Abstract: A video presentation system receives a plurality of series of digital data segments (e.g., image frames) that are cyclically transmitted, wherein certain of the digital data segments manifest a higher priority and are present in the form of plural, time-spaced copies during a series of the digital data segments. The system includes an interface for receiving the repetitively transmitted series of digital data segments and a switch for selecting at least one of the received series of digital data segments. A display presents an image that is constructed from a digital data segment that is selected by a user. By providing plural copies of higher priority digital data segments in each series, a reduction in image access time results when the user selects one of the higher priority digital data segments. A set-top box which serves as the receiver can also be provided with sufficient memory to buffer a certain number of the higher priority digital data segments.

Abstract: An image data transmission system for displaying image data comprises a video pump unit for forwarding image data to a client unit, which comprises data loss detection unit for detecting a loss of image data transmitted from said video pump unit and resend request generating means for generating a resend request to request of the video pump unit a resend of the lost image data. The video pump unit comprises a buffer for storing forwarded image data and resends the lost image data to the client unit in response to the resend request after reading image data from the buffer.

Abstract: A process for selecting events, especially television programs and device and graphical interface implementing this process, including a transmission of service information. According to this process, at least two one-dimensional parallel lists of items are displayed, the first list of items (3) containing events, the second one-dimensional list of items (2) containing at least one function for filtering events and/or at least one function capable of acting on said events. The process furthermore includes the step of picking out selected items, a single item being selected from each list, another item being selectable from a list simply by placing a single cursor over said other item, a selected item remaining selected when said cursor is moved off the list containing this selected item.

Abstract: Since the corner detection means (7, 9) to detect each position of the blue board area from video signal, the conversion address generation means (11) to generate the conversion address based on the position information detected and the position information showing each corner position of the image area of video signal to be inserted and the image conversion means (16) to form conversion source video signal based on the conversion address are provided and the source video signal is to be inserted to the video signal, the operator's operation adjustment as the conventional device becomes unnecessary when inserting the source video signal into the prescribed frame of the video signal, and the operation of the operator can be further decreased. Thus, a video signal processing device capable of further decreasing the operator's operation can be realized.

Abstract: An audio-video broadcast apparatus has non-volatile data storage that contains a file which includes at least one of audio and video data. In addition, the audio-video broadcast apparatus has an audio-video server coupled to the non-volatile data storage. The audio-video server broadcasts contents of the file and causes the non-volatile storage to delete a portion of the file from the non-volatile storage prior to the audio-video server broadcasting all of the contents of the file. In this manner, the amount of required non-volatile storage may be greatly reduced.

Abstract: A color correction device, for strengthening or weakening a specific color according to the selection of a user, is provided. In a color correction device, the area of an input color signal is determined according to chrominance axes, coefficients of a corresponding coordinate of the chrominance axes are read from a storage memory, and a matrix operation is performed on the input color signal before it is output. An index table divides the area defined by chrominance axes on the basis of r, g, and b signals. A storage memory contains coefficients corresponding to the respective coordinate positions for correcting the color signal to represent colors similarly to the original color of the subject. A specific color may be strengthened or weakened based on the selection of a user, due to the addition of a second storage memory which contains, coefficient tables for designating areas according to the chrominance axes corresponding to a color to be strengthened or weakened.

Abstract: Web browser software implemented in a set-top box as part of a client system communicating over the Internet with one or more servers allows a user to adjust the picture quality of a monitor through World-Wide Web pages displayed on the monitor. The web browser software provides picture adjustment screens which contain instructions on how to adjust the monitor controls to optimize the picture quality. The picture adjustment screens also contain test patterns which provide reference and visual feedback of the monitor adjustment. The user adjusts the picture quality of the monitor using the monitor display controls and the test patterns provided on the picture adjustment screens. Picture adjustment screens are provided for display characteristics such as picture brightness, contrast, sharpness, color, and hue.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a method and apparatus for television program selection that monitors the viewing preferences of a viewer to create a dynamic viewer profile that is used to rate available programs. Based on the viewer profile, available programs are sorted and presented to the viewer in descending order of predicted interest. The invention allows a viewer to quickly find the program of greatest interest to the viewer without having to tediously search through large numbers of available programs. The invention may also be used for selecting from among a plurality of programs other than television programs, such as, for example, radio programs or audio or video programs stored on digital storage media such as CD's and DVD's.

Abstract: A signal transmitting-receiving system which has a signal transmitting side system constructed by signal transmitter T1, voice processor T2 and signal receiver T3 and also has a signal receiving side system constructed by signal receiver R1, synthesis circuit R4, signal transmitter R5 and delay circuit R3. The signal transmitting-receiving system is constructed such that no processing for making a video signal coincide with a voice used in communication using voices in position on a time axis is performed.

Abstract: In an SIF signal processing circuit, an SIF signal, which is an FM signal having a carrier frequency equal to a frequency difference between a video IF carrier and a sound IF carrier, is first converted to a lower carrier frequency common to SIF signals of any broadcasting system, and is then demodulated. The SIF processing circuit is provided with a PLL circuit for converting an SIF signal down to a lower frequency, so that an output from the PLL circuit is mixed with the SIF signal. The output of the PLL circuit is varied in accordance with a broadcasting system. A plurality of frequencies can be easily obtained from the PLL circuit simply by controlling a frequency division factor of its frequency divider. Thus, resonators can be dispensed with except for one for generating a reference oscillation signal.

