Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer program products describe customizing the presentation of a content-access list. A preference for a subscriber is received, and a content database is searched for content related to the preference and for content unrelated to the preference. An option list is received including an option, and a non-preference-related option is also received. The non-preference-related option is added to the option list, and the option list is sent to the subscriber.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing admission control in a peer-to-peer video-on-demand system are described including determining if there is sufficient bandwidth to support leading sub-clip streaming for a new request from a video playback device, determining if there is sufficient bandwidth to admit the request without sacrificing quality of service for existing requests, accepting admission of the new request if both determining acts are positive and rejecting admission of the new request if either of the determining acts are negative. Also described is an apparatus for providing content to a video playback device in a peer-to-peer video-on-demand system including an admission control unit and a data engine component.

Abstract: A system and method for providing outbound telephone calling through an integrated set-top box includes a telephone connection, a media signal connection, and a modem. A user may input a telephone number to the set-top box to initiate an outbound telephone call. The set-top box modem dials the telephone number via the telephone connection to the publicly switched network. Once the call is connected, the user may take the call using a telephone connected to the home telephone network or through a speaker and microphone integrated with or connected to the set-top box. A status of the outbound telephone call may be displayed on a screen connected to the set-top box. A user may also initiate a telephone call to a number displayed on the screen as part of media signal. The on-screen telephone number may be provided along with the media signal or may be extracted from the media signal using character recognition software.

Abstract: A location tagged data provision and display system. A personal communication device (PCD) with electromagnetic communication capability has a GPS receiver and a display. The PCD requests maps and location tagged data from data providers and other for display on the PCD. The data providers respond to requests by using searching and sorting schemes to interrogate data bases and then automatically transmitting data responsive to the requests to the requesting PCD.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing video transport is disclosed. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a server having a controller to predict visibility to a viewer of packet loss impairment for communicated video content based at least in part on scene information for one or more packets of the video content. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A method and system for supporting media services on devices lacking capabilities to execute reverse transmission communicates necessary to request and/or locate the services. The method and system may be suitable for use with switched broadcast television (SBT) system having unidirectional digital cable products (UDCPs) which are unable to execute reverse transmission communicates necessary to support SBT.

Abstract: A systems and methods access electronic program guide (EPG) information via a backchannel link. An exemplary embodiment receives a first portion of EPG information residing in a data channel of a program content stream, establishes a communication link between a media device and a remote EPG content system, and receives a second portion of EPG information from the remote EPG content system via the established communication link.

Abstract: A broadcast transmitter and a method of processing broadcast data in the broadcast transmitter are disclosed. The method includes the steps of performing RS encoding and CRC encoding on mobile service data to build RS frames belonging to an ensemble, wherein each of the RS frames are mapped into data groups, wherein each of the data groups comprises known data sequences and a portion of FIC data including information for rapid mobile service acquisition, wherein the information for rapid mobile service acquisition includes transport stream identification information for identifying a mobile broadcast carrying a mobile service that includes the mobile service data and C/N indication information for indicating whether the FIC data are applicable to a current transmission frame or a next transmission frame, multiplexing data in the data groups and main service data, and transmitting a transmission frame including the multiplexed data.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for supporting targeted advertising and/or other targeted applications in set top boxes which use data and/or applications, e.g., EBIF (Enhanced TV Binary Interchange Format) applications, are described. Application level targeting is supported in which an application running on different STBs presents different application behavior and/or presents different visual sub-elements depending on the content of a subscriber profile on the particular individual STB. In the case of addressability at the Application Layer an EBIF application can target different viewers by checking private User Preference Items at runtime. Addressability at the signaling/platform level is also supported allowing targeting of a specific application or a sub-element within an application to a specific target group. In this scenario the particular applications/sub-elements are loaded on the set-tops that belong to a target group, e.g.

Abstract: A method is provided for authenticating a source device transmitting a video segment. In the method, the video segment is received from the source device over a communication network. The video segment comprises a number of frames. Identification data indicating the source device is also received over the communication network. Each of the frames of the video segment is marked with a form of the identification data. Access information is transmitted over the communication network for accessing the marked video segment.

