Interactive video distribution systems inventions 10/08

20080263578 - Forecasting tv impressions: A computer-implemented method for forecasting television impressions comprises receiving information relating to previous television (TV) impressions at a time slot on a TV channel, information relating to one or more programs shown at the time slot on the TV channel and predicting a future TV impression at the time slot... Agent: Fish & Richardson P.C.

20080263579 - Methods and apparatus for metering portable media players: Example methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to collect metering information associated with media presented by portable and computer media presentation devices are disclosed. A disclosed example method accesses a first data structure including metering information generated by at least one of first media presentation software executed by a personal... Agent: Hanley, Flight & Zimmerman, LLC

20080263580 - Audience state estimation system, audience state estimation method, and audience state estimation program: Video signal relative to an imaged audience and audio signal according to voices from the audience are generated in an input unit. A characteristic amount detection unit detects information on a movement amount, movement periodicity, a volume, voice periodicity of the audience, and a frequency component of voices from the... Agent: Frommer Lawrence & Haug

20080263581 - Recorded commercial optimization method and system: Methods, and apparatuses for optimizing advertisements for an end user during are provided. More specifically, a Television signal may be broadcast to the end user with commercial segments inserted therein. The commercial segments may be transmitted with meta tags that identify information related to the commercial segment. Data from the... Agent: Sheridan Ross PC

20080263582 - Content reproducing device and content preproducing method: When a secure counter malfunction detection unit 212 deters a malfunction in a secure counter 211, a content playability judgment unit 206 performs a content playability judgment based on information managed by a malfunctioning-state playback processing management unit 214. The malfunctioning-state playback processing management unit 214 stores a malfunctioning-state playback... Agent: Wenderoth, Lind & Ponack L.L.P.

20080263584 - Advertising communications interface: Provided is an apparatus for initiating a bidirectional communications channel via an advertising interface. The apparatus includes a communications unit configured to send and receive data and a processing unit in communication with the communications unit. The processing unit is configured to cause advertising data to be transmitted to a... Agent: Alston & Bird LLP

20080263583 - Content recognition for targeting video advertisements: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for providing advertisements. A plurality of advertisement targeting criteria is determined from a video stream or file. A first advertisement targeting criterion of the advertisement targeting criteria is associated with a first time position in the video. A second advertisement targeting criterion... Agent: Fish & Richardson P.C.

20080263586 - Method and media for virtual product placement: Steps employed in editing content in moving media are used to enable virtual product placement in existing moving content, which may comprise either recorded or rendered moving images. Further, by such steps media may be created that contain virtually placed products. In addition, business methods for commercial placement of product... Agent: Gateway, Inc. Attn: Patent Attorney

20080263585 - System and method for on-line video debating: A method and system for electronically providing a debate of at least two viewpoints is provided herein. Preferably, at least a first party having a first viewpoint and a second party having a second viewpoint are defined, wherein the first party and the second party participate in the debate. Moreover,... Agent: Ostrolenk Faber Gerb & Soffen

20080263587 - Dynamic commercials: A method of selecting different viewers in the same broadcast market for different commercials to be displayed at the same time and on the same channel.... Agent: Tod Debie

20080263588 - Method and apparatus to synchronize personalized co-cast content with user viewing habits: A method and apparatus designed to permit content providers to insert personalized content into a television signal based upon the user preferences or viewing habits.... Agent: The Farrow Law Firm

20080263590 - Method and apparatus for displaying entertainment system data upon selection of a video data display: A graphical user interface (GUI) includes a first window that displays video data of a first entertainment selection. A first area of the first window displays entertainment system data that corresponds to the first entertainment selection. The GUI includes a second window that displays video data of a second entertainment... Agent: Intel/bstz Blakely Sokoloff Taylor & Zafman LLP

20080263589 - System and method using web database and video caching and streaming programming for video classified advertisements: The present application discloses a video classified advertisement web-enabled operation combining advertisements with videos specifically designed to advertise items and services for sale. The website, www.RealPeopleRealStuff.com, combines the methodology of Drupal modules, but not limited to Drupal open source modules, creates a content data model for video ads using such... Agent: Guerry Leonard Grune

20080263591 - Content viewing session: Techniques are described to provide a content viewing session. In an implementation, an input is received that selects a length of a viewing session for content to be output at the client. The viewing session having the selected length is populated using a plurality of content that is likely to... Agent: Microsoft Corporation

20080263592 - System for video control by direct manipulation of object trails: One embodiment is a method for an interaction technique allowing users to control nonlinear video playback by directly manipulating objects seen in the video playback, comprising the steps of: tracking a moving object on a camera; recording a video; creating an object trail for the moving object which corresponds to... Agent: Fliesler Meyer LLP

20080263593 - Data collection for a comprehensive program guide: Data collection for a comprehensive program guide is described. In embodiment(s), a content distributor communicates media content to client devices via an IP-based network. The client devices also receive off-air media content along with off-air program guide data that corresponds to the off-air media content. The content distributor can then... Agent: Microsoft Corporation

20080263595 - Information processing apparatus and method and program: In the present invention, there is provide an information processing apparatus configured to present, to a user, a content guide arranged with a plurality of content frames including information for guiding predetermined content, the information processing apparatus including: a presentation control unit for presenting, to the user, if a first... Agent: Lerner, David, Littenberg, Krumholz & Mentlik

20080263594 - Schedule of a broadcast management system: The invention concerns schedules of a broadcast management system. In particular but not limited to, the invention concerns the managing of electronic schedules by a TV broadcaster having one or more television channels. The invention also concerns methods for creating, managing and broadcasting schedules database by a broadcast management system.... Agent: Snell & Wilmer LLP (oc)

20080263596 - Apparatus and method for managing personal schedule and broadcasting program: An apparatus for effectively managing a personal schedule and broadcasting programs includes a schedule management unit for managing a personal schedule, a broadcasting program management unit for managing basic information of broadcasting programs, an interface unit which receives an input signal, and a control unit which finds a first broadcasting... Agent: Stein, Mcewen & Bui, LLP

20080263597 - Method and apparatus for displaying entertainment system data upon selection of a video data display: A graphical user interface (GUI) includes a first window that displays video data of a first entertainment selection. A first area of the first window displays entertainment system data that corresponds to the first entertainment selection. The GUI includes a second window that displays video data of a second entertainment... Agent: Intel/bstz Blakely Sokoloff Taylor & Zafman LLP

20080263598 - Optimally selecting tv programs: A system (400), apparatus (300), and method are provided to select a best set of TV programs for reception and recording by at least one tuner said TV programs being broadcast during a given time period [b, e] having a beginning time b and an ending time e. Only entire... Agent: Philips Intellectual Property & Standards

20080263599 - Program guide system with real-time data sources: A program guide system is provided in which an interactive television program guide that is implemented at least partially on user television equipment receives program listings data and real-time data such as sports scores, news data, and the like. The real-time data may be stored in a database maintained by... Agent: Ropes & Gray LLP

20080263600 - Systems and methods for providing remote access to interactive media guidance applications: Methods and systems for remotely accessing user equipment implementing an interactive media guidance application are provided. In particular, a method includes the steps of receiving user equipment identification information and receiving a user request from a user device indicating instructions for the user equipment. The user request is cross-referenced with... Agent: Ropes & Gray LLP

20080263601 - Aeronautical satellite tv repeater: A repeater for digital satellite television broadcasts wherein the repeater receives digital television signals broadcast from a satellite using one or more antennas mounted on the outside of an aircraft; the repeater corrects for Doppler frequency offset, resulting from the aircraft and/or satellite motion, prior to re-transmission of the broadcast... Agent: Raymond R. Ferrera

