Abstract: A method consistent with certain implementations involves receiving adaptively streamed data representing the A/V content from a source. The stream contains a high resolution representation of a first portion of the content and a lower resolution representation of a second portion; storing the stream of data to an electronic storage device; determining that the stored stream of data includes the lower resolution representation of the second portion of the content; changing the lower resolution representation of the second portion of the content to a high resolution representation of the second portion of the content; and producing a high resolution output stream of data representing the A/V content by combining the high resolution representation from the storage device with the high resolution representation of the second portion of the content. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, a digital device comprises adaptive streaming logic to control a manual setting of play parameters that are used to adjust a display resolution of the incoming content and a data rate at which the streaming content is downloaded to the content interface unit. Hence, very low resolution content or greatly varying resolution which can be annoying to a viewer caused by excessive network congestion can be avoided or mitigated.

Abstract: A method of processing remote control commands at a control device consistent with certain embodiments involves at the control device, receiving commands directed to the control device; at the control device, receiving a command directed to a source device, the source device being operative to provide video content to a display; and at the control device, interpreting the command directed to the source device in order to track a state of operation of the source device. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: A selective encryption encoder consistent with certain embodiments of the invention has vertical and/or horizontal stripes encrypted. In one embodiment, packets are examined in the digital video signal to identify a specified packet type, the specified packet type being both packets carrying intra-coded data representing a pattern of horizontal stripes across an image and packets carrying intra-coded data representing a pattern of vertical stripes across an image. The packets identified as being of the specified packet type are encrypted using a first encryption method to produce first encrypted packets. These first encrypted packets are then used to replace the unencrypted packets in the digital video signal to produce a partially encrypted video signal. The packets of the specified type can also be multiple encrypted and replaced in the data stream to produce a multiple encrypted video data stream.

Abstract: A television set-top box has a receiver receiving a digital television signal comprising: a plurality of unencrypted packets and a plurality of encrypted packets, where the encrypted packets carry data describing an active region of a video frame. A decrypter decrypts the encrypted packets. A decoder decrypted packets to produce a signal suitable for play on a television set. This abstract is not to be considered limiting since other embodiments can include more, fewer or different features than those described in this abstract.

Abstract: A partial multiple encryption device consistent with certain embodiments has an input adapted to receive a unencrypted video signal. An encryption arrangement produces a partially multiple encrypted video signal from the unencrypted video signal. An output is adapted to provide the partially multiple encrypted video signal. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: A method of processing remote control commands at a control device consistent with certain embodiments involves at the control device, receiving commands directed to the control device; at the control device, receiving a command directed to a source device, the source device being operative to provide video content to a display; and at the control device, interpreting the command directed to the source device in order to track a state of operation of the source device. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: A method of obtaining metadata associated with an element of television programming involves instructing an access device to generate and communicate a signal to a control device suitable for driving a display, wherein the signal contains metadata suitable for rendering on a display device in a visual representation; receiving the signal and storing a representation of the video frame; processing the video frame using OCR to extract enough information to identify an element of television programming content from the video frame; processing the video frame to extract sufficient information to identify an element of television programming content from the video frame; and retrieving metadata associated with the identified element of television programming content from a television programming content source of metadata. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, the descrambler IC comprises a local memory to store a unique key and a plurality of process blocks. A first process block is adapted to perform cryptographic operations on input information using the unique key to produce a user key. A second process block is adapted to perform cryptographic operations on incoming information using the user key to produce a copy protection key while a third process block uses the unique key to decrypt an encrypted descrambling key and recover the descrambling key. The decryption logic uses the descrambling key to decrypt encrypted incoming digital content and produce digital content in a clear format. The encryption logic uses the copy protection key to re-encrypt the digital content in the clear format and produce encrypted digital content for transmission from the descrambler.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method and system for receiving in a set-top-box a signal including a conditionally accessible content and encoded based on a first audio/video encoding standard (AVES); conditionally accessing the content of the signal in set-top-box based on predetermined access criteria; transmitting the content to a device external to the set-top-box; transcoding the content by the device from the first audio/video encoding standard to a second AVES; and providing the transcoded content to the set-top-box. In another embodiment, an apparatus including a set-top-box including a conditional accessing logic to access the content of a signal; and a set-top-box housing including an opening to allow interfacing between set-top-box and a transcoder system, the transcoder system to receive the content from the set-top-box via the opening, to transcode the content from a first AVES to a second AVES, and to provide the transcoded content to set-top-box via the opening.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for content substitution, consistent with certain embodiments of the present invention involves receiving data representing content, the data having at least first and second packet identifiers (PIDs) associated with first and second portions of content. The content having the first PID is placed into a data stream. An initiation flag is received indicating initiation of a PID mapping operation. The content having the second PID is then mapped to the first PID and the mapped content is placed into the data stream. A termination flag is received indicating termination of the PID mapping operation at which point the process returns to placing content having the first PID into the data stream. The content substitution process can be used to replace advertisements, provide multiple plots, multiple endings, multiple views as well as other applications. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: An automated method of attaching metadata to a segment of content using a programmed processor consistent with certain embodiments involves retrieving metadata relating to the segment of content; rendering the metadata as visually perceptible text in one or more frames of video; appending the one or more frames of video to the video as the first one or more frames of the video to produce metadata enhanced video; and storing or transmitting the metadata enhanced video. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, A nonlinear editing system comprises a video encoder, an audio compressor and an engine unit. The engine unit is adapted to synchronize the video with the first alternate video and to synchronize the audio with the first alternate audio so that, where the scene of the program includes objectionable content, either (i) the video is substituted with the first alternate video, (ii) the audio is substituted with the first alternate audio, or (iii) both the video and the audio are substituted with the first alternate video and the first alternate audio.

