Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090019512 | System Method and Computer Readable Medium for Multicasting Control Messages to a Set Top Box - A system, method and computer readable medium are disclosed that allow a set top box to receive control messages transmitted using multicasting. The set top box is programmed with either an address or a URL that it uses to obtain the control messages directly, or obtain other messages that carry the multicast address. In other implementations, a specialized offer message is transmitted to the set top box in response to a discover message. Embedded within the specialized offer message is the multicast address being used to multicast the control messages. | 01-15-2009 |
20090144797 | Method and Apparatus for Delivering SDV Programming With Multiple Advertisements - A set top terminal is provided that includes a receiver/tuner for receiving (i) switched digital video (SDV) programs over a broadband access network, at least one of the SDV programs including a primary advertisement and (ii) a plurality of alternative advertisements that are each substitutable for the primary advertisement. The set top terminal also includes a processor operationally associated with the receiver/tuner. The processor is configured to selectively cause a first of the alternative advertisements to be rendered instead of the primary advertisement when the first alternative advertisement better matches a prescribed condition than the primary advertisement. | 06-04-2009 |
20100123822 | Method for Converting Between Display Information Scales | 05-20-2010 |
20100272419 | DIGITAL VIDEO RECORDER RECORDING AND RENDERING PROGRAMS FORMED FROM SPLICED SEGMENTS - A method and apparatus is provided for recording a program. The method includes storing, in response to a use request, at least one content file that includes first and second program segments that are spliced to form a single program. At least one index file is created and stored. The file index includes program specific information associated with the first and second program segments. The index file also includes an identification of a splice point denoting a transition between the first and second program segments. In addition, a splice index is created and stored. The splice index includes timing information specifying a time at which the splice point occurs. | 10-28-2010 |
20110078002 | ALTERNATIVE ADVERTISEMENT PLACEMENT IN RECORDED CONTENT STREAMS - A set top box includes a tuner for receiving a switched digital video (SDV) stream from an SDV source, in which the SDV stream contains content and a default advertisement. The set top box also includes a memory for storing the SDV stream and a controller for generating and outputting an ad catalog to at least one of an ad server and an SDV manager, in which the ad catalog contains information useable by the ad server in identifying one or more alternative advertisements to be played by the set top box during play of the SDV stream in place of the default advertisement, and in which the controller is configured to receive the one or more alternative advertisements and to replace the default advertisement in the SDV stream. | 03-31-2011 |
20110096720 | Method and System for Managing Information Within a Network - A method and system for managing information using a gateway ( | 04-28-2011 |
20110154389 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ADDING CONTENT DURING DATA STREAM ACQUISITION - A device is provided for use with extended content data on a first data stream and second content data on a second data stream. The device includes a processing portion, an acquisition portion and a buffer. The acquisition portion is in communication with the processing portion. The acquisition portion can acquire the first data stream, can transition to the second data stream to receive the second content data and can provide the second content data to the processing portion. The buffer can receive the extended content data. The processing portion can instruct the acquisition portion to transition from the first data stream to the second data stream to receive the second content data. The buffer can further provide the extended content data to the processing portion based on the acquisition portion transitioning from the first data stream to the second data stream. The processing portion can further process the extended content data portion as received from the buffer. | 06-23-2011 |
20110321077 | VIEWING IMPRESSION REPORT COLLECTION, STORAGE, AND REPORTBACK OF INSERTED CONTENT WITH DVR PLAYBACK - A method and system that computes viewing statistics for a digital video content stream received at a set-top box. The digital video content stream includes a first segment of video content, a second segment of video content, a third segment of video content, a first timing mark that indicates a transition from the first segment to the second segment, and a second timing mark that indicates a transition from the second segment to the third segment. The method initiates a transmission of the digital video content stream at the set-top box, monitors the transmission of the digital video content stream relative to the first timing mark and the second timing mark, and computes view data for the second segment based on the monitoring of the transmission. The method stores the view data at the set-top box. | 12-29-2011 |
20120144420 | TARGETED ADVERTISEMENT DISTRIBUTION IN AN SDV ENVIRONMENT - A system and method for distributing targeted advertisements in a switched digital video system. The method monitors a content stream associated with a channel selected by a subscriber, where the content stream includes an advertisement segment having a start time and an end time, and an advertisement replacement opportunity inserted in the content stream. The method detects the advertisement replacement opportunity at a detection time that is prior to the start time of the advertisement segment, and sends a request to select an advertisement replacement for the advertisement segment, thereby broadcasting a service associated with the advertisement replacement prior to the start time for the advertisement segment. The method receives tune data to identify an advertisement replacement stream associated with the advertisement replacement, and tunes to the advertisement replacement at the start time for the advertisement segment. | 06-07-2012 |
