Abstract: A system is provided which uses a camera to generate an image of an environment to be controlled by the user. The image is displayed on a display monitor of a control device. The control device allows the user to interact with a region of the image on the display monitor. The region corresponds to controllable consumer electronics (CE) equipment displayed within the image of the environment. Interaction with the region causes the CE equipment to be controlled in a pre-programmed manner.

Abstract: A video signal, an audio signal, and a control signal to be used for control at the receiving end are time-division-multiplexed and transmitted.

Abstract: A system and method for storing and processing data for display on a display device are described. Encoded data is received through a first digital connection. The encoded data is then processed in response to a request from a user to obtain multiple signals. Finally, the signals are transmitted to the display device through a second connection.

Abstract: A system for restoring a digital TV signal, comprising a signal dividing means receiving the digital TV signal, and dividing the digital TV signal into digital video signals and digital audio signals after a predetermined signal processing; a video decoding means decoding the digital video signals outputted from the signal dividing means into analog video signals, and outputting low frequency analog video signals by colors; an audio decoding means decoding the digital audio signals outputted from the signal dividing means into analog audio signals with a plurality of channels corresponding to predetermined frequencies; a plurality of frequency-modulators frequency-modulating the low frequency analog video signals and the analog audio signals, in response to intermediate frequencies, respectively; a computer system having a wireless transmitter wirelessly transmitting the signals modulated by the frequency-modulators; a plurality of wireless receivers wirelessly receiving the analog video and audio signals tra

Abstract: A system for displaying receiver and channel diagnostic data includes a channel response generator, a channel response pass/fail limit storage, and a display generator for generating a display of the generated response and a limit stored within the pass/fail limit storage. The channel response generator generates one of a magnitude and phase angle response from response data for a QAM receiver and may be any device that computes at least a magnitude channel response or a phase angle response for a QAM or QPSK receiver. For each type of channel response, magnitude and phase angle, a user may specify a variation limit and/or the system may store default variation limits. These variation limits define the limit of gain variation from unity gain for the magnitude response and the maximum group delay variation. Preferably, the group delay is measured with respect to the group delay at the center frequency of the channel to which the receiver is tuned.

Abstract: In a data broadcast program production system of a broadcast station and a local broadcast station, the key broadcast station distributes raw data that has been obtained from an external raw data provision apparatus to the local broadcast station. Distribution setting information that lists a corresponded distribution target and raw data identifier is stored in a raw data net distribution information storage unit of a data broadcast program production apparatus at the key station. A raw data net distribution unit judges whether raw data received from a first data provision apparatus matches the raw data identifier listed in the distribution setting information, and when the two match, distributes the raw data to the local broadcast station data broadcast program production apparatus that is the distribution target.

Abstract: A cable television (CATV) distribution system, and a method of forming and using the CATV distribution system. In a first embodiment, a narrowcast optical signal is generated by an uncooled laser and converted by a receiver into a narrowcast electrical signal. In a second embodiment, a narrowcast optical signal generated by an uncooled laser is combined with a broadcast optical signal by an optical coupler at a hub of the CATV distribution system to generate a composite optical signal, which at a CATV node is: split into the broadcast and narrowcast optical components, respectively converted into broadcast and narrowcast electrical components, and combined into a composite electrical signal. In a third embodiment, a narrowcast optical signal is generated by an uncooled laser and then combined with the broadcast optical signal by a single receiver.

Abstract: The video signal transmission apparatus for transmitting video signals from a first apparatus to a second apparatus and is provided with: a scramble device for performing a scrambling process on the video signal before outputting the video signal from the first apparatus; a scramble cancellation device for canceling the scramble process that was performed on the video signal that is input to the second apparatus and restoring the video signal; a control device for controlling the scramble device and the scramble cancellation device; and a detection device for detecting when the power to the first apparatus or second apparatus is turned ON or when input of the video signal is changed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided in which a digital image is transmitted to a presentation projector resource over a wireless transmission medium using a reduced amount of transmission bandwidth by transmitting a subset of the digital image data. The subset image data may be a delta subset that represents those areas of the image that have changed since the previous transmission. The subset image data may also be a scalable vector graphics representation of the subset of the digital image. Header data is provided to further describe the subset image data. A projector discovery logic selects a suitable projector resource based on the order or signal strength of the discovery replies. A wireless image transmission session is established with the selected projector resource during which the projector is unavailable to other devices. The subset image data may be compressed and transmission coordinated with the projector resource so that the data is sent only when it is ready to be received.

