Abstract: A system and method for controlling the operation of a television using a cable broadcasting network is disclosed. The presence of a viewer in front of the television is sensed, presence information is then transmitted to a cable broadcasting service center via the cable broadcasting network, a control signal is sent to the television adapted to receive same, and regular cable programming is suspended. The present invention allows the cable broadcasting company to provided additional services to the cable subscriber to retain and attract additional customers. These additional services may be tailored to the specific needs of the cable subscriber, thus a higher quality cable service is provided.

Abstract: An end-to-end global distribution system that can produce and deliver live content as well as pre-recorded content and other content, to commercial passenger aircraft via a satellite and ground-based infrastructure. The content can include live television, pre-recorded content, advertisements as well as other content such as software applications, internet material, etc. The delivered content can be tailored based on distribution criteria such as airline, aircraft, origin and destination, flight number, cabin class, and others. Such system can be advertiser-supported and include targeted and distribution specific advertisements. Furthermore, access to the content can be controlled by various conditional access parameters at the server level, to various aircraft zones, and at the passenger level.

Abstract: System for providing CATV subscribers an access to a UMS (Unified Messaging System) and/or VMS (Voice Mail System), wherein each subscriber is provided with a TV set connected to the CATV network directly-or-through a set-top box. The system comprises a connection between subscribers of the CATV network and the UMS and/or VMS and an interface for permitting exchange of information between the subscribers and the UTMS and/or VMS and a client software for the UMS and/or VMS, which when the connection is through the set-top box resides on, or is coupled to, the set-top box. The interface may comprise a UMS and/or VMS handler and a CATV network handler for providing data connection between the UMS and/or VMS and the subscribers. The interface may also comprise a multimedia message management interposed between the UMS and/or VMS handler and the CATV network handler.

Abstract: A translator for converting items of interactive program guide data to data structures that are more universal to handle with popular platforms, operating systems, tools, utilities and other hardware and software processors and resources. The invention uses C++ class objects and structures. The objects and structures are placed into a Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA) “wrapper.” This allows the objects to be handled by platform-independent interfaces so that the system is easily adaptable to different hardware devices and software functionality. Aspects of the invention include the translation from custom IPG formats to CORBA-wrapped C++ objects, the storage of the objects, transmission of the objects among devices, and data entry and error handling of information represented by the objects.