Interactive video distribution systems inventions

20090276800 - Method and system of changing a receiver between a high definition and standard definition mode: A system and method for controlling a receiving unit to switch services includes a network operation center communicating a service signal to the receiving unit and an evaluate signal to the receiving unit. The receiving unit changes a service of the receiving unit in response to the evaluate signal.... Agent: The Directv Group, Inc. Patent Docket Administration

20090276801 - Method and system for customizing information: A method for customizing information is provided. The method monitors electronic activities through a communication link coupling a consumer system and a service provider, the consumer system including a plurality of communication devices. The method determines in response to the monitoring which of the plurality of communication devices are operating... Agent: Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP

20090276802 - Avatars in social interactive television: Virtual environments are presented on displays along with multimedia programs to permit viewers to participate in a social interactive television environment. The virtual environments include avatars that are created and maintained in part using continually updated animation data that may be captured from cameras that monitor viewing areas in a... Agent: At&t Legal Department - Jw Attn: Patent Docketing

20090276803 - Scalable peer-to-peer streaming internet broadcast content: Methods, systems, and techniques for providing near real-time streaming of broadcast content, such as television, using peer-to-peer techniques are provided. Example embodiments provide a P2P Streaming Internet Television System (“PSITS”), which enables television content to be encoded, encrypted, and distributed to one or more Internet-ready player computing devices (players) using... Agent: Seed Intellectual Property Law Group PLLC

20090276804 - Information output apparatus, electronics conference system, information output method, and storage medium in which control program is stored: When a signal detection section detects a signal of an earthquake early warning, a control section (i) causes a storage apparatus to store display information being displayed on a display apparatus, (ii) reads, out of the storage apparatus, information on instructions in the event of an earthquake and an evacuation... Agent: Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge LLP

20090276805 - Method and system for generation and playback of supplemented videos: The present invention is a method and system for generation and playback of supplemented videos which include interactive features. The supplemented video includes hotspots that allow a video viewer to interact with the video when the video viewer sees an object. The hotspots can be manually defined. Information regarding the... Agent: Snell & Wilmer LLP (oc)

20090276806 - Systems and methods for identifying content: A set top box includes a processor. The processor is configured to provide an electronic programming guide including a listing of channels, and to identify a plurality of shows matching a user defined criteria. The processor is further configured to sort the listing of channels based on a scheduled start... Agent: At&t Legal Department - Lna Attn: Patent Docketing

20090276807 - Facilitating indication of metadata availbility within user accessible content: In one embodiment of the present invention, a method for facilitating association of user accessible content and supplemental information that is at least one of audibly and visually outputted by a user terminal comprises a plurality of operations. An operation is performed for maintaining a data structure that associates supplemental... Agent: Alcatel-lucent

20090276808 - Configuration of tv services via alternate communication: The present invention provides a method and system for accessing services in a television system. In one implementation, a DHCT presents a user a menu containing a plurality of selectable link representations corresponding to separate services or applications offered by the cable television system. The user navigates the menu with... Agent: Merchant & Gould Scientific Atlanta, A Cisco Company

20090276809 - Method of browsing recorded news program and browsing apparatus for performing the method: Provided are a method of browsing a recorded news program and a browsing apparatus for performing the method. The method includes grouping moving picture news reports included in a plurality of news programs according to news report, and selecting one moving picture news report from among each of a plurality... Agent: Sughrue Mion, PLLC

20090276810 - Receiver unit changing between a high definition mode and standard mode and method therefor: A system and method of switching services in a receiver unit includes a verifier module in the receiver unit receiving a service signal and middleware within the receiving unit receiving an evaluate signal and enabling the verifier to determine a service change from the service signal. The middleware changing a... Agent: The Directv Group, Inc. Patent Docket Administration

20090276811 - Method and apparatus for improving reception of wireless signals using spartial redundancy: Data for one, or more, services is encoded using a scalable channel code and divided for transmission over N transmitters such that reception by a receiver of at least M of the transmitted signals, where M<N, enables recovery of the data by the receiver. In other words, even if reception... Agent: Thomson Licensing LLC

20090276812 - System and method for local broadcasting: A video controller broadcasts input video through a premises media, such as a coaxial cable to one or more premises televisions or television channels. When a PC provides the input video, a mode change may occur to direct the video to the PC monitor or to the broadcast output. The... Agent: Weingarten, Schurgin, Gagnebin & Lebovici LLP

20090276813 - System and method for channel selection for local broadcasting: A video controller selects a channel for premises broadcasting to a premises television based on a fast scan of signal strength in channels available over a premises media. The signal strength of certain filtered channel frequencies can be evaluated to determine if a channel is occupied. Unoccupied channels can be... Agent: Weingarten, Schurgin, Gagnebin & Lebovici LLP

