Abstract: A receiver reduces a time delay associated with a change between two broadcast channels by detecting an activity associated with a channel change operation and requesting, via a broadband interface, data corresponding to the newly requested broadcast channel. The broadband data corresponding to the new broadcast channel is displayed while the broadcast channel is tuned and processed by the receiver. Upon processing the broadcast channel, the displayed broadband data is replaced by the processed broadcast data.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for blocking websites using return traffic are described including receiving a request for access to a blocked website from a user, determining if the request includes a first domain name, transmitting the request if the request does not include the first domain name, receiving return traffic in response to the transmitted request, determining if a second domain name in the return traffic matches the first domain name, blocking access to the website if the first domain name and the second domain name match and discarding the return traffic if the access is blocked.

Abstract: A method for selectively scrambling a coded bit-stream is disclosed. The method comprises a step of determining at least one modifiable part in the coded bit-stream, wherein the compliance, regarding a coding standard, of a modified coded bit-stream comprising an alternative modifiable part is not affected; a step of selecting at least one modifiable part, wherein the rendering of a compliant modified coded bit-stream comprising selected alternative modifiable part is perceptually affected compared to the rendering of the coded bit-stream; a step of substitution, for each of the at least one selected modifiable part, of original modifiable part in the coded bit-stream by alternative modifiable part resulting in a compliant selectively scrambled bit-stream. An associated method for descrambling, a device for scrambling and a data structure are further disclosed.

Abstract: The device is based on the Wheatstone principle. Mirrors are adjusted angularly so that the right and left stereoscopic images of a scene are formed on a sensor in such a manner as to leave free an area between these two images. A slot is formed between the internal mirrors to let past, on the one hand, a structured or pulse light and, on the other, this structured or pulse light once it has been reflected on objects of the scene. The device further comprises an optic associated with the slot and the lens system to form an image on said area from said reflected structured or pulse light.

Abstract: Methods and systems for providing a content workflow for media assets (e.g., video, audio and the like) include the ability to offer such content for sale to consumers. The invention can be implemented in a client/server environment where such media assets can be ingested and processed electronically prior to the offers for sale. According to an exemplary embodiment, a method for operating a system includes: receiving, via the system, a metadata file for at least one of audio and video content represented by a title; and generating, via the system and in response to the metadata file, one or more software elements representing an offer to sell the content.

Abstract: Methods and systems for providing a content workflow include, for example, various embodiments for ascribing metadata and processing media assets such as video, audio, and the like for ingestion into a media delivery platform. The content workflow can be implemented in a client/server environment where media assets can be ingested and processed electronically. According to an exemplary embodiment, a method for operating a system includes receiving, via the system, a metadata file for at least one of audio and video content represented by a title, the metadata file including a provider identification; and generating, via the system and in response to the provider identification, one or more software elements representing one or more rules for distributing the content.

Abstract: A method and system of remotely controlling a second device with a first device is provided. A haptic touch-screen control is configured on a touch-screen of the first device to remotely control an operation of the second device. The haptic touch-screen control has a surface that overlays a display of the first device and indicates a positioning of control icons on the display. The position of the control icons is identified using the haptic touch-screen control. Operation of the second device is controlled using the haptic touch-screen control to activate the control icons displayed on the touch screen of the first device. The adjustment is performed without viewing the display of the first device. A result of the adjustment of the second device is observed simultaneously with the controlling.

Abstract: A method and a device are described for modifying a video frame for encoding or decoding wherein values of pixels of the video frame are represented an increased bit depth. The described method comprises using processing means for executing the step of offsetting the pixel values of increased bit depth with offsets, the offsets depending on a spatial neighbourhood of the pixel to-be-offset. Such local adaptive offsetting of pixel values de-emphasizes high frequencies in the transform domain artificially emphasized by the bit depth increase.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for adding an auxiliary visual object to an image or a sequence of images are described. Metadata, which includes at least information about the three-dimensional structure of a scene depicted in the image or the sequence of images, and which is provided together with the image or the sequence of images, is retrieved upon a user request to add an auxiliary visual object. A position for an auxiliary visual object in the image or the sequence of images is determined from the retrieved metadata. The auxiliary visual object is then added to the image or the sequence of images in accordance with the determined position.

Abstract: A method for assessing quality of a transmission channel in a wireless network comprises the steps of a) a first station transmitting a first unicast message to a second station by said transmission channel; b) if no acknowledgement of the first unicast message is received from the second station, the first station transmitting a further unicast message at a higher power level, and c) if an acknowledgment of the first or any further unicast message is received from the second station, assessing the quality of the transmission channel based on the power level or the number of transmissions that were needed to trigger the acknowledgment.

