Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090100493 | System and Method for Display Format Detection at Set Top Box Device - A set top box (STB) device receives a data stream comprising video content data and meta data. The data stream can include, for example, an H.264-compliant data stream transmitted to the STB device via a packet-switched network, such as an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) network. The meta data comprises an indicator of a display format for the video content data. The STB device accesses the indicator from the data stream and processes the video content data to generate a first display data having the first display format. The STB device can include a preset static display format configuration that is overridden by the STB device in response to accessing the indicator. | 04-16-2009 |
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 |
20090132358 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATICALLY SELECTING ADVERTISING DATA FOR STORED CONTENT - A method for delivering advertising data, comprising receiving end user data at a server, the data indicating available advertising spots in content data stored at an end user device; and updating from the server advertising data in the available advertising spots for presentation of the advertising data during replay of the content data at the end user device. A system is disclosed for performing the method. A data structure embedded in a computer readable medium is disclosed for containing data for performing the method. | 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 |
20090150917 | RATING MULTIMEDIA PROGRAMS ACCESSED FROM A PROVIDER NETWORK - A system measures viewership of multimedia programs such as television programs, pay-per-view sporting events, and video-on-demand movies. Viewership data from a plurality of multimedia programs may be compared to determine ratings for the multimedia programs. Multimedia streams en route to set top boxes may be monitored using packet inspection to identify the multimedia program or programs included in the multimedia streams. An electronic table or array may be stored and updated with viewership statistics of monitored multimedia programs. Some embodiments track the total number of households or televisions that are powered on in a viewing area. Ratings are available substantially in real time by accessing a stored table with viewership information or by frequently polling a plurality of stored values to determine which multimedia program is being viewed by all or substantially all viewers in an area. | 06-11-2009 |
20090187950 | AUDIBLE MENU SYSTEM - An audible menu system associated with distribution of television content over a service provider network is disclosed. The menu system includes a speech synthesizer and screen reader. Electronic programming guide (EPG) elements are read by a screen reader and provided to a speech synthesizer for presenting audible representations of EPG elements to a user. The user may provide inputs to a remote control device to navigate an EPG that may also be presented through a graphical user interface. As a user navigates a cursor over selectable EPG elements, disclosed embodiments provide audible outputs that correspond to the selectable EPG elements. In some embodiments, users may provide customized audio inputs that are played as audio outputs during future menu navigation sessions. | 07-23-2009 |
20090195370 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING VEHICLE FUNCTIONS - A method of controlling vehicle functions is provided that includes receiving at a service provider, security data from a vehicle function system. The security data is related to a security code required to activate one or more functions controlled by the vehicle function system. The method also includes receiving a vehicle function request at the service provider from a remote device. The vehicle function request indicates a request to activate a particular function of a vehicle. In addition, the method includes sending a vehicle function command from the service provider to a mobile wireless device. The vehicle function command is adapted to cause the mobile wireless device to transmit a wireless signal to activate the particular function of the vehicle and the vehicle function command includes the security code or authentication information related to the security code. | 08-06-2009 |
20100146529 | INCIDENT REPORTING IN A MULTIMEDIA CONTENT DISTRIBUTION NETWORK - A method and system for reporting incidents on a multimedia content distribution network (MCDN) includes generating user service alerts when a disruption to a channel of the multimedia content is observed. The user service alert may be generated at a client of the MCDN and recorded along with a timestamp and a channel indicator. A remote control device may be equipped to generate the user service alert. A support event may be generated in response to receiving the user service alert. The support event may cause the disruption to be investigated and a status report to be sent back to the client. | 06-10-2010 |
20100162288 | SYSTEM, METHOD AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR VERIFYING TRIGGERS IN A VIDEO DATA STREAM - A method is disclosed for logging triggers in a video data stream the method including but not limited to monitoring a video data stream at an multimedia processor end user device; receiving from a data distribution server, the video data stream at the multimedia processor end user device; detecting a trigger in the video data stream at the multimedia processor end user device; logging a time for the trigger detected in the video data stream in a trigger log at the multimedia processor end user device; and sending the trigger log an advertising verification system in the data distribution system for correlating the time the trigger occurred with an Advertising Schedule. | 06-24-2010 |
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 |
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 |
20140282720 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATICALLY SELECTING ADVERTISING DATA FOR STORED CONTENT - A method is disclosed for delivering advertising data, the method including but not limited to, based on determining that a preferred end user device type is a cell phone, sending an advertisement having the preferred advertising type to a cell phone associated with the end user; based on determining that the preferred end user device type is a mobile computer, sending an advertisement having the preferred advertising type to a mobile computer associated with the end user; and based on determining that the preferred end user device type is a television display associated with a set top box, sending an advertisement having the preferred advertising type to a television display associated with a set top box associated with the end user. A system is disclosed for performing the method. A data structure embedded in a computer readable medium is disclosed for containing data for performing the method. | 09-18-2014 |