Abstract: A method implemented on a broadcast headend system for providing video data for a privately defined channel selection mosaic includes defining at least one base layer channel from among a group of video channels, where the group of video channels includes candidate channels for selection as private mosaic preview channels, defining at least one other channel from among the group as an enhanced layer channel, defining at least one data block in at least one depending frame of the at least one enhanced layer channel as depending on at least one similar data block in at least one base frame of the base layer channel, encoding broadcast data from the group of video channels as an encoded group of video channels, where the at least one depending block is encoded as a function of the at least one similar data block, and transmitting the encoded group of video channels to at least one private mosaic user for assembly of the privately defined channel selection mosaic.

Abstract: A method for facilitating multiple recordings via a single tuner includes isolating data packets associated with recording candidate media assets from at least two broadcast data streams, generating at least one broadcast recording data stream from a subset of the isolated data packets, broadcasting the at least one broadcast recording data stream in parallel with the at least two broadcast data streams, where the broadcast recording data stream is broadcast via at least one dedicated broadcast “recording” device, and the at least two broadcast data streams are broadcast via other broadcast devices, storing remaining data packets not included in the isolated data packets in broadband data segments, and transmitting the broadband data segments via an IP connection to facilitate reassembly of partially recorded the media assets, where the partially recorded media assets were recorded from the broadcast recording stream. Related methods and apparatus are also disclosed.

Abstract: A computer-implemented letter-based method of encoding a length-significant portion of natural language text to generate a letter-based fingerprint of the text portion, the method including detecting letter-based locations of occurrences of pre-determined single-letter and/or multi-letter pattern(s) within the length-significant portion, the detecting being carried out such that at least some occurrences are detected in a word-boundary independent manner that does not depend on locations of word-word boundaries, for a pattern occurrence letter-position signal which describes letter positions of the occurrences of the patterns within the text portion, computing frequency-dependent absolute or relative magnitudes of signal strength for a plurality of frequencies, the computed magnitudes representing letter-based frequencies of the pattern occurrences within the natural language text portion, and storing the computed signal strength magnitudes at the plurality of frequencies, the generated fingerprint comprising

Abstract: A method implemented on a broadcast headend system for providing video data for a privately defined channel selection mosaic includes defining at least one base layer channel from among a group of video channels, where the group of video channels includes candidate channels for selection as private mosaic preview channels, defining at least one other channel from among the group as an enhanced layer channel, defining at least one data block in at least one depending frame of the at least one enhanced layer channel as depending on at least one similar data block in at least one base frame of the base layer channel, encoding broadcast data from the group of video channels as an encoded group of video channels, where the at least one depending block is encoded as a function of the at least one similar data block, and transmitting the encoded group of video channels to at least one private mosaic user for assembly of the privately defined channel selection mosaic.

Abstract: A fast channel change (FFC) system including a tuner arrangement to receive at least one transport stream including an aggregated video service (AVS) and TV channels, each video frame of the AVS including some video data of each channel, a demultiplexer arrangement to demultiplex a first channel and the AVS, a FCC buffer to buffer the video frames of the AVS, a decoder arrangement to decode the first channel, a controller to instruct the decoder arrangement to switch from decoding the first channel to decoding the AVS from the FCC buffer, and a graphic engine to extract the video data of a second channel from the AVS yielding a full-screen video, and output the full-screen video to a display device, wherein the controller is operative to instruct the decoder arrangement to switch from decoding the AVS to decoding the second channel. Related apparatus and methods are also described.

Abstract: A system and method for identifying a user through an object held by a hand of the user, according to an image of the skin surface print of a portion of the hand of the user, which is optionally the skin surface print of at least a portion of the hand between the metacarpophalangeal joint and a distal interphalangeal joint of one or more fingers. Optionally, the image only includes the skin surface print of at least a portion of the hand between the metacarpophalangeal joint and a distal interphalangeal joint of one or more fingers. The method for identifying the user may also optionally only use selected portions of this image as described herein. Related apparatus and methods are also described.

Abstract: A method for data processing, comprising providing a sequence of image frames that is encoded by identifying intra and inter frames in the sequence and applying a variable block size motion compensation (VBSMC) procedure to the inter frames, thereby generating respective parameters representing the inter frames; selectively encrypting the block sizes, using an encryptor, without encrypting all of the parameters representing the inter frames; and outputting encoded data representing the sequence of the image frames and comprising the encrypted block sizes.

