Abstract: An ID is being calculated in a manner distributed among devices of the user's personal area network (PAN). The devices communicate in a wireless manner. A server runs a simulation of the PAN. If the server and the PAN calculate matching results, it is assumed that the user's ID is correct for purposes of conditional access. The distribution of the calculation of the ID among the user's PAN devices and its, for practical purposes, stochastic nature render the system very hard to hack.

Abstract: To detect a potential virus-infected control script in a networking system, visual representations of control structures and operations effected by a suspect script are presented to a user. A visual representation of the control links that are contained within the suspect script is presented to the user, preferably in a manner such that inappropriate links and/or device states are easily recognized. To further assist in the identification of potential aberrant behavior, a manual or automated simulation process allows the user to visually observe the changes of state of appliances in response to control stimuli, based on the instructions contained in the suspect script.

Abstract: A control network for home appliances comprises a module for interfacing an appliance to the network. The module adopts the identity of the appliance when the module and the appliance are being interconnected. The appliance comprises a tag, e.g., in its power plug, with identifying information that gets read by the module and transferred to a controller. The module itself can have a location dependent identifier to enable topology dependent software applications.

Abstract: A system and method determines parameters (170) for rendering headphone audio information, based on a user's preferred acoustic rendering in a non-headphone environment. A user configures a loudspeaker-based system for a preferred ambiance. Microphones (150) on a head-mounted device then detect the audio signals received by the user in this environment. These detected signals are compared to the audio information that is being provided by the user's audio system and the differences are used to characterize the user's particular environment. Based on this characterization, when the user uses a headphone device (250) to listen to the audio information, a headphone driver (260) modifies the audio information to produce audio signals at the speakers in the user's headphone (250) to effectively reproduce the audio signals that would have been produced at the user's ears by the loudspeakers (110) in the user's particular environment.

Abstract: A hand-held information processing device, such as a mobile phone, has a thumb wheel that lets the user scan a circular array of options. Each respective one of the options is represented by a respective audio output that gets played out when the wheel is turned a notch up or down. This enables the user to select an option with one hand and without having to look at the device. It also allows for a form factor smaller than that of a conventional mobile phones since a keypad is not needed for entering digits to make a call from a personalized directory.

Abstract: A sequential playback system is configured to select each sequential song based upon characteristics of an ending segment of each preceding song. Songs are selected based on the characteristics of the overall theme of the selection, if any, and also based on a musical correspondence between songs. The correspondence may be based on the rhythm of each song, the notes and chords of each song, and other musical characteristics of the songs. The end segment of each selected song is characterized, and the first segment of a candidate song that satisfy the overall selection criteria is compared to this characterization to determine a correspondence. If the first segment of the candidate song is inconsistent with the end segment of the previously selected song, another candidate song is found that satisfies the overall selection criteria, and the first segment of this new candidate song is compared to the characterization.

Abstract: An information processing system has first and second physical components represented by a first and second software objects. Both objects have properties that are changeable through calls to the objects. The system enables registering a property route linking a first property of the first object to a second property of the second object so that a change in the first property causes the second call being issued to the second object upon invoking the property route. The input call to the first object comprises an identifier enabling to conditionally invoke the route. In this manner, routes belonging to different scenarios are being kept independent so that the system operates more reliable that without scenario identifiers.

Abstract: Tasking systems and methods are provided that support user interfaces for displaying objects, the displayed objects enabling user access to resources that provide for effecting tasks among the system and devices of the systems' environment. More particularly, tasking systems and methods are provided that support the foregoing features, wherein the systems and methods support clustering operations respecting such task-associated objects so as to enhance the effecting of the associated tasks, such clustering operations responding to context. The clustering operations preferably are both adaptive and dynamic. Tasking systems and methods preferably support the tracking of selected states, including, as examples, one or more of environment states, device states, and system states. Tracked states typically also include states respecting other relevant criteria, such as temporal criteria.

