Abstract: Format identification for fragmented data is disclosed. In some embodiments, an input stream of information that is divided into fragments is received. Fragment boundaries are determined and a data format for each fragment is found based on continuity properties including by: dividing the stream of information into windows, determining whether each window has a known or unknown format; and comparing portions of windows having an unknown format with neighboring windows to determine fragment boundaries. The stream of information is compressed using a compression technique selected based on the data format, and the compressed stream is stored.

Abstract: An exemplary method includes a cloud-based service provider system detecting an input command provided by a user during a scheduling session and representative of a request for a local digital video recording (“DVR”) system to record a media program during a presentation time period. In response to the detecting of the input command, the cloud-based service provider system identifies a conflict associated with the request for the local DVR system to record the media program, performs a prioritization operation to determine a relative priority of media programs that are at least one of scheduled to be recorded by the local DVR system at any given time during the presentation time period and currently recorded in a memory of the local DVR system, and automatically performs, based on the performing of the prioritization operation, a predetermined action to resolve the conflict and facilitate the local DVR system recording the media program.

Abstract: Systems and methods are operable to record a user-specified media content event at a media device. An exemplary embodiment grabs a series of subsequently received image frames from a preceding broadcasting media content event after a monitored real time reaches a closing credits monitor time, wherein the closing credits monitor time is a recording start time less a predefined duration. The embodiment then analyzes each of the image frames to identify an occurrence of text presented in the analyzed image frame, determines that the identified text corresponds to closing credits of the preceding broadcasting media content event if the at least one attribute of the identified text matches a corresponding predefined closing credits attribute, and initiates a start of the recording of the user-specified media content event in response to determining that the identified text corresponds to the closing credits of the preceding broadcasting media content event.

Abstract: Provided are a video display device and a method of controlling the same. The method includes: obtaining an uncompressed audio-visual (AV) content; playing the uncompressed AV content through the display unit; obtaining content information of the uncompressed AV content on the basis of a content section of the uncompressed AV content; obtaining content change time information and enhanced service information on the basis of the content information; and determining a delay time for obtaining the next content information on the basis of the content change time information.

Abstract: A converter for switching control signals is disclosed to solve the technical problem that existing technologies are unable to switch between two control signals. The converter includes an interface male connected with an equipment which is controlled by a first control signal; an interface socket connected with an equipment which is controlled by a second signal; an interface female connected with cables which are adapted for respectively transmitting the first control signal and the second control signal; a switch which switches between the first control signal and the second control signal; and a substrate connected with the interface male, the interface socket, the interface female and the switch, wherein according to a switching position of the switch, the substrate controls the first control signal or the second control signal in the cables connected with the interface female to correspondingly switch to the interface male or the interface socket for outputting.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosures provide a method, system and apparatus for transmitting intelligent information. When one frame of video data x is to be transmitted, a SDI sending terminal determines whether there is intelligent information satisfying a transmission condition; the transmission condition comprising that intelligent information is not transmitted and transmission of a frame of video data corresponding to the intelligent information is finished. If there is the intelligent information satisfying the transmission condition, the SDI sending terminal adds intelligent information y being one item of the intelligent information satisfying the transmission condition into a preset position of the video data x; and transmits the video data x having the intelligent information y. By using the solutions of the present disclosures, implementation costs are reduced and security is improved.

Abstract: A method for transmitting broadcast signals by an apparatus for transmitting broadcast signals, the method includes encoding data corresponding to each of data pipes; encoding signaling data; building at least one signal frame including the encoded data and the encoded signaling data; modulating data of the at least one signal frame by an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex (OFDM) scheme; performing Peak to Average Power Ratio (PAPR) reduction for the modulated data using a tone reservation algorithm based on a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) size; and transmitting time domain broadcast signals carrying the modulated data of the at least one signal frame, wherein the at least one signal frame comprises signaling symbols and data symbols, wherein a set of carriers in the signaling symbols and a set of carriers in the data symbols are reserved for the PAPR reduction, respectively.