Abstract: An automated system and method for producing videos using expert video production rules. The automated video production system and method of the present invention is particularly well-suited for the online publishing of lectures. The system of the present invention includes a camera system for capturing the lecture, such as an audience-tracking camera and a non-intrusive lecturer-tracking camera. Moreover, each camera may be controlled by a cinematographer. Tracking of a subject is performed using a history-based, reduced-motion tracker that sets up a camera shot based on the subject's movement history and leaves the shot fixed until the camera is switched. The system also includes a virtual director module having a probabilistic finite state machine (FSM) module that uses probabilistic rules and the expert video production rules to determine a current camera view.

Abstract: A system for connecting a controlling station (10) to a viewing station (13) in accordance with CAT 5/6 protocol comprises a single conductor (30) which carries audio and video signals.

Abstract: A multicast network including a network controller for selectively merging a first data stream with a second data stream to create a third data stream. The network is designed to multicast the third data stream to a predetermined number of receivers. A number of displays are operationally coupled to the receivers. Each of the displays is mounted in a publicly accessible location. In the illustrative embodiment, the first data stream is a network television feed and the second data stream is a proprietary, third party feed with advertising content. The system is designed to simultaneously display the first data stream and the second data stream on onscreen. In the preferred embodiment, the screen is split vertically or horizontally on multiple screens.

Abstract: A service depends on the location of a device. The device location is determined using DTV signals. More specifically, the device location is determined based on pseudo-ranges between the device and a plurality of digital television (DTV) transmitters and the pseudo-ranges are determined based on broadcast DTV signals received by the device from the DTV transmitters. Examples of DTV signals include the American Television Standards Committee (ATSC) signals, the European Telecommunications Standards Institute Digital Video Broadcasting-Terrestrial (DVB-T) signals and the Japanese Integrated Service Digital Broadcasting-Terrestrial (ISDB-T) signals.

Abstract: Equipment and methods for aligning the antennas of two transceivers of a point-to-point wireless millimeter wave communications link and keeping them aligned. Each of two communicating antennas is equipped with a telescopic camera connected to a processor programmed to recognize landscape images. The processors are programmed to remember the pattern of the landscape as it appears when the antennas are aligned. Each of the cameras then view the landscape periodically or continuously and if the landscape in view changes by more than a predetermined amount a signal is provided to indicate a misalignment. An operator can then take corrective action or alternatively the antenna system can be configured for remote or automatic realignment based of feedback from the camera.

Abstract: A distributed broadcast system for receiving, processing, scheduling and broadcasting a wide variety of media objects is disclosed. The system comprises: a media object tracking system, a channel editing segment, a broadcast facility, and a plurality of end-user PCs. The media object tracking system receives media objects from a plurality of distinct sources and tracks their distribution, modification, and use. Associated with the media-object tracking system are a plurality of editing stations, where received media objects may be processed to create broadcast-ready material. The channel editing segment preferably comprises a plurality of channel editing centers (CECs) and one or more channel management centers (CMCs) which aggregate broadcast-ready media objects and schedule them for broadcast. Each scheduled media object is encoded in accordance with subscription information associated with the service to which the media object belongs.

Abstract: A method to estimate light sources in a common support space comprising at least one visual data set associated with at least one support space having a position, a dimension and a size. The position of the light sources is determined according to the position, the dimension and the size of the individual support space and the color distribution is determined according to the visual data set.

Abstract: In a system for receiving a television broadcast, when a printer is connected to a receiving apparatus for use, a printer driver which controls the printer is automatically registered. For this purpose, a television broadcast receiving apparatus includes a unit for setting download information for a printer driver to be retrieved, a unit for retrieving a printer driver file which is specified by the set download information with the television broadcast, and a unit for installing the printer driver file into a storage unit so as to be executable.

Abstract: A data signal to a CATV station and a down signal from the CATV station are branched by a duplexer, the data signal is output to a duplexer through a return pass amplifying circuit while the down signal branched by duplexer is converted to a first intermediate frequency signal by an up converter IC, and further converted to a second intermediate frequency signal by a down converter IC and output.

Abstract: The CATV system according to the invention comprises at least one primary station (2) and a plurality of secondary stations (4). The primary station (2) and the secondary stations (4) are interconnected via a CATV network (6) comprising a plurality of nodes (8, 10, 12, 14). At least part of these nodes (8, 10, 12, 14) are redirection nodes (30) comprising redirection means (32) for redirecting (routing/switching) downstream data signals. In this way, it is no longer necessary to broadcast the data signals to all the nodes (8, 10, 12, 14) and secondary stations (4) in the CATV system. Instead, the data signals can be efficiently redirected to their destination and the available downstream bandwidth of the CATV network (6) can be used more efficiently.

