Abstract: The present automatic update mechanism provides a method for determining whether computer-readable components loaded within a memory device are at a level of protection specified for protected content that a media application is attempting to process. If a current level of protection provides lower protection that the level specified, a file is updated to achieve at least the level of protection specified by the protected content. Updating the file to achieve the level of protection is performed in a manner that minimizes rebooting of a computing device.

Abstract: A system and method for a media processor separates the functions of topology creation and maintenance from the functions of processing data through a topology. The system includes a control layer including a topology generating element to generate a topology describing a set of input multimedia streams, one or more sources for the input multimedia streams, a sequence of operations to perform on the multimedia data, and a set of output multimedia streams, and a media processor to govern the passing of the multimedia data as described in the topology and govern the performance of the sequence of multimedia operations on the multimedia data to create the set of output multimedia streams. The core layer includes the input media streams, the sources for the input multimedia streams, one or more transforms to operate on the multimedia data, stream sinks, and media sinks to provide the set of output multimedia streams.

Abstract: A request is received to play compressed video data in a reverse direction. A process identifies a most recent key frame received and decodes the most recent key frame. The process then identifies delta frames received after the most recent key frame and decodes these identified delta frames. The decoded delta frames are then played in the reverse direction. Additionally, compressed audio data can be decoded and played in the reverse direction along with the video data.

Abstract: An image container file has at least first and second multimedia streams (MSs). The first MS includes first image data representing an image. The second MS includes arbitrary data, which can for example, correspond to: a different representation of the same image; annotations to the first image data; second image data that together with the first image data form a new image with greater dynamic range, resolution, field of view or other attributes that can be derived from processing two or more independent images; or an executable file related to the first MS. The image container file can also include an extensible metadata to hold information describing one or more multimedia streams of the image container file. Further, the image container file may include DRM information to provide information related to obtaining a license to access encrypted data or verifying the authenticity of encrypted or unencrypted data.

Abstract: An image container file has at least first and second multimedia streams (MSs). The first MS includes first image data representing an image. The second MS includes arbitrary data, which can for example, correspond to: a different representation of the same image; annotations to the first image data; second image data that together with the first image data form a new image with greater dynamic range, resolution, field of view or other attributes that can be derived from processing two or more independent images; or an executable file related to the first MS. The image container file can also include an extensible metadata to hold information describing one or more multimedia streams of the image container file. Further, the image container file may include DRM information to provide information related to obtaining a license to access encrypted data or verifying the authenticity of encrypted or unencrypted data.

Abstract: A system and method for a media processor separates the functions of topology creation and maintenance from the functions of processing data through a topology. The system includes a control layer including a topology generating element to generate a topology describing a set of input multimedia streams, one or more sources for the input multimedia streams, a sequence of operations to perform on the multimedia data, and a set of output multimedia streams, and a media processor to govern the passing of the multimedia data as described in the topology and govern the performance of the sequence of multimedia operations on the multimedia data to create the set of output multimedia streams. The core layer includes the input media streams, the sources for the input multimedia streams, one or more transforms to operate on the multimedia data, stream sinks, and media sinks to provide the set of output multimedia streams.

Abstract: A system and method for a media processor separates the functions of topology creation and maintenance from the functions of processing data through a topology. The system includes a control layer including a topology generating element to generate a topology describing a set of input multimedia streams, one or more sources for the input multimedia streams, a sequence of operations to perform on the multimedia data, and a set of output multimedia streams, and a media processor to govern the passing of the multimedia data as described in the topology and govern the performance of the sequence of multimedia operations on the multimedia data to create the set of output multimedia streams. The core layer includes the input media streams, the sources for the input multimedia streams, one or more transforms to operate on the multimedia data, stream sinks, and media sinks to provide the set of output multimedia streams.

Abstract: A system and method for a media processor separates the functions of topology creation and maintenance from the functions of processing data through a topology. The system includes a control layer including a topology generating element to generate a topology describing a set of input multimedia streams, one or more sources for the input multimedia streams, a sequence of operations to perform on the multimedia data, and a set of output multimedia streams, and a media processor to govern the passing of the multimedia data as described in the topology and govern the performance of the sequence of multimedia operations on the multimedia data to create the set of output multimedia streams. The core layer includes the input media streams, the sources for the input multimedia streams, one or more transforms to operate on the multimedia data, stream sinks, and media sinks to provide the set of output multimedia streams.

