Abstract: A social messaging hub provides communication services for a data enabled device having Internet network access capabilities. The social messaging hub communicates with the data enabled device over the Internet or cellular data networks, and interfaces with a message infrastructure including mobile carriers, message aggregators, message exchanges and various specialized social messaging services to enable bi-directional messaging communication. The user is given a registered phone number and unique IP addressable identification which serve as a source and destination identifier of the associated data enabled device. Messages may originate in or be delivered to other users' mobile telephones or in similarly equipped and provisioned IP data enabled devices. An application operating on the IP enabled device determines in conjunction with the social messaging hub a mode of transmission as a function of parameters including device location and destination of a message.

Abstract: A heliostat optimized to be positioned near a skylight or other aperture is disclosed. The heliostat comprises a plurality of reflective elements arranged in a substantially planar array, each element being mounted so as to be rotatable about a longitudinal axis of rotation. A first motor rotates the array about an axis substantially perpendicular to the plane of the array; and a second motor rotates the reflective elements about their respective axes of rotation. A processor provides control signals to operate the first motor as required to orient the array such that the respective axes of rotation of the reflective elements are substantially perpendicular to an azimuth to the sun and to operate the second motor as required to rotate the reflective elements about their respective axes of rotation to position the reflective element to reflect the sun's light to a target area.

Abstract: A social messaging hub provides communication services for a data enabled device having Internet network access capabilities. The social messaging hub communicates with the data enabled device over the Internet or cellular data networks, and interfaces with a message infrastructure including mobile carriers, message aggregators, message exchanges and various specialized social messaging services to enable bi-directional messaging communication. The user is given a registered phone number and unique IP addressable identification which serve as a source and destination identifier of the associated data enabled device. Messages may originate in or be delivered to other users' mobile telephones or in similarly equipped and provisioned IP data enabled devices. An application operating on the IP enabled device determines in conjunction with the social messaging hub a mode of transmission as a function of parameters including device location and destination of a message.

Abstract: A heliostat optimized to be positioned near a skylight or other aperture is disclosed. The heliostat comprises a plurality of reflective elements arranged in a substantially planar array, each element being mounted so as to be rotatable about a longitudinal axis of rotation. A first motor rotates the array about an axis substantially perpendicular to the plane of the array; and a second motor rotates the reflective elements about their respective axes of rotation. A processor provides control signals to operate the first motor as required to orient the array such that the respective axes of rotation of the reflective elements are substantially perpendicular to an azimuth to the sun and to operate the second motor as required to rotate the reflective elements about their respective axes of rotation to position the reflective element to reflect the sun's light to a target area.

Abstract: A social messaging hub provides communication services for a data enabled device having Internet network access capabilities. The social messaging hub communicates with the data enabled device over the Internet or cellular data networks, and interfaces with a message infrastructure including mobile carriers, message aggregators, message exchanges and various specialized social messaging services to enable bi-directional messaging communication. The user is given a registered phone number and unique IP addressable identification which serve as a source and destination identifier of the associated data enabled device. Messages may originate in or be delivered to other users' mobile telephones or in similarly equipped and provisioned IP data enabled devices. An application operating on the IP enabled device determines in conjunction with the social messaging hub a mode of transmission as a function of parameters including device location and destination of a message.

Abstract: A heliostat optimized to be positioned near a skylight or other aperture is disclosed. The heliostat comprises a plurality of reflective elements arranged in a substantially planar array, each element being mounted so as to be rotatable about a longitudinal axis of rotation. A first motor rotates the array about an axis substantially perpendicular to the plane of the array; and a second motor rotates the reflective elements about their respective axes of rotation. A processor provides control signals to operate the first motor as required to orient the array such that the respective axes of rotation of the reflective elements are substantially perpendicular to an azimuth to the sun and to operate the second motor as required to rotate the reflective elements about their respective axes of rotation to position the reflective element to reflect the sun's light to a target area.

Abstract: A social messaging hub provides communication services for a data enabled device having Internet network access capabilities. A user is given a registered phone number and unique IP addressable identification which serve as a source and destination identifier of the associated data enabled device. User signatures can be appended onto SMS messages and using resources on the social messaging hub a user can control when the signatures are appended.

Abstract: A social messaging hub provides communication services for a data enabled device having Internet network access capabilities. A user is given a registered phone number and unique IP addressable identification which serve as a source and destination identifier of the associated data enabled device. User signatures can be appended onto SMS messages and using resources on the social messaging hub a user can control when the signatures are appended.

Abstract: A social messaging hub provides communication services for a data enabled device having Internet network access capabilities. The social messaging hub communicates with the data enabled device over the Internet or cellular data networks, and interfaces with a message infrastructure including mobile carriers, message aggregators, message exchanges and various specialized social messaging services to enable bi-directional messaging communication. The user is given a registered phone number and unique IP addressable identification which serve as a source and destination identifier of the associated data enabled device. Messages may originate in or be delivered to other users' mobile telephones or in similarly equipped and provisioned IP data enabled devices. An application operating on the IP enabled device determines in conjunction with the social messaging hub a mode of transmission as a function of parameters including device location and destination of a message.

