Abstract: A method, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, and reception apparatus for extracting metadata, and an information providing apparatus for providing the metadata. The method for extracting metadata includes processing, by circuitry of the reception apparatus, content that includes the metadata embedded therein. The metadata is embedded as a watermark in a first portion of a video frame of the content. The circuitry determines symbol values of the watermark from the video frame based on luminance values in pixels of the first portion of the video frame of the content to extract the metadata. At least one of the luminance values is less than 16.

Abstract: A method of a reception apparatus for processing closed caption data. The method includes receiving audio/video (A/V) content and closed caption data for a first caption service and a second caption service. The closed caption data for the first caption service includes closed caption text and the closed caption data for the second caption service includes additional data. Caption service blocks are extracted from the closed caption data for both the first caption service and the second caption service when the first caption service is to be displayed with the A/V content. The additional data included in the closed caption data for the second caption service is parsed from the caption services blocks for the second caption service. A presentation of the A/V content and the closed caption text is output by the circuitry for display to a user of the reception apparatus.

Abstract: A reception apparatus, including circuitry configured to receive a broadcast stream including audio/video content and a uniform resource identifier (URI). The circuitry is configured to determine whether a command identifier associated with the URI indicates the URI is a location of a server to which service usage information is to be sent. The circuitry is configured to, when the command identifier indicates the URI is the location of the server to which the service usage information is to be sent, associate the URI with the service provider. The circuitry is configured to provide the service usage infonnation to the server according to the associated URI.

Abstract: A method, reception apparatus, and computer-readable medium for communicating with a server to download or upload data. The method includes acquiring a URI (Uniform Resource Identifier) message that includes a DNS (Domain Name System) name registered with the IANA (Internet Assigned Numbers Authority). A URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is generated based on the registered DNS name in the acquired URI message and a predetermined domain name. The data is downloaded from, or uploaded to, the server using the generated URL.

Abstract: A reception apparatus and method for provider signaling. The method includes receiving a portion of a broadcast stream including low level signaling (LLS) information. The LLS information includes a provider count field. The method further includes extracting using circuitry a value of the provider count field. The provider count field identifies the number of different providers that provide LLS information in the portion of the broadcast stream. In addition, the method includes determining the number of providers based on the value of the provider count field and processing the portion of the broadcast stream to extract the LLS information until the LLS information for each of the different providers is extracted based on the determined number of providers.

Abstract: A method, computer program, reception apparatus, and information providing apparatus for accessing or providing access to content. The method includes receiving a transport stream from a content provider. A virtual channel table (VCT) is extracted from the transport stream. Further, a determination is made as to whether one or more services, corresponding to an entry included in the VCT, are supported by the reception apparatus based on one or more parameterized service descriptor (PSD) instances, which are associated with a predetermined Service Type and included in the VCT.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a reception apparatus including: a reception block configured to receive AV content; a trigger information capture block configured to capture trigger information for controlling an operation of an application program to be executed in coordination with said AV content; and a control block configured to control an operation of said application program in accordance with an operation mode specified in said trigger information.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a reception apparatus including: a reception block configured to receive AV content; a trigger information capture block configured to capture trigger information for controlling an operation of an application program to be executed in coordination with said AV content; and a control block configured to control an operation of said application program in accordance with an operation mode specified in said trigger information.

Abstract: A reception apparatus, method, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for processing an image in which a plurality of symbols is encoded. The reception apparatus includes circuitry configured to receive or retrieve an image in which one of a plurality of predetermined run-in patterns and a plurality of symbols is encoded using a set of luminance values, and determine which of the plurality of run-in patterns is encoded in the image. The circuitry is configured to determine a slice point used to determine data values of the plurality of symbols encoded in the image based on which of the plurality of predetermined run-in patterns is determined to be encoded in the image. Further, the circuitry is configured to determine the data values of the plurality of symbols encoded in the image based on the determined slice point.

Abstract: Reception apparatus, method, computer-readable storage medium, and information providing apparatus for a trigger. The reception apparatus includes a tuner/demodulator and a processor. The tuner/demodulator is configured to receive content included in a transport stream from a content source. The transport stream includes a trigger associated with the content and references information included in the transport stream. The processor is configured to retrieve the trigger from the transport stream, and to retrieve the information from the transport stream based on the reference in the trigger.