Abstract: Technology for protecting a digital content including a first content protection system capable of decrypting the digital content, the digital content including an inclusion list; a linkable library providing access for an application to the functionality of the first content protection system, the application including a second content protection system; and a means for evaluating the second content protection system to determine if the second content protection system is on the inclusion list.

Abstract: A computing system, which is in communication with a multimedia source and that includes at least one application for processing multimedia content from the multimedia source, includes an Application Programming Interface (API) for obtaining basic multimedia information that may be required by applications to process the multimedia content. By doing this, the invention enables multimedia application(s) to easily obtain the basic information from the API in a predetermined and standard manner, without having to obtain the information directly from the multimedia source, thereby reducing the functionality that has to be programmed directly into the application(s) for obtaining the basic information, and thereby reducing the cost, time, and resources that are required for creating the multimedia application(s).

Abstract: A multimedia processing system and methods provide flexibility and modularity by separating data flow information from maintaining of stream state for multimedia components. The system includes a media processor component to process received media data, a media session to determine a timeline for events to occur for performing media processing and a topology loader component to load a topology that describes a flow for the received media data to enable processing via an extensible symbolic abstraction of media objects. The topology loader ensures that events described in the topology occur. The system also includes core layer components such as media sink components to determine a media stream for output from the multimedia processing system and a media source component coupled to supply media data for processing. The topology created in the system symbolically provides data flow information, independent of maintaining a streaming state of control information.

Abstract: A system and methods provide handling of variable rate playback in a multimedia computer architecture. The systems and methods provide data structures and interfaces that enable a computer architecture and components therein with the ability to playback data at speeds faster and slower than real-time, to playback data in reverse, and to change the rate of playback at any point during playback. One embodiment is a method for providing low-latency, glitch-free changes in a multimedia architecture. Other embodiments are directed to defining multimedia component responsibilities for making rate changes, allowing rate changes to work with standard playback types, coder-decoders, and renderers. The methods include determining a minimum of the maximum reported playback rates and determining minimum and maximum playback rates in a set of modes including: reverse skip mode, reverse key frame mode, reverse full mode, forward full mode, forward key frame mode, and forward skip mode.

Abstract: An application programming interface for a multimedia processing system creates a topology symbolically providing data flow information. A method provides a topology interface including receiving a plurality of media parameters identifying at least an identifier, a node type, a data type and a duration, and in response, creating a topology capable of being passed to a media processor as an extensible symbolic representation of an intended media flow. A computer-readable medium stores a topology function includes a first input parameter representing a unique identifier, a second input parameter representing a state of a topology, a third parameter representing a descriptor for the topology, a fourth parameter representing one or more characteristics about a node of the topology, and executable instructions adapted to provide a topology capable of being passed to a media processor as an extensible symbolic representation of an intended media flow calculated based on at least one of the input parameters.

Abstract: A system and method for a media processor separates the functions of topology creation and maintenance from the functions of processing data through a topology. The system includes a control layer including a topology generating element to generate a topology describing a set of input multimedia streams, one or more sources for the input multimedia streams, a sequence of operations to perform on the multimedia data, and a set of output multimedia streams, and a media processor to govern the passing of the multimedia data as described in the topology and govern the performance of the sequence of multimedia operations on the multimedia data to create the set of output multimedia streams. The core layer includes the input media streams, the sources for the input multimedia streams, one or more transforms to operate on the multimedia data, stream sinks, and media sinks to provide the set of output multimedia streams.

Abstract: A computing system, which is in communication with a multimedia source and that includes at least one application for processing multimedia content from the multimedia source, includes an Application Programming Interface (API) for obtaining basic multimedia information that may be required by applications to process the multimedia content. By doing this, the invention enables multimedia application(s) to easily obtain the basic information from the API in a predetermined and standard manner, without having to obtain the information directly from the multimedia source, thereby reducing the functionality that has to be programmed directly into the application(s) for obtaining the basic information, and thereby reducing the cost, time, and resources that are required for creating the multimedia application(s).

Abstract: A system and method for configuring image data, such as data suitable for JPEG compression, into a format that can be streamed and displayed even if part of the image is lost in transmission. The image data is scrambled and compressed into restartable segments of compressed data. After compression, the data is packetized, with segment restart information written into headers accompanying the payload in each packet. When the packets arrive, they are parsed to determine from their restart information which restart segments have arrived. Each restart segment that has arrived is sent to an image decompressor, resulting in a scrambled bitmap image, having gaps wherever data segments were lost. The image is then unscrambled, resulting in small, isolated blocks of missing data psuedo-randomly dispersed throughout the image. Fill-in techniques from the surrounding pixels further improve the perceived image quality.