Abstract: It is presented a method, executed in a media receiver connected to a media server in parallel via an internet protocol, IP, network and a cable television network. The method comprises the steps of: sending a media setup message to a middleware server, the media setup message comprising a content identifier, IP routing data and cable television routing data; receiving a setup confirmation message from the middleware server, the setup confirmation message comprising a transport indicator indicating which one of the IP network and the cable television network is to be used for media streaming from the media server to the media receiver; and receiving a media stream from the media server using either the IP network or the cable television network, as indicated by the transport indicator. Corresponding media receiver, middleware server, computer programs and computer program products are also presented.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a digital broadcasting system for transmitting/receiving a digital broadcasting signal and a method of processing data. In one aspect of the present invention provides a method of processing data, the method including receiving a broadcasting signal in which mobile service data and main service data are multiplexed, demodulating the received broadcasting signal, obtaining an identifier indicating that data frame of the broadcasting signal includes service guide information, decoding and storing the service guide information from the data frame; and outputting a service included in the mobile service data according to the decoded service guide information.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for providing interactive broadcasting of a video or TV content wherein users viewing the interactive broadcast content received from a broadcasting service by means of transceiver and display means are able to provide feedbacks relating to said video or TV content any time during said interactive broadcast of said content by means of input means coupled to the transceiver means, said broadcasting service comprises processing means capable of: i) continuously identifying and marking in the broadcasted content one or more key features which may change from time to time; and ii) processing users feedbacks received from the transceiver means and provide indications concerning the feedbacks and events related to the marked key features.

Abstract: There are provided methods and systems for processing a composite video image. The composite video image may be a combination of an image and at least one encoded screen capture at a communications apparatus either by a user or in accordance to pre-determined settings for the user's consumption and transmission to a network. Transmission to a network may be simultaneous during the user's consumption. It is advantageous that encoding of the at least one screen capture is independent of at least one application running on the at least one secondary device. It is possible that the at least one screen capture may or may not have audio signals.

Abstract: Systems and methods to model user activity information associated with a network system are provided. A particular method includes receiving, at a computing device, a request for user activity information associated with selected channels of a television access network that provides multimedia content to users. The method includes executing a model of user activity associated with the television access network at the computing device. The model estimates the user activity information as user multimedia access demands during particular time periods within a day. The method also includes storing the user activity information at a computer-readable non-transitory storage medium.

Abstract: An method for providing an image to a multiple number of devices is disclosed. The method includes providing a part of the image to a first device, receiving, from a second device, second position information of the second device relative to first position information of the first device, and providing, to the second device, another part of the image corresponding to the position information of the second device.

Abstract: A system and method are provided that allow the presentation of content to multiple users while some or all of the users communicate with one another through a network. In some embodiments, a content item such as a movie is viewed synchronously by multiple users while the users interact through, e.g., instant messaging. A viewing event may be arranged with users receiving invitations, responding to the invitations, and receiving reminders about the viewing event. The viewing event allows for contests to be conducted between the users. The users may be charged fees to participate in the viewing event. Items for sale may be offered to the users, such as a copy of the content item.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a first set-top-box (STB) of a group of STBs, the first STB having a controller to select via a graphical user interface (GUI) a media program and a second STB of the group of STBs for receiving an invitation to participate in a media session, wherein the media session comprises presentation of the media program, transmit the invitation to the second STB of the group of STBs, wherein information associated with the invitation is visually displayed at a third STB of the group of STBs participating in the media session, and present the media program at the first STB during the media session, wherein the media program is presented at the third STB during the media session. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A connection setting method, used in a camera system in which at least one camera head unit is connected to at least one camera control unit that controls the camera head unit via a single transmission network in order to connect the camera control unit includes: measuring delay of image data from the camera head unit to be connected; and determining a transmission rate at which image data is transmitted from the camera head unit to be connected. The determining is so carried out that when the delay is greater than a threshold corresponding to the amount of data smaller than or equal to a maximum amount of transmission over the network, the sum of the transmission rates at which image data transmitted over the network is smaller than or equal to the maximum amount of transmission over the network and image data having a higher preset priority is transmitted at a higher transmission rate.

Abstract: This document discusses, among other things, a system and method for serializing a video signal and providing non-packet-based serialized video information to a physical Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface and, in certain examples, receiving the non-packet-based serialized video information from the physical USB interface, deserializing the received non-packet-based serialized video information, and providing a high definition output signal to a video port (e.g., an HD video port, such as HDMI, DisplayPort, etc.) using the deserialized video information.

Abstract: A contents receiving system uses a digital broadcast wave or a broadband network to enable a user to suitably view main content, and provide a user with subsidiary content information desired by the user. Each of subsidiary content control receivers A (101), B (102) transmits ID information specific to each of the subsidiary content control receivers A (101), B (102), and a request for acquiring subsidiary content, from a communication control unit (405) to a main content receiving display unit 100. The main content receiving display unit 100 uses a content separation control unit (310) to separate a stream into subsidiary content corresponding to the request. Then, a request information input/transmission control unit (313) transmits the separated subsidiary content and the received ID information to the subsidiary content control receiver in question. The subsidiary content control receiver judges from the ID information that the subsidiary content should be acquired.

