Abstract: A payment HSM hosted in a data center and comprising a host interface accessible by a remote end-user entity running a payment application using critical resources protected in the payment HSM, a second interface for main, operational management of the payment HSM by the end-user entity, and an Out-Of-Band, OOB, management interface being distinct and physically isolated from the communication channel of the second interface, and configured to allow secure access to the payment HSM by a third-party entity, distinct from the end-user entity. A resident, remotely configurable provisioning state-machine is implemented in the HSM for the management of the provisioning of the payment HSM for service to one or more end-user entities, under the control of the third-party entity over the OOB management interface.

Abstract: There is disclosed a payment HSM hosted in a data center and comprising a host interface accessible by a remote end-user entity running a payment application using critical resources protected in the payment HSM, a second interface for main, operational management of the payment HSM by the end-user entity, and an Out-Of-Band, OOB, management interface being distinct and physically isolated from the communication channel of the second interface, and configured to allow secure access to the payment HSM by a third-party entity, distinct from the end-user entity. A resident, remotely configurable provisioning state-machine is implemented in the HSM for the management of the provisioning of the payment HSM for service to one or more end-user entities, under the control of the third-party entity over the OOB management interface.

Abstract: A system and method for notifying an instant message recipient of the arrival of the instant message is provided, and includes managing the presence of the recipient on a network, determining a notification priority level of the message, and notifying the recipient based on the notification priority level. In embodiments, the higher the notification priority level, the more sensorially obtrusive the notification can be.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for providing High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection during a channel change process. The method and apparatus include detection of High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection capability on a receiver during an interface event. High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection authentication is delayed for a predetermined time period to allow the channel change process to stabilize. The invention reduces a performance penalty associated with the channel change process.

Abstract: A call flow server is disclosed that processes call flow events from a plurality of gateways bridging between traditional circuit-switched networks and packet-switched networks. The call flow server server, which may be implemented with either a single processor or multi-processor design, includes call flow engine and call flow thread manager modules capable of managing a plurality of call flow events by distributing the call flow scripts associated with such events among a plurality of threads executing on the call flow server. Each call flow event in the form of a call flow script is processed on a single thread within a selected processor. Processing each call flow script on a single thread fully utilizes the processor resources and ensures that a call flow script need not be blocked while another call flow script is running. The call flow server includes a thread manager to direct a given call flow script to a thread that has excess capacity.

Abstract: A system and method for enabling computers associated with a communications network to remotely locate each other and establish a master-slave relationship.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for providing High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection during a channel change process. The method and apparatus include detection of High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection capability on a receiver during an interface event. High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection authentication is delayed for a predetermined time period to allow the channel change process to stabilize. The invention reduces a performance penalty associated with the channel change process.

Abstract: A technique for determining cell starting times for DVD titles entails maintaining a snapshot in memory of starting times for the “most likely” to be played cells, and maintaining in memory a list of “hints” so that starting times for cells outside this most likely list can be quickly accessed. The “most likely” to be played cells are those of an active program chain. An active program chain is the program chain currently being played at any particular time. The hints list can be provided by a chapter array which contains starting times of only chapters (e.g., PTTs) of an active program chain (e.g., PGC). The snapshot in memory of starting times of most likely to be played cells can be provided by a cell array that contains cell starting times for only cells of the active PGC. The stored information is sufficient to determine current running time of a title. There is no need to store starting times for PTTs or cells of non-active program chains.

Abstract: A technique for determining cell starting times for DVD titles entails maintaining a snapshot in memory of starting times for the “most likely” to be played cells, and maintaining in memory a list of “hints” so that starting times for cells outside this most likely list can be quickly accessed. The “most likely” to be played cells are those of an active program chain. An active program chain is the program chain currently being played at any particular time. The hints list can be provided by a chapter array which contains starting times of only chapters (e.g., PTTs) of an active program chain (e.g., PGC). The snapshot in memory of starting times of most likely to be played cells can be provided by a cell array that contains cell starting times for only cells of the active PGC. The stored information is sufficient to determine current running time of a title. There is no need to store starting times for PTTs or cells of non-active program chains.

Abstract: A digital signal playback apparatus is disclosed that includes at least one digital signal input receiver, at least one digital signal output decoder, and a universal ratings manager. The universal ratings manager analyzes an incoming digital data signal to determine if the content rating for the signal is acceptable for decoding by the content rating received by the ratings manager from the user. The ratings manager is capable of analyzing multiple input signals and then outputting them simultaneously. The content rating may be based on the type of content acceptable by the user. This content includes sexual situations, language, violence, time of viewing, content author, and content source, among others.