Abstract: To provide audience measurement services without requiring broadcasters to install additional watermarking equipment, a small video capture device may receive a video signal viewed by an audience member, the signal including embedded closed captioning data, and may decode and transmit the closed captioning data to an audience measurement server. The measurement server may receive the data and compare the received data to a database of closed captioning text to identify matches. The database may be populated via one or more additional capture devices receiving local or national broadcast signals, or with data separately provided by broadcasters. When a match is found, the measurement server may determine that the audience member is watching a program having the corresponding closed captioning. Dynamically generated confidence scores may allow for reliable identification of audience members of content, even with very short closed captioning data lengths.

Abstract: Video data with high frame rates may be displayed on devices with limited resources (e.g., decoder and/or display resources). These devices may have their resources devoted to other tasks or may not be capable to display the video data at the high frame rates. The coding method may include coding the frames such that additional droppable frames are included in the encoded video data. The decoding method may include dropping droppable frames before the encoded video data is decoded to reduce the number of frames that will be decoded and displayed. These methods may be applied to video data that has a variable frame rate and may be combined with processing the image sequence for slow motion playback.

Abstract: A transport stream provider for providing a plurality of transport stream packets describing digital media information is configured to provide a transport stream packet of a first packet type including a program association table and key information for decrypting encrypted media information. The program association table contains an association between a program No. and a packet type identifier of a further transport stream packet of a second packet type. The transport stream provider is configured to provide a transport stream packet of the second packet type in such a manner that the transport stream packet of the second packet type contains a reference to packet type identifiers of transport stream payload data packets which describe contents of different content types of the digital media information.

Abstract: According to one aspect, a DVR sends a user's contact information over a network to a third party. Upon determining that a television program or advertisement contains a special tag that is associated with a third party, the DVR displays, to the user, a prompt that invites the DVR user to allow the DVR to send the user's contact information to the third party. If the user gives permission for the DVR to send the contact information to the third party, then the DVR sends the contact information to the third party (e.g., over the Internet).

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for forward packet recovery in a communication network with constrained overhead. In exemplary embodiments, a target byte protection ratio is determined. Error correcting frames are dynamically generated by a first processor such that error correcting information can be generated to approximate the target byte protection ratio. The data packets and error correcting information are then transmitted across one or more communication networks to a second processor. The second processor can use the error correcting information to regenerate or replace data packets missing or corrupted in transmission across one or more communication networks.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system and method for providing supplemental content during a broadcast. The supplemental content is provided by the operation of an interactive application resident on a receiver. The interactive application is initiated through a trigger that is received during an otherwise standard broadcast. The trigger includes an interactive prompt that is to be displayed during a particular portion of the broadcast. The prompt including a means for enabling receipt of a user input. The user input may be a request for further information.

Abstract: A system includes an image capture device configured to capture images, and a processor programmed with one or more computer program modules. When executed, the one or more computer program modules are configured to receive the images captured by the image capture device, generate a control signal for a haptic output device as the images are received, synchronize the images and the control signal, and output a video with the synchronized images and the control signal.

Abstract: An HDMI transmitter inserts an additional video line in the video frame to be transmitted via the HDMI interface and inserts auxiliary data related to the video frame in the additional video line. The auxiliary data is related to the video frame and as the auxiliary data is stored in the video frame itself it is transported in a synchronous fashion with the video frame. As the additional video line is in excess to the number of video lines defined by a standard video frame format they are ignored by existing receivers yet available to receivers according to the invention and can be transmitted using the existing HDMI standard.

Abstract: Various embodiments provide systems and methods enabling a user to receive feedback regarding a computer-implemented design of an architectural structure as the user is designing or otherwise modifying the computer-implemented design using a computer-aided design (CAD) software tool. The feedback (hereafter also referred to as “design feedback”) may provide the user with useful analysis information regarding the architectural structure's predicted characteristics (e.g., operational performance, resource consumption, cost, etc.) based on the current state of the computer-implemented design. In particular, daylighting analyses pertinent to the computer-implemented design of the architectural structure can be visually displayed to the user in real or near-real-time.

