8699results about "Color television signals processing" patented technology

A portable wireless communications subscriber audio and / or video player apparatus and system and method for selecting, requesting, downloading, and playing audio and / or video data content files from an Internet-based database server. The wireless link is preferably implemented in accordance with the WiFi protocol, which allows connectivity to the Internet by being in proximity with a local base station or WiFi hotspot (i.e., publicly available local wireless access hub connected to the Internet). The portable wireless communications subscriber audio and / or video player apparatus and system preferably include a security means for monitoring and blocking unauthorized use of the player apparatus and system. The player apparatus further preferably has the capability to communicate with other neighboring player apparatus for the purpose of exchanging content data files, playlists and personal messages.

The present invention is directed to a system and method for correlating an image with information associated with the image comprising identifying image metadata for the image, wherein the image metadata includes information associated with conditions at the time of image capture, searching one or more information sources using parameters in the image metadata to collect inference information from the information sources, and displaying the inference information to a user.

In a digital television recording method, programs are selected for recording based on analysis of program schedule information, user preferences, and the priority of previously recorded programs if there is insufficient memory.

A system for handling data and transactions involving data through the use of a virtual transaction zone, which virtual transaction zone removes the dependency of such transaction on the delivery medium of the product. The invention may reside and operate on a variety of electronic devices such as televisions, VCRs, DVDs, personal computers, WebTV, any other known electronic recorder / player, or as a stand alone unit. The transaction zone also provides a mechanism for combining mediums, data feeds, and manipulation of those feeds. The transaction zone also provides a mechanism for controlling the content, delivery, and timing of delivery of the end consumer's product.

Apparatus and methods for premises gateway functions that integrate or unify functions typically distributed across multiple devices within a content-based network. In one embodiment, the out-of-band (OOB) signaling functionality normally provided in each of a set-top-box (STB) and digital video recorder (DVR) are unified into a common OOB (e.g., DOCSIS) capable premises gateway device, thereby obviating OOB tuners and related components from each device. In another variant, the premises gateway is adapted for all-IP operation, such as for use with IP-based computers and IP set-top boxes, etc. Fully unified variants are also disclosed, wherein the DVR and / or STB functions are physically integrated within the premises gateway.

A time sequential signal comprising audiovisual content and hyperlinks is received and displayed on a display device by the systems of the invention in a time sequential manner. The display of the time sequential signal is paused whenever a displayed hyperlink is selected. While pausing the display, data corresponding to any selected hyperlink is accessed and displayed on the display device. The corresponding data may comprise a web page accessed through the Internet or an interval page that is transmitted within the vertical blanking intervals of the time sequential signal. While pausing the display of the time sequential signal, the time sequential signal is recorded so that it can be viewed in the order it was recorded as soon as a resume display command is received by the system.

A method, performed by software executing on the processor of a portable music playback device, that automatically files tracks according to hierarchical structure of categories to organize tracks in a logical order. A user interface is utilized to change the hierarchy, view track names, and select tracks for playback or other operations.

Several novel watermarking and fingerprinting applications—and related improvements—are disclosed. Some relate to advertising. These include techniques for replacing broadcast advertising with other advertising; inserting advertising based on a viewer's ad-viewing history; triggering insertion of advertising based on fingerprint data derived from compressed video content; and discontinuing advertising when a threshold amount of advertising has apparently been viewed. A great number of other features and technologies are also detailed.

A multimedia program bookmarking system provides a bookmark function that allows the user to bookmark a program where he left off. The invention records the frame of the program where the user stopped when the user commands the system to do so. Alternatively, the invention automatically bookmarks the program for the user if the user exits viewing the program. The invention displays an indicator indicating that a bookmark has been saved and the user can, at any time, access his bookmark and continue playback of the program from where he left off. Bookmarks within a single program can be set for different users. Remote controls are encoded for a specific user in a household, allowing each person in the household to have a personal remote control and therefore, personal bookmarks. The invention notes that a set of bookmarks belongs to a certain encoded remote control. The user can alternatively select a specific set of bookmarks manually, through a menu. The system loads the associated bookmark information for the user and any bookmarks that do not have associated programs stored on the storage device are ignored and deleted, otherwise programs are played backed starting from the associated bookmarks, if they exist. Multiple bookmarks for a program are transparent to the user because the remote control that the user uses tells the system to only display and activate that particular user's bookmarks.

