Abstract: A method of communicating image capture commands is provided. The method includes receiving a user command to capture an image. The image to be captured is incorporated in multimedia content delivered by a multimedia distribution system via a network to an end-user device. The method further includes sending an image-capture command to the multimedia distribution system via the network in response to receiving the user command.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a digital video recording (DVR) system having a controller to record video content supplied by an interactive television (iTV) communication system as directed by a plurality of users of the iTV communication system, receive from a communication device of one of the plurality of users a request for a portion of the recorded video content, identify a need to transcode the requested portion of the recorded video content according to one or more operating characteristics of the communication device, transcode the requested portion of the recorded video content to conform with the one or more operating characteristics of the communication device, and transmit to the communication device the transcoded video content. The DVR system can be located outside of the premises of each of the plurality of users. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a digital video recording (DVR) system having a controller to record video content supplied by an interactive television (iTV) communication system, receive from a communication device of one of said users a request for a portion of the recorded video content, identify a need to transcode the requested portion of the recorded video content according to one or more operating characteristics of the communication device, transcode the requested portion of the recorded video content to conform with the one or more operating characteristics of the communication device, partition the transcoded video content into a plurality of transcoded portions, and transmit to the communication device the plurality of transcoded portions. The communication device can begin a presentation of the transcoded video content before all of the plurality of transcoded portions have been received. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Targeted content associated with user information stored in a database within a network in communication with a user device is received along with program content. A determination by a scanning process is made at what position or at what time in the program content to include the targeted content. The program content and the targeted content are rendered, with the targeted content included at the determined position or time in the program content, for presentation to at least one user. This rendering may occur within a network or within a user device.

Abstract: Targeted content is delivered to and received by at least one user device based on user information stored locally at the user device. Program content and targeted content are received. The targeted content received is associated with user information stored locally on the user device, while the program content is broadcast to multiple users. A determination by a scanning process is made at what position or at what time in the program content to include the targeted content. The program content and the targeted content are rendered, with the targeted content included at the determined position or time in the program content, for presentation to the user.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and computer program products for providing interactive services used with a time sensitive interactive application are provided. A request is received for interactive services that corresponds to a program. A program identification (ID) for the program is determined. An interactive application that corresponds to the program is determined based on the program ID, where the interactive application has a corresponding interactive application ID. The interactive application ID that corresponds to the interactive application for the program is provided.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and system for a virtual machine to issue an instruction to a virtual device, such virtual device being monitored by a management core of a virtual machine monitor. The virtual machine may instruct the virtual device to enter into for example a chat mode, a statistic mode, a file transfer mode or to execute or perform other functions. A management core of a virtual machine monitor may for example collect, channel, route or direct such instructions to a host, one or more other virtual machines or other components in a host network.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer products for storage of video via Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) are disclosed herein. Exemplary embodiments include a network-based method for video storage. The method includes receiving a request to store at least one video, retrieving the at least one video through an Internet Protocol television (IPTV) network, and storing the at least one video in a video repository in communication with the IPTV network.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer products for providing podcasts via Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) are disclosed herein. Exemplary embodiments include a network-based method for providing digital media podcasts. The method includes receiving a request to render at least one podcast on a communications device authenticated on an IPTV network, retrieving the at least one podcast from the IPTV network, and providing the at least one podcast to the communications device.

Abstract: Systems, methods and computer products for DVR management and scheduling. In exemplary embodiments, a system is provided that includes DVR management and scheduling services including, but not limited to: DVR capacity indication; recorded and viewed programs indication; cancellation options for recorded and viewed programs; deletion priority for recorded and viewed programs; schedule change conflict resolution; DVR scheduling; remote and local DVR interface management; DVR searching and programming; multi-level DVR content searching, storage and management; search saving and favorite channel management; DVR management alerts and notifications; offsite DVR recovery; and DVR capacity provisioning.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer products for storage of music via Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) are disclosed herein. Exemplary embodiments include a network-based method for audio storage. The method includes receiving a request to store audio data, retrieving the audio data through an Internet Protocol television (IPTV) network, and storing the audio data in an audio repository in communication with the IPTV network.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for delivering continuous integrated video via an IPTV network are provided. Input is received from multiple cameras, where each camera is focused on a portion of a larger scene and captures its portion of the larger scene. Memory of a video processor stores each camera's captured portion of the larger scene. The video processor and a buffer memory execute a process for merging each camera's captured portion of the larger scene into a continuous integrated video that is stored in a memory of a video server. The video server and a set-top box communicate via the IPTV network. The video server receives inputs from the set-top box operated by a subscriber for viewing specific portions of the integrated video. The requested portion of the integrated video is streamed from the buffer memory to the set-top box.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses provide for incremental provisioning of software for a processing system. For instance, a processing system may include a machine accessible medium and a processor in communication with the machine accessible medium. In addition, instructions encoded in the machine accessible medium may cause the processing system to automatically determine whether a storage device in the processing system includes modified blocks, based at least in part on a write log file that identifies blocks that were modified during a user session on the processing system. In response to identifying at least one modified block in the storage device, the processing system may automatically replace data in the modified block with backup data from a different storage device. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: Embodiment of the present disclosure can also be viewed as providing methods for inputting characters into a user interface. In this regard, one embodiment of such a method, among others, can be broadly summarized by the following: receiving a character string; determining possible keywords corresponding to the character string based upon context in which the character string is input; and providing at least a subset of the possible keywords to allow selection of at least one of the keywords in the at least a subset if a keyword of interest is found. Other methods and systems are also provided.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products that automatically categorize and/or assign ratings to content (video and audio content) uploaded by individuals who want to broadcast the content to others via a communications network, such as an IPTV network, are provided. When an individual uploads content to a network, a network service automatically extracts an audio stream from the uploaded content. Words in the extracted audio stream are identified. For each identified word, a preexisting library of selected words is queried to determine if a match exists between words in the library and words in the extracted audio stream. The selected words in the library are associated with a particular content category or content rating. If a match exists between an identified word and a word in the library, the uploaded content is assigned a content category and/or rating associated with the matched word.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for providing media management services for multi-platform media devices are provided. The method includes receiving a first request from a media device for a media file via a network. The method also includes associating the media file with an account record established for an account holder specified in the first request. The method further includes recording the media file and identifying a device platform for the media device. The method also includes providing the media device with access to the recorded media file by converting the recorded media file to the device platform and streaming the converted, recorded media file to the media device over the network.

Abstract: A basic input and output system (BIOS) for a computer system includes a main engine to call and run routines. Some of the routines require resource accesses. A synchronization module is provided to synchronize the resource accesses. The synchronization module allows concurrent resource accesses to different resources. A method of synchronizing resource accesses in a basic input and output system of a computer system is also described.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer products for content conversion and presentation enabled services for television and Internet Protocol television applications. In exemplary embodiments, the system and method identify program content having embedded text, apply a conversion to the program content to extract voice data and play voice data in conjunction with the program content.

Abstract: The present invention provides plants, plant cells and methods of making transgenic plants or plant cells, wherein the plants or cells are resistant to bacterial blight. The invention provides isolated nucleic acid sequences comprising SEQ ID NO: 1 or fragments thereof which provide a plant with resistance to bacterial blight disease when transfected into the plant.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for indexing content. An audio stream is converted to a stream of phonemes. The stream of phonemes is filtered according to a list of popular phoneme strings. A weighting is computed for the content based on at least one popular phoneme combination occurring in the stream of phonemes. The content is indexed based on the weighting.