Abstract: A gateway interconnecting a high speed Wide Area Network (WAN) and a lower speed Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) is provided. The high speed WAN is preferably connected to the gateway via a Fiber-to-the Home (FTTH) connection and associated FTTH modem. In general, the gateway includes an adaptable cross-layer offload engine operating to manage bandwidth between the high speed WAN and the lower speed WLAN. As data enters the gateway from the WAN at the high speed data rate of the WAN, the offload engine stores the data in a non-secure data cache. A rule check engine performs a stateless or stateful inspection of the data in the non-secure data cache. Thereafter, the data is moved from the non-secure data cache to a secure data cache and thereafter transmitted to an appropriate user device in the WLAN at the lower data rate of the WLAN.

Abstract: A system and method for bypassing an access point in a wireless Local Area Network (LAN) for direct point-to-point data transfers are provided. A user device in the wireless LAN is equipped with a primary local wireless interface establishing a wireless communication link with an access point of the wireless LAN, a secondary local wireless interface used for direct point-to-point (P2P) file transfers, and a P2P file transfer application. When the P2P application desires to transfer a data file to another user device within the wireless LAN, the user device determines whether the other user device is within a coverage area of the secondary local wireless interface and whether the file transfer meets one or more alternate transfer criterion. If so, the data file is transferred to the other user device via a direct P2P wireless communication link, thereby bypassing the access point of the wireless LAN.

Abstract: A DRM compliance system can include one or more DRM servers, capture devices capable of continuously encrypting content at capture, and one or more rights compliance software applications. Methods of ensuring DRM compliance can include registering and verifying capture devices prior to the presentation of protectable content. Unique IDs associated with the capture devices may be stored as DRM liens in a DRM server along with particular time periods an identified DRM policy is in effect. The rights compliance software application can consult a DRM server to determine if encrypted content captured by a device is subject to a DRM policy. The server can make such a determination based on attempting to match data identifying the capture device and time of capture to one or more DRM liens. When matches are found, applicable DRM policies are applied by decrypting the content and then rendering the content in a DRM-compatible form.

Abstract: A system for tracking copyright compliance comprises a database, the database including unique identifiers for a plurality of content capture devices. The unique identifiers may be obtained from devices prior to the presentation of protectable content, for example, by pre-registration during the process of obtaining a ticket to a performance or at a security checkpoint at an event. The unique identifiers may be associated with a copyright policy pertaining to content at the event. Each device may embed its unique identifier in content captured by the device, such as via a watermark. Software may obtain data embedded in content and access the database to determine the copyright status of the content by sending a request including data identifying the capture device. If content is obtained from an unauthorized source, the content may be traced back to a specific device.

Abstract: An interconnect device receives encrypted high quality media content from a protected interface of the source device and decrypts the encrypted high quality media content to recover the high quality media content. For remote monitoring, the decrypted high quality media content is processed to reduce the quality of the high quality media content to generate the reduced quality media content. The reduced quality media content may be generated by further compressing the high quality media content, reducing the resolution of the high quality media content, downscaling the high quality media content or the like. The decrypted high quality media content is also re-encrypted and delivered to the protected media interface of the destination device.

Abstract: A system and method for coordinating advertisements on multiple playback devices during playback of heterogeneous content are provided. In general, a virtual group of playback devices or users of the playback devices is formed and managed by a virtual group (VG) control function. In operation, the VG control function operates to coordinate advertisement slots in heterogeneous content being played by the playback devices and provide targeted advertisements to the playback devices for insertion into the coordinated advertisement slots. The targeted advertisements may be, for example, targeted advertisements for each user or playback device, targeted advertisements for subsets of the users or playback devices in the virtual group, targeted advertisements for the virtual group, targeted complementary advertisements for subsets of users or playback devices in the virtual group, or targeted complementary advertisements for the virtual group.

Abstract: A system and method for client-side watermarking of digital content using hybrid Intra-Frames (I-Frames) are provided. In general, a content source provides a compressed video stream and a hybrid I-Frame stream to a client device via a network. The hybrid I-Frame stream includes a number of low-loss I-Frames corresponding to select ones of the I-Frames in the compressed video stream to be used for client-side watermarking. The client device watermarks the I-Frames in the hybrid I-Frame stream, optionally compresses the watermarked I-Frames, and replaces the select ones of the I-Frames in the compressed video stream with the watermarked and optionally compressed I-Frames to provide a watermarked version of the compressed video stream.

Abstract: A system and method for bypassing an access point in a wireless Local Area Network (LAN) for direct point-to-point data transfers are provided. A user device in the wireless LAN is equipped with a primary local wireless interface establishing a wireless communication link with an access point of the wireless LAN, a secondary local wireless interface used for direct point-to-point (P2P) file transfers, and a P2P file transfer application. When the P2P application desires to transfer a data file to another user device within the wireless LAN, the user device determines whether the other user device is within a coverage area of the secondary local wireless interface and whether the file transfer meets one or more alternate transfer criterion. If so, the data file is transferred to the other user device via a direct P2P wireless communication link, thereby bypassing the access point of the wireless LAN.

Abstract: A gateway interconnecting a high speed Wide Area Network (WAN) and a lower speed Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) is provided. The high speed WAN is preferably connected to the gateway via a Fiber-to-the Home (FTTH) connection and associated FTTH modem. In general, the gateway includes an adaptable cross-layer offload engine operating to manage bandwidth between the high speed WAN and the lower speed WLAN. As data enters the gateway from the WAN at the high speed data rate of the WAN, the offload engine stores the data in a non-secure data cache. A rule check engine performs a stateless or stateful inspection of the data in the non-secure data cache. Thereafter, the data is moved from the non-secure data cache to a secure data cache and thereafter transmitted to an appropriate user device in the WLAN at the lower data rate of the WLAN.

