Abstract: A method for providing adaptive video compression includes encoding a video stream in a first compressed format, storing the video stream in a storage device, retrieving the video stream from the storage device, decoding the video stream, encoding the video stream in a second compressed format, and storing the video stream in the storage device. Systems and other methods for providing adaptive video compression are also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for generating viewing recommendations in a television viewing personalization system, including parsing, in accordance with a set of stored processing rules, a stream of command signals generated by a remote control unit in response to control sequences entered into the control unit by a viewer, to generate information representative of the viewer's viewing behavior; and determining, from the generated information, at least one viewing recommendation.

Abstract: A method for providing adaptive video compression includes encoding a video stream in a first compressed format, storing the video stream in a storage device, retrieving the video stream from the storage device, decoding the video stream, encoding the video stream in a second compressed format, and storing the video stream in the storage device. Systems and other methods for providing adaptive video compression are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for displaying the viewing time and TV ratings based on a viewer grade, wherein information on the TV ratings and viewing time is indicated using lamps provided in the external case of the display apparatus. The display apparatus includes an information-analysis unit that analyzes the viewer grade based on user information inputted by a user of the display apparatus and TV ratings by extracting program information from signals broadcasted by a broadcasting station, a ratings-comparison unit that compares the viewer grade with the TV ratings, and a lamp-control unit that lights lamps according to the comparison result.

Abstract: A multimedia streaming service system is provided that includes a VOD server to sequentially transmit a header (moov) and media data (mdat) of MP4 contents in a TCP packet and a client to transmit a streaming service request signal in HTTP to the VOD server. The client may accumulate the media data (mdat) received from the VOD server in a decoder buffer for a predetermined time, and reproduce the data on a real time basis. A guaranteed rate of QoS may be enhanced as compared to an RTP/UDP-based streaming method. A service delay time may be reduced as compared with a TCP-based downloading method, thereby implementing contents on a real time basis.

Abstract: A device and a method of updating a function in a digital broadcasting signal receiver. The device includes a storage section storing data for executing various functions provided to a digital broadcasting receiving section; a program specific information/service information (PSI/SI) extraction section extracting PSI/SI from a received digital broadcasting signal; and a function realization section identifying a supported function from the digital broadcasting signal according to the PSI/SI and searching the data for executing the identified function from the storage section so that the identified function can be executed in the digital broadcasting receiving section.

Abstract: A television apparatus having digital serial bus ports allows a user to select a user-designated digital video content source input such as a digital tuner of the television apparatus and digital serial bus compliant components connected to the television apparatus via the digital serial bus ports of the television apparatus, and to cause digital content from the user-designated digital content source device to be recorded onto a digital recording device connected to the television apparatus via the digital serial bus ports. The present invention allows a user to continuously record digital content onto a digital recording device (e.g. an AVHDD), whether from the TV's digital tuner or from another digital serial bus compliant device in a peer to peer arrangement. The connection is always recording, but allows the user to select or designate a digital (i.e. MPEG2) source (i.e. the TV tuner or another digital serial bus compliant device), in addition to displaying the selected content.

Abstract: Upon reproducing a TV program, it is a common practice to display video data sent from a broadcast station as it is, and the display pattern (layout) is not effectively changed (e.g., an object in video data is erased, or the object size is changed). A program ID from additional data contained in received TV information is detected, and when layout setting data corresponding to the detected program ID is stored in a memory, the corresponding layout setting data is read out from the memory to display program video data in the set layout. When a new layout is set, the user selects an object for which a layout is to be adjusted from objects that form image data in TV information, and adjusts movement, upscaling/downscaling, display ON/OFF of the selected object.

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: 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: 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: 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: 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.

Abstract: A data carousel contains multiple data files having a particular arrangement. These files are cyclically broadcast to a number of receivers of the data files. A procedure modifies the arrangement of data files based on information obtained from receivers of the data files.

Abstract: When an operation of starting a time shift recording is input, start a recording of a channel in viewing when the channel is set as a favorite channel. When the channel is not set as the favorite channel, recording is not started and waits for the channel to be switched again or for an input of a stop operation of the time shift recording. When a viewer performs a channel switching operation, it is checked whether or not the switched channel is set as the favorite channel. When the channel switching operation is not performed and the stopping of the time shift recording is not performed, the recording on a hard disk is subsequently made. When the stopping of the time shift recording is performed, the recording is stopped.