Abstract: A system for distributing television/video signals to different locations comprises a server capable of providing digital television/video signals for a plurality of programmes, a plurality of receivers each at a respective one of said locations, and a network connecting the server to the receivers, each receiver being operable to select a required one of the programmes and to communicate the selection to the server, the server being responsive to such a selection to transmit the digital television/video signal for the selected programme over the network addressed to the receiver that selected that programme, and each receiver being responsive to the digital television/video signal that is addressed to that receiver so that point-to-point communication is established from the server to that receiver.

Abstract: A video distribution device 10 is a device communicating with a video receiving device 20 via a communication network 30, which includes a video acquisition unit 110 that acquires plural videos taken from various perspectives, a video analysis unit 120 that analyzes a detail contained in the video on a video basis and generates its analysis result as content information, and a video matching unit 130 that verifies a conformity level of each content information with preference information notified by a viewer, decides a video to be distributed, and distributes the video.

Abstract: A video data transmission system in which a video signal transmitting apparatus and a plurality of video signal receiving apparatuses are coupled to each other via a network, and the video signal transmitting apparatus has a first memory unit for storing a video signal as digital video data which is sequentially updated a plurality of second memory units to which the digital video data is written at predetermined timings and from which the digital video data is read and a control unit for controlling the first and second memory units and a transmitter for transmitting the digital video data to the network. With the configuration, optimum digital video data is transmitted to the plurality of video signal receiving apparatuses in accordance with the transmission band of the network coupled to the video signal transmitting apparatus.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for broadcasting history or coarse representations or both of stroke media and other media. Levels are created for media, and the levels are periodically broadcast. The levels segment the media and allow the media to be examined with details that range from coarse to fine or examined with varying importance or both. The periodic broadcast of the levels provides history of the media. In particular, for stroke data, levels of detail are determined through a certain method. Each level of detail is periodically broadcast. The levels of detail may be shown by themselves or combined at a receiver to create segmented views of the stroke data. A user can select a coarse view of the stroke data to quickly see the stroke history. Additionally, techniques are provided for quickly and repeatedly accessing data elements in already existing data structures. Generally, a description is created that describes data elements in a preexisting data structure.

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 conditional access system in which entitlement control messages (ECMs) containing the encryption keys used to encrypt a program transmission, are sent to a set-top box over a secure communications channel separate from the channel used for transmission of the encrypted program.

Abstract: A test meter for digital CATV systems is operative to analyze digital CATV signals or channels utilizing selectable signal conditioning circuits, depending on the format of the CATV signal under test. The test meter is thus operative to analyze digital CATV signals transmitted according to various international digital standards. In one form, the signal conditioning circuits include SAW filters for particular bandwidths according to the digital signal standard of the particular CATV system. The SAW filters correspond to the bandwidths associated with a particular digital signal standard. Once the signal conditioning circuit has been selected, an output of a corresponding filter is input to a digital decoder circuit such as a QAM decoder. The QAM decoder is operative to decode all three (3) international QAM standards in accordance with ITU-T J.83 for digital signals.

Abstract: A television broadcasting system and method of using same for transmitting a plurality of television channel signals is provided.

Abstract: An apparatus in a digital network includes the logic for allocating and assigning packet identifiers (PIDs) to digital packets, such as MPEG packets. The logic can reside in a device that transmits a transport stream or a device that controls a transport stream transmitter. In the preferred embodiment, a session number is associated a program and with an output port of a transport stream transmitter; and the session number is unique for that output port. The logic associates a PID from a set of allocated PIDs with the session number. The set of allocated PID values are PMT_PIDs, which are used for identifying the PMT packets, and the set of PMT_PIDs is scalable. In the preferred embodiment, the logic also associates the PMT_PID to the session number using a predetermined scheme. The apparatus also includes logic for assigning a set of PID values to the elementary streams of a program.

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: In a system for managing and updating metadata associated with an asset, an asset provider can associate the asset with metadata. If the asset provider wants to distribute the asset to one or more distribution endpoints, the asset provider can send an asset bundle comprising the metadata and the asset to the distribution endpoints. In the event the asset provider modifies or updates the metadata associated with the asset, the asset provider can identify which distribution endpoints are to receive the updated metadata. After identifying which distribution endpoints are to receive the updated metadata, the asset provider can send the updated metadata without manual intervention to each of these distribution endpoints. Alternatively, the metadata may be stored by a metadata administrator, and the metadata may be sent to distribution endpoints upon the metadata administrator receiving a request for the metadata from the distribution endpoints.

Abstract: In a system for delivering and receiving information that includes a presentation device (600) for presenting the information to a user and for receiving embedded data. The presentation device (600) also includes a data port (635) for providing the embedded data to an external printer upon command and a command port for receiving commands from a remote control unit (500). The remote control unit (500) includes a transmitter (540) for providing the commands to the presentation device (600) and input means for receiving control signals from the user, wherein, upon reception of a print control signal from the user, the remote control unit (500) transmits a print command to the presentation device (600). The presentation device (600) then provides the embedded data to the data port (635) for printing.

Abstract: A television signal distribution device comprises a plurality of downgoing cables (1-4) corresponding to signals received from various satellites (10-40). Signals received by terrestrial transmission (50, T) are added to each of these cables. Digital data signals received from different satellites are converted to a lower frequency in down-converters (DC1-DC5) and together brought to within the range of the terrestrial signals (T). For each group of users there is provided a converter (94) for putting the digital data signals into a customary frequency band which can be used by a standard satellite modem (95).

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 digital broadcasting system capable of causing any of physical channels selected by a broadcaster to be received as one of the channels available to users which is different from the physical channel selected by the broadcaster. For each of programs of each of the channels available to said users, a program information record comprising PSI (program specific information) is stored in a data base. The broadcaster is permitted to include, in the PSI, channel mapping information whose mapping destination is a channel (or a program) to be received instead of the channel for which said program information is intended. The program information records is inserted in broadcast transport streams on schedule and, if necessary, immediately after the broadcaster have included the channel mapping information in the PSI data.

Abstract: Video images and/or audio clips are rapidly and efficiently assembled into a finished program master recording for playback, including subsequent duplication. The images and audio portions may be collected locally or from remote sites in a variety of still video, motion, or multimedia formats. To reduce bandwidth or storage requirements, proprietary or commercially available compression/decompression data algorithms preferably are utilized during transmission and accumulation. Once a complete program is available the images and/or audio portions may be replayed automatically in a predetermined sequence, thereby allowing the program master video tape or disc to be recorded and distributed in a timely manner. As an alternative, the program presentation may be played back directly to a plurality of video recorders to effect duplication.