20080263604 - Personal content archive operable in an electronic content asset publication system: The Electronic Content Asset Publication System operates as an overlay application on the native multi-media communication network to receive individual subscriber requests for a selected electronic content asset and deliver that asset to the requesting subscriber. This system acquires, stores, publishes, distributes, accesses and processes electronic content on demand and... Agent: Patton Boggs LLP

20080263602 - System for managing distributed assets in an electronic content asset publication system: The Electronic Content Asset Publication System operates as an overlay application on the native multi-media communication network to receive individual subscriber requests for a selected electronic content asset and deliver that asset to the requesting subscriber. This system acquires, stores, publishes, distributes, accesses and processes electronic content on demand and... Agent: Patton Boggs LLP

20080263603 - User interface architecture for an electronic content asset publication system: The Electronic Content Asset Publication System operates as an overlay application on the native multi-media communication network to receive individual subscriber requests for a selected electronic content asset and deliver that asset to the requesting subscriber. This system acquires, stores, publishes, distributes, accesses and processes electronic content on demand and... Agent: Patton Boggs LLP

20080263605 - Video delivery device, video receiver and key frame delivery method: In this video delivery device including: a storage device storing key frame information including a key frame number included in a contents file and offset from the beginning of a file; and a delivery control unit, which executes delivery in a predetermined cycle, the delivery control unit refers to the... Agent: Mattingly, Stanger, Malur & Brundidge, P.C.

20080263606 - High quality means to view the internet and dvds: The system and method for displaying Internet-sourced video programming utilizes a computer system to access and receive a video program from a video programming source. A video processor (126) in communication with the personal computer (100) converts the video program into a video signal for projection, or other video display.... Agent: Litman Law Offices, Ltd.

20080263607 - Downloading and transfer of audio or video data from video broadcasts: A method for purchasing, downloading, and transferring audio and/or video data files through video broadcasts is disclosed. The user signals the set-top box of his video viewing system that he is interested in downloading the audio/video data file being offered. The box records the time, the channel being viewed, and,... Agent: Banner & Witcoff, Ltd.

20080263608 - System and method for presenting progressively downloaded media programs: A system and method for presenting progressively downloaded media programs is disclosed. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a Set-Top Box (STB) having a controller element to determine a length of a media program from a catalog of media programs and present according... Agent: Akerman Senterfitt

20080263609 - Multi-band cellular service over catv network: A CATV network distributing signals below 860 MHz is modified with a secondary transmission bi-directional capability above 860 MHz by adding filters to separate modified mobile-communications frequencies (above 860 MHz) from typical CATV services (below 860 MHz). CATV subscriber termination points function as extremely localized ultra-miniature cell sites within a... Agent: Sughrue Mion, PLLC

20080263610 - System for distributing electronic content assets over communication media having differing characteristics: The Electronic Content Asset Publication System operates as an overlay application on the native multi-media communication network to receive individual subscriber requests for a selected electronic content asset and deliver that asset to the requesting subscriber. This system acquires, stores, publishes, distributes, accesses and processes electronic content on demand and... Agent: Patton Boggs LLP

20080263611 - Video interfacing and distribution system and method for delivering video programs: A method of transmitting video programs or sequences containing reference images as I-frames including sending the video programs or the sequences to a user as divided into two parts: a first part corresponding to an original video program in which some or all of the I-frames are substituted, and a... Agent: Ip Group Of Dla Piper US LLP

20080263612 - Audio video synchronization stimulus and measurement: The present invention uses artificially generated unobtrusive audio and video synchronization events, which are essentially undetectable by normal human viewers, to send audio and video synchronization information by encoding audio and video events in normal program audio and video datastreams. By proper generation of unobtrusive audio and video synchronization events,... Agent: Stevens Law Group

20080263613 - Communication framework and connection method for providing a remote real-time audio and/or video (av) signal: A connection method for providing a remote real-time audio and/or video (AV) signal includes: when a connection request that corresponds to a selected AV terminal is received from a user terminal, determining whether the selected AV terminal belongs to an AV terminal group, which includes a plurality of AV terminals;... Agent: Thelen Reid Brown Raysman & Steiner LLP

20080263614 - Method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving broadcast service data in a digital broadcasting system: A system and method for transmitting broadcast service data in a digital broadcasting system. The method includes setting a flag indicating a service area representative of coverage where broadcast service data is provided, for each broadcast service; and transmitting broadcast service information including the flag and a Transport Stream (TS)... Agent: The Farrell Law Firm, P.C.

20080263615 - Integrated operation management system of video transmission network and operation management method: An integrated operation management system of video transmission network operates and manages a network connecting between video transmission equipments, said integrated operation management system comprises: a detection means for detecting said video transmission equipments and transmission equipments in said network; an information collection means for collecting equipment information about the... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, PLC

20080263616 - Method and device for transferring predictive and non-predictive data frames: A method and a device for transferring service data stream such as compressed video signal including both non-predictive and predictive data frames of a common data type. Larger non-predictive frames are transmitted on demand only (1014) upon occurrence of a triggering event (1004, 1006). Otherwise, solely predictive frames of smaller... Agent: Mcdermott Will & Emery LLP

20080263617 - Portable media player: A portable media player has a decoder, an encoder, and a wireless transmission module. The decoder is used to convert an audio and video signal into a video stream and an audio stream. The encoder is used to encode the video stream and the audio stream to an audio and... Agent: Thomas, Kayden, Horstemeyer & Risley, LLP

20080263618 - System for presenting media programs: A system for presenting media programs is disclosed. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a multimedia system having a controller element to receive a request from a set-top box (STB) for an emulator that emulates a user interface of a media player, wherein... Agent: Akerman Senterfitt

20080263619 - Display of enhanced content: A decoder for use in an interactive television system in which items of enhanced content can be presented to users, the decoder: including a receiver for receiving enhanced content data, a signal including timing indications and a video stream; a memory for storing enhanced content data received by the receiver... Agent: Harrington & Smith, PC

20080263620 - Script synchronization using fingerprints determined from a content stream: A content stream (60) and a script (50) are synchronized for outputting one or more sensory effects in a multimedia system. A fingerprint is calculated (22) from a portion of the content stream (60). A time value is determined that corresponds to the fingerprint. The time value may be stored... Agent: Philips Intellectual Property & Standards

20080263621 - Set top box with transcoding capabilities: A media stream transcoding set top box including an RF input interface, an RF receiver configured to receive from the RF input interface an RF signal including an original digital media stream, and produce an input digital media stream based, at least in part, on the original digital media stream,... Agent: Martin D. Moynihan Prtsi, Inc.

20080263622 - Digital broadcasting receiving apparatus and method of receiving thererof: Provided is a digital broadcasting receiving apparatus and method. The digital broadcasting receiving apparatus includes an out-of-band signal receiving unit for receiving an out-of-band signal through a cable, a out-of-band signal transmission unit for transmitting the out-of-band signal through the cable, and a control unit for controlling a gain of... Agent: Saliwanchik Lloyd & Saliwanchik A Professional Association

20080263623 - Method and system of providing signals: A method and system of supporting operation of customer equipment in systems having at least a portion of their signals being transported according to standards which are not supported by the customer equipment.... Agent: Brooks Kushman P.C.

20080263578 - Forecasting tv impressions: A computer-implemented method for forecasting television impressions comprises receiving information relating to previous television (TV) impressions at a time slot on a TV channel, information relating to one or more programs shown at the time slot on the TV channel and predicting a future TV impression at the time slot... Agent: Fish & Richardson P.C.

