG decoder in the CATV settop box.

Abstract: An interactive system for obtaining data for diagnostic purposes from a server having access to stores of said data wherein the server supplies the data and software to a data requesting user that enables the user to receive the data progressively so as to decide during the receipt of the data what portions of the data are to be received thereby decreasing the time required to receive the data and that enables the user to load the software to process the supplied data.

Abstract: A system is provided to distribute electronic information contents D0 containing advertisement to a user, and process advertisement information D2 at the user side. This system comprises an information distribution apparatus 19 for distributing advertisement information D2 to the user; and a plurality of information processing apparatuses 8 for receiving and storing the electronic information contents D0 distributed from the information distribution apparatus 19, reading out the electronic information contents D0 according to the user operation, and processing the electronic information contents D2, thereby outputting the advertisement video image and its audio. With this configuration, after receipt of advertisement information, the user can see and hear an advertisement video image or audio freely processed with respect to an advertisement by the information processing apparatuses 8 in unreal time (asynchronously) like playing a game.

Abstract: A method for displaying an electronic program guide (EPG) to a viewer. The method includes displaying one or more data slices representative of broadcast programming to a viewer. In response to input from the viewer, the displayed number of data slices is increased, for example, from one slice to two slices. In browser mode the viewer can scroll through multiple EPG data slices without selecting to view full mode EPG, while in full mode the EPG can expand from a single column of data slices to multiple columns of data slices based upon viewer selections. The EPGs of the present invention can display programming that a viewer is more likely to watch at a particular time than other programming. A data slice representing the predicted programming can be inserted into the EPG so that the viewer can identify programming that is likely to be of interest.

Abstract: The invention relates to a receiving station for satellite television signals. The inventive system comprises an external unit, satellite receivers and television units for receiving both satellite signals and VHF/UHF signals under control of a common channel selection unit and a control module assigned to each television receiver. The control module is provided for generating control signals for the satellite receiver, so that satellite image signals can be received when selecting certain channels that would otherwise be available for VHF and UHF reception.

Abstract: A digital broadcast system includes a receiving device, one or more communication devices, and a broadcast station device. The receiving device includes a receiver for receiving a digitally broadcast program; a presentor for presenting the program received by the receiver to a viewer; and means for sending program ID information that specifies either the presented program or a program related to the presented program. Each of the communication devices receives the sent program ID information and sends communication device ID information to the broadcast station device together with the received program ID information. The broadcast station device receives the program ID information and the device ID information, and sends viewer targeted program specific service information to each of the communication devices identified by the received device ID information.

Abstract: A viewer can initiate and then defer a transaction conducted via an interactive television system. The transaction can involve obtaining information or ordering goods or services available from a network, such as the Internet, that is accessible via the interactive television system. As an example, while the viewer is watching a television commercial, the viewer can begin a transaction to order a product advertised in the commercial. If for some reason the viewer does not complete the transaction by the time the commercial has finished broadcasting, the viewer can complete the transaction at a later time. A user input device is useable to initiate the transaction, to store information related to the transaction, and then to use the stored information to complete the transaction if the transaction has been previously deferred.

Abstract: A method and system for the automatic identification of audio, video, multimedia, and/or data recordings based on immutable characteristics of these works. The invention does not require the insertion of identifying codes or signals into the recording. This allows the system to be used to identify existing recordings that have not been through a coding process at the time that they were generated. Instead, each work to be recognized is “played” into the system where it is subjected to an automatic signal analysis process that locates salient features and computes a statistical representation of these properties. These features are then stored as patterns for later recognition of live input signal streams. A different set of features is derived for each audio or video work to be identified and stored. During real-time monitoring of a signal stream, a similar automatic signal analysis process is carried out, and many features are computed for comparison with the patterns stored in a large feature database.

Abstract: A system and method for adapting program guides to meet subscriber criteria, and for providing program guide information to selected subscribers based upon subscriber criteria such as the subscriber's location within a market area is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method is applied to a system broadcasting a first signal having service channels, each of which service channels is uniquely described by a service channel identifier. The application of the method provides second program guide information describing a second set of programs only to a subset of the plurality of receiver stations that comply with at least one service criteria.

Abstract: The invention provides an image processing apparatus and method by which a network can be used efficiently and playback and so forth with a favorable responsibility can be achieved. If a user operates an operation panel to input an instruction for normal playback, then a control circuit of a digital television monitor determines a frame to be played back at present as a noticed frame and requests the hard disk recorder for image data of successive 15 frames forwardly and backwardly adjacent the noticed frame and image data at positions of time intervals of 0.5 seconds within a range of 2 minutes forwardly and backwardly of the noticed frame through an IEEE 1394 cable. Then, when image data of the object of the request are received from the hard disk recorder, the control circuit stores the image data into a buffer which can store image data for several hours. The image data stored in the buffer are read out when necessary and displayed on a display unit.

Abstract: A scalable fault tolerant cable headend switching system using modular switching or multiplexing devices. A radio frequency switch connects a series of adjacent cable headend element to a series of output cables. At least one spare cable headend element is connected along with the series. Each cable headend element is configured to be readily swapped with adjacent elements. Output cables are cascaded away from a faulty element toward a spare element when a fault is detected.

Abstract: A system and method for allowing an end-user to interact with a system in order to execute an application. Multiple application packets are broadcast to a plurality of end-users, such that the upstream transmission of data from end-users is greatly reduced. Each end-ser further receives media packets, whereas visual objects relating to the application can be displayed on an end-user display unit with visual objects originating from the media packets.

Abstract: The program-for-cache determining unit 107 counts the number of contents (a corresponding contents number) that are to use reproduction programs, for each reproduction program transmitted over each channel during the current service period and onward up to the last service period shown in the broadcast information, and determines a reproduction program that has the highest corresponding contents number, as the one to be cached. The program-for-cache determining unit 107 also determines the service period and channel during and over which the determined reproduction program is to be cached. The cache unit 108 instructs the demultiplexing/decoding unit 104 to demultiplex and decode the reproduction program corresponding to the determined channel and store it in the reproduction program storage unit 109.

Abstract: A tool usable in an interactive television environment comprises a module having code to analyze a dynamic text string and to determine where to split or truncate the text string, at spaces, for each row and/or into substrings for each page. The module takes onto account the pixel width of the characters in the text string and the available rows of the display area of the television to write the text string. The module can truncate the text string after a particular number of lines at a space and append an ellipsis, or the module can dynamically write code to accommodate the entire text string in a “page flipper,” where the user sees substrings of the text string on each page (broken at a space at the end of each page) and can “page” forward or backward through the entire text string.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for preprocessing and preprocessing content in an interactive information distribution system. Content is retrieved from a storage medium and encapsulated in accordance to an Internet Protocol (IP) format. The encapsulated content is then uploaded for storage in a stream caching server and for future streaming of content to different types of access networks.