Abstract: A system and method for operating the same includes a receiving circuit module having a housing having an input for a first signal, a first encoder disposed within the housing encoding the first signal to form a first encoded signal and a second encoder disposed within the housing encoding the first signal to form a second encoded signal having a different format than the first signal. A first multiplexer receives the first encoded signal. A second multiplexer different than the first multiplexer receives the second encoded signal.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of transmitting broadcast signals. The method includes, formatting input streams into Data Pipe (DP) data, Low-Density Parity-Check (LDPC) encoding the DP data according to a code rate, bit interleaving the LDPC encoded DP data, mapping the bit interleaved DP data onto constellations, building at least one signal frame including the mapped DP data, and modulating data in the built signal frame by an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) method and transmitting the broadcast signals having the modulated data, wherein the input streams include Audio/Video (A/V) data and service guide data, and wherein the Audio/Video (A/V) data and service guide data are included in first ISO base media file format (ISOBMFF) files.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a method for operating a target media device is described. The method includes receiving a user command by a remote control device for operating a target media device, where a signal to operate the target media device is not stored on the remote control device when the user command is received. Data associated with the user command is transmitted by the remote control device to a second media device and signal information, associated with the signal to operate the target media device, is received by the remote control device from the second media device. The signal to operate the target media device is transmitted by the remote control device to the target media device, where the target media device performs a function based on the signal received from the remote control device.

Abstract: Methods and systems for automatically evaluating an audio description track of a media asset include initializing a rating of an audio description track of a media asset to a default value; receiving a first video frame and a second video frame of the media asset; detecting an object in the first video frame and the second video frame; determining that a difference in a characteristic of the object between the first video frame and the second video frame exceeds a threshold difference; determining that an audio characteristic in a portion of the audio description track that corresponds to the first video frame and the second video frame exceeds a threshold audio characteristic; and increasing the rating of the audio description track by a unit.

Abstract: A display apparatus includes a signal receiver configured to receive a broadcast signal comprising a broadcast content and channel information and corresponding to a plurality of channels, a signal processor configured to process the received broadcast signal and extract the broadcast content and the channel information from the broadcast signal, a display configured to display an image based on the extracted broadcast content, and a controller configured to determine a plurality of overlapped channels, which have the same broadcast content but are different in a type of broadcast content, based on the extracted channel information, and perform a control operation for the determined overlapped channels. A method of controlling the display apparatus includes determining a plurality of overlapped channels, which have the same broadcast content but are different in a type of broadcast content, based on the extracted channel information, and performing a control operation for the determined overlapped channels.

Abstract: Techniques associated with identifying stories in media content are described in various implementations. In one example implementation, a method may include receiving media content, and segmenting the media content into a plurality of media segments based on auditory indicators included in the media content. The method may also include analyzing a first media segment to determine a first set of concepts associated with the first media segment, and analyzing a second media segment to determine a second set of concepts associated with the second media segment. The method may further include comparing the first set of concepts to the second set of concepts to determine a conceptual similarity between the first set of concepts and the second set of concepts, and in response to the conceptual similarity exceeding a similarity threshold, identifying a story that includes the first media segment and the second media segment.

Abstract: Particular embodiments automatically identify and track a logo that appears in video content. For example, particular embodiments can track a branding logo's position and size without any prior knowledge about the logo, such as the position, type, structure, and content of the logo. In one embodiment, a heat map is used that accumulates a frequency of short-term logos that are detected in the video content. The heat map is then used to identify a branding logo in the video content.

Abstract: A method and a system are provided for achieving integration of smart TV program channels with applications. The method may include performing normalization processing on data of TV program channel information, maintaining a data structure for each TV program channel, and obtaining a program table with items thereof being the information of multiple TV program channels. The method may also include performing normalization processing on data of application information, maintaining a data structure for each application, and obtaining an application table with items thereof being information of multiple applications. The method may further include mixing and arranging items in the program table and the application table to obtain a mixed table and, upon receiving a control command, looking for an item corresponding to said control command in said mixed table and displaying the corresponding content.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for transmitting broadcast signals, an apparatus for receiving broadcast signals and methods for transmitting and receiving broadcast signals. The method of transmitting broadcast signals includes encoding data corresponding to each of data transmission channel which carries at least one service data or service component data, building at least one signal frame including the encoded data, modulating the at least one signal frame by an OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex) scheme; and transmitting the broadcast signals carrying the at least one modulated signal frame.