Abstract: The present invention provides an interconnect device that connects a source device to a destination device, and allows the source device's non-compliant rights management (RM) interface to deliver media content with little or no restriction to the destination device's compliant RM interface.

Abstract: A system and method for client-side watermarking of digital content using hybrid Intra-Frames (I-Frames) are provided. In general, a content source provides a compressed video stream and a hybrid I-Frame stream to a client device via a network. The hybrid I-Frame stream includes a number of low-loss I-Frames corresponding to select ones of the I-Frames in the compressed video stream to be used for client-side watermarking. The client device watermarks the I-Frames in the hybrid I-Frame stream, optionally compresses the watermarked I-Frames, and replaces the select ones of the I-Frames in the compressed video stream with the watermarked and optionally compressed I-Frames to provide a watermarked version of the compressed video stream.

Abstract: A system and method for client-side watermarking of digital content using hybrid Intra-Frames (I-Frames) are provided. In general, a content source provides a compressed video stream and a hybrid I-Frame stream to a client device via a network. The hybrid I-Frame stream includes a number of low-loss I-Frames corresponding to select ones of the I-Frames in the compressed video stream to be used for client-side watermarking. The client device watermarks the I-Frames in the hybrid I-Frame stream, optionally compresses the watermarked I-Frames, and replaces the select ones of the I-Frames in the compressed video stream with the watermarked and optionally compressed I-Frames to provide a watermarked version of the compressed video stream.

Abstract: A system and method for providing personal broadcast channels are provided. In one embodiment, one or more users interact with a local broadcast agent hosted by a local server to define profiles for a number of personal broadcast channels. The profiles include information identifying types of content to be broadcast on the personal broadcast channels and optionally formats for the personal broadcast channels. Based on the profiles for the personal broadcast channels, the local broadcast agent generates a request for content types desired for the personal broadcast channels and provides the request to a content distribution agent hosted by a master server. Based on content provided to the local server in response to the request and the profiles of the personal broadcast channels, the local broadcast agent generates the local broadcast channels.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for selecting frames of a compressed video stream that may be used for client-side watermarking. In general, a content source evaluates a number of Intra-Frames (I-Frames) in the compressed video stream using a sample watermark that is similar to actual watermarks that may be used for client-side watermarking. More specifically, each of a number of I-Frames in the compressed video stream is evaluated by first watermarking the I-Frame with the sample watermark. Associated frames in the compressed video stream are then decoded using the watermarked I-Frame. An error value for the decoded video frames is then computed. If the error value is outside of a predetermined error threshold range, the I-Frame is selected as an I-Frame that may be used for client-side watermarking.

Abstract: A system and method for client-side watermarking of digital content using hybrid Intra-Frames (I-Frames) are provided. In general, a content source provides a compressed video stream and a hybrid I-Frame stream to a client device via a network. The hybrid I-Frame stream includes a number of low-loss I-Frames corresponding to select ones of the I-Frames in the compressed video stream to be used for client-side watermarking. The client device watermarks the I-Frames in the hybrid I-Frame stream, optionally compresses the watermarked I-Frames, and replaces the select ones of the I-Frames in the compressed video stream with the watermarked and optionally compressed I-Frames to provide a watermarked version of the compressed video stream.

Abstract: To help ensure that only authorized media content that is associated with rights management (RM) restrictions is delivered from a compliant RM interface of a source device to a non-compliant RM interface of a destination device, an interconnect device provides a compliant RM interface to connect to the source device and monitors media content received from the source device to detect an embedded digital watermark. The interconnect device takes the necessary steps to determine if the watermark is authentic and control delivery of the media content to the destination device accordingly. The interconnect device may go back to the source device or to a remote service to authenticate the watermark. If the watermark is authentic, the media content is passed by the interconnect device to the non-compliant interface of the destination device outside of normal RM restrictions. Otherwise, the delivery of the media content is restricted by the interconnect device.

Abstract: The present invention provides an interconnect device that connects a source device to a destination device, and allows the source device's non-compliant rights management (RM) interface to deliver media content with little or no restriction to the destination device's compliant RM interface.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for selecting images from media. As a media stream is processed for display, thumbnail images are extracted at a periodic rate from the media stream. The media stream and the thumbnail images are concurrently processed for display.

Abstract: A cross-layer architecture for a network device having a number of network interfaces is provided. Each of the network interfaces implements a number of low level layers of a protocol stack and includes an associated network based cross-layer agent. The network device also includes an application based cross-layer agent associated with one or more high level protocol stack layers including an application layer. When the application layer desires to form a network connection to another network device, an arbitration agent operates to identify one of the network interfaces for the network connection. The arbitration agent then effects interconnection of the application based cross-layer agent and the network based cross-layer agent of the network interface and interconnection of the high level protocol stack layers and the low level protocol stack layers of the network interface, thereby forming a complete protocol stack having a cross-layer architecture for the network connection.

Abstract: A cross-layer architecture for a network device having a number of network interfaces is provided. Each of the network interfaces implements a number of low level layers of a protocol stack and includes an associated network based cross-layer agent. The network device also includes an application based cross-layer agent associated with one or more high level protocol stack layers including an application layer. When the application layer desires to form a network connection to another network device, an arbitration agent operates to identify one of the network interfaces for the network connection. The arbitration agent then effects interconnection of the application based cross-layer agent and the network based cross-layer agent of the network interface and interconnection of the high level protocol stack layers and the low level protocol stack layers of the network interface, thereby forming a complete protocol stack having a cross-layer architecture for the network connection.