20080263579 - Methods and apparatus for metering portable media players: Example methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to collect metering information associated with media presented by portable and computer media presentation devices are disclosed. A disclosed example method accesses a first data structure including metering information generated by at least one of first media presentation software executed by a personal... Agent: Hanley, Flight & Zimmerman, LLC

20080263580 - Audience state estimation system, audience state estimation method, and audience state estimation program: Video signal relative to an imaged audience and audio signal according to voices from the audience are generated in an input unit. A characteristic amount detection unit detects information on a movement amount, movement periodicity, a volume, voice periodicity of the audience, and a frequency component of voices from the... Agent: Frommer Lawrence & Haug

20080263581 - Recorded commercial optimization method and system: Methods, and apparatuses for optimizing advertisements for an end user during are provided. More specifically, a Television signal may be broadcast to the end user with commercial segments inserted therein. The commercial segments may be transmitted with meta tags that identify information related to the commercial segment. Data from the... Agent: Sheridan Ross PC

20080263582 - Content reproducing device and content preproducing method: When a secure counter malfunction detection unit 212 deters a malfunction in a secure counter 211, a content playability judgment unit 206 performs a content playability judgment based on information managed by a malfunctioning-state playback processing management unit 214. The malfunctioning-state playback processing management unit 214 stores a malfunctioning-state playback... Agent: Wenderoth, Lind & Ponack L.L.P.

20080263584 - Advertising communications interface: Provided is an apparatus for initiating a bidirectional communications channel via an advertising interface. The apparatus includes a communications unit configured to send and receive data and a processing unit in communication with the communications unit. The processing unit is configured to cause advertising data to be transmitted to a... Agent: Alston & Bird LLP

20080263583 - Content recognition for targeting video advertisements: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for providing advertisements. A plurality of advertisement targeting criteria is determined from a video stream or file. A first advertisement targeting criterion of the advertisement targeting criteria is associated with a first time position in the video. A second advertisement targeting criterion... Agent: Fish & Richardson P.C.

20080263586 - Method and media for virtual product placement: Steps employed in editing content in moving media are used to enable virtual product placement in existing moving content, which may comprise either recorded or rendered moving images. Further, by such steps media may be created that contain virtually placed products. In addition, business methods for commercial placement of product... Agent: Gateway, Inc. Attn: Patent Attorney

20080263585 - System and method for on-line video debating: A method and system for electronically providing a debate of at least two viewpoints is provided herein. Preferably, at least a first party having a first viewpoint and a second party having a second viewpoint are defined, wherein the first party and the second party participate in the debate. Moreover,... Agent: Ostrolenk Faber Gerb & Soffen

20080263587 - Dynamic commercials: A method of selecting different viewers in the same broadcast market for different commercials to be displayed at the same time and on the same channel.... Agent: Tod Debie

20080263588 - Method and apparatus to synchronize personalized co-cast content with user viewing habits: A method and apparatus designed to permit content providers to insert personalized content into a television signal based upon the user preferences or viewing habits.... Agent: The Farrow Law Firm

20080263590 - Method and apparatus for displaying entertainment system data upon selection of a video data display: A graphical user interface (GUI) includes a first window that displays video data of a first entertainment selection. A first area of the first window displays entertainment system data that corresponds to the first entertainment selection. The GUI includes a second window that displays video data of a second entertainment... Agent: Intel/bstz Blakely Sokoloff Taylor & Zafman LLP

20080263589 - System and method using web database and video caching and streaming programming for video classified advertisements: The present application discloses a video classified advertisement web-enabled operation combining advertisements with videos specifically designed to advertise items and services for sale. The website, www.RealPeopleRealStuff.com, combines the methodology of Drupal modules, but not limited to Drupal open source modules, creates a content data model for video ads using such... Agent: Guerry Leonard Grune

20080263591 - Content viewing session: Techniques are described to provide a content viewing session. In an implementation, an input is received that selects a length of a viewing session for content to be output at the client. The viewing session having the selected length is populated using a plurality of content that is likely to... Agent: Microsoft Corporation

20080263592 - System for video control by direct manipulation of object trails: One embodiment is a method for an interaction technique allowing users to control nonlinear video playback by directly manipulating objects seen in the video playback, comprising the steps of: tracking a moving object on a camera; recording a video; creating an object trail for the moving object which corresponds to... Agent: Fliesler Meyer LLP

20080263593 - Data collection for a comprehensive program guide: Data collection for a comprehensive program guide is described. In embodiment(s), a content distributor communicates media content to client devices via an IP-based network. The client devices also receive off-air media content along with off-air program guide data that corresponds to the off-air media content. The content distributor can then... Agent: Microsoft Corporation

20080263595 - Information processing apparatus and method and program: In the present invention, there is provide an information processing apparatus configured to present, to a user, a content guide arranged with a plurality of content frames including information for guiding predetermined content, the information processing apparatus including: a presentation control unit for presenting, to the user, if a first... Agent: Lerner, David, Littenberg, Krumholz & Mentlik

20080263594 - Schedule of a broadcast management system: The invention concerns schedules of a broadcast management system. In particular but not limited to, the invention concerns the managing of electronic schedules by a TV broadcaster having one or more television channels. The invention also concerns methods for creating, managing and broadcasting schedules database by a broadcast management system.... Agent: Snell & Wilmer LLP (oc)

20080263596 - Apparatus and method for managing personal schedule and broadcasting program: An apparatus for effectively managing a personal schedule and broadcasting programs includes a schedule management unit for managing a personal schedule, a broadcasting program management unit for managing basic information of broadcasting programs, an interface unit which receives an input signal, and a control unit which finds a first broadcasting... Agent: Stein, Mcewen & Bui, LLP

20080263597 - Method and apparatus for displaying entertainment system data upon selection of a video data display: A graphical user interface (GUI) includes a first window that displays video data of a first entertainment selection. A first area of the first window displays entertainment system data that corresponds to the first entertainment selection. The GUI includes a second window that displays video data of a second entertainment... Agent: Intel/bstz Blakely Sokoloff Taylor & Zafman LLP

20080263598 - Optimally selecting tv programs: A system (400), apparatus (300), and method are provided to select a best set of TV programs for reception and recording by at least one tuner said TV programs being broadcast during a given time period [b, e] having a beginning time b and an ending time e. Only entire... Agent: Philips Intellectual Property & Standards

20080263599 - Program guide system with real-time data sources: A program guide system is provided in which an interactive television program guide that is implemented at least partially on user television equipment receives program listings data and real-time data such as sports scores, news data, and the like. The real-time data may be stored in a database maintained by... Agent: Ropes & Gray LLP

20080263600 - Systems and methods for providing remote access to interactive media guidance applications: Methods and systems for remotely accessing user equipment implementing an interactive media guidance application are provided. In particular, a method includes the steps of receiving user equipment identification information and receiving a user request from a user device indicating instructions for the user equipment. The user request is cross-referenced with... Agent: Ropes & Gray LLP

20080263601 - Aeronautical satellite tv repeater: A repeater for digital satellite television broadcasts wherein the repeater receives digital television signals broadcast from a satellite using one or more antennas mounted on the outside of an aircraft; the repeater corrects for Doppler frequency offset, resulting from the aircraft and/or satellite motion, prior to re-transmission of the broadcast... Agent: Raymond R. Ferrera

20080263604 - Personal content archive operable in an electronic content asset publication system: The Electronic Content Asset Publication System operates as an overlay application on the native multi-media communication network to receive individual subscriber requests for a selected electronic content asset and deliver that asset to the requesting subscriber. This system acquires, stores, publishes, distributes, accesses and processes electronic content on demand and... Agent: Patton Boggs LLP

20080263602 - System for managing distributed assets in an electronic content asset publication system: The Electronic Content Asset Publication System operates as an overlay application on the native multi-media communication network to receive individual subscriber requests for a selected electronic content asset and deliver that asset to the requesting subscriber. This system acquires, stores, publishes, distributes, accesses and processes electronic content on demand and... Agent: Patton Boggs LLP

20080263603 - User interface architecture for an electronic content asset publication system: The Electronic Content Asset Publication System operates as an overlay application on the native multi-media communication network to receive individual subscriber requests for a selected electronic content asset and deliver that asset to the requesting subscriber. This system acquires, stores, publishes, distributes, accesses and processes electronic content on demand and... Agent: Patton Boggs LLP

20080263605 - Video delivery device, video receiver and key frame delivery method: In this video delivery device including: a storage device storing key frame information including a key frame number included in a contents file and offset from the beginning of a file; and a delivery control unit, which executes delivery in a predetermined cycle, the delivery control unit refers to the... Agent: Mattingly, Stanger, Malur & Brundidge, P.C.

