Abstract: A method and apparatus providing display of content and automatic pause of the display. The method and apparatus exists in a client device and/or ahead-end or network operator. Event are assigned a relative priority based on event type, originator and the type of current display so that a variable response level ranging from a required viewer action to the viewer completely ignoring an event is provided.

Abstract: A method and mechanism for delivering and processing relational metadata in a television system. A client is configured to receive a broadcast signal and relational metadata which corresponds to received programming. The received relational metadata includes information which identifies two sets of data and a relationship between them. Upon identifying the data indicated by the relational metadata and determining the indicated relationship, the client is configured to perform a predetermined action which corresponds to the received relational metadata and the identified data sets. The receiver includes, or is coupled to, a mass storage device configured to store received relational metadata and programming.

Abstract: A method and mechanism for managing resources in a receiving device. A privileged application-level resource advisor may be included in individual receivers which are manufactured by different hardware manufacturers, each possibly having different resources, and each possibly running operating systems and/or middleware written by different vendors. The advisor is configured to communicate with the middleware and/or operating system of a receiving device in order to affect resource usage. Subsequent to detecting a resource contention problem, the resource advisor may determine how to resolve the contention problem. Subsequent to being authenticated by the middleware and/or operating system, the resource advisor may then affect the resolution by itself, or it may affect the resolution by providing input to the operating system, middleware, or other resource managing component of the IRD.

Abstract: A home digital assistant which, in one embodiment, is coupled by a local communication link to the receiver of an interactive television system. The home digital assistant is configured to enable a user to obtain information from and to interact with the interactive television system. The interactive television system includes a broadcast station and one or more receiving stations which are coupled to the broadcast station by a broadcast communication link. A broadcast signal which includes data targeted to the home digital assistant is transmitted from the broadcast station to the receiving stations over the broadcast link. The receiving stations separate the data targeted to the home digital assistant from the remainder of the signal and transmit this data to the home digital assistant over the local communication link. The data may be application code, raw data, streaming audio or video, triggers, control information, or other types of data.

Abstract: A generic data processing engine is operable to receive a format definition and process data formatted according to the definition, without use of formatting information in the data. The format definition includes a description of the syntax of the format, and a description of the semantics of the format. The syntax and semantics may be described in the same language or in different languages, and the engine is configured to produce an internal representation of the syntax and semantics. The engine receives queries and uses them together with the internal representation to set masks for the filters. The filters apply the masks to the data and return filtered data to the engine, which may forward a portion of the filtered data to applications, store a portion of the filtered data, set new masks based on a portion of the filtered data, or modify the existing masks based on a portion of the filtered data. The filters may also be configured to return filtered data directly to applications, bypassing the engine.