Abstract: A system and method for sharing content is provided. A system incorporating teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a housing and a wide area network (WAN) connector extending from the housing. The system may also include a graphical user interface (GUI) engine located within the housing. In practice, the GUI engine may be operable to initiate an outputting of a first list navigable with a remote control and a second list navigable with the remote control. The remote control may be a Set Top Box (STB) remote control and the first list may be configured to facilitate remote control-based navigation. The first list may contain an identifier for at least one piece of selectable content, which may be, for example, photographs, videos, songs, etc. The second list may include an alias for at least one available share partner. In practice, a user of the system may want to give a share partner revocable access to some portion of selectable content.

Abstract: A method includes receiving a first video clip and a second video clip. The first video clip and the second video clip are variable-bit-rate (VBR)-encoded to form a VBR-encoded aggregated video content item. The VBR-encoding of the first video clip is based on an encoding complexity of the second video clip.

Abstract: A particular method includes determining whether a recording at a set top box is in progress. When the recording is in progress, a program provided by a video stream transmitted to the set top box is recorded. After the recording is complete, a request is automatically sent to a content source to turn off the video stream. When the recording is not in progress, a warning is transmitted for display at a display device that the video stream will be turned off after a timeout period. After the timeout period has elapsed, the request is automatically sent to the content source to turn off the video stream.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a system and method to manage calls in a call center. The method includes receiving a call from a caller. The method also includes transmitting an estimated wait time to the caller. The method also includes prompting the caller with a wait option and a receive return call option. The method also includes prompting the caller with a schedule return call option when the caller selects the receive return call option.

Abstract: The present disclosure is generally directed to a video stream processing system and to a method of displaying a video stream. In a particular embodiment, the method includes, during a first time period, displaying a first version of a received video stream while recovering a second version of the received video stream, the first version of the received video stream having a lower video display quality than the second version of the received video stream. The first time period begins no more than approximately 100 milliseconds after a detected channel change. The method also includes switching from display of the first version of the received video stream to display of the second version of the received video stream during a second time period.

Abstract: A uniform resource locator (URL) entered into a browser may be altered to correct misspellings or other errors in the URL. The prefix, the domain name and the domain extension may all be spell checked, compared with lists of homophones, compared with commonly misspelled URLs, and compared with similar URLs that have been previously successfully resolved. The erroneous URL, or portions thereof, may be automatically corrected so that the correction is transparent to the user, or a list of possible substitutions may be presented to the user.

Abstract: A method includes receiving a first video clip and a second video clip. The first video clip and the second video clip are variable-bit-rate (VBR)-encoded to form a VBR-encoded aggregated video content item. The VBR-encoding of the first video clip is based on an encoding complexity of the second video clip.

Abstract: A variable-bit-rate (VBR)-encoding of a plurality of clips from a plurality of video content items is performed to produce a VBR-encoded aggregated video content item. The VBR-encoding of each of the clips is based on an encoding complexity of at least one other one of the clips. This can be performed by combining the clips into aggregated video content and two-pass VBR-encoding the aggregated video content. A video quality test may be performed using the VBR-encoded aggregated video content item.

Abstract: A particular method includes determining whether a recording at a set top box is in progress. When the recording is in progress, a program provided by a video stream transmitted to the set top box is recorded. After the recording is complete, a request is automatically sent to a content source to turn off the video stream. When the recording is not in progress, a warning is transmitted for display at a display device that the video stream will be turned off after a timeout period. After the timeout period has elapsed, the request is automatically sent to the content source to turn off the video stream.

Abstract: A method of managing video streams is disclosed and includes monitoring the power to a display device coupled to a set top box. Also, the method includes determining whether the display device is in a low power mode and requesting that a content provider turn off a video stream to the set top box, after determining that the display device is in the low power mode.

Abstract: A scene of an image sequence is compressed using a number of foveation zones, each foveation zone being weighted based on a probability of a viewer looking at a corresponding portion of the first scene. Another scene of the image sequence is compressed using a different number of foveation zones, each foveation zone being weighted based on a probability of a viewer looking at a corresponding portion of the second scene.

