Abstract: A system and method of viewing media content on a timeline is presented. In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, a companion device user interface provides the user a second screen experience on a companion device by giving the user an opportunity to create secondary supplemental content related to the media content they are watching on a primary screen, such as a television. The user interface provides the user interaction by using visual indicators on a timeline to show the current position of all their friends, who are watching the same media content, along with the status of their media players. Being able to view the current status of all the friends on a timeline enables the users to make relevant comments to each other as the show progresses.

Abstract: One or more overlay wavelengths are applied to a GPON architecture to provide sufficient, cost-effective forward bandwidth per home for targeted, unique narrowcast services to allow traditional HFC operators to use a PON architecture with their existing HFC equipment. A separate return path capability using a separate coaxial cable with RF signals to the GPON may also be used. This return capability may be provided either by a fiber optic link or coaxial link from the home.

Abstract: Improved systems and methods for delivering CATV content over a fiber optic network from a transmitter.

Abstract: A method of classifying the shot type of a video frame, comprising loading a frame, dividing the frame into field pixels and non-field pixels based on a first playfield detection criteria, determining an initial shot type classification using the number of the field pixels and the number of the non-field pixels, partitioning the frame into one or more regions based on the initial classification, determining the status of each of the one or more regions based upon the number of the field pixels and the non-field pixels located within each the region, and determining a shot type classification for the frame based upon the status of each the region.

Abstract: A method for scrolling through a representation of data that is too large to be presented legibly in its entirety within confines of a display is disclosed. The method includes presenting a section of the representation on the display. A portion of the representation is selected, using the section presented on the display, for scrolling on. The presentation of the section presented on the display is modified to include additional representation based on the portion selected. The additional content is to be presented in a non-linear fashion. Input from a user interface associated with movement through the additional content is received. The movement is to provide non-linear scrolling through the additional content. Apparatus for performing the method is also disclosed.

Abstract: Methods of adding an inline reply to a video email/message and presenting a chain of video emails/messages are provided. A video email/message is received and an inline reply to the video email/message is generated and associated with a point during playback of the video email/message. The inline reply is sent by return email such that, during subsequent playback of the video email/message, playback of the video email/message is paused at the point and the inline reply is displayed.

Abstract: Improved systems and methods for delivering CATV content over a fiber optic network to a receiver.

Abstract: Improved systems and methods for delivering CATV content over a fiber optic network from a transmitter.

Abstract: A control unit (101), such as a remote control device, includes a profile selector (104). The profile selector (104), which may be a single profile selector button integrated into the side or top of a remote control, allows quick and simple selection of an operating mode or user profile. The control unit (101) includes an indicator (107) that provides indicia of the currently selected mode or profile. Examples of indicators include multicolored lights and display devices. Where multicolored lights are used as the indicator (107), actuation of the profile selector (104) causes the indicator (107) to change from a first color to a second color.

Abstract: A method of processing a sequence of coded video frames conveyed by a digital data stream, where each frame represents an image, includes receiving the sequence of coded video frames at a recording device, determining a frame interval between presentation of an ith coded frame of the sequence and an (i+1)th coded frame of the sequence, calculating a stream time stamp for the ith coded frame, and calculating a stream time stamp for the (i+1)th coded video frame based on the stream time stamp for the ith coded video frame and the previously determined frame interval.

Abstract: One or more overlay wavelengths are applied to a GPON architecture to provide sufficient, cost-effective forward bandwidth per home for targeted, unique narrowcast services to allow traditional HFC operators to use a PON architecture with their existing HFC equipment. A separate return path capability using a separate coaxial cable with RF signals to the GPON may also be used. This return capability may be provided either by a fiber optic link or coaxial link from the home.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, article of manufacture, and a memory structure for encoding or decoding a sequence comprising a plurality of pictures, each of the plurality of pictures partitionable into one or more slices, each of the one or more slices processed at least in part according to a slice header. In one embodiment, all the relative syntax and function calls under the condition of slice type equal to P or B are grouped together, and syntax describing the initial value for a quantization parameter to be used in coding blocks of data and deblocking related syntax are put before this group of syntax and function calls.