Abstract: A computer-implemented letter-based method of encoding a length-significant portion of natural language text to generate a letter-based fingerprint of the text portion, the method including detecting letter-based locations of occurrences of pre-determined single-letter and/or multi-letter pattern(s) within the length-significant portion, the detecting being carried out such that at least some occurrences are detected in a word-boundary independent manner that does not depend on locations of word-word boundaries, for a pattern occurrence letter-position signal which describes letter positions of the occurrences of the patterns within the text portion, computing frequency-dependent absolute or relative magnitudes of signal strength for a plurality of frequencies, the computed magnitudes representing letter-based frequencies of the pattern occurrences within the natural language text portion, and storing the computed signal strength magnitudes at the plurality of frequencies, the generated fingerprint comprising

Abstract: Apparatus and method for embedding data in initial content having synchronized video and audio, the method comprising defining at least one content segment in the initial content, and altering the video and audio synchronization in the at least one segment in accordance with the data to be embedded, wherein the altered content segment is viewable on a viewing device and the synchronization alteration is imperceptible to a casual viewer. Related apparatus and methods are also described.

Abstract: A fast channel change (FFC) system including a tuner arrangement to receive at least one transport stream including an aggregated video service (AVS) and TV channels, each video frame of the AVS including some video data of each channel, a demultiplexer arrangement to demultiplex a first channel and the AVS, a FCC buffer to buffer the video frames of the AVS, a decoder arrangement to decode the first channel, a controller to instruct the decoder arrangement to switch from decoding the first channel to decoding the AVS from the FCC buffer, and a graphic engine to extract the video data of a second channel from the AVS yielding a full-screen video, and output the full-screen video to a display device, wherein the controller is operative to instruct the decoder arrangement to switch from decoding the AVS to decoding the second channel. Related apparatus and methods are also described.

Abstract: A system and method for identifying a user through an object held by a hand of the user, according to an image of the skin surface print of a portion of the hand of the user, which is optionally the skin surface print of at least a portion of the hand between the metacarpophalangeal joint and a distal interphalangeal joint of one or more fingers. Optionally, the image only includes the skin surface print of at least a portion of the hand between the metacarpophalangeal joint and a distal interphalangeal joint of one or more fingers. The method for identifying the user may also optionally only use selected portions of this image as described herein.

Abstract: A system for creating a video signature, including a video retrieval module to retrieve a video sequence having a plurality of frames, each of the frames including an image, a region definition module to define a plurality of image regions for the image of each of the frames, such that the image regions occupy the same portions of the image for each of the frames, a motion analysis module to calculate a plurality of motion vectors, such that one of the motion vectors is calculated for each of the image regions of each of the frames by comparison to the image of another one of the frames, each of the motion vectors having a direction of motion and a magnitude of motion, and a signature creation module to create the video signature including data indicative of the direction of motion and the magnitude of motion for each of the image regions of each of the frames. Related apparatus and methods are also described.

Abstract: A method for data processing, comprising providing a sequence of image frames that is encoded by identifying intra and inter frames in the sequence and applying a variable block size motion compensation (VBSMC) procedure to the inter frames, thereby generating respective parameters representing the inter frames; selectively encrypting the block sizes, using an encryptor, without encrypting all of the parameters representing the inter frames; and outputting encoded data representing the sequence of the image frames and comprising the encrypted block sizes.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for embedding data in initial content having synchronized video and audio, the method comprising defining at least one content segment in the initial content, and altering the video and audio synchronization in the at least one segment in accordance with the data to be embedded, wherein the altered content segment is viewable on a viewing device and the synchronization alteration is imperceptible to a casual viewer. Related apparatus and methods are also described.

Abstract: A system for creating a video signature, including a video retrieval module to retrieve a video sequence having a plurality of frames, each of the frames including an image, a region definition module to define a plurality of image regions for the image of each of the frames, such that the image regions occupy the same portions of the image for each of the frames, a motion analysis module to calculate a plurality of motion vectors, such that one of the motion vectors is calculated for each of the image regions of each of the frames by comparison to the image of another one of the frames, each of the motion vectors having a direction of motion and a magnitude of motion, and a signature creation module to create the video signature including data indicative of the direction of motion and the magnitude of motion for each of the image regions of each of the frames. Related apparatus and methods are also described.