Abstract: An integrated video distribution system for distributing video signals from a plurality of sources. The system includes a digitizer arrangement arranged to receive analog video signals from a plurality of video sources. The analog video signals are digitized in YCrCb video format and converted to streams of digital video data. The video data is multiplexed and transmitted on a digital video bus having a plurality of video channels. In one embodiment, the digitizers and video bus are integrated with a backplane arrangement that includes expansion slots for a plurality of terminal controllers. The expansion slots provide connections to the video bus. Each terminal controller mounted on the backplane arrangement can be coupled to a display terminal and an input device. The terminal controller selects one or more of the input streams of video data in response to control signals from the input device and converts the selected video data to an analog video signal for output to a display terminal.

Abstract: An arrangement for TV broadcasting outdoor events or the like via a mobile unit (34), which is connected via cables (30, 11, 20) to devices (12, 21, 22) for supplying and/or receiving video, audio or control signals and accommodates corresponding apparatuses (34a) for processing these signals, achieves a reduction in the number of cables and realizes new services, by providing at least one coupling station (10) in which separate optical waveguides (11, 20), outgoing from the individual devices (12, 21, 22), are coupled to a light-wave broadband cable (30), the light-wave broadband cable (30) being connected to a docking station (31) for transferring source signals, the devices (12, 21, 22) and the docking station (31) having electro-optical transducer elements (32) for converting the source signals, and the docking station being connectable to the mobile unit (34).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for distributing time and frequency information to a plurality of studios such that the studios can then use the time and frequency information frequency and timelock their studio components to the global reference. The apparatus includes various embodiments for facilitating the distribution of time and frequency depending upon the type of digital network that is used for distributing the television signals.

Abstract: A method for initializing a service unit in a communication system. The method includes receiving a synchronization signal from a head end at the remote unit. Further, an identifier is received specifying the remote unit. The method further receives an upstream frequency band and control channel designation at the remote unit, wherein the frequency band includes a number of subbands with at least one control channel in each subband. The method tunes to the designated frequency band and a reference signal is transmitted on a selected channel to the head end. The method receives adjustment signals based on the reference signal transmitted to the head end to allow signals transmitted from the remote unit to be orthogonal at the head end to signals from at least one other remote unit. The method adjusts parameters at the remote unit based on the adjustment signals.

Abstract: A plurality of intelligent device systems for use with a wideband signal distribution network, and methods for transmitting digital information and receiving digital and non-digital information onto and off of an RF carrier through a wideband signal distribution network, are disclosed. The intelligent device systems provide networks of intelligent devices that modulate and demodulate digital video, IP video/data/voice and digital wireless onto, and off of, a wideband signal distribution system, such as an analog carrier system, using existing EIA/TIA 568 standard wiring infrastructure. The methods modulate and demodulate digital video, IP video/data/voice and digital wireless onto, and off of, a wideband distribution system, such as an analog carrier system, and separate IP portions from non-IP portions.

Abstract: A system for distributing digital data over a video channel to a plurality of remotely located client terminals. The system involves selecting a set of digital data to be distributed and converting it to an intermediate format compatible with video broadcast. The intermediate data is then broadcast over a video channel during a time when no video content is being transmitted so that the intermediate format data takes the place of the video content. The intermediate format data is received at a remotely located client terminal where the set of digital data is recovered.

Abstract: The present method provides a fixed bandwidth for communicating information by way of a DSL service over a circuit switched telephone network. It includes the steps of setting a transmission bandwidth at a transmitting end of a DSL service over a circuit switched telephone network; dividing out the desired transmission bandwidth into multiple data connections each corresponding to an available voice connection in the circuit switched telephone network; delivering information at the desired transmission bandwidth by way of the multiple data rate connections; and combining the multiple data connections at a receiving end of the DSL service to provide the information at the desired transmission bandwidth.

Abstract: A television broadcasting system comprises a communication infrastructure and a gateway station communication a television signal to the communication infrastructure. A user terminal establishes a plurality of multiple dynamic links corresponding respectively to the communication infrastructure. The gateway station generates a plurality of datagrams from the television signal and transmits the multiple datagrams through the multiple dynamic links. The user terminal receives the plurality of datagrams from the infrastructure and reassembles the datagrams into the television signal.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method (and associated apparatus and software) to determine issuance intervals for like types of tables, respectively, in a digital television packet stream having a plurality of different types of tables that do not have issuance intervals set by a governing standard. Such a method comprises: setting issuance intervals for like ones of the non-governed tables, respectively, to be non-uniform. Such non-uniform issuance intervals can be determined as a function of at least one of an amount of time in the future to which the table corresponds and a degree of probable interest to a viewer. Further, such non-uniform issuance intervals can be weighted so that an issuance interval for a table corresponding to a time nearer the present is smaller than an issuance interval corresponding to a time further in the future.