Abstract: An apparatus for transmitting multimedia data to a set-top box for distribution to a headend of a cable television. The apparatus includes an input for a signal containing multimedia data. The apparatus has a module for compressing the multimedia data and also a packetizing module. The packetizing module adds a header. Since the headend is the only destination of the multimedia data, a destination address is unnecessary in the header, but the header does include an indicator as to source and an order identifier for each of the packets. The headend can then receive the packets, re-order the packets and decompress the multimedia data. The data may then be processed by a processor at the headend that is assigned at the beginning of an interactive session.

Abstract: In an interactive cable system having at least one processor at a headend in communication with subscribers through an information service distribution network, a frame grabber is provided for grabbing a frame of video and storing the frame in a storage medium. A video frame may be requested from the storage medium in response to control data received from a subscriber selection device, wherein a processor retrieves the video frame from the storage medium, transforms the frame into a television information signal and sends the frame to the subscriber's home interface controller for display on the subscriber's television.

Abstract: An interactive television information system coupled to a cable television system having a headend for supplying information services and an information service distribution network for delivering information services to subscriber televisions. Each subscriber television is associated with a home interface controller. The home interface controllers receive the television information signals and include a data transceiver for data communications. A subscriber selection device associated with a home interface controller permits subscriber interaction through the data transceiver with an assigned interactive controller from a plurality of interactive controllers. The assigned interactive controller is in communication with the information sources and in television communication with its assigned home interface controller. Selection of an information source nay be made through channel selection of an apparent channel from any of a first group of apparent channels and a second group of apparent channels.

Abstract: A switching apparatus and method for routing RF scrambled signals. One of a plurality of scrambled RF television information signals is selected. A processor assigns an output carrier frequency. The selected scrambled television information signal is output by the switching apparatus on the assigned output carrier frequency.The plurality of scrambled RF television information signals is carried on an RF bus in the switching apparatus. The bus may consist of a plurality of cables. An RF switch connects a tuner to one of the cables. An amplifier is connected to the tuner. An amplitude information signal is decoded off the RF bus and is used for controlling gain of the amplifier. An up converter applies the output of the amplifier onto the assigned carrier frequency.

Abstract: A cable system in which a plurality of non-interactive channels occupy a first group of carrier frequencies and a plurality of pseudo-channels, each assigned to an information service from a plurality of information services, are carried by a second group of carrier frequencies. A tuner is controlled by a processor in response to a channel selector. If the selected channel number represents a non-interactive channel the tuner is set to that channel. If the selected channel number is a pseudo-channel representing an interactive service, the tuner is set to an assigned carrier frequency in the second group of carrier frequencies. The assigned carrier frequency is provided from a cable control mode to a data receiver at the subscriber's television interface controller. Channels are selected from a single numerical sequence of channel numbers.

Abstract: An interactive home information system having a node in television communication and data communication with a group of home interface controllers. At each home interface controller, there is a signal input for receiving television signals from the node over a cable television distribution network and a data transceiver for conducting data communications with the node. The node determines whether a home interface controller is requesting interactive service. For each interface controller requesting interactive service, the node assigns a television information signal to the requesting home interface controller. Thus, signal assignment is accomplished on a demand basis for those interface controllers determined to be placed in an interactive mode. Signal assignment may involve selection of a given carrier frequency. Alternatively, signal assignment may involve selection of a time slice.

Abstract: An interactive multimedia system with distributed processing and storage of video picture information and associated data and sound in nodes disposed throughout a cable television distribution system. The nodes are coupled to the feeder cable of the cable distribution system. Each node in the system receives a substantially identical copy of the interactive video picture information and related data from a regional processing center. The nodes can receive the Video picture information through the cable television distribution system or externally of the cable system. The users at home televisions associated with a particular node interact directly with the video picture information in that node, rather than with the information stored in the regional processing center or some other remote location, which enables the system to quickly display photographic quality images and complex graphics, as well as sound, at the users' televisions in response to commands received by the users.

Abstract: An interactive multimedia system with distributed processing and storage of video picture information and associated data and sound in nodes disposed throughout a cable television distribution system. The nodes are coupled to the feeder cable of the cable distribution system. Each node in the system receives a substantially identical copy of the interactive video picture information and related data from a regional processing center. The users at home televisions associated with a particular node interact directly with the video picture information in that node, rather than with the information stored in the regional processing center or some other remote location, which enables the system to quickly display photographic quality images and complex graphics, as well as sound, at the users' televisions in response to commands received by the users.

Abstract: An interactive multimedia system with distributed processing and storage of video picture information and associated data and sound in nodes disposed throughout a cable television distribution system. The nodes are coupled to the feeder cable of the cable distribution system. Each node in the system receives a substantially identical copy of the interactive video picture information and related data from a regional processing center. The users at home televisions associated with a particular node interact directly with the video picture information in that node, rather than with the information stored in the regional processing center or some other remote location, which enables the system to quickly display photographic quality images and complex graphics, as well as sound, at the users' televisions in response to commands received by the users.

Abstract: An interactive videotex system with distributed processing and storage of video picture information in nodes disposed throughout a cable television distribution system. The nodes are coupled to the feeder cable of the cable distribution system. Each node in the system receives a substantially identical copy of the interactive video picture information and related data from a regional processing center. The users at home televisions associated with a particular node interact directly with the video picture information in that node, rather than with the information stored in the regional processing center or some other remote location, which enables the system to quickly display photographic quality images and complex graphics, as well as sound, at the user's televisions in response to commands received by the users.