Abstract: Systems and methods for providing compressed video with layered graphics to at least one screen are described herein. An On Screen Display (OSD) system receives a command from a remote set top box coupled to a screen. The command instructs the OSD system to process the input video stream according to various processing functions including layering at least one graphics plane on top of the video stream. The OSD system processes the input video stream to generate an output video stream with the layered graphics planes and outputs, in a compressed format, the output video stream to the screen. The system advantageously provides a central OSD processing unit that can output video with layered graphics in a compressed format to multiple displays.

Abstract: Systems and methods for processing media streams for transport over a network based on network conditions. An integrated circuit comprises a media processing unit coupled to receive feedback from a network processing unit. The media processing unit converts a media stream from a compressed input stream to a compressed output stream such that the compressed output stream has characteristics that are best suited for the network conditions. Network conditions can include, for example, characteristics of the network (e.g., latency or bandwidth) or characteristics of the remote playback devices (e.g., playback resolution). Changes in the network conditions can result in a change in the conversion process.

Abstract: An integrated circuit receives a compressed input stream having a first compression format. A media processing module converts the compressed input stream to an intermediary compression format for processing without fully decompressing the compressed input stream. After processing, a compressed output stream having a second compression format is generated from the intermediary compression format. Processing is dynamically adjusted responsive to changing network conditions. Optionally, the integrated circuit can receive live, raw video, partially encode it into the intermediary compression format, process it with the media process module as well as take the intermediary compression format, decode and output the live, raw video.

Abstract: A method and/or system of transmitting media items using aggregating bandwidths of disparate communication channels between a media source and a media player. By using the combined bandwidth of more than one communication channel, a media item that requires a bandwidth larger than a single communication channel can be transmitted. The media source also converts the media item depending on the available bandwidth of the communication channels. By dynamically changing the formats of the media item, more robust and reliable communication between the media source and the media player can be achieved.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing compressed video with layered graphics to at least one screen are described herein. An On Screen Display (OSD) system receives a command from a remote set top box coupled to a screen. The command instructs the OSD system to process the input video stream according to various processing functions including layering at least one graphics plane on top of the video stream. The OSD system processes the input video stream to generate an output video stream with the layered graphics planes and outputs, in a compressed format, the output video stream to the screen. The system advantageously provides a central OSD processing unit that can output video with layered graphics in a compressed format to multiple displays.

Abstract: Systems and methods for performing a trick mode of video streams transmitted over a network without increasing the amount of data transmitted over the network. A video server transrates a source video stream to a target video stream by removing pictures from the source video stream. The target video stream has a reduced number of pictures compared to the source video stream. Therefore, when the target video stream is played on a display device, the target video stream has a playback speed faster than the playback speed of the source video stream.

Abstract: A method and/or system of transmitting media items using aggregating bandwidths of disparate communication channels between a media source and a media player. By using the combined bandwidth of more than one communication channel, a media item that requires a bandwidth larger than a single communication channel can be transmitted. The media source also converts the media item depending on the available bandwidth of the communication channels. By dynamically changing the formats of the media item, more robust and reliable communication between the media source and the media player can be achieved.

Abstract: Systems and methods for processing media streams for transport over a network based on network conditions. An integrated circuit comprises a media processing unit coupled to receive feedback from a network processing unit. The media processing unit converts a media stream from a compressed input stream to a compressed output stream such that the compressed output stream has characteristics that are best suited for the network conditions. Network conditions can include, for example, characteristics of the network (e.g., latency or bandwidth) or characteristics of the remote playback devices (e.g., playback resolution). Changes in the network conditions can result in a change in the conversion process.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus are disclosed for minimizing the memory required by memory management structures in a multi-threaded operating environment. The shortest necessary lifetime of a memory management structure is determined to allow the memory required to maintain the memory management structure to be reallocated for other uses when the memory management structure is no longer required. A memory management structure comprises a synchronization object for each data segment. A link list of synchronization nodes is also maintained to identify to the read thread a next data segment to be read and comprises a segment ready indicator that also indicates whether a data segment is available for access. If the segment ready indicator indicates to the read thread that the data segment is available for access, the read thread proceeds directly to reading the data segment without accessing the synchronization object.

