Abstract: An apparatus encodes a signal for providing an MPEG-2 encoded signal having associated initialization data such as I-frames; and transmits the signal, wherein the transmitted signal occurs in bursts for conveying the MPEG-2 encoded signal, wherein each burst has a duration and occurs in a time slicing cycle, each time slicing cycle comprising at least the burst duration and an off-time, and wherein at least one I-frame is conveyed in a burst and repeated in every following burst until a new I-frame is received for transmission.

Abstract: An Advanced Television Systems Committee Digital Television (ATSC DTV) mobile, or handheld, device comprises a receiver for receiving a signal that includes a mobile DTV channel, which is transmitted in StaggerCast form comprising an FEC (Forward Error Correcting) stream and an encoded stream delayed in time from the FEC stream for conveying program content. The receiver decodes the received encoded stream for providing the program content and, if errors are detected in the received encoded stream, uses the received FEC stream to attempt to correct the errors. However, when the uses changes programs, or channels, to a different StaggerCast stream, the receiver decodes a received encoded stream of the different StaggerCast stream for providing the new program content even though for an initial period of time error correction by the receiver is severely limited.

Abstract: A scheduler schedules multimedia content files for transmission over a broadcast network. Multimedia content files can be any sort of audio/video clips like, sports video, music video, news clip, movie sound track etc. In particular, the scheduler determines a transmission order for content files as a function of a dynamic priority value, which is determined in accordance with at least a dissimilarity measure between the content files; wherein the dissimilarity measure of the media content files is further determined as a function of the clip meta data associated with each clip. Schedule timing information and meta data information is transmitted over a broadcast network along with the clips so that receivers can do selective reception of their preferred clips, saving battery power and storage.

Abstract: A scheduler schedules multimedia content files for transmission over a broadcast network. Multimedia content files can be any sort of audio/video clips like, sports video, music video, news clip, movie sound track etc. In particular, the scheduler determines a transmission order for content files and generates an electronic service guide having a static part and a dynamic part such that content scheduled in the dynamic part may have a different transmission order in different versions of the electronic service guide. Schedule timing information and meta data information is transmitted over a broadcast network along with the clips so that receivers can do selective reception of their preferred clips, saving battery power and storage.

Abstract: A Digital Video Broadcasting-Handheld (DVB-H) system comprises a head-end and at least one receiver. The head-end uses the File Delivery over Unidirectional Transport (FLUTE) protocol for transmitting an electronic service guide (ESG) and content to the receiver. The receiver determines a time delay for receiving content as a function of a value of a PublishedStartTime parameter from the ESG and the actual time the receiver receives the content. Using this time delay, the receiver forms a time estimate for receiving selected content as a function of a value of a PublishedStartTime parameter from the ESG for the selected content and the determined time delay. The receiver then performs power, management such that during those intervals of time that the receiver is not expected to receive the selected content the receiver can reduce power.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a system and a method for synchronizing interactive content with individual video stream. In particular, it concerns a method for generating an interactive mark, comprising, at a generating device, the steps of receiving video packets of a video stream, creating an interactive mark intended to enable an interactive service during a period of the video stream, periodically inserting the interactive mark into Internet Protocol packets, noted IP-based packet, said IP-based packets being synchronized with packets that transport the associated video stream, and sending the IP-based packets.

Abstract: In a peer-to-peer network system, a local node communicates with a remote node on which detailed information about content objects resides and optionally, the content objects reside. The local node uses caching, message request resizing and predictive message requesting to speed response time to user requests and internal control node requests.

Abstract: The present invention advantageously provides a method, apparatus and system for personalized broadcast media content including a user interface for enabling personalization, which provides efficient use of network bandwidth and minimizes receiver device battery usage. In one embodiment, a user profile is pre-defined on a receiving device to indicate the recording interests of the user. Individual clips to be broadcast are associated with flexible metadata tags, such that when content, particularly video programs, is broadcast, the receiver device selects individual programs to record based upon content tags matching the user interests indicated in the profile. The selection process can also consider viewing statistics.

Abstract: In a peer-to-peer network system, a local node communicates with a remote node on which detailed information about content objects resides and optionally, the content objects reside. The local node uses caching, message request resizing and predictive message requesting to speed response time to user requests and internal control node requests.