Abstract: An electronic program guide is displayed where the program guide indicates the various media being consumed by a plurality of users. Such users can be linked together via a relationship from a social networking website. In addition, the grid can display broadcast channel listings. The grid optionally provides the feature of adding and removing corresponding user and channel listings.

Abstract: A current programming channel, and the content thereon, being displayed on a primary display device are tracked. Web content related to the content being displayed on the primary display device is searched and the resulting data is made available to a user on at least one secondary display device via a user interface. The results of the search are made available to a user such that when data resulting from the search is selected for display on the at least one secondary display device, the data is displayed on the at least one secondary display device without interfering with a display of content on the primary display device. In the event of a change of the programming channel or the content thereon, a new search is initiated for data related to content being currently viewed.

Abstract: There are provided apparatus and methods for parallelizing an encoding process across multiple processors. An apparatus includes a computing resource balancer and a splitter. The computing resource balancer is for assigning encoder instances to respective ones of the multiple processors based on at least one of thread affinity and process affinity. The splitter is for temporally dividing an incoming video sequence into discrete GOPs such that each of the encoder instances is capable of encoding the incoming video sequence in parallel so that each of the discrete GOPs is encoded on a respective one of the multiple processors.

Abstract: A method for enabling playback of an MP4 file wrapper/container during generation of the same includes the creation of an auxiliary index file at initiation of the MP4 file generation and the updating of the auxiliary index file simultaneously with the MP4 file being generated. The auxiliary index file provides the instantaneous playback of a partially generated MP4 file container up to a last data block written to the MP4 file wrapper. Furthermore, by fixing the size of the index records that make up the auxiliary index file, a device can seek to any index record within the auxiliary index file at constant time and read the attributes of a frame such as data block location and frame offset.

Abstract: Command ports are provided for objects within a data stream. The command ports allow control commands to be issued to individual objects in the data stream rather than for the entire stream. This permits the objects to also have internal rules for when the control commands are used internally and/or reported to other objects in the data stream. Overriding commands are also provided to override an object's internal determination of the command.

Abstract: A method and system of providing a content guide that identifies a spatial relationship between the elements in the content guide is described. A controller receives electronic program guide data. The received electronic program guide data is parsed to identify a plurality of programs listed in the electronic program guide and data corresponding to at least one program description attribute for the identified programs. A relationship is determined between each identified program based on the at least one program description attribute. At least one cluster is generated and includes at least one of the plurality of identified programs based on the determined relationship. A user interface display processor generates a user interface display image representing a clustered content guide and including the at least one generated cluster enabling the user to view the relationship of the plurality of programs.

Abstract: In a network having routing elements for routing information through the network, there is provided a method for providing an ability to set up a Quality of Service contract for a videoconference session between clients. A reservation is received for a time period for the videoconference session. Configuration information, for filtering real-time traffic corresponding to the videoconference session from other traffic traversing the network, is sent to at least one of the routing elements after the time period is reserved.

Abstract: There are provided methods and apparatus for audio and video synchronization timestamp rollover correction. A synchronization apparatus includes a synchronizer for providing synchronization information for synchronizing a video stream with an audio stream during any point in a broadcast thereof irrespective of whether the video stream and the audio stream have different rollover points for their respective timestamps. The synchronization information is encoded for an out of band transmission with respect to the broadcast of the audio and video streams.

Abstract: A method and system of providing access to related content includes a primary display that is tuned to a desired program. Information that identifies the desired program is retrieved from an electronic program guide using a content processor. A plurality of locations on a communication network are automatically searched for additional episodes of the desired program using the retrieved information via an interne interface. Links for accessing the additional episodes of the tune program are provided via a user interface display processor on a secondary display.

Abstract: There is provided a method for employing Parameter Set information corresponding to an Advanced Video Coding (AVC) file. The method includes the step of embedding the Parameter Set information into a Hint Track of the AVC file.

Abstract: A method and system including a controller with an internet interface of providing enhanced content is provided. The controller receives an electronic program guide data and retrieves at least one characteristic identifying a program currently being displayed on a primary display device within the electronic program guide. At least one external content source is searched using the internet interface for information related to the program based on the at least one characteristic and the information related to the program obtained during the search is stored into a memory. The information stored in the memory and related to the first program is displayed by a user interface display processor on a second display.