20080263606 - High quality means to view the internet and dvds: The system and method for displaying Internet-sourced video programming utilizes a computer system to access and receive a video program from a video programming source. A video processor (126) in communication with the personal computer (100) converts the video program into a video signal for projection, or other video display.... Agent: Litman Law Offices, Ltd.

20080263607 - Downloading and transfer of audio or video data from video broadcasts: A method for purchasing, downloading, and transferring audio and/or video data files through video broadcasts is disclosed. The user signals the set-top box of his video viewing system that he is interested in downloading the audio/video data file being offered. The box records the time, the channel being viewed, and,... Agent: Banner & Witcoff, Ltd.

20080263608 - System and method for presenting progressively downloaded media programs: A system and method for presenting progressively downloaded media programs is disclosed. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a Set-Top Box (STB) having a controller element to determine a length of a media program from a catalog of media programs and present according... Agent: Akerman Senterfitt

20080263609 - Multi-band cellular service over catv network: A CATV network distributing signals below 860 MHz is modified with a secondary transmission bi-directional capability above 860 MHz by adding filters to separate modified mobile-communications frequencies (above 860 MHz) from typical CATV services (below 860 MHz). CATV subscriber termination points function as extremely localized ultra-miniature cell sites within a... Agent: Sughrue Mion, PLLC

20080263610 - System for distributing electronic content assets over communication media having differing characteristics: The Electronic Content Asset Publication System operates as an overlay application on the native multi-media communication network to receive individual subscriber requests for a selected electronic content asset and deliver that asset to the requesting subscriber. This system acquires, stores, publishes, distributes, accesses and processes electronic content on demand and... Agent: Patton Boggs LLP

20080263611 - Video interfacing and distribution system and method for delivering video programs: A method of transmitting video programs or sequences containing reference images as I-frames including sending the video programs or the sequences to a user as divided into two parts: a first part corresponding to an original video program in which some or all of the I-frames are substituted, and a... Agent: Ip Group Of Dla Piper US LLP

20080263612 - Audio video synchronization stimulus and measurement: The present invention uses artificially generated unobtrusive audio and video synchronization events, which are essentially undetectable by normal human viewers, to send audio and video synchronization information by encoding audio and video events in normal program audio and video datastreams. By proper generation of unobtrusive audio and video synchronization events,... Agent: Stevens Law Group

20080263613 - Communication framework and connection method for providing a remote real-time audio and/or video (av) signal: A connection method for providing a remote real-time audio and/or video (AV) signal includes: when a connection request that corresponds to a selected AV terminal is received from a user terminal, determining whether the selected AV terminal belongs to an AV terminal group, which includes a plurality of AV terminals;... Agent: Thelen Reid Brown Raysman & Steiner LLP

20080263614 - Method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving broadcast service data in a digital broadcasting system: A system and method for transmitting broadcast service data in a digital broadcasting system. The method includes setting a flag indicating a service area representative of coverage where broadcast service data is provided, for each broadcast service; and transmitting broadcast service information including the flag and a Transport Stream (TS)... Agent: The Farrell Law Firm, P.C.

20080263615 - Integrated operation management system of video transmission network and operation management method: An integrated operation management system of video transmission network operates and manages a network connecting between video transmission equipments, said integrated operation management system comprises: a detection means for detecting said video transmission equipments and transmission equipments in said network; an information collection means for collecting equipment information about the... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, PLC

20080263616 - Method and device for transferring predictive and non-predictive data frames: A method and a device for transferring service data stream such as compressed video signal including both non-predictive and predictive data frames of a common data type. Larger non-predictive frames are transmitted on demand only (1014) upon occurrence of a triggering event (1004, 1006). Otherwise, solely predictive frames of smaller... Agent: Mcdermott Will & Emery LLP

20080263617 - Portable media player: A portable media player has a decoder, an encoder, and a wireless transmission module. The decoder is used to convert an audio and video signal into a video stream and an audio stream. The encoder is used to encode the video stream and the audio stream to an audio and... Agent: Thomas, Kayden, Horstemeyer & Risley, LLP

20080263618 - System for presenting media programs: A system for presenting media programs is disclosed. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a multimedia system having a controller element to receive a request from a set-top box (STB) for an emulator that emulates a user interface of a media player, wherein... Agent: Akerman Senterfitt

20080263619 - Display of enhanced content: A decoder for use in an interactive television system in which items of enhanced content can be presented to users, the decoder: including a receiver for receiving enhanced content data, a signal including timing indications and a video stream; a memory for storing enhanced content data received by the receiver... Agent: Harrington & Smith, PC

20080263620 - Script synchronization using fingerprints determined from a content stream: A content stream (60) and a script (50) are synchronized for outputting one or more sensory effects in a multimedia system. A fingerprint is calculated (22) from a portion of the content stream (60). A time value is determined that corresponds to the fingerprint. The time value may be stored... Agent: Philips Intellectual Property & Standards

20080263621 - Set top box with transcoding capabilities: A media stream transcoding set top box including an RF input interface, an RF receiver configured to receive from the RF input interface an RF signal including an original digital media stream, and produce an input digital media stream based, at least in part, on the original digital media stream,... Agent: Martin D. Moynihan Prtsi, Inc.

20080263622 - Digital broadcasting receiving apparatus and method of receiving thererof: Provided is a digital broadcasting receiving apparatus and method. The digital broadcasting receiving apparatus includes an out-of-band signal receiving unit for receiving an out-of-band signal through a cable, a out-of-band signal transmission unit for transmitting the out-of-band signal through the cable, and a control unit for controlling a gain of... Agent: Saliwanchik Lloyd & Saliwanchik A Professional Association

20080263623 - Method and system of providing signals: A method and system of supporting operation of customer equipment in systems having at least a portion of their signals being transported according to standards which are not supported by the customer equipment.... Agent: Brooks Kushman P.C.

20080256568 - Advertisement airing audit system and associated methods: The system provides an Internet-based site accessible by customers and broadcasters for tracking the airing of their advertisements. The system includes a software package for creating a database of all events occurring on a broadcast station, which may comprise, for example, a radio or television station, although these are not... Agent: Jacqueline E. Hartt, Ph.d Allen, Dyer, Doppelt, Milbrath & Gilchrist, P.A.

