Abstract: In a method embodiment, a method for controlling power includes receiving a user input to control the on/off state of one or more electronic devices plugged into a plurality of respective power sockets in a power strip. The method further includes determining, by the power strip, an electrical characteristic of respective ones of the plurality of power sockets. Additionally, the method includes toggling the on/off state of the one or more of the plugged in electronic devices based on the determination.

Abstract: An interactive television that combines the video/audio content, delivered by existing broadcast methods, with the interactive Internet capabilities, delivered by existing network methods. In this approach, mixed media, including fall frame-rate high definition video, audio, text, and graphics are delivered via mixed transmission mediums, both traditional broadcast and the Internet. This provides for personalized content, both video and Internet, and allows interactive content to be developed by third parties.

Abstract: A system for handling special television video features digitally. The system receives incoming broadcast video into a switch (106). The switch allows the viewer to select a main channel and at least one auxiliary channel for viewing as a special feature, if the viewer does not want to view only the main channel for that particular special feature. The main video channel data is processed by a scan converter (216) to convert it from interlaced to progressive scan. A logic device (212) handles the auxiliary channel data to format it into the selected special feature and inputs that data to the scan converter (216) such that the special feature appears in the proper place relative to the main channel image.

Abstract: A data converter (13) for providing data for secondary images in a video display system (10). One embodiment (FIG. 2) provides data for a staggered pixel array, by using an A/D converter (23) to sample the data at a rate of 2/n(h) times the sample rate of the main image, where 1/n(h) is the horizontal scaling factor. A multiplexer (24) selects between two different sample patterns. Another embodiment (FIG. 3) provides data for progressively scanned secondary images by selecting 2/n(v) times the number of lines per input field, where 1/n(v) is the vertical scaling factor.

Abstract: A television system 106 and display method for receiving and displaying television broadcasts having various formats. The television system resizes (106) the various received image formats for display on a common display device. Images are resized horizontally by altering the rate at which data is sampled by the television (106). Images are resized vertically by using vertical scaling algorithms which alter the number of lines in an image. Format detection may be done automatically by decoding information contained in the vertical interval of the television broadcast signal, or by counting the number of lines in each frame. The input format may be indicated by a viewer.

Abstract: A graphics data unit (17) for a digital television receiver (10) that uses a spatial light modulator (16). The graphics data unit (17) has a graphics processor (22), which offloads graphics processing tasks, such as for closed captioning and on-screen display, from a main processor (14). The graphics data unit (17) also has a character memory (24), which stores fonts for closed caption and on-screen display characters. A read-only memory (22a) stores graphics primitives. The character fonts and the graphics primitives may be adapted to compensate for staggered pixel layouts of the spatial light modulator (16).