Abstract: A DD converter circuit 109 for interpolating a digital video signal which is locked to a 14.3-MHz burst locked clock to convert the sampling data so as to be locked to a 13.5-NHz free-run clock, and a frame memory circuit 110 for writing a digital video signal which is output by the DD converter circuit 109 on the 14.3-MHz burst locked clock as well as reading the written digital video signal on a 13.5-MHz clock S112 are included. Therefore, a video signal processor which can realize the rate conversion of the digital video signal without using an analog PLL circuit can be provided.

Abstract: A transmission system for transmitting analog color video signals wherein a cable comprising multiple twisted pairs is employed, and certain of these pairs are coupled to carry selected color signals as a function of the delay provided by particular twist rates. In certain instances, selected signal delay devices are connected in circuit with certain twisted pairs. By such an arrangement, it has been found that relatively long distances between a computer and monitor may be spanned by relatively low-cost, twisted pair cable commonly used for telephone communications.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling at least one controlled device in a controlling device, in which a target device to perform an actual controlling operation is set in the case that a device control message is transferred to a web server by a user manipulation in a controlling device under a virtual server controlling system are provided. The method includes the steps of loading a web browser screen, transferring a message including a controlled device identifier part and a control information identifier part to a web server module, and setting a target device of the at least one controlled device based on the controlled device identifier part of the message and identifying the control information based on the control information identifier part, to thereby provide the web server module with control information with respect to the set target device and the identified controlled device.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to deliver images from a server, and project and display them with few distortions.

Abstract: A method of determining noise in a CATV channel, wherein the CATV channel comprises a predetermined frequency band, that employs digital signal processing to isolate the noise signal from an in-service television signal. The method includes an initial step of obtaining a television signal corresponding to a predetermined CATV channel, the television channel comprising a carrier signal modulated by an information signal. Thereafter, the method includes the step of sampling at least a part of the television signal to produce a digital signal segment, said digital signal segment comprising a carrier component, a noise signals component, and an information signal component, wherein said information signal component has a substantially predetermined signal pattern. The method then employs digital signal processing to separate the carrier component from the digital signal segment to produce a baseband signal substantially comprising the information signal and the noise signal.

Abstract: Video data coded in a coding device 12 is temporarily stored in a temporary buffer 13 before transmitted to a transmission buffer 171. A frame dropping/quantization control device 16 cancels the video data in the temporary buffer 13 if the amount of information of the video frame stored in the temporary buffer 13 is larger than a predetermined threshold, and further, sets a quantization step size with a quantization step size larger than the quantization step size used to code the video frame stored in the temporary buffer 13 and outputs it to the coding device 12.

Abstract: A system and method for enhancing a serial transmission, such as for example, a television broadcast by combining selected data with the conventional serial transmission signal is described herein. The type of data is selected via a template that is used to merge and format the data. The data is combined with the serial transmissions to yield an enhanced serial transmission.

Abstract: A configuration comprising a plurality of individual seat apparatuses which output operation signals from operation switches for flight attendant call and for reading, the first and the second lights for flight attendant call and for reading, first distributors for outputting light control information which corresponds to an operation signal from each of said operation switches, first and second driving apparatuses that drive said first and second lights and second distributors for distributing light signals for flight attendant call or for reading to the driving apparatuses in response to the light control information from said first distributors.

Abstract: A method automatically limits the transmission of a video stream from a terminal to a network. The method includes a capturing step which captures a video and audio stream from a camera and microphone at a terminal participating in a video-conference. A transmitting step transmits the audio and video streams to the network and a varying step varies the amount of video stream data transmitted in the transmitting step to the network based on an audio level of the audio stream. An apparatus automatically limits the transmission of a video stream from a terminal to a network. The apparatus includes a microphone, a camera, a network interface and a processor. The microphone and camera respectively capture audio and video stream data from a participant in a video conference. The network interface is coupled to a network, for transmitting the audio and video stream data to the network. The processor is coupled to the microphone, the camera and the network interface.

Abstract: The present invention is a media interface unit that couples media input (e.g. cameras, microphones) to a network and can receive media input from a network and provide it to playback devices (e.g. monitors, speakers). The interface unit eliminates the need for a computer system when transmitting and receiving media data to and from the internet and other networks. The unit comprises analog audio and video inputs and outputs on one side, and a computer communications network interface on the other side. By coupling sources/sinks of audio/video to one side and by coupling the other side to a network, it is possible to send and receive audio and video data as though the digital communications network were the same as the cables typically used to transport analog audio and video. The invention functions as a multi-media network appliance.