20080256569 - System and method for video transmission scheduling: A systems and methods for video transmission scheduling are provided. A method of video transmission scheduling may include selecting a first video transmission event associated with first content to be blacked out based on a first geographic access restriction. The method may also include selecting a second video transmission event... Agent: Toler Law Group

20080256570 - Method and apparatus for blocking video-on-demand and pay-per-view channels that disappear and reappear: A method of blocking a channel that disappears and reappears includes determining whether the channel that reappeared is designated as blocked by a parental control setting that was retained when the channel disappeared, and blocking the channel if the channel is designated as blocked by the parental control setting.... Agent: Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP

20080256571 - Method and system for processing wireless digital multimedia: A transmit digital processing system for wireless transmission of HDMI and/or DVI data using an FPGA. The FPGA converts the data into two data streams and includes a front end component multiplexing video data with control data. A complementary receive FPGA is also disclosed.... Agent: Rogitz & Associates

20080256572 - Advertisement supported video download: System and method for facilitating advertisements within viewed content. The advertisements may be banner advertisements or other advertisement. The advertisements may be included in such a manner that if a user skips or otherwise fast forwards through the advertisements, the user if force to skip through at least a portion... Agent: Brooks Kushman P.C.

20080256574 - Data reproducing apparatus and data reproducing method: The present invention relates to a data reproducing apparatus and a data reproducing method. The data reproducing apparatus and the data reproducing method receive data using a file transfer channel and assist a user reproduce the data at a desired time. The present invention includes at least one of receiving... Agent: JeffersonIPLaw, LLP

20080256573 - Method and device for displaying a message on a screen of a television: The present invention provides a method for displaying a message on a screen of a television including the steps of displaying a television picture on the screen; displaying the message in a message region of the screen, wherein the television picture is at least partly visible within the message region;... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20080256576 - Method and apparatus for detecting content item boundaries: The invention relates to a method of identifying a boundary (211, 212) of a content item in a content stream (201), the method comprising the steps of: (110) receiving predetermined additional data related to the content item, the additional data comprising attribute data describing substantially the whole content item, (130)... Agent: Philips Intellectual Property & Standards

20080256575 - Program guide data management for media content access systems and methods: An exemplary system includes a data loader and a data slicer. The data loader is configured to receive and process raw program guide data, and to store the processed program guide data in a data store, the processing including generating a unique program identifier for each program represented in the... Agent: Verizon Patent Management Group

20080256584 - Method and system of transporting multimedia signals: A method and system of transporting multimedia signals from a source 12 to customer equipment (CE) 14. The method and system being applicable to cable, telecommunications, and other systems where signals are transported from a source 12 to CE 14.... Agent: Brooks Kushman P.C.

20080256585 - System for broadcasting multimedia data: A system for broadcasting multimedia data is provided for improving an on-site feeling and comprises: a multimedia data supplier, which divides a multimedia datum into a plurality of packets for output, wherein the packet at least comprises a multimedia signal and a specific signal; a set-top box, which has a... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20080256586 - Interactive television using supplementary information and a backward channel via a mobile radio communication system: The invention can advantageously be applied to voting, wherein invitations for voting which influence the current program on the television set TV are transmitted to the mobile radio device MS, to quiz events, wherein the user is afforded the possibility of entering his answers to questions posed into the mobile... Agent: Staas & Halsey

20080256587 - Wireless transmitter, wireless television system, and controlling method thereof: Provided are a wireless television system and a wireless transmitter, capable of automatically turning off a light-emitting unit installed in the wireless transmitter depending on a power state of the wireless transmitter and the wireless television system. The wireless television system includes: a wireless transmitter for relaying a video signal... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20080256588 - Integrated digital broadcasting receiver system: An audiovisual processing system comprises a signal receiving circuit and a host device. The signal receiving circuit comprises a tuner and a demodulator. The tuner generates a tuned signal based on a radio frequency signal. The demodulator generates a digital signal based on the tuned signal, generates a frequency down-converted... Agent: Schwegman, Lundberg & Woessner, P.A.

20080256589 - Reproduction controlling method and receiving apparatus: A method of controlling reproduction for a stream containing video data and/or audio data is disclosed. A mute process is performed for a decoded output of the stream. A first decode process is performed to decode a partial region of the stream from a beginning thereof and obtain attribute information... Agent: Lerner, David, Littenberg, Krumholz & Mentlik

20080256590 - Portable control device for controlling playback streams in distributed system: A distributed content rendering system has a distributed communication structure (14, 14b) coupled between a stream source and a rendering device. A remote control device of the system has a “most recent” button. Control information is gathered for one or more streams of which rendering has been most recently started... Agent: Philips Intellectual Property & Standards

20080256591 - Virtual webcam and method thereof: A virtual webcam applied in a computer includes a user interface application module for exchanging information between a computer and a user, so that a user can set parameter and format of a video signal source, select a special effect for a video signal, and select an output parameter and... Agent: Bacon & Thomas, PLLC

20080250441 - Messaging for communications systems: Interactive televised programs rely heavily on audience feedback via Short Message Service (SMS) provided by mobile/cellular network. On a polling prompt which opens a clocked “polling window”, a TV viewer enters his/her feedback message into a mobile/cell phone for transmission over a communications network such as GSM (Global System for... Agent: Peter A. Businger, Esq. Suite 205

20080250442 - Television reception control system: In a television reception control system, a master reception device receives and plays back broadcast data from a cable television network, and communicates with a slave reception device via an in-home network. The slave reception device receives and plays back the broadcast data from the cable television network, and communicates... Agent: Dickinson Wright PLLC

20080250444 - Method for processing conditional access contents by a user unit: A method allows a broadcasted conditional access content accessible at the time of transmission to be also accessible at a later time thanks to intermediate storage on a hard disk of a user unit. The processing method includes the steps of receiving at the user unit a data stream encrypted... Agent: Dla Piper US LLP Attn: Patent Group

20080250443 - System and method for providing communication services: Systems and methods for providing communication services are provided. A method of providing communication services may include provisioning at least one first communication service at a network interface unit (NIU) associated with a premises. The at least one first communication service may be associated with a placeholder account. The method... Agent: Toler Law Group

20080250446 - Advertisement front end: Advertising parameters and associated television advertisements are received from advertisers. The television advertisements can be designated as pending approval. An automated approval process and a television provider approval process can be utilized to approve or disapprove of the television advertisements pending approval. Approved television advertisements can be provided to the... Agent: Fish & Richardson P.C.

20080250447 - Log processing: Set top box logs are received from a television provider and processed to identify channel tunes and channel tune times. The channel tunes and channel tune times of the log data can be compared to expected air times of television advertisements on channels, and an impression values, e.g., projected viewers,... Agent: Fish & Richardson P.C.

20080250448 - Log processing: Set top box logs are received from a television provider and processed to compensate for broadcast latency and generate normalized log data, e.g., log data that are indexed to a relative time. Channel tunes and the channel tune times of the normalized log data can be compared to expected air... Agent: Fish & Richardson P.C.

20080250445 - Television advertising: Television advertisements and associated advertisement parameters are received from advertisers. The television advertisements are automatically selected for airing during an advertisement availability based on the associated advertisement parameters. Data related to the selected television advertisements are provided to a television provider to facilitate airing of the selected television advertisements during... Agent: Fish & Richardson P.C.