20120151532 | SDV QUICK TUNE ALGORITHM - A switched digital video (SDV) system and method that provides a seamless transition when tuning a set-top box from a first SDV service to a second SDV service. The method detects a set up service trigger in a content stream before a tune request time to transition the content stream from the first SDV service to the second SDV service, and sends a request to set up the second SDV service at a time before the tune request time, where a time difference between the time and the tune request time is greater than a service set up time for the second SDV service. The method detects a tune request in the content stream for the second SDV service, sends a service select request to tune to the second SDV service, and receives the second SDV service at the tune request time. | 06-14-2012 |
20130002812 | ENCODING AND/OR DECODING 3D INFORMATION - There is an encoding of three dimensional (3D) information. The encoding may include receiving a signal including frames in a 3D video sequence, receiving caption information to appear in a caption window associated with the frames, and/or receiving disparity information associated with the frames. The encoding may also include determining frame disparity maps based on the disparity information associated with the frames. The frame disparity maps may be determined by dividing a part of a frame into a plurality of grid cells. The grid cells may define a disparity measure associated with locations in a grid. The grid cells may form a caption window disparity map dividable into equivalent size portions including an equivalent amount of grid cells. The encoding may also include encoding the frames, the caption information and the frame disparity maps. There is also a decoding of the 3D information. | 01-03-2013 |
20130081078 | Method for Tag Insertion and Notification for DVR Addressable Advertisement - A method and computing device that provides viewer impression data for a recorded digital video stream. The method receives a digital video stream as a series of segments, and stores it as a recorded digital video stream having a transition between two consecutive segments at a transition position. The method stores a notification tag that is associated with the transition, and that includes a tag position in the recorded digital video stream, a notification mode, and tag data. During playback of the recorded digital video stream, the method generates a play mode status event, and generates a transition notification when the playback encounters the notification tag and, based on the notification mode, the transition associated with the notification tag. The method collects viewer impression data for one of the two consecutive segments from the play mode status event and the transition notification. | 03-28-2013 |
20140043538 | Two-Way HDMI Communication - A device is provided for use with an audiovisual device and an HDMI cable having a first end and a second end. The first end can connect to the audiovisual device, whereas the second end can connect to the device. The audiovisual device can provide power to the power line of the HDMI cable when providing the digital television audiovisual signals. The device includes an output portion, and input portion and a control portion. The output portion can provide output signals as the digital television audiovisual signals to the second end. The input portion can receive input signals as the digital television audiovisual signals from the second end. The control portion can instruct the output portion to output the digital television audiovisual signals to the second end or can instruct input portion to receive the digital television audiovisual signals from the second end based on the power. | 02-13-2014 |
20140043539 | Power for an HDMI Source Device - A device is provided for use with an audiovisual device and a cable having a first end and a second end. The audiovisual device can receive digital television audiovisual signals. The cable includes a data channel, a control channel and a power line and can transmit the digital television audiovisual signals. The first end can connect to the audiovisual device, whereas the second end can connect to the device. The device includes a connector, a detecting portion and a power source. The connector can connect to the second end. The detecting portion can generate a connection signal based on a connection of the connector to the second end. The power source can provide power based on the connection signal. | 02-13-2014 |
20140279047 | ENHANCING TARGETED ADVERTISING IN A HOME NETWORK GATEWAY DEVICE - Advanced set top devices are beginning to merge with home network gateway devices and will soon become the major single entry point into the home. A growing trend and implementation of home gateways is to provide a centralized data entrance point to end user home. Behavioral information may be compiled from each individual device in the home network, and the home network gateway device determines advertisements to insert specifically to each device based on the entirety of the behavioral information compiled from within the home network. The advertisements provided to individual users within the home network may be determined by the home network gateway device, transparent to entities outside the home network. For example, a headend that delivers content to a home network may not know how many devices are connected to a home network gateway device, the type of devices connected, or which devices are receiving content. | 09-18-2014 |
20140282775 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DELIVERING 3DTV CONTENT TO VARIETY OF RECEIVERS - An internet protocol multicast provider is disclosed, which includes a bootstrap code component, a transcoder generator component, a content module and a packetizing module. The bootstrap code component can generate a bootstrap code. The transcoder generator component can generate a transcoder module. The content module can generate content in a first format. The packetizing module can generate internet protocol multicast packets, based on the bootstrap code, the transcoder module and the content. The bootstrap code can determine a second format for which an internet protocol multicast receiver can decode and render the content. The transcoder module can instruct the internet protocol multicast receiver to play the content when the first format is the second format. The transcoder module can instruct the internet protocol multicast receiver to transcode the content from the first format to the second format when the first format is not the second format. | 09-18-2014 |