Abstract: Systems and methods are presented for effectively utilizing a Backhaul link shared by two or more wireless system Operators, such that data rates from multiple Core Network data sources to the shared Backhaul link, and data rates from multiple sets of Subscriber Stations to the shared Backhaul link, are controlled so that a combined downlink rate substantially does not exceed a predetermined Backhaul data rate, and a combined uplink rate substantially does not exceed a predetermined Backhaul data rate, thereby preventing an overloading of the shared Backhaul link. Further, communication rates of different data sets within the downstream and upstream, respectively, are dynamically altered to provide best overall service within the downstream and upstream, respectively, while not overloading the shared Backhaul link.

Abstract: A method includes detecting that a particular media device is communicatively coupled to one or more media devices in a set of media devices; in response to detecting that the particular media device is communicatively coupled to the one or more media devices in the set of media devices: automatically sending one or more remote operating codes, for remotely controlling the particular media device, to a remote control device.

Abstract: A system includes a consumer electronic device adapted to render a media content and a hand-held, portable device having a touch screen display, a transmitter, a receiver, and a processing unit. The processing unit of the hand-held, portable device uses data related to the media content received via the receiver to cause command icons related to rendering of the media content to be defined and displayed in the touch screen display and to cause the transmitter to transmit one or more commands for controlling a functional operation related to rendering of the media content by the consumer electronic device in response to a user interaction with one or more of the command icons caused to displayed in the touch screen display.

Abstract: One system herein is operable in a COD environment and includes an audience profiler that generates user profiles based on the demographic characteristics of users selecting COD content to identify a user based on a subsequent COD content selection. An ADS tracks impressions of assets in COD content selections, detects the subsequent COD content selection, and selects from the assets for insertion into that COD content selection. The ADS also processes the user profile of the user to exclude a first portion of the assets from insertion into the subsequent COD content selection. The ADS also excludes a second portion of the assets from insertion into the subsequent COD content selection based on the tracked impressions. The ADS also ranks remaining assets, and directs a COD content provider to insert the ranked assets according to the ranking and a number of available time slots in the subsequent COD content selection.

Abstract: System and methods for finding and accessing target content from audio and video content sources, including means and methods for extracting captions from audio and video content sources; searching the captions for a mention of at least one target; extracting audio and video segments relating to the at least one target; delivering extracted audio and video segments to a user device; analyzing the results for target content; thereby providing a method for quickly finding and accessing desired audio and video content from a large number of sources.

Abstract: A method includes receiving a request, associated with a user profile, for an integrated video guide for a video service. The integrated video guide is time based, and the video service includes broadcast video content and video service selected video content. The video service selected video content is provided via unicast or multicast. The method includes identifying basic video channels that are provided to all subscribers of the video service, and identifying user selected channels that are provided based on the user profile. Broadcast channels that are included in the user selected channels are identified. Online channels that are included in the user selected channels are also identified. The method also includes presenting the basic video channels, the broadcast channels, and the online channels in a same manner in the integrated video guide.

Abstract: The disclosure is related to the idea of tracking user navigation, consumption, and/or behavior and applying analytics to help shape future offerings (customized offerings, up-sells, recommendations, etc.) to a user and to provide reporting data to service providers and studios. Methods and systems of providing viewing recommendations for a user are set forth. This involves collecting usage data related to a session of interaction by the user, processing the user data for the session, and providing feedback regarding the session. The sessions involve multiple stages tracking a user's interactions. These include stages such as an inquiry stage, a results stage, a details stage, a selection stage, and a confirmation stage. Usage data is then mined to indicate the content creator of a media asset regardless of the media asset type.