20080250449 - Method of dynamic product placement in prerecorded audio and video: A method of dynamic product placement in prerecorded video or audio is disclosed. The method requires a means to decide when product placement should occur in the video or audio, a way to determine the content of a product placement advertisement in a section of video or audio, and software... Agent: Nick Torkos

20080250450 - Systems and methods for targeted advertising: Methods of generating recommendations may include obtaining social network data from one or more network resources. Word relationships may be created between selected words in the social network data to produce relationship data. Advertisement or other asset recommendations may be generated for a target user by analyzing browse information of... Agent: Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP

20080250451 - Apparatus and method for searching tv program: A TV program searching apparatus includes: an image receiving unit that receives an image having additional information from an external device; an additional information reading unit that reads the additional information from the image received from the image receiving unit; and a TV program searching unit that searches for a... Agent: Sughrue Mion, PLLC

20080250452 - Content-related information acquisition device, content-related information acquisition method, and content-related information acquisition program: Information relating to content such as a broadcast program is collected from a wide range of sources. Upon input of content-identifying information, which is information specifying content, a content-affiliated information acquisition unit (2) acquires content-affiliated information, which is information that is affiliated to the content indicated by the content-identifying information,... Agent: Scully Scott Murphy & Presser, PC

20080250454 - Information transmitting apparatus and method, information receiving apparatus and method, provider, and broadcasting system: MPEG video encoders and MPEG audio encoders encode video signals and audio signals, respectively. An SI/EPG data generator generates program information. A transport stream multiplexer multiplexes the program information with video data and audio data. A system controller controls the data output rates of the encoding operations and the multiplexing... Agent: Frommer Lawrence & Haug

20080250453 - Log processing: Reporting data related to content processing devices, e.g., television devices, are processed to identify channel tunes and corresponding tune times of the content processing devices. Automatically generated channel tunes based on the corresponding tune times are identified. Content items that are aired during a time period defined by the corresponding... Agent: Fish & Richardson P.C.

20080250455 - Program information retrieval system, broadcast receiving apparatus, program information retrieval apparatus, program information retrieval method, and computer program: A program information retrieval system in which a broadcast receiving terminal and a resolver server are connected through a communication network includes a local storing unit that stores a program information, a taste-information acquiring unit that acquires taste information of a user, a program-information requesting unit that requests the resolver... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20080250456 - Method and apparatus for optimizing bandwith in broadcast/multicast video systems: An upstream distribution point of a video distribution system adjusts programming to replace content that is not selected. In particular, an upstream distribution point of a cable broadcast system receives tuning data representing the currently tuned, or selected, program from one or more set-top boxes via Internet Group Management Protocol... Agent: Joseph J. Laks Thomson Licensing LLC

20080250457 - Recording control apparatus and control method thereof: A recording control apparatus for controlling execution of recording in a recording apparatus, comprising, a channel selection acceptance unit configured to accept a channel selection from a user, a display controller to control a display unit to display program data which is selected among received program data via broadcast signal... Agent: Cowan Liebowitz & Latman P.C. John J Torrente

20080250458 - Media exchange for handheld wireless receivers and other media user devices: A system and methods of providing a globally accessible media exchange, whereby media creators, media rights holders, and agents can offer media and media rights to a world-wide market. Media users and publishers can find and preview the media that they need or want and purchase media ownership or license... Agent: Kendyl A Roman

20080250459 - Handheld wireless video receiver: A handheld, wireless video receiver that receives compressed video, decompresses the compressed video, displays the decompressed video. The receiver is part of a system comprising methods, medium, and handheld, wireless devices which compress, enhance, encode, transmit, decompress and display digital video images in real time. Real time wireless videoconferences connect... Agent: Kendyl A Roman

20080250460 - Receiver architectures utilizing coarse analog tuning and associated methods: Receiver architectures and associated methods are disclosed that provide initial analog coarse tuning of desired channels within a received signal spectrum, such as a set-top box signal spectrum for satellite communications. These architectures provide significant advantages over prior direct down-conversion (DDC) architectures and low intermediate-frequency (IF) architectures, particularly where two... Agent: O'keefe, Egan, Peterman & Enders LLP

20080250462 - Apparatus and system for connecting one electronic portable device to at least one other electronic device: The present invention relates to apparatus for connecting a multimedia portable electronic device capable of storing and playing and/or recording video in digital form, to at least one other electronic device. The apparatus further includes at least one wireless communications interface and means for implementing at least one function involving... Agent: Young & Thompson

20080250461 - Multimedia data transmitting apparatus and multimedia data receiving apparatus: To provide, in a multimedia content server which stores multimedia data and transmits the stored multimedia data to a terminal, a technique which allows the terminal to properly detect and process version up of section data even when random access for trick play, and the like, is performed. Upon receiving... Agent: Greenblum & Bernstein, P.L.C

20080250463 - Digital broadcast receiver: A digital broadcasting receiver is equipped with: either at least one lookup table of positive and negative weighted BER factors each assigned to one of predetermined classes of BER of a receivable broadcast signal or a function for deriving said weighted BER factors; at least one counter adapted to classify... Agent: Westerman, Hattori, Daniels & Adrian, LLP

20080250464 - System for providing multimedia content to customers and method thereof: Disclosed are a system and a method for providing multimedia content to customers at a vendor location. A control server and a plurality of patron devices are provided at the vendor location. The control server receives the multimedia content from at least one multimedia content source. Each patron device of... Agent: Grossman, Tucker, Perreault & Pfleger, PLLC

20080250465 - Method and system for the efficient management of video on demand service: The present invention relates to a VOD service operating method and system for providing VOD service through interchange of VOD contents between a VOD server and a set-top box. In accordance with the present invention, a plurality of VOD contents are at least categorized as a first mode and a... Agent: Caesar, Rivise, Bernstein, Cohen & Pokotilow, Ltd.

20080250466 - Method, system and apparatus for video sharing: A method for video sharing, which realizes video sharing between an originating UE and a terminating UE when the terminating UE is not IMS core network registered. The method includes the following steps: an originating UE sends a video sharing request containing a URI of callee to an application server;... Agent: Darby & Darby P.C.

20080250467 - Method of processing broadcasting service information and hybrid tv using the same: A method of processing broadcasting service information and a hybrid TV using the same are provided. The hybrid TV receives SD&S information by determining whether broadcasting service information on whether one or more broadcasting providers concurrently provide IPTV broadcasting services in one-to-one correspondence with legacy broadcasting services, which are substitutable... Agent: Sughrue Mion, PLLC

20080250468 - System and method for scheduling presentation of future video event data: A method is disclosed for presenting video data comprising receiving at a first end user device, displayable video data for advertising a future video event; scanning the displayable video data for scheduling data associated with the future video event; and queuing the future video event for presenting data for the... Agent: G. Michael Roebuck, PC

20080250469 - Synchronized transmission of audio and video data from a computer to a client via an interface: A method for controlling data transmission between a computer and a video client via an interface, the method comprising: the computer polling the interface a first time to determine the size of the buffer on the interface; receiving a first buffer size value from the interface; sending a plurality of... Agent: Gazdzinski & Associates, P.C.

20080250470 - System for video reproduction in different resolutions: A device for reproducing video data signals receives encoded video data signals; and has a processing unit for decoding the encoded video data signals into the video data signals. The encoded video data signals comprises a base stream of signals (801) representing a standard resolution portion of the video data... Agent: Philips Intellectual Property & Standards

20080244634 - System and method for inputting preferences into recommender/profiling system: A user profiling system that receives user command/control selections related to content currently being provided to the user. A processor acts on the command/control selections and also determines whether the command/control selections are volume related command/control selections. In a case where the command/control selections are volume related, the processor utilizes... Agent: Philips Intellectual Property & Standards

20080244635 - Method to encourage digital video recording users to view advertisements by providing compensation offers: A method, computer program product, and system are provided for encouraging users to view advertisements. A television device receives an incoming signal. The incoming signal includes an advertisement from an advertiser. The television device determines if the advertisement includes a compensation offer descriptor. Responsive to a presence of the compensation... Agent: Ibm Corp. (wip) C/o Walder Intellectual Property Law, P.C.

