Abstract: A method and devices for dynamically embedding watermark and/or end-user access information into multimedia content. The method includes providing multimedia content transformed into blocks that each include an array of pixel blocks, and dynamically embedding portions of watermark and/or end-user access information into selected pixel blocks based on the values of the coefficients within the pixel blocks. For multimedia content encoded using discrete cosine transform (DCT) or other block-based encoding, the transform coefficients to include embedded information are chosen based on analysis of the coefficient values, rather than in a fixed or predetermined manner. Also, embedding watermark and/or end-user access information can occur across different pixel blocks within a given image to reduce the number of embedded coefficients per block, within the peripheral pixel blocks within a given image, and/or in different areas across images to reduce the duration of embedded information in any one area.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally provide a method and apparatus for enabling digital rights management in file transfers. One embodiment of a method for transferring digital content from a first user to a second user, includes transferring ownership of an instance of the digital content to the second user, where the instance of the digital content resides on a first device belonging to the first user. Copies of the digital content are then deleted from one or more additional devices belonging to the first user (including at least one offline device).

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally provide a method and apparatus for insuring digital content. One embodiment of a method for insuring digital content includes receiving a request to insure a specific instance of digital content and associating insurance with the instance of digital content, such that the instance of digital content can be restored to an owner of the instance of digital content in an event that the instance of digital content becomes unusable. At least one of: a copy of the at least one instance of digital content, metadata related to the at least one instance of digital content, and data related to the insurance is stored in at least one database.

Abstract: A method and devices for dynamically embedding watermark and/or end-user access information into multimedia content. The method includes providing multimedia content transformed into blocks that each include an array of pixel blocks, and dynamically embedding portions of watermark and/or end-user access information into selected pixel blocks based on the values of the coefficients within the pixel blocks. For multimedia content encoded using discrete cosine transform (DCT) or other block-based encoding, the transform coefficients to include embedded information are chosen based on analysis of the coefficient values, rather than in a fixed or predetermined manner. Also, embedding watermark and/or end-user access information can occur across different pixel blocks within a given image to reduce the number of embedded coefficients per block, within the peripheral pixel blocks within a given image, and/or in different areas across images to reduce the duration of embedded information in any one area.

Abstract: A system, method and devices for embedding end-user access information, such as digital rights management (DRM) information and/or conditional access (CA) information, in multimedia content, such as broadcast video content, and transmitting or distributing the multimedia content, including the end-user access information, to one or more end user devices, such as multimedia content processing (set-top) devices and mobile devices. The methods, systems and devices also involve receiving and decoding the transmitted multimedia content, including extracting end-user access information from the multimedia content and using the end-user access information to allow or deny access to the multimedia content by the end user device. The end-user access information is embedded in the multimedia content in a manner that reduces or even eliminates the need to also transmit end-user access information separately or along with the associated multimedia content.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses that simplify user access to various desired programming over a mobile device are disclosed. In (601) the user selects a program and in (603) an ESG data fragment is checked for a criteria. In (605) the appropriate field of the various ESG fields may be checked to determine whether the selected program matches an existing criteria. If not, then the users selections are continued to be monitored. If a criteria matches, then in (607) a check of whether a previous selection matching the particular criteria was made previously. If the criteria was previously selected, then the index is incremented, and a threshold is checked in (613). If the threshold is exceeded (613), a group will be created (615) corresponding to user selections (601). If the number of selections has not exceed the threshold in (613), no new group will be created.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally provide a method and apparatus for enabling digital rights management in file transfers. One embodiment of a method for transferring digital content from a first user to a second user, includes transferring ownership of an instance of the digital content to the second user, where the instance of the digital content resides on a first device belonging to the first user. Copies of the digital content are then deleted from one or more additional devices belonging to the first user (including at least one offline device).