Abstract: A system and method for allocating resources in a network is disclosed. The system and method comprises a proactive resource allocation framework in which the predictability of user behavior is exploited to balance the network traffic over time and to reduce the bandwidth required to achieve a given blocking/outage probability. The disclosed proactive resource allocation framework avoids limitations associated with off-peak demand and achieves a significant reduction in the peak to average demand ratio without relying on out of network users. It is based on a model in which smart devices are assumed to predict the arrival of new requests and submit them to the network T time slots in advance. Using tools from large deviation theory, the resulting prediction diversity gain is quantified to establish that the decay rate of the outage event probabilities increases linearly with the prediction duration T.

Abstract: Digital broadcast receiving apparatus including: a receiver receiving at least three different video programs in one transport stream, including a plurality of different video signal formats having different combination of scan lines and scan method; an isolator to isolate a video signal; a decoder to decode the video signal; a processor to execute a plurality of video processing sub software programs, providing video processing according to a different combination of the number of scan lines and a scan method; a controller using information obtained from the digital multiplexed signal to determine a combination of the number of scan lines and a scan method, and selecting one video processing of the video processing sub software programs to perform video processing according to the determined combination of the number of scan lines and the scan method; and a display to display the video signal processed by the processor.

Abstract: The present application provides a user configurable test system for set-top boxes (STB) and other consumer devices providing video output. In particular, it provides for a method of improving an Optical Character Recognition (OCR) process in such test systems.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to monitor, verify, and rate the performance of airings of commercials are disclosed. An example method includes analyzing received advertisement detection information associated with the advertisement, the advertisement detection information detected from a presentation of the advertisement; identifying a buy order corresponding to the presentation of the advertisement based on the advertisement detection information; determining a purchased ratings value from the buy order; comparing the purchased ratings value of the buy order to received ratings information corresponding to the presentation of the advertisement to determine whether the advertisement was presented as indicated in the buy order; and generating a performance monitoring report using the buy order and the advertisement detection information to indicate whether the ratings information is less than the purchased ratings value.

Abstract: To provide a reception and playback device capable of playing back a program in viewer's desired display mode. The reception and playback device receives, with respect to a program that is currently played back in a first display mode, a switching instruction to switch from the first display mode to a second display mode, receives switching permission information indicating whether switching of a playback target stream of the program is permissible from a first stream to a second stream respectively corresponding to the first display mode and the second display mode, when receiving the switching instruction, judges whether switching of the display mode is permissible from the first display mode to the second display mode based on the switching permission information, when judging affirmatively, switches from the first stream to the second stream to perform playback using the second stream, and when judging negatively, performs playback using the first stream.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a server comprising a memory to store executable instructions and a controller coupled to the memory. The controller, responsive to executing the instructions, performs operations comprising presenting a graphical user interface enabling selectable advertisements or a selectable channel distribution service for delivery to a set top box, presenting filters for targeted delivery of advertisements to subscriber equipment based on information descriptive of the subscriber, selecting advertisements from an advertising server based on detected selections of advertisements or a detected channel distribution service preference, transmitting a globally unique identifier of the set top box to a billing server, initiating storage of the selectable advertisements at a remote advertisement delivery server, and presenting the selectable advertisements to the set top box. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling a media generation system where a media event may be selected via a stateless software module, the system receiving a media event protocol file corresponding to the selected media event. The media generation system generates the media event based on the received media event protocol file.

Abstract: An apparatus, method, and system are provided for associating or tying an audio source/content to visual/video content. A request to tie a selected audio source to visual/video content may be received. Upon receiving the request, the selected audio source may be tied to the visual/video content. Audio received from the selected audio source may be substituted for audio associated with the visual/video content. One or more synchronization techniques/methods may be used to synchronize audio content with visual/video content.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a communication interface configured to receive printing data and an image forming unit configured to perform a printing operation by using the received printing data. In addition, the communication interface includes a communication controller configured to support a first interface method and a second interface method, and include a first pin port for communication in the first interface method and a second pin port for communication in the second interface method, a first connector configured to be connected to one of the first pin port and the second pin port, and a second connector configured to be connected to the first pin port or the second pin port which is not connected to the first connector.