Abstract: Network-enabled devices are configured to report changes of state to a monitoring system. The monitoring system is configured to filter each change of state to determine whether the change of state constitutes a reportable event, based on a profile associated with the device. If the event is reportable, it is communicated to one or more other network-enabled devices. Each device is also configured to periodically verify its presence to the monitoring system, and the unexplained absence of the device is treated as a change of state of state of the device. In like manner, a change to the profile of a device is also treated as a change of state of the device.

Abstract: The Internet is searched in order to find resources that provide streamable audio such as live Internet broadcasts. The resources are identified based on their file extension and are categorized according to, e.g., the natural language or music style. The user is enabled to browse the collection based on textual or musical input.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device such as a remote controller for enabling the transfer of security parameters to a new device with built-in IR capability that is being installed on a secured wireless network. The security parameters comprise an encryption key used for encryption of communications over the network. The device comprises an entry device that enable a user to input the security parameters comprising at least an encryption key used for an encryption of communication over a wireless network. The security parameters are stored in a memory arrangement. The security parameters may then be further transmitted to the new device via an infrared signal respecting security parameters.

Abstract: An electronic device has a UI that provides first user-selectable options. Second user selectable options are made available upon selection of a specific one of the first options. An information resolution of the first options, when rendered, differs from the information resolution of the second options when rendered. Also, a first modality of user interaction with the UI for selecting from the first options differs from a second modality of user interaction with the UI for selecting from the second options.

Abstract: A “content re-entry” feature is provided that allows a user to return to an indicated point in a content stream, after being “distracted” by meta-information. Each time a user, or application, begins to follow a related or alternative content (a distraction path), a re-entry point in the original content stream is recorded, thereby facilitating a return to the point at which the distraction occurred. In a broadcast presentation, an access to meta-information is integrated with the storage of content material. Each time a user requests access to meta-information, a recording device is automatically activated to record the content material and to store the location of the start of the recording. When the user terminates the presentation of the meta-information, the presentation of the content material is automatically resumed at the stored location.

Abstract: A geographic region has a network of beacons. Each beacon transmits a short-range facilitation signal for receipt on a user's mobile communication device. The facilitation signal initiates associating the facilitation signal with a service and conditionally alerts the user to the service via the device dependent on a user profile. The user-profile and the association between facilitation signal and service are user-programmable.

Abstract: The Internet is searched in order to find resources that provide streamable audio such as live Internet broadcasts. The resources are identified based on their file extension and are categorized according to, e.g., the natural language or music style. The user is enabled to browse the collection based on textual or musical input.

Abstract: A playback system and method allows for dynamic remapping of location identifiers in a playlist. An original playlist is created based on select content material located at a first set of storage locations. When the playlist is transferred to a different environment, having access to a second set of storage locations containing unknown content material, the playback device at this different environment searches the second set of storage locations for content material that corresponds to the items/songs in the playlist. If a correspondence is determined for a song in the playlist, the location identifier of the playlist for this song is updated to reflect its location in the second set of storage locations. If a correspondence is not found, the location identifier of the playlist for this song is updated to reflect a “not found” indication.

Abstract: A server system enables a subscriber to select a specific broadcast program for recording and a specific location and time frame for play-out of the recorded program.

Abstract: Home networks of different software architectures are integrated with each other. References to software representations of devices and services on a first one of the networks are automatically created. The references are semantically sufficient to enable automatic creation of at least partly functionally equivalent software representations for a second one of the networks so as to make the devices and services of the first network accessible from the second network.

Abstract: A universal programmable remote control detects the presence of a control code of a new apparatus in the user's CE environment. The code or representatives thereof gets communicated to a network-based server. The server maintains a database of codes and distributes the new set of codes to the remote and to other control devices as needed.

Abstract: A server system enables a subscriber to select a specific broadcast program for recording and a specific location and time frame for play-out of the recorded program.