Abstract: A content distribution system comprising a server platform and a client platform. The server platform includes a memory unit to store digital content and access control logic to activate content protection mechanisms that provide multiple levels of access protection to the digital content. In communication with the server platform, the client platform plays back segments of the digital content at one of a plurality of quality levels.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for creating a linearized data structure for ordering a set of images based on their attributes. The system and method includes characterizing each of a set of images based on the attributes of the images, mapping the set of images onto a curve based on the attributes of the images, and generating an ordered arrangement of the images by traversing the curve. The ordered set of images may be used for displaying the images for efficient viewing and browsing.

Abstract: A method of displaying images is based on both a first linearization and a second linearization. In one embodiment, the linearizations are performed by traversing two space-filling curves. In another embodiment, the linearizations are performed by traversing a cluster data structure. More than two linearizations may be displayed.

Abstract: A video stream may include portions that are stored while other portions are being displayed. In one embodiment, a portion of the video stream may be stored in digital storage media at one instance while in the next instance another portion of the stream is being read out of the storage media.

Abstract: A method of generating an abstract of video data. In one embodiment, the method comprises extracting timestamps from the video data. The timestamps identify a time when separate sections of the video data were recorded. The method further includes selecting one or more sections of the video data to generate the abstract, with the one or more sections of the video data selected based on the timestamps.

Abstract: In some embodiments, the invention includes a method of processing a video stream. The method involves detecting a request to playback a particular frame. It is determined whether a decoded version of the particular frame is in a decoded frame cache. If it is not, the method includes(i) determining a frame dependency for the particular frame; (ii) determining which of the frames in the frame dependency are in the decoded frame cache; (iii) decoding any frame in the frame dependency that is not in the decoded frame cache and placing it in the decoded frame cache; and (iv) using at least some of the decoded frames in the frame dependency to decode the particular frame to create a decoded version of the particular frame. In some embodiments, the request to playback a particular frame is part of a request to perform frame-by-frame backward playback and the method is performed for successively earlier frames with respect to the particular frame as part of the frame-by-frame backward playback.

Abstract: A video stream may include portions that are stored while other portions are being displayed. In one embodiment, a portion of the video stream may be stored in digital storage media at one instance while in the next instance another portion of the stream is being read out of the storage media.

Abstract: Fragile watermarking for objects is disclosed. In one embodiment of the invention, a system includes an encoder and a decoder. The encoder encodes a watermark into a object, such as a three-dimensional object, in a fragile manner, utilizing a key. The decoder decodes the watermark from the object in which the watermark is encoded in a pubic manner, also utilizing a key. Visualization techniques for detecting alterations using fragile watermarking are also disclosed.

Abstract: This invention describes a high-performance, log-structured implementation of a RAID subsystem that can be efficiently implemented in software. The methods described in this invention are extraordinarily well suited for software-based RAID 5 systems. In one embodiment, the disk storage subsystems receiving a request to write data. Thereafter, the write operation is appended to a first log to identify a storage location of data written to the disk subsystem, wherein the first log consists of a sequence of segments, the segments consist of a sequence of variable length stripes, a length of a stripe varies based on a quantity of disks addressed by a stripe. In response to adding a disk to the disk storage subsystem, increasing a length of the stripes and increasing a number of disks available for striping data. Alternatively, in response to a disk failing within the disk storage subsystem or a disk being removed from the disk storage system, narrowing a length of the stripes.

Abstract: This invention describes a high-performance, log-structured implementation of a RAID subsystem that can be efficiently implemented in software. The methods described here allow the RAID subsystem to achieve high performance without using specialized hardware such as non-volatile memory or hardware XOR/DMA engines. Furthermore, the RAID implementation described here is well suited for supporting many functions required for advanced storage virtualization such as virtual disks, graceful addition and removal of disks, tolerating multi-disk failures, and snapshots.

Abstract: A method for efficiently utilizing write-back caches in disk drives to build inexpensive, high-performance, reliable disk arrays. In particular, we describe a method for preserving the ordering of writes issued to a disk array consisting of disks that support write-back caching, without requiring the frequent flushing of the write-back cache.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for automatically selecting a video output from among several video input sources. In one method, one or more audio sensors are associated with each video input source. Preferably, an audio sensor is positioned to receive audio signals from directions that receive favorable coverage in the field of view of the associated video source. An autoselector calculates audio scores for each of the audio sensors over short (e.g., 0.5 seconds) examination intervals. At each examination interval, the potential exists for a different video source to be selected as the video output. The autoselector selects a video source based on the audio scores for an examination interval, as well as the recent time-history of video source selection. For instance, if a new video source has just been selected, selection of a different source may be disabled for a few seconds. The time-history is also used to increase the probability that source selection varies in a seemingly-natural manner.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of previewing and playing back source video frames is disclosed.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for using a linearized data structure to display a set of ordered images. The images are ordered based on the attributes of the images. The system and method includes displaying a target image and related images on a graphical user interface, where the related images are near the target image in the linearized data structure. The relative sizes of the target image and the related images may reflect the similarity of the related images to the attributes of the target image.

Abstract: A system and method for generating bounded-loss color transformations employed in the compression and decompression of multi-spectral images is provided. The bounded-loss color space transformations provide transformations from a first color space to a second color space and back to the first color space with bounded loss or error. The bounded loss or error allows for the near lossless compression and reconstruction of multi-spectral images transformed from a first color space to a second color space and ultimately back to the first color space.

Abstract: In some embodiments, the invention includes a method of providing content including selecting a set of segments of content from a group of segments to be protected. The segments of the set are protected with protection that can be undone. The group of segments are transmitted. In other embodiments, the invention includes a method of receiving and processing content including receiving a group of segments of content. The set of segments in the group that are protected are identified. The protection is undone. The group of segments is played seamlessly with a media player. Additional embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for multi-rate encoding of video sequences. The input data stream is received at a first bit rate. A domain transformation is performed on the input data and the transformed data is encoded into a series of output data streams each with a different bit rate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for accessing data from a memory. The method includes masking off a portion of a first memory address, and accessing a first unit of data corresponding to the first memory address. In addition, the method includes adding a predetermined offset to the first memory address to generate a second memory address, and accessing a second unit of data corresponding to the second memory address. Thereafter, a section of the first unit of data is shifted off, and a separate section from the second unit of data is shifted off. Next, the first unit of data and the second unit of data are joined.

Abstract: A television companion device (TCD) is a device comprising a communication transceiver capable of receiving a signal from a television set, the signal having one or more types of information split from a broadcast signal received by the television set and an output that presents one or more segments of one or more of the types of information. This device enables the personal viewing of information selected specifically for the individual. This information can be different than and/or unrelated to that displayed on the television. The information displayed on each individual TCD may be video clips or video programs, audio clips or audio programs, data, graphical images, still images, and/or animations. The device may also comprise an input that sends one or more messages through the communication transceiver to the television, thereby allowing the viewer to send requests for information to the television or send messages to other television companion devices.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for creating a scalable storage system for convenient storage and retrieval of content through self-management of content is described. Storage systems can be easily added to a network. Within an individual storage system, a self-managing process monitors the changes in relevant file content and tracks the changes using a local database. All of the changes in the local database are further propagated to a global database to facilitate access and retrieval from any computers in the same network. Users accessing the content only need to focus on the content and do not have to worry about where the content is located. In addition, a sampled representation (or “reduced representation”) is created of the content to enhance the retrieval process.