Abstract: A method of controlling adaptive HTTP streaming of media content between a HTTP server and a HTTP client in a communication system, in which system media content is arranged as a plurality of periods, and each such period comprises a plurality of representations of media segments, which method includes the steps of providing (S10) temporal alignment information for the media segments of the plurality of representations, which temporal alignment information provides indications about a temporal relation between the segments of the plurality of representations of the media content. Further, the method includes providing (S20) key frame location information for the media segments, which key frame location information provides indications about locations of key frames in the media segments of the plurality of representations.

Abstract: A content receiver determines that a communication connection recipient identifier is associated with content received from a content provider. An associated communication device is identified by the content receiver. The content receiver then signals the communication device to initiate a communication connections utilizing the communication identifier. In some implementations, the content receiver may provide a user with a notification and may signal the communication device after receiving a responses to the notification. In one or more implementations, the communication connection recipient identifiers may be telephone numbers, the communication devices may be telecommunication devices, and the communication connections may be telephone connections.

Abstract: At times, it may be desirable to determine that a client system is, or to determine the number of client systems that are, presenting particular dynamic content when an auditable event occurs in the dynamic content. One manner of making the determination may include accessing presentation time information that indicates the time(s) at which one or more client systems present particular dynamic content and accessing event time information indicating the time(s) at which one or more auditable events occur in the dynamic particular content. Based on the presentation time information and the event time information, it may be possible to determine that a client system is, or to determine the number of client systems that are, presenting particular dynamic content when an auditable event occurs in the dynamic content.

Abstract: An information storage medium storing subtitle text-based information, and a method and apparatus utilizing same, process a subtitle The information storage medium includes: dialog information which contains script text information of the subtitle and information specifying an output type of the script text; and presentation information which contains style information used to convert the script text into a bitmap format through rendering. With this structure, the amount of data required for a subtitle and the amount of data that should be processed when a subtitle is output may be greatly reduced.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing and displaying caption information associated with a video program are provided. The caption information is extracted from a video signal and different captions are rendered in sequence for different segments of the video program. A plurality of the different captions is blended in a form for simultaneous display superimposed on video images during one of the different segments of the video program. The different captions may be the latest caption corresponding to the current segment of video and a previous caption corresponding to a previous video segment. These different captions can be displayed such that they overlie each other and such that their opacity is different. In this manner, a viewer is able to have a prolonged period of time to read captions and can readily distinguish the current caption from the previous caption.

Abstract: Network-based methods and systems transfer caller ID information from a telephony network to an IPTV network. Embodiments integrate service provisioning, subscriber account and policy information between telephony services and IP-based television services. Voice call signaling may be intercepted to retrieve caller ID, caller name information, and other call management information, at the call server in the network to deliver an appropriate notification message to the IP-based TV network at its notification server, which in turn sends a message notification to the called party's TV screen. Call log information may also be retrieved and displayed. SIP call forking and IP multimedia subsystem approaches are described.

Abstract: In order to prevent obstruction of a view of a subtitle due to synthesis of the subtitle onto an object area such as a person and display of the synthesized subtitle, an image synthesizing device includes: an image synthesizing unit which synthesizes a graphics object onto an image; and a display area detecting unit which outputs a display position of an area having the lowest spatial frequency; and a drawing control unit which causes the graphics object to be drawn at the display position.

Abstract: In one method embodiments, providing a transport stream to a client device, the transport stream comprising a head stream and a tail stream, the head stream and the tail stream each comprising a compressed video sequence; providing information in a transport stream packet associated with the head stream, the information configured to cause the client device to selectively control an output of at least one of a plurality of pictures of the head stream yet to be output from a decoded picture buffer (DPB) at an out-point from the head stream to the trail stream.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention uses an abbreviated blanking period, in comparison to the standard VESA and CEA-EIA blanking periods, in order to send data, including low bandwidth, non-timing information, over one or more channels of the digital video link. By shortening the blanking period, the amount of time available for sending data in each scan line is increased, enabling the system to send more data over each channel. The inactive video portion of a scan line sent during vertical sync may also be used to send additional digital data. Shortening the blanking periods and/or using the inactive video sections of the horizontal scan lines adds to the overall data capacity of the link and may be used to send other digital data, such as multichannel audio, video, control, timing, closed captioning or other digital data.