Abstract: Disclosed is related to an interactive multimedia service system and method thereof using mobile station that is enable to see a broadcasting with real time/non-real time. A broadcasting station broadcasts a multimedia contents composed of the broadcasting contents being broadcasted and the other multimedia contents generated by the mobile station, and transmits the composed multimedia contents to the mobile station. Therefore, the user of the mobile station can see the broadcasting, which the user of mobile station participates in the interactive broadcasting with real time/non-real time.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and computer program products for providing interactive services used with a time sensitive interactive application are provided. A request is received for interactive services that corresponds to a program. A program identification (ID) for the program is determined. An interactive application that corresponds to the program is determined based on the program ID, where the interactive application has a corresponding interactive application ID. The interactive application ID that corresponds to the interactive application for the program is provided.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a method and apparatus for creating and using video playlists within a network. In accordance with the invention, a user is enabled to create a playlist comprising a plurality of video segments and store the playlist for later access and viewing. In some implementations, the user may upload playlists to the network in order to permit other users to view the playlist and, if desired, watch the playlist's contents. In other implementations, the content provider or third parties may create playlists and make the contents available for viewing. In yet other implementations, the content provider or a third party may insert advertisements into a playlist's contents.

Abstract: The invention provides secure playback on a client of a selected version of content with files downloaded from a corresponding package stored on a content server. The package includes a plurality of video and audio files for the available versions of the content. Each package of files includes a master manifest that lists the files included in the package. Also, each file listed in the master manifest includes a separate hash value. Separate packages include other video and audio files and other master manifests for available versions of other/different content. In at least one embodiment, one or more subset manifests are generated from the master manifest. Each subset manifest lists a portion of the files listed in the master manifest and the corresponding hash values for these files.

Abstract: The invention discloses a method, system and user device for obtaining a key frame in a streaming media service. The method includes: setting a threshold time for receiving a key frame, receiving video data by a client from a streaming media server, and analyzing the video data, when the network state is normal, sending a request for adjusting a video key frame generating frequency to the streaming media server if a video key frame is not received by the client in the threshold time; when the request is received, the streaming media server determines whether to adjust the video key frame generating frequency, if so, then adjusts the video key frame generating frequency according to the request of the client. The application of the invention can improve the quality of the streaming media service, and advance the experience level of the streaming media service.

Abstract: Multimedia communications in multimedia communications with different user terminals. Various optimization for the delivery of multimedia content across different channels are provided concurrently to a plurality of user terminals.

Abstract: A reception apparatus includes: a reception unit configured to receive a broadcast stream at least including a data stream for data broadcasting; a first style selector configured to select a display style for each of data broadcast content acquired from the broadcast stream received by the reception unit; a second style selector configured to select, when the data broadcast content corresponding to the style selected by the first style selector corresponds to a plurality of display styles, one display style out of the plurality of display styles; and a display unit configured to display the data broadcast content corresponding to the style selected by the first style selector or the second style selector.

Abstract: Methods and an apparatus for selecting and pushing customized electronic media content are disclosed. An example method includes determining a first capability associated with a first device; determining a second capability associated with a second device; segmenting a piece of media into a first plurality of portions according to the first capability; when the second capability is different from the first capability, segmenting the piece of electronic media into a second plurality of portions according to the second capability, the second plurality of portions to be sized differently than the first plurality of portions; pushing a first one of the first plurality of portions to the first media device prior to the user requesting the first piece of electronic media; and pushing a first one of the second plurality of portion to the second media device prior to the user requesting the first piece of electronic media.

Abstract: A content capability clearing house that can act as a trusted and neutral mediator among network providers to manage rich content capabilities among multiple networks is provided. Content capabilities that can be brokered include, but are not limited to, quality of service and content screening. In an embodiment, a content capability clearing house includes a receiver that receives content capability request messages and other messages from network providers. A content capability request message includes a quality of service request and/or a subscriber profile request for use with content screening and subscriber specific advertisements. The present invention includes a series of methods for determining content capabilities for data transmission over a transaction between a content provider and a subscriber in which a content capability clearing house is used to efficiently broker and manage the capability among multiple network providers.