Abstract: A microcomputer for automatically controlling the sound in an audio or audio-visual system. Incoming audio signals from multiple channels are combined and fed to a pair of detector-rectifier circuits. One detector-rectifier circuit is a smoothing circuit with a time constant longer than that of the other detector-rectifier circuit. The signals with a longer time constant are fed to the microprocessor to control the volume function of an audio or audio-visual system. The signals with a shorter time constant are fed to the microprocessor to equalize the source frequency spectrum of an audio or audio-visual system.

Abstract: A method and device for receiving and storing an electronic television (TV) program guide. In a satellite, cable or broadcast TV system, electronic TV program guides may be coded into the video signals received by the TV receiver. Many currently available TV receivers also allow users to program a list of "select-channels." When the receiver is in its select-channel mode, the receiver only tunes to the channels the user stored in the list of select channels. The present invention limits the memory and processing power required to store an electronic TV program guide by only storing program guide information associated with the channels stored by the user in connection with the select-channels function of the receiver. In receivers having a second tuner, the second tuner may be used to automatically update the stored program guide.

Abstract: A method and device for receiving and storing an electronic television (TV) program guide. In a satellite, cable or broadcast TV system, electronic TV program guides may be coded into the video signals received by the TV receiver. Many currently available TV receivers also allow users to program a list of "select-channels." When the receiver is in its select-channel mode, the receiver only tunes to the channels the user stored in the list of select channels. The present invention limits the memory and processing power required to store an electronic TV program guide by only storing program guide information associated with the channels stored by the user in connection with the select-channels function of the receiver. In receivers having a second tuner, the second tuner may be used to automatically update the stored program guide.

Abstract: A microcomputer for automatically controlling an audio output from a receiver. The microcomputer calculates a power signal corresponding to the power of a detected audio input signal, determines whether the calculated power signal is above or below a predetermined power value, generates a power control signal in response to whether the calculated power signal is above or below said predetermined value, and uses the power control signal to automatically maintain a substantially constant audio output from the receiver. In another embodiment, a separate detection circuit calculated the power signal and feeds it to the microcomputer.

Abstract: A circuit and method for shortening the transition time of sharp color transitions in color television signals. The invention includes a pattern recognition circuit and method which directly and efficiently recognizes color transitions within a predetermined range. The disclosed embodiment of the invention utilizes a filter to output its step response to the pattern recognition circuit which outputs a control signal whenever the color signal rise or fall time does not fit a predetermined pattern. When the pattern recognition circuit recognizes the step response, it directs a hold circuit to output a previous color signal for a predetermined time period before allowing the transition to proceed, thus shortening the transition time.

Abstract: An optical multiplexer and demultiplexer using combined code division and wavelength division multiplexing. The multiplexer comprises a plurality of code division multiplexers, each responsive to a plurality of input signals and a plurality of orthogonal code sequences, and a wave division multiplexer for generating an output signal representing the signals of each code division multiplexer carried on a different wavelength. Each code division multiplexer comprises a plurality of lithium niobate phase shifters, each comprising an indiffused titanium wave guide and a pair of electrodes for the accepting one of the orthogonal code sequences, to modulate the light wave being passed thrugh the wave guide.

Abstract: A digital subsystem for improving the resolution of a TV digital signal by inserting additional digital samples into the digital TV signal in response to the correspondence of the digital signal and predefined patterns. The digital subsystem is a logic circuit which is responsive to received digital samples to group these digital samples into sets of samples. The digital circuit then calculates the slope between pairs of digital samples of each set and utilizes the calculated slopes to determine the correspondence to the predefined patterns. The determined predefined pattern designates the digital sample to be inserted into each set. The inserted digital sample is either equal to one of the digital samples or the average between two of the digital samples of each set. The calculation of the slopes results in a logical "0" for a constant slope and a logical "1" for a negative or a positive slope.