Abstract: A bidirectional signal distributing system which can use a sweet sleep system at home without exerting a burden on a subscriber so as to purchase the sweet sleep system. Luminance change frequency data and/or audio change frequency data suitable to shift to a sweet sleep state of the subscriber has been stored in a head end apparatus in the bidirectional signal distributing system. When the subscriber requests a sweet sleep function, the luminance change frequency data and/or audio change frequency data according to the subscriber provided on the head end side is read out, a predetermined video signal and/or audio signal is modulated, and the modulated signal is transmitted to the subscriber apparatus.

Abstract: A hand-held TV/computer remote infrared control device has an elongated rectangular housing with a front longitudinal portion and a considerably shorter rear end portion which is downwardly and rearwardly inclined relative to the front portion and has a generally bulbous underside section which may be grasped from below by a control hand of a user, with the elongated front portion extending forwardly beyond the control hand. The device is stabilized against forward tipping in the user's hand by positioning somewhat more than half of the operating weight of the device in its rear end portion. Various control buttons are disposed on the top side of the front portion, and the downward tilt of the grasped rear end portion causes the front end portion to tip upwardly to make the control buttons easier to see by the user.

Abstract: A television channel selection monitoring apparatus for identifying the broadcast channel to which a television receiver means is tuned at any given time is disclosed. Instead of relying for the channel identification on the local oscillation frequency at the tuner of such television receiver means, the apparatus of the present invention utilizes the recognition of the channel identification number superimposed on the video signal received through the selected channel so that the image of the superimposed channel number may appear, for a certain duration following the channel selection, at a predetermined area of the image corresponding to the video signal.

Abstract: The circuit for the digital filtering of IF intermediate frequency video signals comprises an A/D (analog/digital) converter and a Nyquist filter (N); an analog prefilter, suitable for selecting the desired channel, is placed upstream of the A/D converter. The Nyquist filter (N) is a digital filter placed downstream of the A/D converter, composed of two IIR filters (15, 16) placed in cascade, one (16) of these IIR filters being produced in non-causal form with spectrum conjugate to the other IIR filter (15) produced in causal form, and of an FIR filter (17) in series, for correcting the IIR filters.

Abstract: A satellite broadcasting receiving tuner having a band-pass filter capable of adequately attenuating and removing disturbing wave components having frequencies in the vicinity of 480 MHz and capable of being easily tuned to the high-end frequency. The tuner has at least the band-pass filter for transmitting a down-converted received satellite broadcasting signal and a frequency converter section for converting the received satellite broadcasting signal transmitted through the band-pass filter into a signal having an intermediate frequency.

Abstract: A current pixel of a video image is adaptively filtered to provide stronger filtering when there is a high likelihood that noise is present. Weaker filtering is provided when the presence of a color and/or brightness edge is likely in the video image. Each pixel has luminance and chrominance amplitude values. In a filtering method, a current pixel is intermediate to first and second pixels in the video frame. Difference signals are determined based on the amplitude difference between the current pixel and first and second adjacent pixels. A plurality of available filters provide successively stronger filtering of the current pixel amplitude. One of the filters is selected for filtering the current pixel according to the difference signals. Secondary difference signals which indicate the amplitude difference between the current pixel and pixels which are adjacent to the first and second pixels are also considered in the selection process.

Abstract: A system, such as for example, a video server in a multimedia system, delivers data to a number of users, each of which may have a variable consumption rate. The system reads data blocks from the storage medium in successive sweeps and places the data in user buffers. The system in accordance with the invention reads, for a given user, one block of data from the storage medium no more than every other sweep, so that the duration of a sweep is shorter. Thus, whether a user needs data is checked more frequently and fewer data need be stored in the buffer of the user. As a result, the size of the buffer may be smaller.

Abstract: A method of tuning channels for television and community antenna television (CATV) devices includes the step of receiving a radio frequency input (RFI) signal having at least one carrier signal at frequency f.sub.s associated with a selected broadcast channel. The RFI signal is up-converted by m to a first intermediate frequency wherein the carrier signal is located at f.sub.s +m. The first intermediate frequency is filtered. The filtered first intermediate frequency is down-converted by n to a second intermediate frequency wherein the second intermediate frequency includes the carrier signal at f.sub.s +m-n. Additional methods for improving the reception of the selected channel include the step of varying m and n in order to avoid frequency-dependent anomalies within the pass band of the filter. For digital communications, m and n are varied in accordance with an error rate of the digital communications in order to reduce the error rate of the digital communications.

Abstract: An image encoder and subcarrier signal generator. The present invention uses a system clock signal to generate a first subcarrier signal and a second subcarrier signal with a phase-delay of 90.degree. behind the first subcarrier signal.

Abstract: A server and method allocates access to a digital video movie to clients for viewing upon demand. The server receives requests to view the movie and in response, compares a number of requests to concurrently view the movie to a threshold. If the number is less than the threshold, the server allocates access for a current request to an existing copy of the movie stored on one or more disks, using bandwidth previously reserved from the one or more disks for the movie. However, if the number exceeds the threshold, the server automatically reserves additional bandwidth for future viewers if available from the one or more disks for the movie. But, if the number exceeds the threshold but such additional bandwidth is not available, the server makes another copy of the movie on another disk provided the copy can be made before the most advanced viewer completes its viewing.