Abstract: The method and apparatus for multimedia stream synchronization includes establishing a hierarchical clock system for use in synchronization. The clock system includes establishing at least one parent clock and establishing a child clock for each multimedia stream to be synchronized. The parent clock is in communication with each child clock and through the implementation of rollover and prefetch state information contained with each established child clock, the parent clock can nominate any child clock as a master so as to enable multimedia stream synchronization.

Abstract: A current programming channel, and the content thereon, being displayed on a primary display device are tracked. Web content related to the content being displayed on the primary display device is searched and the resulting data is made available to a user on at least one secondary display device via a user interface. The results of the search are made available to a user such that when data resulting from the search is selected for display on the at least one secondary display device, the data is displayed on the at least one secondary display device without interfering with a display of content on the primary display device. In the event of a change of the programming channel or the content thereon, a new search is initiated for data related to content being currently viewed.

Abstract: A centralized media device accesses media sources via a networked system to display a unified preview of media contents stored on different devices. The unified previews are provided in real-time, pushing previews to multiple user devices. The centralized media device can employ user profile information to tailor the unified previews to individuals. It can also employ external sources to obtain relevant content images and information to provide to a user. The centralized media device can operate independently of the type of media, media source and/or viewing devices.

Abstract: An apparatus for upgrading a projector having a two-dimensional projector lens to display three-dimensional content includes a circular polarized filter having at least two polarized zones, and a motor having a shaft on which is mounted the filter. At least one light sensor is disposed in front of the two-dimensional projector lens for providing a spatial control output signal and a temporal control output signal. A processor controls a speed at which the filter is rotated around the shaft of the motor responsive to information determined from the spatial control output signal and the temporal control output signal, such that the filter is automatically adjusted to spin so as to respectively place an appropriate one of the at least two polarized zones of the filter in front of an applicable frame of the video sequence to obtain a polarization thereof representative of the three-dimensional content.

Abstract: A Video Server (VS 100) encodes a video stream according to the values of parameters and transmits the video stream over a Network to a Video Client (VC 200) that decodes the received video stream for presentation to a user. As the video stream is being received, (VC 200 continually gathers data regarding at least the condition of Network sends this data to (VS 100). (VS 100) modifies the values of the parameters based on the data received from (VC 200), which in turn modifies the encoding of the video stream.

Abstract: A method and system for generating a dynamic user interface on a second screen control device for controlling the content being displayed on primary viewing screen. The method and system utilizes view context which is based on the content being displayed, additional information, and the type of second screen control device. The view context is then used to generate the user interface on the second screen control device.

Abstract: A method for a system that provides an enhanced content guide includes a controller that receives electronic program guide data and parses the received electronic program guide data to identify a program listed in the electronic program guide and data corresponding to at least one program description attribute for the identified program. At least one external source of content information is searched using the Internet interface for information related to the identified program using the at least one program description attribute. A user interface generator generates an enhanced content guide user interface including the information related to the identified program for display on a display device in response to selection of the identified program in the electronic program guide.

Abstract: A method and system enables sharing content between a plurality of users over a communications network. A link to content that has been shared by a user is selected, the link includes at least one access characteristic defining a set of users able to access the content. A request signal including the at least one access characteristic associated with the content and at least one user characteristic associated with a requesting user over the communications network is transmitted for receipt by an authorization processor. A level of access available is determined for the content by comparing the at least one access characteristic and the at least one user characteristic in the request signal with a source of content specific authentication information including data representing content-specific access levels. Access to the requested content is provided via an internet interface to an output device in accordance with the determined level of access.

Abstract: A method and system of providing access to related content includes a primary display that is tuned to a desired program. Information that identifies the desired program is retrieved from an electronic program guide using a content processor. A plurality of locations on a communication network are automatically searched for additional episodes of the desired program using the retrieved information via an interne interface. Links for accessing the additional episodes of the tune program are provided via a user interface display processor on a secondary display.