Abstract: A partial multiple encryption device consistent with certain embodiments has an input for receiving a unencrypted video signal. An encryption arrangement produces a partially multiple encrypted video signal from the unencrypted video signal. An output provides the partially multiple encrypted video signal. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: A selective encryption decoder for decrypting and decoding a selectively encrypted digital video signal has a demultiplexer that receives packets of digital video, certain of the packets being unencrypted and certain of the packets being encrypted. Certain of the encrypted packets carry data representing an active region of a video frame. The unencrypted packets have a first packet identifier (PID) and the encrypted packets have a second packet identifier (PID). A decrypter receives the encrypted packets having the second PID and decrypts the encrypted packets using a first encryption method to produce decrypted packets. A PID remapper changes at least one of the first and second PIDs so that the unencrypted packets and the decrypted packets have the same PID. A decoder decodes the unencrypted and decrypted packets to produce a decoded video signal. This abstract is not to be considered limiting since other embodiments can include more, fewer or different features than those described in this abstract.

Abstract: A television set-top box has a receiver receiving a digital television signal comprising, a plurality of unencrypted packets; and a plurality of encrypted packets. The encrypted packets are of at least one selected packet type and the at least one selected packet type has at least one of the following: packets containing a video slice header appearing in an active region of a video frame, any packet carrying data describing an active region of a video frame, I Frame packets, packets containing motion vectors in a first P frame following an I Frame, packets having an intra_slice_flag indicator set, packets having an intra_slice indicator set, packets containing an intra_coded macroblock, packets that carry data for a slice containing an intra_coded macroblock, packets containing data from a first macroblock following the video slice header, packets containing video slice headers, packets containing anchor data, and P Frame packets for progressively refreshed video data.

Abstract: A method of carrying out wireless video communication involves at a wireless receiver (WR) device, providing a digital certificate, the digital certificate containing a High-Bandwidth Digital Copy Protection (HDCP) Key Source Vector (KSV), a device identifier for the WR device, and a digital signature cryptographically binding the identifiers; at the WR, responsive to an initiation of a wireless communication session from a wireless transmitter (WT) device, sending the digital certificate to the WT device; the WT receiving the digital certificate and having the identities in the digital certificate checked against a revocation list; and if one of the WR device's identities has been revoked, halting the wireless communication session. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, an apparatus comprises a tuner/demodulation unit, a data storage unit and a data processing unit. The data processing unit is coupled to the tuner/demodulation unit and the data storage unit. The data processing unit is adapted to detect an operation that accelerates playback of an advertisement that is part of incoming digital content received by the tuner/demodulation unit, and in response to detecting the accelerated playback, to retrieve a secondary advertisement from the data storage unit, to display the secondary advertisement and to display an image that allows the user to discern the remaining time for such a display. The secondary advertisement has a playback time greater than a normal playback time of the advertisement.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, an apparatus comprises a data storage unit and a data processing unit. Coupled to the data storage unit, the data processing unit is adapted to the access heuristic information stored in the data storage unit and transmitting a signal that is used to at least partially control selection of broadcast advertisements being downloaded so that the broadcast advertisements are more suited to the subject matter of interest to the user.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, a method of registering, and perhaps substituting broadcast television advertisements for lesser, time intensive advertisements is described. The method comprises (i) receiving digital content including segments of a audiovisual program separated by at least one broadcast advertisement; (ii) detecting an operation that alters playback of the broadcast advertisement; (iii) in response to detecting the alters playback, retrieving a stored advertisement from a local memory storage unit, the stored advertisement being associated with a genre of advertisements selected by a user; and (iv) outputting for display the stored advertisement in lieu of the broadcast advertisement, the stored advertisement having a playback time less than a prescribed amount of a normal playback time of the broadcast advertisement. Other embodiments are described and claimed.