Abstract: A television (TV) system having provision for automatically compensating for signal distortion which would cause artifacts at the point where high- and low-resolution portions of an extended aspect ratio, high-definition TV display are joined together. Compensation parameters are calculated at the TV receiver in response to a known test pattern transmitted during the vertical retrace interval of the TV display and then accessed and utilized to compensate received active display signals. The compensation parameters are calculated by first converting Y, I, and Q signals for the test pattern into digital samples and then processing these digital samples in a digital signal processor unit. After the compensation parameters have been calculated by the digital signal processor, they are stored in a memory. The received active display signals are compensated by accessing the stored compensation parameters during the active display time.

Abstract: A system (FIGS. 1A-1C) for transmitting analog component video signals (Y, (R-Y), B-Y)) in digital form uses sharp cut-off low-pass filters (104-106) to bandlimit the signals. Chrominance signals are limted to one-half of the 4.2 MHz bandwidth of the luminance signal. Phase equalizers (107-109) are used to compensate for distortion caused by the sharp cut-off filters. Prior to sampling, the chrominance signals are comb-filtered by sharp cut-off comb filters (110-111) in the region where weighted sub-Nyquist sampling will cause spectral interleaving between the baseband spectrum and its replica. The luminance signals are sampled using a sampler (116) that uses a super-Nyquist sampling frequency, while the chrominance signals are sampled using samplers (117-118) that use a weighted sub-Nyquist sampling frequency.

Abstract: A television (TV) system having a compatible high-definition signal receivable at conventional resolution by conventional TV receivers without auxiliary apparatus with carrier modulated high-definition luminance information being transmitted in a continuous spectrum spanning two conventional TV channels, carrier modulated quadrature amplitude modulated (QAM) high-frequency chrominance information being transmitted in the luminance spectrum and carrier modulated QAM low-frequency chrominance information being transmitted outside luminance spectrum. A decoder recovers the high-definition luminance information by demodulating the transmitted signal. The chrominance information is recovered from the transmitted signal by first notch filtering the transmitted high-definition signal to remove energy existing between the two sidebands of the QAM high-frequency chrominance information, and then, demodulating at the carrier frequency.

Abstract: A television (TV) system having a fully compatible high-definition signal with extended aspect ratio information receivable at conventional resolution by conventional TV receivers without auxiliary apparatus with one TV channel carrying the conventional TV signal while high-frequency luminance and chrominance information plus extended aspect ratio information are provided in a second TV channel. The television system uses a video camera that produces the Y, I, and Q video signals with a bandwidth of 9.4 megahertz (MHz). These, Y, I, and Q signals have already been line decimated to 525 lines per frame with a scan rate of the standard 15.7 kiloherts (kHz). The resulting 63.5 microseconds line scan time comprises 42 microseconds of center information and 10.5 microseconds of edge information with 11 microseconds being allowed for the blanking and synchronization interval.

Abstract: A television system having a fully compatible high-definition signal receivable at conventional resolution by conventional TV receivers and which is transmitted to the TV receivers by one TV channel carrying the conventional signal and a second TV channel carrying the high-frequency luminance and chrominance information. The high-frequency chrominance information is time compressed and transmitted during the horizontal retrace interval of the second TV channel. The baseband signal containing the high-frequency luminance components is derived from the lower sideband output of a product modulator whose inputs are taken from an anti-alias filtered (camera) source of wideband luminance information and a local oscillator. The phase of the local oscillator is transmitted to the TV receivers by a tone burst signal gated into the vertical retrace interval of the second channel. The high-frequency chrominance information comprises Q' and I' segments which are transmitted at alternate horizontal retrace intervals.

Abstract: A fully compatible high definition signal, which can still be received with conventional resolution by conventional TV receivers without auxiliary apparatus is provided by the present invention. One TV channel carries the conventional TV signal while high frequency luminance and chrominance information is provided in a second TV channel. The baseband signal containing the high frequency components is derived from the lower sideband output of a product modulator whose inputs are taken from an anti-alias filtered (camera) source of wideband luminance information and a local oscillator whose frequency is a multiple of the conventional chrominance subcarrier frequency embedded in the conventional baseband signal for the other channel.