Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090128708 | MONITORING UNIT FOR USE IN A SYSTEM FOR MULTIMEDIA CONTENT DISTRIBUTION - A disclosed multimedia signal monitoring unit includes a chassis and, within the chassis, a processor, a multimedia signal receiver for receiving an encoded multimedia stream, and a plurality of decoders. Each of the decoders can decode an encoded multimedia signal, where at least two of the plurality of decoders is operable to decode the multimedia signal using different decoding algorithms. The decoder includes a switch under control of the processor. In some embodiments, the switch is configured to connect the receiver to a selected one of the decoders. A user input interface is connected to the microprocessor and is operable to manually operate the switch. Each decoder may be attached to a corresponding circuit board. Each of the circuit boards is received within a corresponding slot defined within the chassis. The circuit boards may be swapped among the slots. Each decoder may be operable to decode a multimedia signal modulated using 8-level vestigial sideband modulation. | 05-21-2009 |
20090144791 | System and Method of Detecting Potential Video Traffic Interference - A method of detecting potential video traffic interference at a video head-end of a video distribution network is disclosed and includes detecting, at a video head-end, a signal populating an ultra high frequency (UHF) white space frequency. The method also includes determining that a strength of the signal is equal to or greater than a threshold signal strength. Further, the method includes sending an alert from the video head-end to a network management system. The alert indicates that the UHF white space frequency is populated by a signal having a potential to interfere with video traffic delivered via the video head-end. | 06-04-2009 |
20090276224 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MONITORING DELIVERY OF MEDIA CONTENT BY A MEDIA COMMUNICATION SYSTEM - A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may operate according to, for example, a method involving recording audio feedback from a plurality of subscribers commenting on media content supplied by a media communication system on at least one of a plurality of media channels, detecting one or more trigger words in the recorded audio feedback having an association with a disruption of one or more media services supplied by the media communication system, selecting one or more network elements of the media communication system in at least one transmission path that supplies media services to one or more of the plurality of subscribers that supplied audio feedback matching the one or more trigger words, and directing the selected one or more network elements to record media content on one or more media channels selected from the plurality of media channels. Other embodiments are disclosed. | 11-05-2009 |
20100017835 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR FREQUENCY AGILE BAND-PASS FILTERING OF BROADCAST SIGNALS - Methods and apparatus for frequency agile band-pass filtering of broadcast signals are disclosed. An example method to receive a broadcast signal for distribution to a plurality of reception sites disclosed herein comprises processing the broadcast signal with a frequency agile band-pass filter to receive the broadcast signal at a headend site for distribution to the plurality of reception sites, monitoring reception quality of the broadcast signal at an operating center separate from the headend site and included in the plurality of reception sites, and sending commands to the frequency agile band-pass filter from the operating center based on the monitored reception quality of the broadcast signal, the commands controlling at least a tuned operating frequency of and an attenuation provided by the frequency agile band-pass filter. | 01-21-2010 |
20100058385 | System and Method for Detecting Closed Captioning and Creating a Closed Captioning Electronic Programming Guide - A set-top box device includes a detector module and an electronic programming guide module. The detector module is configured to detect a closed captioning flag in a video stream, and to cache electronic programming guide information for the video stream if the video stream includes the closed captioning flag. The detector module is further configured to create a closed captioning electronic programming guide including the electronic programming guide information. The electronic programming guide module is in communication with the detector module, and is configured to output the closed captioning electronic programming guide. | 03-04-2010 |
20100058420 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MANAGING DIGITAL TELEVISION OPERATIONS - A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a server having a controller to monitor spectral characteristics of a target channel, a first channel and a second channel, where the target channel is of a digital terrestrial television system, where the first channel is an upper adjacent channel to the target channel, and where the second channel is a lower adjacent channel to the target channel. The controller is adapted to generate an emission mask based on the monitored spectral characteristics and detect interference between the target channel and at least one of the first and second channels based at least in part on the emission mask. Other embodiments are disclosed. | 03-04-2010 |
20100058430 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MANAGING MEDIA CONTENT - A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a set top box comprising a controller to receive media content over an Internet Protocol Television network, detect Secondary Audio Programming (SAP) content associated with the media content, present an SAP indicator with the media content to a user when the SAP content is detected for the media content, receive a selection of the SAP content by the user, and present the media content with the selected SAP content. Other embodiments are disclosed. | 03-04-2010 |