Abstract: A navigation system for a digital versatile disc system includes multiple synchronized threads, each of which separately performs a single task so that several tasks can be performed concurrently. In one embodiment, a stream parser thread, a navigation thread and a user interface thread are always created when the DVD player begins operation. In addition, a highlight thread may also be created if the DVD data stream contains highlight information. The stream parser thread receives the DVD data stream and extracts navigation commands and DVD content data from the stream. The navigation commands are sent to the navigation thread for processing, but the content data is sent to system decoders for display. The navigation thread operates separately from the stream parser thread and processes the retrieved navigation commands to select portions of the DVD data stream for display.

Abstract: In an interactive multimedia environment, the invention includes automated presence management on an instant messaging network, a message notification priority scheme based on a message recipient's preferences, and message notification based on the results of the scheme. Presence management, the ability to detect others connected to the network and to inform others connected to the network of the user's presence, may be automated based on the activity the user is engaged in, such as viewing a video stream. The user registers preferred video streams during the viewing of which the user does not want to be interrupted. When such a video stream is being viewed, the user is taken offline so that the user is not “present” on the instant messaging network. When the video stream changes, it is again determined whether the user wants his or her presence to be known during the new video stream. The message notification priority scheme may include several notification levels (e.g.

Abstract: A system and method for enabling computers associated with a communications network to remotely locate each other and establish a master-slave relationship.

Abstract: A digital versatile disc (DVD) playback apparatus is disclosed for searching program chain (PGC) objects within a DVD content source. The DVD playback apparatus includes a DVD reader for reading a DVD content source and a user input device for receiving user commands. The DVD content source comprises a plurality of PGC objects and the DVD playback apparatus is able to search among the PGC objects using the following mechanisms. A PGC object pointer allocating mechanism is provided that is configured to allocate a unique pointer to each PGC object on the DVD content source. Once the PGC object pointers are allocated, a PGC search mechanism, which is coupled to the PGC pointer allocating mechanism, performs searches for a requested PGC object using a pointer assigned to the desired PGC object. Selected of the PGC objects are allocated to at least one data block while the remaining are considered to be non-block objects. The PGC pointers are place within a linear array for searching.

Abstract: A parental management controller for use in a DVD environment is disclosed that defines, in a distributive computer environment, department, country, or corporate controls over DVD content viewed by machines within the environment. The controller provides automated parental management installation on remote machines. It provides parental management enforcement on remote machines. It adjusts the default parental management enforcement level to local cultures and moral values. The controller also provides a logging of any parental management violations on local machines.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed within a DVD player that allows multiple view angles to be displayed on a common display with one view angle designated as a primary view and the remaining view angles being subordinated to the primary view angle. The system and method also provide that any Modifications to the primary view similarly affect the secondary views. Any of the secondary views may be selected at any time to become the primary view whereupon the remaining viewing angles are subordinated and synchronized with the newly selected primary view.

Abstract: A multi-block, read-ahead technique permits a DVD player to read and cache DVD data from a DVD source in response to navigation packs (NAV-PCKs) of individual VOBUs to avoid crossing title boundaries, Each VOBU has a NAV-PCK, which specifies the number of blocks in that VOBU. This information can guide the DVD player in performing read-ahead operations aligned to VOBUs, i.e., reading and caching data blocks separately for individual VOBUs. The invention takes advantage of the fact that data blocks within individual VOBUs do not cross title boundaries, and so read-ahead operations aligned to VOBUs avoid reading blocks that cross title boundaries.

Abstract: The set up information associated with at least some of a DVD disc's titles are stored in a DVD player's local memory. Items are chosen for storage based upon the likelihood that a title will be played. The likelihood that a title will be played is balanced against the availability of local memory for storing this information. Titles are ranked according to the likelihood they might be played and titles of lower rank may be purged from the local memory, or title cache, set aside for this task. Six basic criteria are used to rank a title as extremely likely, highly likely, likely, or not likely to be played. A title ranked extremely likely to be played has top caching priority, one that is highly likely to be played has the second highest caching priority, and so on. Each time a title's set up information is read, the title is ranked for caching. Additionally, the state of the title cache is stored every time a user plays a DVD.

Abstract: A digital signal playback apparatus is disclosed that includes at least one digital signal input receiver, at least one digital signal output decoder, and a universal ratings manager. The universal ratings manager analyzes an incoming digital data signal to determine if the content rating for the signal is acceptable for decoding by the content rating received by the ratings manager from the user. The ratings manager is capable of analyzing multiple input signals and then outputting them simultaneously. The content rating may be based on the type of content acceptable by the user. This content includes sexual situations, language, violence, time of viewing, content author, and content source, among others.

Abstract: A caching method and system for use in a DVD player is disclosed that selectively caches only one of multiple viewing angles recorded on the DVD medium. This system allows optimization of the caching resources by only caching that portion of the DVD stream that relates to the currently selected angle being displayed or viewed during video playback. If another viewing angle is selected, the current contents of the cache for the previously-selected viewing angle are discarded and the system proceeds to cache the data for the newly selected viewing angle.