Abstract: Systems and methods for identifying and associating contextual metadata across related media.

Abstract: Systems and methods for identifying and associating contextual metadata across related media.

Abstract: Systems and methods for identifying and associating contextual metadata across related media.

Abstract: A computer system for identifying and associating metadata across related media with the same content.

Abstract: A computer system for identifying and associating metadata across related media with the same content.

Abstract: Systems and methods for identifying and associating contextual metadata across related media.

Abstract: Primary media content played on a media device, such as a television, handheld device, smart phone, computer, or other device, is sampled and data is derived from the sample for identification of the primary media content. Supplementary digital content is then selected and transmitted to the media device, or to another device, based upon the identified primary media content. The supplementary digital content may be adapted in layout, type, length, or other manners, based upon the platform and/or configuration of the media device or any other device to which the supplementary digital content is transmitted.

Abstract: A method and mechanism for managing data in a distributed computing system. A television system is configured to convey audio/video/interactive data to receiving devices. Data conveyed to the receiving devices are structured as modules, with a main directory module indicating those modules which make up, or are used by, a particular application. Changes to data being conveyed to receiving devices are initially indicated by conveying delta directory modules to the receiving devices which identify updates to a corresponding main directory module. Changes indicated by a delta directory module are applied to the corresponding main directory module, which in turn may effect changes in the data used by the application. Delta directories may generally only include sufficient information to identify the changes and may be smaller than the corresponding main directory.

Abstract: A method and mechanism for facilitating product purchases in an interactive television system. A programming stream is conveyed from a broadcast station to a receiver. In addition to the programming content, the stream which is broadcast has been tagged with information describing products and services which may be purchased. Upon presentation of an advertisement, movie, or other television program, an indication such as an icon may be presented to a viewer indicating that product or service information is available. A viewer may select the icon and store the corresponding product or service information in a virtual shopping cart or shopping list. The receiver may present the virtual shopping cart containing viewer selections on a virtual channel. A viewer may tune to the virtual channel and interact with the virtual shopping cart in order to add, delete, or initiate the purchase of products or services. Subsequently, purchase requests may be conveyed via Internet or otherwise.

Abstract: A data structure and associated data management methods for highly flexible storage of data for a wide variety of application programs. Data is stored as a plurality of Blops, each of which has a list of Properties associated with it. Each Property contains zero or more elements. Elements are Values, each of which has a Basic Type and consists of a variable length sequence of bytes. The Basic Type defines the format of the Value, as well as meta-information such as compression and encryption. Elements can also be Compound Types, which nestably refer to another list of Properties. Blops are stored in Containers, which map to the physical medium on which the data is stored. Containers associate respective Container Handlers which are specific to the Container's physical medium. Related Blops in a Container are organized into Pools of Blops. Each Container contains one or more Pools, each Pool having a unique name within the Container. A Pool contains multiple versions of a Blop.

Abstract: A data structure and associated data management methods for highly flexible storage of data for a wide variety of application programs. Data is stored as a plurality of Blops, each of which has a list of Properties associated with it. Each Property contains zero or more elements. Elements are Values, each of which has a Basic Type and consists of a variable length sequence of bytes. The Basic Type defines the format of the Value, as well as meta-information such as compression and encryption. Elements can also be Compound Types, which nestably refer to another list of Properties. Blops are stored in Containers, which map to the physical medium on which the data is stored. Containers associate respective Container Handlers which are specific to the Container's physical medium. Related Blops in a Container are organized into Pools of Blops. Each Container contains one or more Pools, each Pool having a unique name within the Container. A Pool contains multiple versions of a Blop.

Abstract: A data structure and associated data management methods for highly flexible storage of data for a wide variety of application programs. Data is stored as a plurality of Blops, each of which has a list of Properties associated with it. Each Property contains zero or more elements. Elements can be Values, each of which has a Basic Type and consists of a variable length sequence of bytes. The Basic Type can define the format of the Value, as well as meta-information such as compression and encryption. Elements can also be Compound Types, which nestably refer to another list of Properties. Blops are stored in Containers, which map to the physical medium on which the data is stored. Containers can associate respective Container Handlers which are specific to the Container's physical medium. Related Blops in a Container can be organized into Pools of Blops. Each Container may contain one or more Pools, each Pool having a unique name within the Container. A Pool may contain multiple versions of a Blop.

Abstract: A system for object oriented message filtering for selectively transferring a message between a client task and one or more server tasks for preprocessing, processing, and postprocessing comprises an object database having a filter object memory, an object management unit, a message transaction unit, and a locking unit. The object management unit creates a port object and one or more associated target message objects. The object management unit selectively creates one or more filter objects associated with a target message object, and selectively associates a preprocessor message object, a postprocessor message object, or both a preprocessor message object and a postprocessor message object with each filter object. The message transaction unit selectively routes a message sent by a client task and directed to a target message object to one or more associated preprocessor message objects prior to delivering the message to the target message object.

Abstract: In a computer including at least one caller adapted to request access to a storage media, the storage media being organized according to one of at least one file system format, a system for handling requests for access to the storage media.

Abstract: In a computer including an operating system, an event producer for generating an event and detecting that an event has occurred in the computer and an event consumer which need to be informed when events occur in the computer, a system for distributing events including a store for storing a specific set of events of which the at least one event consumer is to be informed, an event manager control unit for receiving the event from the event producer, comparing the received event to the stored set of events, and distributing an appropriate event to an appropriate event consumer, and a distributor for receiving the event from the control unit and directing the control unit to distribute an appropriate event to an appropriate event consumer.

Abstract: Apparatus for facilitating the transport and switching of synchronous and asynchronous digital data signals presented by data terminal or data communication equipments to a voice switching network such as a PBX advantageously without the use of modems. The clock rate of the PBX user's digital data is multiplied by a variable factor to define a synchronous transmission clock rate on a data link between a pair of interfaces, one locally connecting to the data terminal or data communications equipment and the other appearing as a port of the PBX switching equipment. The higher rate on the data link permits both the digital data as well as a control channel to be provided. Variations in the data terminal or data communications equipment clock rate do not affect the control channel. Variations in the voice sampling rate of switching modules serving different groups of ports through which the digital data is transported are accommodated.