A digital capture system, such as a digital still camera or digital video recorder, has an embedded real-time content-based analysis function in the capture device to extract metadata from the digital signals. In one embodiment, metadata (descriptive information about the digital content) is formatted and stored separately from the content. In another embodiment, the metadata may be formatted and combined with the digital content in a container format such as MPEG-7, QuickTime, or FlashPix.

Systems and methods are presented for detecting users within a range of a media device. A detection region may be defined that is within the range of the media device and smaller than the range. The detection region may be stored. It may be determined whether a user is within the detection region. The media device may be activated and settings associated with the user may be applied when a user is within the detection region. In some embodiments, settings associated with a user may be compared to provided media content when the user is within the detection region. The content may change when the settings conflict with the media content. Reminders may be provided to or directed to a plurality of users within the range of the media device.

A playback apparatus not only plays back an AV stream recorded on a BD-ROM but also downloads an update kit from a WWW server (500) and writes it on a local HD (12). The AV stream stored in the local HD (12) includes an audio stream for an additional language. A control unit (16) reads the AV stream recorded on the BD-ROM and the AV stream recorded in the local HD (12) in units of access units. An audio decoder (6) obtains a necessary audio frame from the access units read from the BD-ROM and the local HD (12) and plays it back. A video decoder (4) obtains video data from the access unit read from the BD-ROM and plays it back.

An audio encoder applies an adaptive block-encoding process to segments of audio information to generate frames of encoded information that are aligned with a reference signal conveying the alignment of a sequence of video information frames. The audio information is analyzed to determine various characteristics of the audio signal such as the occurrence and location of a transient, and a control signal is generated that causes the adaptive block-encoding process to encode segments of varying length. A complementary decoder applies an adaptive block-decoding process to recover the segments of audio information from the frames of encoded information. In embodiments that apply time-domain aliasing cancellation (TDAC) transforms, window functions and transforms are applied according to one of a plurality of segment patterns that define window functions and transform parameters for each segment in a sequence of segments. The segments in each frame of a sequence of overlapping frames may be recovered without aliasing artifacts independently from the recovery of segments in other frames. Window functions are adapted to provide preferred frequency-domain responses and time-domain gain profiles.

A dynamic image recording button and a still image recording button are provided at the main unit of a movie camera. A magneto-optical recording medium is loaded in a slot. If the dynamic image recording button or the still image recording button is operated during a reproduction operation, the reproduction operation is interrupted in a state in which the mechanical drive (rotation) of the magneto-optical recording medium is sustained. At this point, a dynamic image signal or a still image signal obtained through a photographing operation performed at the camera unit is temporarily recorded in a buffer memory, and is written in the magneto-optical recording medium when a write in the magneto-optical recording medium becomes enabled. Instructions to record dynamic images and to record still images can be issued to the movie camera through a touch-panel provided on the screen of a liquid crystal display unit. Even when operation cannot be performed through the touch-panel, the instructions can be issued through the dynamic image recording button or the still image recording button.

A play list manager is disclosed that can be used to create and update play lists. The play lists can be used for audio information, visual information, or a combination of audio and visual information. The user of the play list manager creates a play list and specifies certain criteria for automatically adding tracks to the play list. When a new track is added to the environment, the system tests whether the track's properties satisfy the criteria for the play list. If so, the new track is automatically added to the play list. In one alternative, a user can select a predefined play list, whose criteria has already been created. Upon selection of the predefined play list, the play list manager accesses each track and adds the track to the play list if the track's properties satisfy the criteria for the predefined play list.

A weld recording system mounted in or on a welding helmet is provided. The weld recording system includes a camera assembly unit, a power supply unit, a processor, and removable memory. The weld recording system interfaces with lens control circuitry, an optical sensor, a welding power supply, and a helmet position sensor. Logic is provided for the triggering and recording of video and audio signals, which are eventually stored in a file for future reference. Transmission of signals from one or more welders to a monitoring station for eventual display is presented. An image processing algorithm is provided to combine multiple images with varied exposure times into a visual image of the weld and its surroundings.