20080244636 - System and method for filtering media products based on media product information: A media control system receives first product information that describes a first media product and receives second product information that describes a second media product. The media control system processes the first product information with a filter to determine if the first media product should be blocked. The media control... Agent: Setter Roche LLP

20080244637 - Obtaining metadata program information during channel changes: One embodiment provides a method and apparatus for obtaining metadata program information during channel changes. The method includes the capture of an on-screen display that is rendered by a rendering device such as, for example, a digital television system. The on-screen display may be generated by an access device such... Agent: Blakely Sokoloff Taylor & Zafman LLP

20080244639 - Providing advertising: A system for providing advertising includes an electronic video display for displaying advertising disposed in an advertising venue; and a sensor for sensing a number of people in an audience of the electronic video display. A method of providing advertising includes providing an electronic video display at an advertising venue;... Agent: Hewlett Packard Company

20080244638 - Selection and output of advertisements using subtitle data: Techniques are described to select and output advertisements based on subtitles. In an implementation, one or more keywords are received that are extracted from subtitle data. One or more advertisements are selected based on the one or more keywords.... Agent: Microsoft Corporation

20080244641 - Method and system for television channel group: Provided is a method and system for displaying video from a plurality of video streams on a display. It includes an input interface for receiving video data from a plurality of video streams and transferring the video data to a frame controller in communication with a television display. The frame... Agent: Perry M. Fonseca & Associates, P.C.

20080244640 - Synchronization of digital television programs with internet web application: An architecture is presented that synchronizes digital television content with IP network content. A content management system is provided that comprises a computing system that includes an input component and an application component. The input component of the computing system receives digital television content of a broadcast network. The application... Agent: Amin. Turocy & Calvin, LLP

20080244642 - Method and system for inserting digital video effects into a video stream in redundant paths before routing: A system and apparatus for generating an output signal includes a receiving system 160 generating a plurality of signals having a first format and communicating the plurality of signals simultaneously through a primary path and a secondary path. A digital video effects module 240 inserting a digital video effect into... Agent: The Directv Group, Inc. Patent Docket Administration

20080244644 - Managing multiple media content sources: Media content is received through a plurality of inputs, each input being associated with one of a plurality of media content sources. Media content is provided to a media player for display in a first viewing frame based on a first one of the media content sources. A request is... Agent: Verizon Patent Management Group

20080244645 - Method and system for presenting an updateable non-linear content lineup display: A method and system may include sending a linear content signal to cause display of linear content, receiving a graphical user interface display request signal requesting display of a graphical user interface, and sending a graphical user interface signal to cause display of a graphical user interface, which is associated... Agent: Verizon Patent Management Group

20080244643 - System and method for alphanumeric channel-changing: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a method and system for alphanumeric channel-changing comprising receiving one or more entries corresponding to a name of a channel, matching the name of the channel against channel data stored in at least one database to form a match, and providing the... Agent: Verizon Patent Management Group

20080244647 - Application execution method and apparatus: An application program executing a method and an apparatus for improving the speed of executing an application program for a digital television (DTV) are provided. If log information exists for a resource used by an application program, the resource indicated by the log information is requested, and the application program... Agent: Sughrue Mion, PLLC

20080244646 - Channel switching device and channel switching method: A set top box 41 having a content acquisition unit 411 for receiving a content or reading out a content accumulated acquires a switching request signal and a skip request signal based on the user operation and switches the channel identifying the content received or read out at the content... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20080244649 - Image reproduction system and signal processor used for the same: An image reproduction system includes a TV set, an AV amplifier connected to the TV set, and a plurality of image output devices, such as a DVD player, a set-top box and a game console, connected to the AV amplifier. The ID information of these image output devices is displayed... Agent: Hamre, Schumann, Mueller & Larson, P.C.

20080244648 - Process for displaying and navigating panoramic video, and method and user interface for streaming panoramic video and images between a server and browser-based client application: A method for providing panoramic videos and images to a user using a server-client architecture while minimizing the wait time necessary before still images are available for viewing or videos begin playing. A series of location-referenced panoramic images are separated into one-dimensional tracks. Intuitive user controls are provided which allow... Agent: Wong, Cabello, Lutsch, Rutherford & Brucculeri, L.L.P.

20080244651 - Broadcast receiving apparatus and broadcast reception method: According to one embodiment, there is provided a broadcast receiving apparatus includes a tuner which selects one from a plurality of channels, demodulates a selected broadcast signal, and outputs a demodulation signal, an extracting unit extracting an electronic program information from the demodulation signal output, a superimposing unit which produces... Agent: Blakely Sokoloff Taylor & Zafman LLP

20080244650 - Program table displaying apparatus and program table displaying method: According to one embodiment, a program table displaying apparatus is provided with a preparing section configured to prepare an electronic program table describing a program name and an explanatory text thereof for each program based upon acquired program information, a setting section configured to set a display aspect of the... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20080244653 - Systems and methods for presenting an interactive user interface: A system interactively controlled by a TV viewer remote control transmitter displays portions of a scroll program guide on the viewer's display screen. A tuner receives TV radio frequency or optical transmission signals in a plurality of cable channels and passes a viewer usable signal to a signal combiner. A... Agent: Ropes & Gray LLP

20080244652 - Television receiving apparatus and method for displaying an electronic program guide: A television receiving apparatus includes a receiving unit configured to receive a broadcasting program, a program information obtaining unit configured to obtain program information about the broadcasting program, a language setting unit configured to set a language used to display an Electronic Program Guide (EPG), a selection unit configured to... Agent: Canon U.s.a. Inc. Intellectual Property Division

20080244654 - System and method for providing a directory of advertisements: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a system and method for providing a directory of advertisements comprising receiving a menu command, outputting a user menu at a display device in response to receiving the menu command, receiving one or more entries based on interactions with the user menu... Agent: Verizon Patent Management Group

20080244656 - Information processing apparatus and method, and program: In the present invention, there is provided an information processing apparatus for recommending contents. The information processing apparatus may include recommendation information generating means for generating recommendation information for presenting a recommended content to be recommended to a user to the user, and when presenting the recommendation information to the... Agent: Lerner, David, Littenberg, Krumholz & Mentlik

20080244655 - Viral marketing of broadcast content: Viral marketing may be used in the delivery of broadcast content over networks such as DVB-H networks. By tracking and monitoring viewer recommendations and viewer responses to recommendations, content providers may target viewers and/or peer groups for marketing various types of content. Content may include advertisements, television programs, service announcements... Agent: Banner & Witcoff, Ltd.

20080244657 - Method and system of retrieving prior broadcasted programming at a user device from a service provider: A communication system 10 includes a network such as the Internet 50 or a telephone system 52. A user device 14 communicates with the network. A service provider 12 communicates with the user device 14 through the network. The service provider 12 generates a program guide for programming, including currently... Agent: The Directv Group, Inc. Patent Docket Administration

20080244658 - Method, system and apparatus for managing iptv live broadcast service: A method for managing an IPTV live broadcast service, including: receiving a request from a subscriber terminal; updating authorization information of the subscriber terminal in real time; generating a channel list for the subscriber terminal according to the authorization information; and sending the channel list to the subscriber terminal. A... Agent: Leydig Voit & Mayer, Ltd

20080244659 - Program guide navigation tools for media content access systems and methods: An exemplary system includes a media content processing subsystem configured to provide a program guide graphical user interface (“GUI”) to a display for presentation to a user, the program guide GUI including a portion of a program guide. The media content processing subsystem is further configured to provide at least... Agent: Verizon Patent Management Group

20080244660 - Virtual set-top box tuner in content distribution system: A method for scheduling the reception of content in a content receiver, for example, in an STB/DVR, includes scheduling (210) the reception of selected content by a tuner resource of the STB/DVR at a particular time. The scheduling may be performed at the STB/DVR, or alternatively at a remote device,... Agent: Motorola Inc

20080244661 - Method and system for automatically selecting television channels: It is disclosed that in a content distribution system a speech-to-text convertor can be used for the conversion of at least a part of a particular data stream to text data. The text data can be used for triggering a set-top box to select the particular data stream to which... Agent: Mcdonnell Boehnen Hulbert & Berghoff LLP

20080244662 - Option menu for use with a computer management system: A method for improving video quality of a video stream. The method decodes the video stream and generates subblocks of video data from the video stream. The method then removes effects of subblock boundaries from previous deblocking. Each subblock is then smoothed to create pixel values and optionally, subblocks are... Agent: Gibbons P.C.