20100077440 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DISTRIBUTING MEDIA CONTENT - A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a server having a controller to receive a digital signal representative of media content where the digital signal includes a main profile version of the media content and one or more lower profile versions of the media content and where the one or more lower profile versions have higher error correction than the main profile version, monitor the main profile version for an undesired condition that jeopardizes video continuity for a viewer of the media content, and transmit one of the one or more lower profile versions over an internet protocol television system to the viewer when the undesired condition is detected, where the transmission of the lower profile version to the viewer maintains video continuity for the viewer. Other embodiments are disclosed. | 03-25-2010 |
20100109926 | System and Method to Modify a Metadata Parameter - A method includes receiving first encoded digital audio data including a metadata parameter having a first value. The first encoded digital audio data has a first dynamic range. The method includes receiving second encoded digital audio data including the metadata parameter having the first value. The second encoded digital audio data has a second dynamic range. The method also includes outputting first decoded digital audio data including the metadata parameter. The first decoded digital audio data corresponds to the first encoded digital audio data. The method also includes outputting second decoded digital audio data including a modified metadata parameter having a second value. The second decoded digital audio data corresponds to the second encoded digital audio data. | 05-06-2010 |
20100241258 | System and Method to Modify a Metadata Parameter - A method includes receiving digital audio data at an audio adjustment system. The method includes converting a portion of the digital audio data to an analog audio signal with a digital-to-analog converter of the audio adjustment system to form a sample analog audio signal. The method includes determining a dynamic range of the sample analog audio signal with the audio adjustment system. The method also includes modifying a metadata parameter of the digital audio data with the audio adjustment system when the dynamic range of the sample analog audio signal is below a threshold. The metadata parameter is a dialog normalization parameter. | 09-23-2010 |
20110122316 | System and Method for Detecting Closed Captioning Data in an Internet Protocol Television System - A closed caption detection system includes a video line selector that outputs a selected line of a video signal, a luminance detector that outputs a luminance level of the selected line, and an alarm that compares the luminance level with a threshold level and provides an alarm based on the result. A method of detecting closed captioning data includes selecting a television channel, decoding closed captioning in the channel, detecting a luminance level of a closed captioning line of the television signal, comparing the luminance level with a threshold level, waiting for a time if luminance level of the selected line is less than the threshold luminance level, and then re-detecting luminance level and re-comparing the luminance levels, then, if the luminance level is less than the threshold level, indicating the absence of closed captioning data. | 05-26-2011 |
20110296459 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING A SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM - A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a network device including a controller programmed to receive security video content associated with a premises where the security video content has been captured by one or more cameras located within or in proximity to the premises and where the premises have one or more Digital Video Recorders (DVRs), and transmit the security video content to the DVR for forwarding to a communication device that is remote from the premises, where the security video content is wirelessly transmitted over a wireless television (TV) channel dynamically selected from available wireless TV channels associated with the premises. Other embodiments are disclosed. | 12-01-2011 |
20110317020 | System and Method to Detect a Fault in Transmission of a Stream of Media Data Corresponding to a Media Channel - A particular method may include detecting at a first network device of a video distribution network a fault in transmission of a stream of media data with a media channel. The method also includes, in response to detecting the fault, transmitting a notification that includes fault information corresponding to the detected fault and the stream of media data corresponding to the media channel from the first network device to a second network device of the video distribution network. | 12-29-2011 |
20110317543 | SCALING CONTENT COMMUNICATED OVER A NETWORK - The disclosed subject matter relates to an architecture that can scale content resolution in order to mitigate errors in a provisioned service of a communication network, such as a wireless service or a femtocell service that integrates with DSL or other broadband carriers. The architecture can identify fault conditions relating to e.g., bandwidth oversubscription or symbolization integrity. Based upon such identification, the architecture can alter encoding format codecs of certain types of content in order to reduce their resolution/quality, thereby mitigating bandwidth oversubscription fault conditions or freeing up space (without necessarily increasing bandwidth) to insert additional FEC code. | 12-29-2011 |
20120159562 | Mitigating Potential Video Traffic Interference - A particular method of mitigating potential video traffic interference includes receiving an alert at a network management system, where the alert indicates detection of a signal in an ultra high frequency (UHF) white space frequency at a video head-end of a video distribution network, where the signal has a potential to interfere with video traffic that has been detected. The method also includes sending data to the video head-end, where the data indicates at least one corrective measure to mitigate interference with the video traffic by the signal. | 06-21-2012 |