If, in encoding and recording an AV stream, time_controlled_flag as the attribute information is set to 1, the relation between the time lapse of an AV stream and the amount of data bytes of the AV stream is linear within a preset error range. If the time_controlled_flag of the AV stream file is set to 1, and a certain time portion of the stream is erased by way of partial stream erasure, an unoccupied area corresponding to the erased time portion and which can be recorded at a bitrate indicated by TS_average_rate may be created on the disc.

A multimedia visual progress indication system that provides a trick play bar that is overlaid onto the program material or displayed on a dedicated display. A cache bar inside of the trick play bar indicates the length of a recording session or the length of stored program material and expands to the right when material is being recorded. Every half hour (or selected increment), the cache bar slides to the left. Time marks are displayed inside the trick play bar giving the user a visual reference point from which to judge the current time and visual time reference points. The time marks are in any increment of time needed. The total length of the stored program material or next time or counter increment in the recording cycle is displayed on the right hand end of the trick play bar. A position indicator moves within the trick play bar and tells the user visually where his current position is within the program material. A slider moves along the trick play bar and on top of the cache bar and is linked to the position indicator and can be moved anywhere within the cache bar by the user. The slider displays the numeric time or counter mark of the current position. A mode indicator is positioned below the slider and follows the slider's movement and displays whether the user is in play, record, pause, slow play, fast play, fast forward (1×, 2×, and 3×), slow reverse play, slow reverse, and fast reverse (1×, 2×, and 3×) modes. The 1×, 2×, and 3× speeds are adjustable by the system to be any variable desired (e.g., 2×, 16×, and 32×). The trick play bar and its associated components are displayed for a predetermined time period when overlaid onto the program material.

Techniques and systems for centralized access to multimedia content stored on or available to a computing device are disclosed. The centralized access can be provided by a media control interface that receives user inputs and interacts with media programs resident on the computing device to produce graphical user interfaces that can be presented on a display device.

Methods and systems that provide enhanced personal video recorder (“PVR”) and interactive television program guide (“IPG”) functionality are provided. An interactive television application (“application”) may be implemented to provide such functionality. The application may be used to display a list of PVR recordings, to schedule recordings to a PVR, to configure recordings, to view a list of scheduled recordings, to configure recording settings, or to select delete priority settings for recordings. The application may integrate pay-per-view and PVR functionality. The application may send user notifications for changes that are to be made to the recording content of a PVR. Live programming may be buffered by the application using a straight buffers that are created for each new program. Parallel buffers for concurrent programs may be implemented using multiple tuners. Straight buffers may be used in managing or controlling the flow of programming. Television content may be automatically paused when a user is engaged in using the application. Multiple IPGs for different users of a PVR may be implemented. Other PVR related features are also provided.

Methods and systems for processing multimedia content captured from a plurality of locations via one or more capturing devices include obtaining multimedia content from one or more capturing devices. The capturing devices identify a type of content being captured and / or location of capture. An interest type for multimedia content is obtained from a consuming user. The multimedia content from the capturing devices are searched based on the interest type of the consuming user. A subset of the multimedia content conforming to the interest type is presented in substantial real-time at the receiving devices of the consuming users. Feedback regarding the presented multimedia content is obtained from consuming users and communicated to the capturing devices in substantial real-time so as to influence future capture of multimedia content. The methods also include receiving a request for recording a live event wherein the request provides one or more recording preferences including one or more requester preferences for recording the live event. The request is dynamically matched to one or more generating users who have expressed intentions for recording the live event. The generating users are associated with one or more capturing devices that are configured to record the live event based on the recording preferences of the request. The request is then forwarded to the matched one or more generating users for recording the live event. User interactions at the recordings are monitored and fed back to the generating users for further refining the recordings.

For a content-prerecorded large capacity disc-shaped recording medium, a user interface having high flexibility is accomplished. Button image data, corresponding sound data as an effect sound, and control commands for the sound data and image data are multiplexed with a stream and recorded on the disc. A scenario reproduced from the disc is stored in a buffer 104. The image data and sound data are stored in a buffer 105. Image data is read from the buffer 105 in accordance with a scenario and expanded to a graphics plane 133. In addition, corresponding sound data is read from the buffer 105 and reproduced by a sound player 106D. When a button image is varied in accordance with a state change of the button, an effect sound is reproduced. As a result, a more effective user interface is accomplished.