20080244663 - Method and system for inserting digital video effects into a video stream using a bypass router: A method and system for generating an output signal includes a receiving system 160 generating a plurality of signals having a first format, a router system 186 selecting a first signal from the plurality of signals, a digital video effects module 240, 242 inserting a digital video effect into the... Agent: The Directv Group, Inc. Patent Docket Administration

20080244664 - Interface for bulkhead monitor and method for using the same: An interface for a bulkhead monitor in an in-flight entertainment system, and a method for using the same. More specifically, a one-wire interface use to electrically couple a tapping unit and its associated monitor in an in-flight entertainment system. The wire has a first end for coupling to an input... Agent: Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP Attn: Patent Docket Dept.

20080244665 - System and method of providing video content: A method of providing video content is disclosed that includes identifying a current user of a set-top box device, where a plurality of users that includes the current user is associated with the set-top box device. The method also includes identifying a first channel associated with the set-top box device,... Agent: Toler Law Group

20080244666 - Systems and methods for using incentives to increase advertising effectiveness: Systems and methods can include offering a user an incentive for viewing advertising content, delivering the advertising content to the user, monitoring the delivery of the advertising content to the user and awarding the user the offered incentive upon successful completion of delivery of the advertising content to the user.... Agent: Verizon Patent Management Group

20080244667 - Bandwidth sensitive switched digital video content delivery: Systems and methods are disclosed for enabling a switched digital video (SDV) server to prioritize SDV programs. More specifically, SDV programs carried on an RF carrier frequency are given priorities in the event of unavailable bandwidth. In this manner, the SDV server selects which SDV programs to broadcast, to unbind,... Agent: Wm. Brook Lafferty Scientific-atlanta, Inc.

20080244668 - System and apparatus for searching media stations: A system and apparatus for searching media stations is disclosed. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a set-top box having a video processor that presents multimedia programs at a media device, and a controller element that manages operations of the video processor and... Agent: Akerman Senterfitt

20080244669 - Method and system for marking video signals for identification: An apparatus for generating an output signal includes a receiving system 160 generating a plurality of signals having a first format, an insertion module 166 inserting a source identifier into the plurality of signals, an encoder 182 encoding the plurality of signals into a plurality of transport streams and a... Agent: The Directv Group, Inc. Patent Docket Administration

20080244670 - System and method for iptv service prompting: The embodiment of the present invention discloses a system for IPTV service promoting. And the system includes: a first subsystem, for storing program information of each user; a second subsystem, for determining the program information needed to be prompted according to the program information stored in the first subsystem. The... Agent: Harness, Dickey & Pierce, P.L.C

20080244672 - Co-ordinated on-line video viewing: In a method of co-ordinated on-line data file viewing, a user selects an on-line video or other data file, selects a companion viewer, and views the on-line file simultaneously with the selected companion viewer.... Agent: Michael M. Gerardi

20080244671 - Notification for interactive content: A system may provide a video program or information associated with the video program on a video display device, and provide an interactive content icon on the video display device. The interactive content icon may indicate that interactive content is available for the video program.... Agent: Verizon Patent Management Group

20080244675 - Imaged image data processing apparatus, viewing information creating apparatus, viewing information creating system, imaged image data processing method and viewing information creating method: An imaged image data processing apparatus includes obtaining means for obtaining imaged image data, which is imaged by an imaging section that images the sight of a user, extracting means for extracting identification data for identifying a viewed program from the imaged image data obtained by the obtaining means, and... Agent: Wolf Greenfield & Sacks, P.C.

20080244674 - Information distribution system, program-for-management-apparatus recording medium, and program-for-information-processor recording medium:

20080244673 - Information processor and recording medium in which information processing program is recorded: In a request node for receiving content with a preset distribution completion time limit, which is distributed from a content node connected to the request node via a network, remaining time to the distribution completion time limit is detected. On the basis of the detected remaining time, a download speed... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, PLC

20080244677 - Information processing apparatus, information processing method, information processing program, and information processing system: In an information processing apparatus, identification information identifying a specified broadcast content is converted into identification information identifying another broadcast content corresponding to the originally specified broadcast content, in accordance with table information indicating a correspondence among a plurality of pieces of identification information respectively identifying broadcast contents thereby indicating... Agent: Lerner, David, Littenberg, Krumholz & Mentlik

20080244676 - Methods, systems and apparatuses to enhance broadcast entertainment: The present embodiments provide methods and systems to access additional, enhanced and/or interactive content associated with a broadcast program received over a closed broadcast network. Some embodiments provide methods of enhancing broadcast content by receiving broadcast content from a broadcast content source over a closed network, receiving a request to... Agent: Fitch Even Tabin & Flannery

20080244678 - Method for transmitting/receiving broadcasting signal and apparatus for receiving broadcasting signal: Disclosed herein are disclosed a method for transmitting/receiving a broadcasting signal and an apparatus for receiving the broadcasting signal. A plurality of video streams may be transmitted through a single virtual channel and an identifier for identifying the plurality of video streams may be included in program table information and... Agent: Mckenna Long & Aldridge LLP Song K. Jung

20080244679 - Switched digital video client reverse channel traffic reduction: Systems and methods are disclosed for enabling a switched digital video (SDV) client to intelligently generate and transmit reverse request in a SDV system. In this manner, reverse channel traffic is reduced. During rapid channel changes using the up and down keys on a remote control, the SDV client waits... Agent: Scientific-atlanta, Inc. Intellectual Property Dept.

20080244680 - Connection status checking apparatus and connection status checking method: According to one embodiment, a connection status checking apparatus checking a connection status of an external apparatus has following respective configurations. That is, the connection status checking apparatus includes: a connection part to which the external apparatus is connected; a command output unit outputting a check command for checking whether... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20080244681 - Conversion of portable program modules for constrained displays: A computer-implemented method includes identifying a computer-based portable program module, automatically altering code in the portable program module to permit display of the module on a television-based display so that the displayed module has a substantially similar appearance on the television-based display as on a computer display, and providing the... Agent: Fish & Richardson P.C.

20080244682 - Method for enhancing features offered by a software application residing on a set top terminal: A set top terminal includes a processor and a runtime execution engine adapted to run on the processor. The runtime execution engine has at least one interface to expose one or more functions of the runtime execution engine. The set top terminal also includes a software application adapted to run... Agent: Motorola, Inc. Law Department

20080244683 - Methods, systems and devices for multimedia-content presentation: Embodiments of the present invention comprise systems, methods and devices for determining by-storyline data from by-episode data.... Agent: Krieger Intellectual Property, Inc.

20080244684 - Digital broadcast receiving apparatus: A digital broadcast receiving apparatus is disclosed that performs channel list switching without increasing the apparatus scale and power consumption. In this apparatus, schedule control section (125) acquires the current time from time information acquisition section (105), and reads channel list identification information corresponding to the current time stored in... Agent: Dickinson Wright PLLC