Abstract: A digital broadcast receiver has a storage device and a processing device. The storage device is configured to store a questionnaire received from at least one service provider of a digital broadcast system, and answers to the questionnaire. The questionnaire comprises a data structure common to at least two service providers. The processing device is configured to manipulate the questionnaire and answers. The questionnaire pertains to viewer preferences, demographics, and interests (PDI) information.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for broadcasting and receiving a terrestrial broadcast signal containing emergency alert information in machine-readable format. The method includes the steps of scanning a Transport Stream associated with the terrestrial broadcast signal. The Transport Stream contains one or more Transport Stream packets and a plurality of tables, which are parsed to identify a channel having a type specified as containing emergency alert information. An MPEG-2 program having said emergency alert information may then be acquired for delivery through a terrestrial broadcast receiver.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, a computerized method for reporting events from a television that supports transmission and playback of digital content in accordance with an Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) standard. The method comprises downloading a triggered declarative object (TDO), which includes a reporting script, for storage within a digital receiver of the television. Thereafter, information associated with one or more detected events that occur during playback of the digital content is recorded and subsequently, upon execution of the reporting script, is output over a communication path separate from a communication path of the received digital content.

Abstract: A reception apparatus, method, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for processing an image in which a plurality of symbols is encoded, and an information providing apparatus for providing the image. The reception apparatus includes circuitry configured to receive or retrieve an image in which a plurality of symbols is encoded. The circuitry determines a set of luminance values used to encode the symbols based on luminance values of a plurality of pixels included in the image. The circuitry determines a highest luminance value used to encode the symbols in the image based on the determined set of luminance values. Further, the circuitry derives data values of the symbols encoded in the image based on the set of luminance values and using the determined highest luminance value.

Abstract: Particular embodiments provide recommendations based on community affiliation. In one embodiment, the method determines a query from a target user. A community in which the target user is a member is then determined. The community may include a plurality of members that have joined the community based on a common interest. User activity information is analyzed for at least a portion of the members of the community to determine a recommendation for the query. The user activity information is determined to be of interest to the target user based on the target user's membership in the community. For example, based on the user's membership in the community, recommendations as to what other members in the community liked can be correlated to the query for the target user. Thus, the recommendation may be provided to the user based on what other users in the community liked.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, a computer-implemented method for a digital broadcast system is described. The method involves an operation of receiving an electronic questionnaire that includes a plurality of questions registered to avoid duplication of any one of the plurality of questions. The electronic questionnaire, when processed by a receiver of the digital broadcast system, generates for display a plurality of questions. The receiver acquires answers to the electronic questionnaire, where the answers are used in adjusting content subsequently downloaded to the receiver.

Abstract: A digital broadcast receiver has a storage device and a processing device. The storage device is configured to store a questionnaire received from at least one service provider of a digital broadcast system, and answers to the questionnaire. The questionnaire comprises a data structure common to at least two service providers. The processing device is configured to manipulate the questionnaire and answers. The questionnaire pertains to viewer preferences, demographics, and interests (PDI) information.

Abstract: A method, non-transitory computer-readable medium, and reception apparatus for processing application information. The reception apparatus includes circuitry configured to download application information including at least one parameter and an identifier for each of the at least one parameter. The circuitry is configured to determine whether to download additional data, including an application, based on the application information and download the additional data based on the determination of whether to download the additional data. The circuitry is configured to receive control information, including the identifier for one of the at least one parameter, and retrieve the one of the at least one parameter associated with the identifier from the application information in response to the control information. The circuitry is further configured to cause the application to perform a function based on the retrieved one of the at least one parameter.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, a computerized method for reporting events from a television that supports transmission and playback of digital content in accordance with an Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) standard. The method comprises downloading a triggered declarative object (TDO), which includes a reporting script, for storage within a digital receiver of the television. Thereafter, information associated with one or more detected events that occur during playback of the digital content is recorded and subsequently, upon execution of the reporting script, is output over a communication path separate from a communication path of the received digital content.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and non-transitory computer-readable storage mediums for providing and/or processing service usage reporting data. The reception apparatus includes a receiver, a parser, and a processor. The receiver receives closed caption service data. The closed caption service data includes closed caption data within a first service block having a service number in the range of 1-6, and the service usage reporting data within a second service block having a different service number in the range of 1-6. The closed caption data includes closed caption text. The parser parses the service usage reporting data within the second service block having the different service number in the range of 1-6. The processor provides service-usage information to a service-usage reporting server (SURS) based on the service usage reporting data.