20090276814 - Viewer selection of programs to be subsequently delivered: Television users may record abstracts of programs that they desire and program providers may access the recorded program abstracts from time to time so as to provide the program content that matches the requested program. In one embodiment, the user may select a TV program (or movie) that is not... Agent: Fulbright & Jaworski L.l.p

20090276816 - System and method for obtaining and distributing video: A method for obtaining and distributing video having the steps of: receiving a request for a video recording device from a user; sending a video recording device to the user; receiving the video recording device from the user, the video recording device having stored thereon a video about a subject;... Agent: Sheldon Mak Rose & Anderson PC

20090276815 - Systems, methods and apparatus for democratic allocation of bandwidth: Systems, methods and apparatus are provided for democratic allocation of bandwidth. A user of an entertainment device may select to access content from a large catalog of available content. A content source initially begins providing the content to a user device over a low-bandwidth connection, such as an internet protocol... Agent: Echostar Technologies, L.L.C. Legal Department

20090276817 - Management and non-linear presentation of music-related broadcasted or streamed multimedia content: Methods and systems for presenting enhanced previously recorded broadcasted or streamed content are provided. Example embodiments provide an Enhanced Content Display System “ECDS,” which supports the management and presentation of previously recorded program content in a non-linear fashion and allows subscribers, using a variety of techniques, to specify which portions... Agent: Perkins Coie LLP Patent-sea

20090276818 - Method for providing iptv service and internet broadcasting system therefor: An apparatus and method for providing preferred contents to a user in an Internet broadcasting system that provides a broadcast service using an Internet data transport protocol. A user terminal sends a request for a broadcast service to a service provider. The user terminal receives an authentication key from the... Agent: The Farrell Law Firm, LLP

20090276819 - Method of receiving broadcasting signal and apparatus for receiving broadcasting signal: A method and apparatus for receiving a broadcasting signal for a real-time broadcasting service and a non-real-time broadcasting service are disclosed. The apparatus for receiving the broadcasting signal includes a receiving unit, a storage medium, a first processor and a second processor. The receiving unit receives and displays a broadcasting... Agent: Mckenna Long & Aldridge LLP

20090276821 - Dynamic synchronization of media streams within a social network: A method of synchronizing first and second streams of a multimedia content program is operable for determining a temporal difference indicative of a relative timing between first and second streams of the program, the first stream being provided to a first multimedia processing resource (MPR) and the second stream being... Agent: At&t Legal Department - Jw Attn: Patent Docketing

20090276820 - Dynamic synchronization of multiple media streams: A disclosed method for synchronizing different streams of a multimedia content program includes providing the multimedia content program to a first viewer via a first multimedia stream in response to receiving a first request to view the multimedia content program from the first viewer and providing the multimedia content program... Agent: At&t Legal Department - Jw Attn: Patent Docketing

20090276822 - Video delivery apparatus and method: To reduce the delivery delay of video data to a display device in which a control right for adjusting parameters of the video data is vested, a video delivery apparatus modifies a delivery tree for delivering the video data to multiple display devices, and delivers the video data to the... Agent: Fitzpatrick Cella Harper & Scinto

20090271812 - Method & system for sharing information through a mobile multimedia platform: In a wide area communications network such as the Internet, a public server and an associated database store and make available to a private server personal information relating to an individuals emotional or some other mental or physical state. The private server includes functionality to interpret the personal information it... Agent: Robert Schuler

20090271813 - Viewer data collection system and method for use in a direct broadcast satellite television network: A system and method for collecting viewership data. The inventive system (10) is adapted to receive a signal having multiple channels of program content and associated channel identification information. The system (10) is adapted to parse the program content and channel identification information from the received signal. The system (10)... Agent: The Directv Group, Inc. Patent Docket Administration

20090271814 - Method and system for activating a decoder device: Various embodiments of the invention provide a method for activating one or more secondary decoder devices in a home network. A head-end system activates a primary decoder device and initializes the secondary decoder devices. The primary decoder device activates the initialized secondary decoder device. The secondary decoder device is deactivated... Agent: Schwegman, Lundberg & Woessner, P.A.

