Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods relate to automatically load matching, in time, energy physically generated and transmitted to a consumption location across at least one tracking and processing infrastructure. In an illustrative example, a load pool (LP) may be created based on energy consumed at a physical location at one or more selected time periods. A generation pool (GP) may, for example, be created based on energy generated and physically available for consumption at the physical location during the time periods. Associations may be created, for example, between measurements in the GP of energy generated and transmitted and measurements in the LP of energy consumed. The associations may be created as a function of predetermined privileges associated with the consumption location and generation locations and/or physical transmission links corresponding to the GP during the time periods. Various embodiments may advantageously determine environmental impact based on location and time-based load matching.

Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods relate to automatically load matching, in time, energy physically generated and transmitted to a consumption location across at least one tracking and processing infrastructure. In an illustrative example, a load pool (LP) may be created based on energy consumed at a physical location at one or more selected time periods. A generation pool (GP) may, for example, be created based on energy generated and physically available for consumption at the physical location during the time periods. Associations may be created, for example, between measurements in the GP of energy generated and transmitted and measurements in the LP of energy consumed. The associations may be created as a function of predetermined privileges associated with the consumption location and generation locations and/or physical transmission links corresponding to the GP during the time periods. Various embodiments may advantageously determine environmental impact based on location and time-based load matching.

Abstract: A private home entertainment system including plural playback devices can receive discrete content that can be played by any appropriate publicly available devices. The home system can convert the discrete content to content that is bound to the private network using, e.g., cryptographic keys. The bound content can be freely copied and played among the devices in the private network but cannot be played outside the private network. Should the user elect to convert bound content back to discrete content to permit playing the content outside the network, all bound copies in the network are destroyed or otherwise rendered unusable.

Abstract: A private home entertainment system including plural playback devices can receive discrete content that can be played by any appropriate publicly available devices. The home system can convert the discrete content to content that is bound to the private network using, e.g., cryptographic keys. The bound content can be freely copied and played among the devices in the private network but cannot be played outside the private network. Should the user elect to convert bound content back to discrete content to permit playing the content outside the network, all bound copies in the network are destroyed or otherwise rendered unusable.

Abstract: A private home entertainment system including plural playback devices can receive discrete content that can be played by any appropriate publicly available devices. The home system can convert the discrete content to content that is bound to the private network using, e.g., cryptographic keys. The bound content can be freely copied and played among the devices in the private network but cannot be played outside the private network. Should the user elect to convert bound content back to discrete content to permit playing the content outside the network, all bound copies in the network are destroyed or otherwise rendered unusable.

Abstract: A system for selecting and recording data, comprising: a local storage unit for storing a subset of media content items and other content; a content selection unit to display a catalog of the media content items and other content, to allow a customer to browse, search, and select a media content item and other content from the catalog of media content items and other content, to retrieve the selected media content item and other content from the local storage unit if the selected media content item and other content is found in the subset, and otherwise to retrieve the selected media content item from a remote storage unit, the content selection unit configured to cache the retrieved media content item and other content in the local storage unit for a period of time based on the popularity of the retrieved media content item; a financial transaction unit to determine the cost of the retrieved media content item and other content and display the cost for review and payment by the customer; and an authoring sys

Abstract: A remote access management service for enabling remote access to an item of media content stored in a network device from a remote device. The network device includes a remote access server application program and account information identifying the remote device, and the remote device includes a remote access client application program. The management service comprises: an interface configured to provide network connections to the network device and the remote device; and a remote access management application program to collect information on remote access analysis by monitoring remote access transactions between the remote device and the network device, the remote access management application program operating to receive a remote access request from the remote access client application program including the account information and a content identifier indicating the item of media content.

Abstract: A system for transferring verified media data. The system comprising: an item of content storing the media data, and having an associated serial number; a computing device including a first storage device and a network interface; a secure copying application program; a secure copy of the media data generated by the secure copying application program and stored on the first storage device; a verification server including a serial number database and having a network connection to the computing device through the network interface, wherein the secure copying application program generates the secure copy after verifying the serial number is valid and active by communicating with the verification server; and a portable copy of the media data, including license information, generated from the secure copy by the secure copying application program.

Abstract: A digital watermark is affixed to an existing image file prior to being copied onto a destination media. In one embodiment, the image file is encrypted using content scrambling system (CSS) encryption. In another embodiment, the image file is also compressed prior to being copied onto the destination digital video media. A unique identification code associated with an intended recipient may be embedded into the digital watermark. In one embodiment, this unique identification code is stored in a database, along with information particular to the intended recipient. In this fashion, the identity of the intended recipient of the destination digital video media may be determined.

Abstract: The present invention overcomes the problems in the existing art described above by providing an online digital video signal transfer apparatus and method. Rental of the digital video signals occurs within an online environment including one or more client computers and at least one network server connected by a communications link to the one or more client computers. The method includes providing access to an online catalog stored within a memory of a network video server computer. The online catalog includes information regarding digital video signals available for rental from the network server computer. Requests are then received from client computers for rental of digital video signals selected from the online catalog for a specified period of time. The requests include electronic payment based on the selected digital video signal and the specified period of time. Once electronic payment is provided, the digital video signal is transmitted to the client computer via communications link.

Abstract: A private home entertainment system including plural playback devices can receive discrete content that can be played by any appropriate publicly available devices. The home system can convert the discrete content to content that is bound to the private network using, e.g., cryptographic keys. The bound content can be freely copied and played among the devices in the private network but cannot be played outside the private network. Should the user elect to convert bound content back to discrete content to permit playing the content outside the network, all bound copies in the network are destroyed or otherwise rendered unusable.