A system for handling data and transactions involving data through the use of a virtual transaction zone, which virtual transaction zone removes the dependency of such transaction on the delivery medium of the product. The invention may reside and operate on a variety of electronic devices such as televisions, VCRs, DVDs, personal computers, WebTV, any other known electronic recorder / player, or as a stand alone unit. The transaction zone also provides a mechanism for combining mediums, data feeds, and manipulation of those feeds. The transaction zone also provides a mechanism for controlling the content, delivery, and timing of delivery of the end consumer's product.

A system and method for storing and retrieving program material for subsequent replay is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of receiving access control information and the program material encrypted according to a first encryption key, the access control information including the first encryption key and control data; further encrypting the access control information and the encrypted program material according to a second encryption key; encrypting the second encryption key according to a third encryption key to produce a fourth encryption key; and storing the encrypted access control information and encrypted program material and the fourth encryption key.

A playback system in a digital cinema network synchronizes the presentation of visual and aural content by deriving timing information for packets of information that are conveyed in video and audio data streams, examining the timing information to determine if any misalignment between the two data streams is likely to be perceptible and, if the misalignment is deemed to be perceptible, introducing delays into one or both data streams to correct the misalignment. If the audio data stream precedes the video data stream, the audio data stream is delayed by an integer number of audio sample periods. If the video data stream precedes the audio data stream, the video data stream is delayed by an integer number of video frames and the audio data stream is delayed by an integer number of audio sample periods.

An information-processing apparatus is connectable to a reproduction apparatus and includes: storage sections each for storing contents and for storing a host database having attributes of each of the contents stored in the content storage section; a section for identifying contents stored in the reproduction apparatus; a section for extracting the attributes of each of the identified contents from the host database; a section for creating plural tables provided with different types and each put in a layer structure having the titles of the identified contents as a lowest-level layer and the name of each group having some of the identified contents as a high-level layer based on the extracted attributes; and a section for transferring the created tables including at least a first table showing titles arranged in accordance with a first rule as the titles of the identified contents and a second table showing titles, which are arranged in accordance with a second rule as the titles of the identified contents, for the name of every group including some of the identified contents.

Automated creation of videos for interactive entertainment, such as video game highlights, may be based on events that occur within that entertainment, for example based on video game events. A series of events that can occur within a play session may be designated. The game keeps track of sufficient replay data such that these discrete events can be identified. Upon replay generation, the game searches over the historical data for that session and identifies the events that have occurred. The game may present several combinations of views of those events. For example, the game can create a highlights reel of the entire play session by linearly displaying several of the discovered events, or the highlights from several games can be selected by one or more individuals to generate a “highlights of highlights” video. Another embodiment allows the player, or group of players or other individuals, to choose which events to view. The events could also be categorized, allowing the player to view a collection of a selected event type, such as all flag capture videos or all long-distance shots.

When selecting a television program for recording, a user may configure the delivery of the selected television program and associated data and interactive applications to different user equipment devices in a home network, which may have different capabilities. Because the user equipment devices in the home network may have different capabilities, the user may wish to deliver different types and amount of content, different amounts of data, and different versions of interactive applications to the user equipment devices in the home network.

An automatic playback overshoot correction system predicts the position in the program material where the user expects to be when the user stops the fast forward or reverse progression of the program material. The invention determines the position where the program material was stopped. The media controller transitions to the new mode that the user selected, starting at the stopped position with an overshoot correction factor added or subtracted from it. The invention adapts to the user by remembering how much the user corrects after he stops the fast forward or reverse mode. Correction factors are calculated using the user's corrections and adjusting the correction factors if the user continues to make corrections. The invention also uses a prediction method to correctly place the user within the program upon transition out of either mode and determines if the speed of the fast forward or reverse modes and then automatically subtracts or adds, respectively, a time multiple to the frame where the transition was detected and positions the user at the correct frame. The time multiple is fine tuned if the user is consistently correcting after the fast forward or rewind mode stops. Another method initially tests the user's reaction time using a test video and asks the user to press the fast forward or reverse button on his control device during the test video and then asks the user to position the video to the place that he expected the system to have been. This time span is then used whenever the user uses the fast forward or reverse modes and is adjusted with a multiple for each speed. A final method allows the user to simply set a sensitivity setting that the system will use as a correction factor and a multiple is subtracted or added to the release frame whenever the user uses the fast forward or reverse modes, respectively.