Abstract:
The exemplary embodiments of the method and system (300) according to the present invention provide a system and method for controlling access to audiovisual content such as television shows, video-on-demand services or streaming video which can be delivered by cable, satellite, wired or wireless networks, cell phones, the Internet, etc. More particularly, the present invention provides a capability to define certain criteria which can be used to restrict access to content based on combinations of various parameters including, but not limited to, time of day, day of the week, type of content, source of content, content display device, etc. These criteria may also be provided by data storage arrangements (360) or a network, and access restrictions specified by such criteria can be associated with a plurality of display devices (330, 340).
Abstract:
The present invention relates to system (50) and devices for controlling at least one entertainment device (60) and further relates to at least one remote (52) in two-way communication with a base device (54).
Abstract:
A system (100) for accessing entertainment options includes a graphic user interface generator (103) that generates program listing display data to display a listing of programs available for downloading. A user may select one or more programs from the listing using the user access device, thereby initiating download of the selected program by a communication component (101). A storage device (102) stores user history data used to generate recommendation data to enable the user to view, select and/or download recommended programs. The program data from a remote communication system (140) may include real-time programs broadcast by the remote communication system, program guide data including programs available for download from the remote communication system, which the user may search using the user access device.
Abstract:
In one form, the present teachings provide a method and apparatus for broadcasting an event. The method includes receiving data related to an event via an uplink (100). Another aspect of the method includes determining whether the data is broadcast on a recurring basis (104). The method also includes determining whether a transponder channel (22) associated with multiplexed program channels has any unused data or bandwidth to broadcast a portion of the data along with the muliplexed program channels (106). Additionally, the method includes broadcasting the portion of the data in a data stream (108).
Abstract:
The systems and methods disclosed transmit a composite channel to a receiver. The composite channel may be a static channel that contains different original channels of content in different locations on a displayed page, or may be a dynamic channel that is processed by the receiver to display multiple different video streams on a single display device.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to system (50) and devices for controlling at least one entertainment device (60) and further relates to at least one remote (52) in two-way communication with a base device (54).
Abstract:
A method for locally controlling the presentation of a multimedia program received from a remote multimedia server (30) receives the multimedia program as a custom ordered series of source program segments (A1-AN) arranged in packets at a local set-top control system (62). The control system buffers and decompresses the compressed program segments for presentation on a local display monitor (76). The control system includes a direct access storage device (68) arranged to buffer a predetermined number of the received program segments, some of which are non-sequentially ordered and others of which are sequentially ordered. The control system (62) provides sequential presentation of the received program segments. Where a program segment received is the next program segment in order, it is written to the direct access storage device (68) but it is concurrently transferred to the display (76) for presentation. By this means, the earlier program segments are sequentially presented. Thereafter, the program segments are transferred from storage to the display.
Abstract:
Received broadcast data, which may include video, audio, private, or other data, relating to one or more particular content programs, is recorded directly onto a storage device (150) without any intelligent parsing, such as indexing, and without any manipulation by intermediate hardware or software functions. Upon normal presentation, statistics may be generated to determine the ideal number of frames to skip, the number of bytes to seek, and the size of data files to read from the storage device (150) during time-shifted presentation. Algorithms and processes are provided to dynamically optimize time-shifted presentation. In this way, data may be captured to the storage device (150) more efficiently and economically, and the time-shifted presentation operations may be performed in a smoother, more nuanced manner with the application of appropriate probabilistic algorithms.
Abstract:
Received broadcast data, which may include video, audio, private, or other data, relating to one or more particular content programs, is recorded directly onto a storage device (150) without any intelligent parsing, such as indexing, and without any manipulation by intermediate hardware or software functions. Upon normal presentation, statistics may be generated to determine the ideal number of frames to skip, the number of bytes to seek, and the size of data files to read from the storage device (150) during time-shifted presentation. Algorithms and processes are provided to dynamically optimize time-shifted presentation. In this way, data may be captured to the storage device (150) more efficiently and economically, and the time-shifted presentation operations may be performed in a smoother, more nuanced manner with the application of appropriate probabilistic algorithms.