Abstract: A navigation system for a digital versatile disc system includes multiple synchronized threads, each of which separately performs a single task so that several tasks can be performed concurrently. In one embodiment, a stream parser thread, a navigation thread and a user interface thread are always created when the DVD player begins operation. In addition, a highlight thread may also be created if the DVD data stream contains highlight information. The stream parser thread receives the DVD data stream and extracts navigation commands and DVD content data from the stream. The navigation commands are sent to the navigation thread for processing, but the content data is sent to system decoders for display. The navigation thread operates separately from the stream parser thread and processes the retrieved navigation commands to select portions of the DVD data stream for display.

Abstract: An interactive DVD browser in accordance with the DVD specification for read-only discs is capable of accessing remotely located data over the Internet through a technique which contemplates new navigation commands as well as the embedding of HTML page addresses in navigation commands in place of data stream identifiers currently unused by the DVD specification. A navigation command is supplied to the interactive DVD browser indicating the browser should change data sources. The navigation command includes a network protocol address, in the form of HTML page address, as well as a local address of the user's default Internet browser. A second command specifies a predetermined period of time in which the browser should wait until the Internet browser establishes a hyperlink to the remote source of presentation data specified by the network page address.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed within a DVD player that allows multiple view angles to be displayed on a common display with one view angle designated as a primary view and the remaining view angles being subordinated to the primary view angle. The system and method also provide that any Modifications to the primary view similarly affect the secondary views. Any of the secondary views may be selected at any time to become the primary view whereupon the remaining viewing angles are subordinated and synchronized with the newly selected primary view.

Abstract: The set up information associated with at least some of a DVD disc's titles are stored in a DVD player's local memory. Items are chosen for storage based upon the likelihood that a title will be played. The likelihood that a title will be played is balanced against the availability of local memory for storing this information. Titles are ranked according to the likelihood they might be played and titles of lower rank may be purged from the local memory, or title cache, set aside for this task. Six basic criteria are used to rank a title as extremely likely, highly likely, likely, or not likely to be played. A title ranked extremely likely to be played has top caching priority, one that is highly likely to be played has the second highest caching priority, and so on. Each time a title's set up information is read, the title is ranked for caching. Additionally, the state of the title cache is stored every time a user plays a DVD.

Abstract: A DVD playback system in accordance with the principles of the present invention provides a method and apparatus in which a pointing device, such as a mouse, a joystick, or a stylus may activate "non-user" buttons while conforming to the DVD specification. The DVD playback system responds to the tentative selection of a non-user button, i.e., a target button by determining whether the target button would be a connectable destination, if any directional button were activated while the current button is selected. If the target button is accessible to the currently selected button via directional commands, the playback system determines whether there is a connectivity path between the currently selected button and the target button through one or more intermediate buttons. If such a path exists, the playback system selects each intermediate button until the target button is reached, at which point the target button is selected.

Abstract: The set up information associated with at least some of a DVD disc's titles are stored in a DVD player's local memory. Items are chosen for storage based upon the likelihood that a title will be played. The likelihood that a title will be played is balanced against the availability of local memory for storing this information. Titles are ranked according to the likelihood they might be played and titles of lower rank may be purged from the local memory, or title cache, set aside for this task. Six basic criteria are used to rank a title as extremely likely, highly likely, likely, or not likely to be played. A title ranked extremely likely to be played has top caching priority, one that is highly likely to be played has the second highest caching priority, and so on. Each time a title's set up information is read, the title is ranked for caching. Additionally, the state of the title cache is stored every time a user plays a DVD.

Abstract: A DVD system includes a graphic user interface which is constructed during information playback from commands and attributes extracted from the DVD data stream. The extracted commands are presented to an intelligent DVD browser engine which gathers information about the shape and location of a user menu from the navigation data in the DVD data stream and other sources. The browser engine operates with a database containing sets of predefined images which depict controls, buttons and other graphic images that form part of the user menu. The browser engine uses the command information to construct a query in the database. The query is applied to the database to extract a set of images which form the complete user menu. The extracted images are then used to display the menu on a visual display along with the multimedia information. The images are updated as new commands and attributes are received.