Abstract: A system is provided for determining a binary codeword for a symbol representing a transform coefficient within transform units (TUs) that divide up coding units (CUs) in a High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) system. The system determines a truncated rice prefix and, when a parameter variable is greater than zero, determines a truncated rice suffix for the symbol. The system determines a main prefix either from the truncated rice prefix alone, or from a combination of the truncated rice prefix and the truncated rice suffix. When the main prefix is the same as a comparison string, the system also determines a main suffix. The system determines the final binary codeword for the symbol either from the main prefix alone, or from a combination of the main prefix and the main suffix.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, article of manufacture, and a memory structure for encoding and decoding transform unit coefficients is disclosed. In one embodiment, the encoding of the transform unit coefficients is performed by determining a last significant subblock, wherein the last significant subblock is the last subblock along a subblock processing scan pattern that has at least one non-zero coefficient, encoding a position of the determined last significant subblock, encoding a first value for each subblock preceding the last significant subblock in the subblock processing scan pattern having at least one non-zero coefficient, and encoding the coefficients of the last significant subblock and the coefficients of the subblocks preceding the last significant subblock having the first encoded value.

Abstract: A method and system for interpolating video pixels is described, in which the value of a first fractional pixel is calculated based on the values of the first set of integer pixels, while the value of a second fractional pixel is calculated based on the values of the second set of integer pixels. The first set of integer pixels is not equal to the second set of integer pixels. For example, the first and second set may contain different integer pixels and may contain different numbers of integer pixels.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, article of manufacture, and a memory structure for encoding and decoding transform unit coefficients is disclosed. In one embodiment, the encoding of the transform unit coefficients is performed by determining if all of the coefficients of a portion of the transform unit disposed on a portion of a scan pattern are zero, setting a flag associated with the portion of the transform unit to a first value if at least one of the coefficients of the portion of the transform unit coefficients disposed on the portion of the scan pattern are non-zero, and setting the flag associated with the portion of the transform unit coefficients to a second value if all of the coefficients of the portion of the transform unit coefficients disposed in the portion of the scan pattern are zero.

Abstract: A caption formatting method and computing system that receives an input video stream that includes a sequence of input transport stream packets. The method locates user data in the sequence of input transport stream packets, where the user data includes input caption data compliant with an input caption data format. The method extracts EIA-608 captions and EIA-708 captions from the input caption data, and formats the EIA-608 captions as caption data compliant with SCTE-20 format. The method creates a sequence of output transport stream packets based on the sequence of input transport stream packets, where the sequence of output transport stream packets include the caption data compliant with SCTE-20 format and the input caption data. The method sends an output video stream from the computing device, where the output video stream includes the sequence of output transport stream packets.

Abstract: A system (10), method (90) and apparatus (14) are provided for provisioning a multicast stream, such as an IP multicast stream, in a network. The system includes a first tier (12), such as a national backbone, with a first Multicast Address Discovery (MCAD) directory (34), and at least one second tier having a headend, such as a regional headend (14), with a second MCAD directory (36, 38). The system (10) includes a tiered MCAD directory network that allows the assignment of multicast addresses to multicast streams received from an upper tier MCAD directory. The tiered MCAD directory structure allows for requesting and storing stream descriptors and delivering stream descriptors on-demand to MCAD-enabled devices throughout the system. The system (10) also allows for stream provisioning maintenance and validation at lower tier headends via MCAD-enabled device queries or re-queries of upper tier MCAD directories.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for use in encoding and decoding a group of pictures in a video stream is provided. The method identifies a current picture in the group of pictures for encoding or decoding and determines a slice type for the current picture. When the slice type for the current picture is not equal to an I-type, the method identifies a collocated reference picture in the group of pictures using a syntax to determine if a collocated reference picture index should be accessed to identify the collocated reference picture and uses the collocated reference picture to encode or decode the current picture.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method of video encoding is disclosed, the method comprising: encoding a position of a last non-zero coefficient within a video block having a first width, wherein the position of the last non-zero coefficient is provided as a string of binary values, wherein each binary value in said string corresponds to a bin index value; and determining a context index value for each bin index value, wherein the context index value for each bin index value is configured to be shared across two or more blocks of different widths.