Abstract: A method and a controller for power state control of a device that is connected to two or more other devices are described. Also described are a method and a controller for configuring the power state control. Power states of related devices among the two or more other devices are monitored. In case all related devices among the two or more other devices are in a low power mode, the device is switched to a low power mode. Alternatively, in case all related devices among the two or more other devices are in a low power mode, the device is switched to a normal power mode. Which of the other devices are related devices is determined in a configuration procedure.

Abstract: A method comprising the steps of outputting periodically a schedule for a transmission of a plurality of multimedia contents to a client receiver over a unidirectional data communication channel; transmitting said schedule to said client receiver over said communication channel before said transmission of said plurality of multimedia contents, said schedule including a metadata indicating a plurality of broadcast times for respective ones of said plurality of multimedia contents for selectively activating said client receiver in accordance with said plurality of broadcast times; estimating first and second available bandwidths of said communication channel at respective ones of first and second points in time; selecting one multimedia content file of a given compression level for transmission in response to a change of available bandwidth of said communication channel between said first and second points in time so that said plurality of multimedia contents may be received at said client receiver in accordanc

Abstract: Multimedia application data formats often use data packets and may contain packetized hierarchical layers with a base layer (BL) and one or more enhancement layers (EL). Packets that comprise variable length coded data typically provide padding bits, which can be used for adding checksum information. The checksum information refers to both, the decoded base layer and decoded enhancement layer packet data, and is used for detecting synchronization loss between the layers. Though the packets provide different individual amounts of padding bits, this variable amount of bits per packet is sufficient for adding checksum information for synchronization related purposes. This allows e.g. out-of-sync detection even if the enhancement layer encoding provides no overhead information for synchronization, in particular no packet headers and no packet synchronization words.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method and device for controlling the switching operation in a switch mode power supply module. The switch mode power supply module is intended to supply power to an item of equipment. The method comprises the steps of measuring, in the switch mode power supply module, the load current and comparing the measured load current with a predefined load current threshold value, and, cyclically interrupting the switching operation if the measured load current inside the device is less than the predefined load current threshold value.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for applying film grain to stereoscopic or multi-view images or sequences of stereoscopic or multi-view images are described. After retrieving an image pair or a set of multi-view images a depth map for the image pair or the set of multi-view images and a confidence map for the depth map are obtained. Film grain is then applied to non-occluded areas of the images in accordance with depth values of the depth map and confidence values of the confidence map. Occluded areas of the images are processed separately by first deriving depth values for these areas and then applying film grain to these areas in accordance with the derived depth values.

Abstract: The method comprises, in addition to emission periods, depolarization periods during which a predetermined depolarization voltage, which exhibits a polarity opposite to the polarity opposite to the voltage applied during the emission periods, is applied and sustained at the control terminal of said driver circuits of the panel, and a reference depolarization voltage, which is different from the reference emission voltage, is applied to the reference electrodes to which reference terminals of the driver circuits are linked. This method makes it possible to use conventional and inexpensive column control means.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a circuit comprising on a same board at least one antenna, a processing circuit and a cover covering the processing circuit. Said circuit comprises between the antenna and the cover at least one isolation element realized partly on the board and partly on the cover.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for modelling a scene from a plurality of maps representative of depth, each map representative of depth being associated with a view of the said scene according to a particular viewpoint. To optimize the fidelity and precision of the scene modelling, the method comprises the following steps: generating, for each map representative of depth, a surface representative of the said depth map in world space; estimating a volume bounding all surfaces generated, the said bounding volume being discretised into a plurality of voxels; associating attributes representative of transparency with the said voxels of the bounding volume; and generating a resulting surface according to the attributes representative of transparency associated with the said voxels. The invention also relates to a device for processing the data representative of the corresponding depth.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method of processing left and right disparity maps comprising a step of computing a disparity map for each view comprising the step of detecting the uniform areas from the right and left views and filtering the disparity maps taking account of the detected uniform area.

Abstract: An owner timestamps data f by generating a set of domain names D from the data f and the ‘timestamping’ time t. The owner then sends resolution requests for the domain names D to one or more DNS servers. To verify a timestamp, a verifier generates a set of domain names D from the data f and the ‘timestamping’ time t, sends resolution requests for the domain names D to the same DNS servers as the owner, receives resolution responses comprising TTL values, retrieves reference TTLs for the DNS servers and compares the current time with the ‘timestamping’ time t and, for each resolution response, the TTL and the reference TTL. If a predetermined ratio of comparisons match, then the timestamp is verified. Also provided are devices and computer program products.