Abstract: In accordance with the invention, advertisement identifiers are stored in a queue in memory in the set top box or elsewhere corresponding to individual subscribers of a television service delivery network. The advertisements are retrieved and displayed in the order dictated by the queue as advertisement avails are detected in the particular channel information stream being watched by that subscriber. Accordingly, the subscriber sees the advertisements regardless of what channel or television program is being watched and sees them in the order dictated by the queue. The invention also is applicable to other information streams including Internet advertising, audio/radio advertising and advertising in electronic program guides.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for de-interleaving interleaved data in a deinterleaver memory in an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) based Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting Terrestrial (ISDB-T) receiver. In different embodiments, the apparatus comprises of a OFDM symbol counter along with a divider or a buffer pointer RAM with circular pointer logic, a first lookup table to obtain delay buffer size and interleaving lengths for a given OFDM transmission layer, and a second lookup table to obtain buffer base address and interleaving lengths for a given OFDM transmission layer.

Abstract: A method and dynamic content delivery (DCD) system for content update from a server to a client terminal comprising receiving a first message containing an identification information of one or more contents available for update from the server by a client terminal, sending a second message containing the identification information of a specific content to be updated among the one or more contents to request content update to the server; and receiving a third message containing the content or the address thereof corresponding to the identification information contained in the second message to respond to the second message.

Abstract: Two different communication terminals share a broadcast content received through a mobile broadcast service. If a mobile broadcast-sharing mode for sharing a broadcast content with a specific communication terminal is set, a mobile broadcast terminal extracts broadcast video data and broadcast audio data from a mobile broadcast signal being received. The mobile broadcast terminal converts a codec of the broadcast video data and the broadcast audio data into a codec used in video communication, and delivers at least one of the converted broadcast video data and the converted broadcast audio data through video communication formed to the communication terminal.

Abstract: The present invention provides a data processing method, the data processing method including receiving a broadcasting signal where mobile service data are multiplexed with main service data, extracting transmission-parameter-channel signaling information and fast-information-channel signaling information from a data group within the received mobile service data, parsing first program table information describing virtual channel information of an ensemble and a service provided by the ensemble using the fast-information-channel signaling information, the ensemble corresponding to a virtual channel group of the received mobile service data, obtaining information representing that second program table information, which includes a descriptor describing event information of the mobile service data, is received, from the first program table information, parsing the second program table information, and storing the event information and displaying service guide information including the event information.

Abstract: A computing device is described that can detect a change to a power mode of the computing device and responsive to detecting the change, identify, from among a set of elements that each specify respective content in accordance with a markup language, one or more elements that each have at least one respective attribute associated with the power mode of the computing device. The computing device can modify, based on the change to the power mode, at least a portion of the respective attribute of each of the identified one or more elements to associate the respective content specified by each of the identified elements with a set of presentation properties. The computing device can render, for display in accordance with the set of presentation properties, the respective content specified by each element from the set of elements.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing standard real world to virtual world links may include a processing element configured to receive indications of an image including an object, determine whether the object corresponds to a particular object having a predefined association based on a recognition of the object, and execute a function corresponding to the predefined association in response to the object corresponding to the particular object.

Abstract: Methods to improve the data carrying capacity of CATV DOCSIS systems and other communications systems are disclosed. Communications channels may be more efficiently spaced with reduced or absent guard bands by using receivers with adaptive signal cancellation methods, equalizing circuits, or polyphase filter banks and Fast Fourier Transform signal processing methods to correct for higher levels of cross-talk. QAM type communications channels may also be utilized on a synchronized two-transmitter at a time basis by adjusting the transmitters to predefined signal levels, such as +1, ?1, +½, ?½ to enable the combined signals to be distinguished at the receiver. These two methods may be combined to create a still higher data throughput system.

