Abstract: A system (300), apparatus (200) and method (100) are provided to automatically play/suggest at least one audio accompaniment while a sequence of at least one digital image is being displayed such that the audio accompaniment matches the content of the particular sequence of images and matches any provided and/or generated image metadata. Search terms are derived from the images themselves as well as any metadata provided by the user and these search terms are then used to find audio accompaniment that either (1) contains these search terms or synonyms thereof in the image or associated text (e.g., song text) or (2) represents the sound normally associated with the images, such as rushing water sound for an image of a fast flowing brook. The invention accepts user input, locates appropriate audio accompaniment as search results and presents these results to the user either by playing the audio accompaniment while displaying the images or by suggesting a playlist to the user compiled from these results.

Abstract: A system (300), apparatus (200) and method (100) are provided to automatically play/suggest at least one audio accompaniment while a sequence of at least one digital image is being displayed such that the audio accompaniment matches the content of the particular sequence of images and matches any provided and/or generated image metadata. Search terms are derived from the images themselves as well as any metadata provided by the user and these search terms are then used to find audio accompaniment that either (1) contains these search terms or synonyms thereof in the image or associated text (e.g., song text) or (2) represents the sound normally associated with the images, such as rushing water sound for an image of a fast flowing brook. The invention accepts user input, locates appropriate audio accompaniment as search results and presents these results to the user either by playing the audio accompaniment while displaying the images or by suggesting a playlist to the user compiled from these results.

Abstract: A system for providing subject location information for use by one or more software applications includes an environmental model (14) storing environmental location information including environment subsections defined by system location co-ordinates. The environmental model communicates with the one or more software applications (12) for receiving an application-specific location request including an area of interest, an application-specific system coordinate resolution and an application-specific update frequency. At least one location sensor (20) senses the position of a subject within the area of interest at a sensor-specific sensing frequency to provide sensor-specific subject location information. A sensor translator (22) translates the sensor-specific subject location information to system location coordinates having the application-specific system coordinate resolution and updates the translated system location coordinates at the application-specific update frequency.

Abstract: A method for selecting an application to deliver content in a networked consumer environment (12) is based on multiple factors. Generally, application selection is based on factors associated with a desired content to be communicated and/or rendered, a desired location and certain capabilities and conditions of applications and consumer electronic (CE) devices in a network (18). In various embodiments, the method is based on any combination of equivalent content, content type, sink resource, content source, preference, and resource availability factors. In another aspect of the invention, a consumer environment for multi-factor application selection includes a network with various combination of sink resources (22), source resources (24), processing resources (26, 30), and external communication resources (28, 32). The network (18) may also include mobile devices (34).

Abstract: A method of controlling content rendering to one or more content rendering devices (22, 24, 26, 28) associated with a consumer environment (12) includes receiving an initial content reference from within the consumer environment. Zero or more equivalent content references associated with the initial content reference are identified. A preferred equivalent content reference associated with the consumer environment is selected from the initial content reference and the equivalent content references. A content instance described by the preferred equivalent content reference is rendered on a first content rendering device. The method may also include selecting a preferred content rendering device associated with the consumer environment. The preferred content rendering device is compatible with the preferred equivalent content reference. A content instance described by the preferred equivalent content reference is then rendered to the preferred content rendering device.

Abstract: A method (and corresponding system) of providing a single user interface to a plurality of devices (1, 2, 3), where at least a number of the devices comprises at least one user-adjustable parameter (14), the method comprising the steps of transmitting information representing the at least one user-adjustable parameter to a control device (1), obtaining use information regarding a current use of at least a number of the devices, selecting user-adjustable parameters relevant for the current use on the basis of the use information where the parameters are selected from the received parameters, and generating a user interface representation in the control device, where the user interface representation comprises the selected parameters. It is an object of the invention to adapt a single user interface to a plurality of devices and to provide a single remote controller of devices to dynamically adapt to the capabilities of the devices.

Abstract: A video information stream distribution unit distributes streams such as MPEG streams that contain packets making up sub-streams. Each packet having an identification code that identifies the sub-stream to which the packet belongs. The stream also contains table information that relates programs to said identification codes. The distribution unit generates a new stream from a received stream. In the new stream selected packets from the received stream are copied that have identification codes related to a selected program. In the new stream the table information for the selected program is included with an increased repetition rate in comparison with an incoming repetition rate of the table information in the received stream, at least temporarily during an initial time interval following a change of selection of the selected program. Thus, latency involved with access to the new stream is reduced.

Abstract: Method and system for converting a first data stream (10) received from a network (12) into a second data stream (16) for delivery to an end terminal (18). The first data stream (10) has a first data rate, and comprises at least one data packet stream of a predetermined type. The system comprises a re-multiplexer (25) which is arranged for recovering the at least one data packet stream of the predetermined type from the first data stream (10). The re-multiplexer (25) is further arranged for re-multiplexing the at least one data packet stream using a predetermined bit rate to provide the second data stream (16) with a fixed bandwidth.