Abstract: A digital intercom device consistent with certain embodiments uses power line communication (PLC). A power line interface connects to a power line serving as a communication medium. An audio codec is coupled to the power line interface for encoding and decoding digital data to and from data suitable for use by the power line interface. A digital to analog converter receives digital decoded data from the codec and converts the digital coded data to a received analog signal. A receive audio amplifier amplifies the received analog signal to a level adequate to drive a speaker. A transmit audio amplifier amplifies a transmit audio signal and provides an amplified transmit audio signal as an output. An analog to digital converter converts the amplified transmit audio signal to a digital representation thereof and passes the digital representation to the codec. A control processor controls operation of the interface and the audio codec.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a plurality of columns bound together, configured to display a single row of pixels scanned out from top to bottom. It also comprises a timing control unit to synchronize between the columns to allow all pixels of a single row to be lit at the same time.

Abstract: A method and system for texturing. The texturing system is configured to render surfaces that have an apparent thickness, where the upper layers of the surface are partially transparent and sub-surface details show through the upper layers. Interpolated stepping values provide parallax between various texture layers. The texturing system also provides a texture memory configured to store texture data as a plurality of packets. Each packet comprises texture data from at least two texture layers. A texture memory controller is configured to access one or more packets in the texture memory and pass the packets to a texturing engine.

Abstract: Alpha blending and video blending are both provided by a color definition in an RGBAV format allows for an additional component to control video blending. The V value defines blending of an alpha blended color with a video background.

Abstract: A memory system includes a memory cache responsive to a single processing unit. The memory cache is arrangeable to include a first independently cached area assigned to store a first number of data packets based on a first processing unit context, and a second independently cached area assigned to store a second number of data packets based on a second processing unit context. A memory control system is coupled to the memory cache, and is configured to arrange the first independently cached area and the second independently cached area in such a manner that the first number of data packets and the second number of data packets coexist in the memory cache and are available for transfer between the memory cache and the single processing unit.

Abstract: In a selected area of a display defined by a polygon, magnifying is simulated. The selected area may be, for example, a circle simulating a magnifying glass. Textures are represented by texel coordinates U and V, which specify the location of color components within a set of image data. Within the area selected to appear magnified, the present invention perturbs the texel location selection to simulate an angle of refraction in the selected area and offset texel coordinates.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a plurality of columns bound together, configured to display a single row of pixels scanned out from top to bottom. It also comprises a timing control unit to synchronize between the columns to allow all pixels of a single row to be lit at the same time.

Abstract: A method for creating sensory experiences operates by scanning the acoustical signal across the human neural cortex to create the desired sensory perceptions. The acoustic signal is scanned in a predetermined pattern. The pattern is then modified to fill in spaces in the predetermined pattern so that over a short time period, the desired signal is scanned across the intended region of the neural cortex. In one exemplary embodiment, the pattern begins with an array of points on the cortex. Thus, an acoustic signal in an array of points is directed towards the cortex. The acoustic pattern is then shaped to expand in radius about each point. Thus, the acoustic signal scans the visual cortex in an array of expanding circles. Varying the signal at each point along the radius as it expands produces neural firing differences in the neural tissue. When the circles expand to where they begin to touch, the pattern changes to fill in the areas between the original array of points.

Abstract: A method for receiving and quantizing a data set originating from collected data is provided. The data set has a plurality of dimensions defined by perpendicular axes, and includes a plurality of data points. Each data point has a data characteristic.

Abstract: Alpha blending and video blending are both provided by a color definition in an RGBAV format allows for an additional component to control video blending. The V value defines blending of an alpha blended color with a video background.

Abstract: A method and system for providing reduced network bandwidth for picture in picture (PIP) video transmissions. The method includes receiving a request signal from a client display to scale a video signal, a server scaling an auxiliary video signal from which pictures presented in an auxiliary display of a client display are derived and the server encoding signals from which pictures presented in a main display and a auxiliary display of said client display are derived. Further, the method includes combining the signals from which pictures presented in the main display and the auxiliary display are derived and the server transmitting to the client display combined signals from which pictures presented in the main display and the auxiliary display are derived. The client then displays the main image and the PIP image.

Abstract: A content server consistent with certain embodiments of the present invention has a mechanism for receiving a picture-in-picture communication to initiate a picture-in-picture function. A video image scaler, responsive to the picture-in-picture communication, scales a secondary video image to produce a reduced size secondary video image. A secondary video image embedder embeds the reduced size secondary video image into a main video image to produce a picture-in-picture video image. A video encoder encodes the analog picture-in-picture video image into a digital video format to produce a digital picture-in-picture video image. A packetizer and streamer packetizes the digital picture-in-picture video image into Internet protocol (IP) packets to form a packetized data stream and addresses the Internet protocol packets to the target networked device prior to transmitting.

Abstract: Alpha blending and video blending are both provided by a color definition in an RGBAV format allows for an additional component to control video blending. The V value defines blending of an alpha blended color with a video background.

Abstract: A method and system thereof for processing data in a computer graphics system. More specifically, an anti-aliasing buffer architecture for processing fragments in a computer graphics system is described. When a new fragment for a particular pixel location is received, the fragment stack for that pixel location is read from fragment memory. The new fragment is appended to the fragment stack, and the resultant fragment stack is written back to fragment memory before it is processed in a computer graphics pipeline. Fragments stored in fragment memory are not sorted according to their distance from the view plane (the z-dimension); instead, z-ordered depth sorting is performed in the computer graphics pipeline. Using an occlude command, occluded (blocked) fragments can be deleted from the fragment stack before the fragment stack is passed to the computer graphics pipeline. The computer graphics pipeline calculates a pixel color for each pixel location.

Abstract: A method for receiving and quantizing a data set originating from collected data is provided. The data set has a plurality of dimensions defined by perpendicular axes, and includes a plurality of data points. Each data point has a data characteristic.

Abstract: A wireless component is authenticated to an in-home wireless entertainment system server by simultaneously or near-simultaneously holding down buttons on the component and server and transmitting a component ID (or encryption results generated from the key) to the server. The server then indicates “authenticated”, and the component can subsequently access the system using its ID.

Abstract: A memory system includes a memory cache responsive to a single processing unit. The memory cache is arrangeable to include a first independently cached area assigned to store a first number of data packets based on a first processing unit context, and a second independently cached area assigned to store a second number of data packets based on a second processing unit context. A memory control system is coupled to the memory cache, and is configured to arrange the first independently cached area and the second independently cached area in such a manner that the first number of data packets and the second number of data packets coexist in the memory cache and are available for transfer between the memory cache and the single processing unit.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for overlaying parts of a displayed presentation of a video by using graphic content rendered by a receiving device such as a set top box or television to complete a displayed presentation of the video. The apparatus receiving frame synchronizing information from a content provider and then conveying the frame synchronizing information as a graphic overlay to the video. The frame synchronizing information comprises frame starting identifier data, frame ending identifier and positional information for describing frame locations and frame timing for overlaying the graphic content and positional information to indicate were to place the graphic content to be overlaid. The frame synchronizing information provides the information necessary to place graphic content, such as a graphic image or graphic animation, at specified positions that are synchronized to the displayed presentation. The same method also enables audio information to be synchronized.

Abstract: Alpha blending and video blending are both provided by a color definition in an RGBAV format allows for an additional component to control video blending. The V value defines blending of an alpha blended color with a video background.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a plurality of columns bound together, configured to display a single row of pixels scanned out from top to bottom. It also comprises a timing control unit to synchronize between the columns to allow all pixels of a single row to be lit at the same time.