20120306677 | SYSTEM AND METHOD TO MODIFY A METADATA PARAMETER - A method includes receiving digital audio data at an audio adjustment system. The method includes converting a portion of the digital audio data to an analog audio signal with a digital-to-analog converter of the audio adjustment system to form a sample analog audio signal. The method includes determining a dynamic range of the sample analog audio signal with the audio adjustment system. The method also includes modifying a metadata parameter of the digital audio data with the audio adjustment system when the dynamic range of the sample analog audio signal is below a threshold. The metadata parameter is a dialog normalization parameter. | 12-06-2012 |
20130067506 | System and Method for Monitoring Delivery of Media Content by a Media Communication System - A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may operate according to, for example, a method involving recording audio feedback from a plurality of subscribers commenting on media content supplied by a media communication system on at least one of a plurality of media channels, detecting one or more trigger words in the recorded audio feedback having an association with a disruption of one or more media services supplied by the media communication system, selecting one or more network elements of the media communication system in at least one transmission path that supplies media services to one or more of the plurality of subscribers that supplied audio feedback matching the one or more trigger words, and directing the selected one or more network elements to record media content on one or more media channels selected from the plurality of media channels. Other embodiments are disclosed. | 03-14-2013 |
20130132991 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR FREQUENCY AGILE BAND-PASS FILTERING OF BROADCAST SIGNALS - Example frequency agile band-pass filtering methods disclosed herein include monitoring reception quality of a media broadcast signal received at a headend including a frequency agile band-pass filter to receive the media broadcast signal, sending a first set of commands to cause the frequency agile band-pass filter to tune to and attenuate a first channel included in the media broadcast signal, the first set of commands being sent in response to determining that the first channel is experiencing a degradation of reception quality determined to be caused by a first type of channel interference, and sending subsequent second set of commands over the communication network to the frequency agile band-pass filter to override attenuation processing invoked by the first set of commands in response to determining that the degradation of reception quality is caused by fading in addition to the first type of channel interference. | 05-23-2013 |
20130155838 | SCALING CONTENT COMMUNICATED OVER A NETWORK - An architecture is provided that can scale content resolution in order to mitigate errors in a provisioned service of a communication network, such as a wireless service or a femtocell service that integrates with DSL or other broadband carriers. The architecture can identify fault conditions relating to e.g., bandwidth oversubscription or symbolization integrity. Based upon such identification, the architecture can alter encoding format codecs of certain types of content in order to reduce their resolution/quality, thereby mitigating bandwidth oversubscription fault conditions or freeing up space (without necessarily increasing bandwidth) to insert additional FEC code. | 06-20-2013 |
20130322326 | DETECTION AND MITIGATION OF INGRESS INTERFERENCE WITHIN COMMUNICATION LINKS - A system and process that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, an interference monitor configured to detect occurrences of unintended signals within a communications link. A communications link may carry a down-converted format of a satellite signal from an earth terminal to an integrated receiver and decoder for further network distribution. Depending upon the nature of any such detected unintended signals, the communications link can be “swapped out” for a redundant communications link carrying a down-converted format of the same satellite signal obtained by way of a redundant earth terminal. Other embodiments are disclosed. | 12-05-2013 |
20140013380 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR FREQUENCY AGILE BAND-PASS FILTERING OF BROADCAST SIGNALS - Example frequency agile band-pass filtering methods disclosed herein include sending a first command to a frequency agile band-pass filter included in a receiving system, the receiving system to process a media signal to receive first media provided by a first channel of the media signal, the first command being sent to cause the frequency agile band-pass filter to tune to and attenuate the first channel when the first channel is determined to be experiencing degradation caused by a first type of channel interference. Such example methods also include sending a subsequent second command to the frequency agile band-pass filter when the degradation is determined to be caused by fading in addition to the first type of channel interference, the subsequent second command to cause the frequency agile band-pass filter to bypass attenuation processing invoked by the first command during reception of the first channel. | 01-09-2014 |
20140059634 | Mitigating Potential Video Traffic Interference - A method includes detecting, at a video head-end of a video distribution network, a signal populating an ultra high frequency white space frequency. The method includes determining that the ultra high frequency white space frequency is one of a plurality of ultra high frequency white space frequencies with a potential to interfere with video traffic at the video head-end. The method also includes sending an alert from the video head-end to a network management system. The alert indicates the potential of the signal to interfere with video traffic delivered via the video head-end. | 02-27-2014 |