Abstract: A system and method for collaborative call management are disclosed. In one embodiment of a method incorporating teachings of the present disclosure, a graphical user interface (GUI) element may be presented in connection with a collaborative call. The GUI element may display a listing of call participants and a status of each participant. Example participant states may include an on-call state, an off-call state, a currently speaking state, a waiting to speak state, and a paused-call state. In operation, information presented in the GUI element may change in response to a status change of a call participant. The method may also involve recognizing that a caller has joined the collaborative call and updating the GUI element to add the joining caller to the list of participants.

Abstract: A scene of an image sequence is compressed using a number of foveation zones, each foveation zone being weighted based on a probability of a viewer looking at a corresponding portion of the first scene. Another scene of the image sequence is compressed using a different number of foveation zones, each foveation zone being weighted based on a probability of a viewer looking at a corresponding portion of the second scene.

Abstract: A user interface for a receiver of a streaming music service simultaneously displays a current-song display, a past-song display and a future-song display. The current-song display indicates a current song being broadcast to a plurality of subscribers in a channel of the streaming music service. The past-song display indicates at least one past song which was broadcast in the channel of the streaming music service prior to broadcast of the current song. Each song in the past-song display is selectable by a user of the receiver to initiate playback of a recording thereof by the receiver. The future-song display indicates at least one future song which is scheduled to be broadcast in the channel of the streaming music service after broadcast of the current song.

Abstract: A scene of an image sequence is compressed using a number of foveation zones, each foveation zone being weighted based on a probability of a viewer looking at a corresponding portion of the first scene. Each foveation zone in the scene has a corresponding resolution to ensure that at least one object therein is viewer-recognizable. Another scene of the image sequence is compressed using a different number of foveation zones, each foveation zone being weighted based on a probability of a viewer looking at a corresponding portion of the second scene. Each foveation zone in the other scene has a corresponding resolution to ensure that at least one object therein is viewer-recognizable.

Abstract: A one-piece keyboard includes a compressible body having a plurality of depressible key areas, each associated with a first spring constant, and a wrist support area of the body associated with a second spring constant. By selecting appropriate spring constants, stresses on a user's fingers, hands and wrists may be reduced.

Abstract: A method of testing computer software. A test computer has a base configuration, which is imaged to a removable hard drive. The base configuration is then stored in data storage of a master computer, as a master configuration image. The software is then tested on the test computer, and after the testing, a portable boot drive is used to acquire the master image and to restore the base configuration to the test computer.

Abstract: A system includes sleeves each being removably receivable, one at a time, by an adapter connectable to an appliance operable for enabling a user to communicate hands-free on a phone when the phone is connected to the appliance. The sleeves are differently configured from one another to respectively receive, one at a time, phones having configurations which correspond to the configurations of the sleeves. One of the sleeves connects a phone to the appliance via the adapter when the phone is received by the sleeve while the sleeve is received by the adapter while the adapter is connected to the appliance.

Abstract: A method and system for use with a customer call center that processes telephone calls. If the customer is placed on hold at anytime during the call, the customer is provided with an audio indication that notifies the customer of expected duration of the wait time and the progress of the task that resulted in the wait.

Abstract: A universal mobile phone adapter device for a vehicle appliance operable for enabling a user to talk hands-free on a mobile phone during a phone call between the mobile phone and a telephone of another party when the mobile phone is electronically connected to the vehicle appliance. The adapter device includes a universal vehicle adapter base integrated in the interior of the vehicle. The adapter base is electronically connected to the vehicle appliance. The adapter device includes first and second adapter sleeves which are removably receivable one at a time within the adapter base. The adapter sleeves include respective first and second mobile phone receiving areas for removably receiving first and second mobile phones having different configurations. The adapter sleeves and the adapter base electronically connect the mobile phones to the vehicle appliance when the adapter sleeves receive the respective mobile phones and the adapter base receives the adapter sleeves.