Abstract: Various embodiments of systems and methods for a universal collaboration adapter for web editors are described herein. In one aspect, the method executed by one or more computers in a network of computers includes analyzing a document object model (DOM) representing a document in a tree structure and identifying an event or manipulation associated with the DOM. Typically, the DOM manipulations correspond to the document manipulations. An operation corresponding to the identified event is selected. The operation is sent to a generic collaboration engine for transmission to a server. The server transmits the operation to various participants for collaborative editing. The identification of the DOM manipulations (instead of editor-specific manipulations) provides a universal collaboration adapter for various editors. Further, recording or identifying local DOM manipulations and replaying remote DOM manipulations enable transforming a single-user web editor into the multi-user or collaborative web editor.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a set top box having a controller to eliminate a scheduled recording of a targeted media program, where the scheduled recording is a redundant recording of the targeted media program that is determined based upon monitoring of recordings of media programs by a group of set top boxes in communication with each other over a network, where another set top box of the group of set top boxes is designated as a host set top box to record the targeted media program, and where the controller is provided access to the targeted media program by the host set top box. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system and apparatus for enhancing delivery of media services is disclosed. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a set-top box that can have a controller element to present at a media device content information received over a broadband connection. The content information can be associated with at least one satellite service presented to the media device over satellite signals disassociated with the broadband connection. The content information can also be received responsive to a request for said content information. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention related to a method in which a transmitting device transmits a packet in a wireless network, wherein said method comprises: a step of receiving, from an upper layer, video data divided into a plurality of slices and compressed into one or more types of layers; a step of constructing a MAC packet such that information on the types of said one or more layers of the video data is included in a MAC header of the MAC packet; and a step of delivering the MAC packet to a lower layer to transmit the MAC packet to a receiving device.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention are directed to, among other things, systems, computer readable media, methods and any other means for using a handheld device to present information to a user. The handheld device and server(s) can be configured to differentiate among inexpensive and expensive information. For example, the handheld device can be configured to present media listings that represent media stored on the server(s). Each media listing can include text (inexpensive information) and thumbnails (expensive information). While the user scrolls through the media listings, the new listings can only include text. Once the scrolling stops, the missing thumbnails can be downloaded and integrated into their corresponding listings. In response to a listing being selected, the corresponding media file can be downloaded and/or played back to the user by the handheld device.

Abstract: A direct memory-to-memory to streaming protocol driver for a media content playback system is provided. In one embodiment, the direct memory-to-memory to streaming protocol driver is a Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA). In general, the RDMA to streaming protocol driver utilizes an RDMA-enabled network interface to obtain media content from a remote content distribution server. In order to emulate a streaming protocol layer of a network stack such as, for example, the User Datagram Protocol (UDP), the RDMA to streaming protocol driver encapsulates the media content according to the streaming protocol to provide streaming media content. The streaming media content is then provided to an associated streaming protocol-based playback function.

Abstract: The present invention claims a method and a system for managing a Program In Word (PIW) service of a video program.

Abstract: Described are computerized methods and apparatuses, including computer program products, for providing electronic program guide services. The method includes storing an active media object list identifying media objects in an active state, receiving one or more tag requests identifying one or more programs, and updating a tag list to identify the one or more programs identified by the one or more tag requests. Each of the one or more programs are associated with one or more media objects. The method also includes generating a user navigation list comprising source identifiers of a plurality of selected media objects and a plurality of titles associated with each of the plurality of selected media objects. The plurality of selected media objects are each associated with at least one of the one or more programs identified in the tag list and included in the active media object list.

Abstract: A system and method for the aggregation of multimedia information storage via a broadband access gateway is disclosed. Information about storage resources accessible to a broadband access gateway may be collected and used in selecting storage capacity used for storing multimedia information such as, for example, streaming video, broadcast video, digitized video, digitized audio, text, and digitized images. The gateway may manage storage and retrieval of the multimedia information based upon user defined criteria and characteristics of the available storage resources. Multimedia information may be parsed for storage across multiple storage resources, and the location and nature of the storage resources used for storage of multimedia information items may be unknown to the user. Storage services accessible via a broadband connection may also be used as storage resources.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for remotely monitoring images from an image capturing device. Image data from an image capturing component is received where image data represents images of a scene in a field of view of the image capturing component. The image data may be analyzed to determine that the scene has changed. A determination may be made that the scene has changed. In response to this determination being made, a communication may be transmitted to a designated device, recipient or network location. The communication may be informative that a scene change or event occurred. The communication may be in the form of a notification or an actual image or series of images of the scene after the change or event.

Abstract: A wireless surveillance system and methods of operating same, providing at least one data input capture device (ICDs), including cameras which have the ability to capture video, audio, and/or data from sensors such as temperature and humidity data, while being newly or retrofittably releasably mountable to a track lighting system.

Abstract: A system and method that provides satellite television users with a simple interface in which to choose from a variety of video images representing a different camera angle at a given event. The invention comprises a plurality of cameras positioned at a certain event, such as a sporting event. The video images from the cameras are broadcast to one or more satellites, which downlink the images to a central broadcast center. At the central broadcast center, information relating to the event is bundled with the video images and re-broadcast to a second set of satellites. The information and video images are then downlinked to multiple users situated within the satellite's footprint, to be viewed on their televisions.