20090271815 - Method and tv receiver for storing contents associated to tv programs: In order to offer contents on demand services triggered by broadcasted TV programs in an efficient and effective way, notifications are received by a TV receiver, for example, a set-top box, on the availability of additional contents, such as, movie tracks, back stages, audio and/or video interviews, written articles, songs,... Agent: Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner LLP

20090271816 - Methods and systems relating to the import, manipulation and export of data using set-top boxes: Methods and devices for exporting and displaying video information are disclosed. For example, an exemplary set-top box specially configured to receive, manipulate and export video signals and television programming information is described. The set-top box includes a tuning device capable of receiving both television signals and programming signals relating to... Agent: Philips Intellectual Property & Standards

20090271817 - Systems and methods for searching based on information in commercials: A set top box includes a processor configured to detect a commercial and analyze the commercial to identify an advertised video content. The processor is further configured to search an electronic programming guide for availability of the video content and record the video content in response to a user input.... Agent: At&t Legal Department - Lna Attn: Patent Docketing

20090271818 - Method and apparatus for delivering emergency alert system (eas) messages over a switched digital video (sdv) system: A switched digital video (SDV) system includes an SDV manager for coordinating SDV sessions requested by subscriber terminals associated with at least one service group. The SDV system also includes an input for receiving content to be delivered during the SDV sessions and at least one edge device for receiving... Agent: Motorola, Inc. Law Department

20090271819 - System and method for sending advertising data based on data associated with video data: A computer readable medium is disclosed containing computer executable instructions that when executed by a computer perform a method, the method including but not limited to monitoring video data for advertising data keys; correlating the advertising data keys with penetration data for an end user; and selecting advertising data for... Agent: At&t Legal Department - Roebuck Attn: Patent Docketing

20090271821 - Method and apparatus for real-time viewer interaction with a media presentation: Real-time participation within a media presentation is disclosed. A participant overlay may be generated by preprocessing a media presentation to extract a time-variant metadata stream associated with one or more interactive regions depicted in the media presentation. The participant overlay includes simulated physics, which may include boundaries of the interactive... Agent: Joshua D. Isenberg Jdi Patent

20090271820 - Method of recommending broadcasting contents and recommending apparatus therefor in multimedia contents reproducing device: Provided are a method and apparatus for recommending broadcasting contents by using a multimedia contents reproducing device, the method including the operations of generating a user list about one or more second users related to a first user; displaying the user list on a screen of the multimedia contents reproducing... Agent: Staas & Halsey LLP

20090271822 - Apparatus and method for processing image: Provided are an image processing apparatus and an image processing method thereof. The image processing apparatus includes: an information reader which collects information related to a search word; and a controller which selects a favorite broadcast depending on a viewing pattern and provides the information reader with the search word... Agent: Sughrue Mion, PLLC

20090271823 - Method and apparatus to provide broadcasting program information on screen of broadcast receiver: Disclosed is a method of providing broadcasting program information, the method including obtaining electronic program guide (EPG) information, extracting first program information from the obtained EPG information, the first program information being program information with respect to all channels, generating second program information based on the first program information, the... Agent: Staas & Halsey LLP

20090271824 - Image display apparatus and method for controlling the same: There is provided an image display apparatus that receives a broadcast program and displays video images relating to the broadcast program. The image display apparatus comprises, among other things, a communication interface for communicating with a rendering apparatus that is externally connected; an input unit that receives image data for... Agent: Cowan Liebowitz & Latman P.C. John J Torrente

20090271825 - Method of storing and displaying broadcast contents and apparatus therefor: Provided are method of storing broadcast contents, a method of displaying stored broadcast contents and an apparatus therefor. In method of storing the broadcast contents by analyzing the received broadcast contents, grouping the contents that are similar to each other, and arranging the contents sequentially in time, the method includes... Agent: Sughrue Mion, PLLC

20090271826 - Method of recommending broadcasting contents and recommending apparatus therefor: A method for recommending broadcasting contents, is performed by a multimedia contents reproducing device of a first user. The method includes the operations of logging a broadcasting contents viewing behaviour pattern of the first user and generating a first user profile; transmitting the generated first user profile to an external... Agent: Staas & Halsey LLP

20090271827 - Tv on/off timer feature for displaying user-selected non-tv tuner content: A TV viewer may select a wake-up or “on” time at which a TV is automatically energized. The viewer may also select a content source such as a music player, a disk player, a game console, and the like from which content is automatically presented on the TV at the... Agent: Rogitz & Associates

20090271828 - Method and system for single chip satellite set-top box system: A system for processing signals is disclosed and may include a single integrated circuit chip. The single integrated circuit chip (SICC) may include one or more processors coupled to a first satellite receiver demodulator and a second satellite receiver demodulator. The SICC may also include one or more video decoders... Agent: Mcandrews Held & Malloy, Ltd

20090271829 - Terminals, servers, and methods that find a media server to replace a sensed broadcast program/movie: A wireless mobile terminal works with an identification server to automatically identify a broadcast program/movie and then identify and connect to a networked media server to receive the identified program/movie therefrom. The terminal generates data that characterizes content of a broadcast program/movie that is send by the terminal and is... Agent: Myers Bigel Sibley & Sajovec, P.A.

20090271830 - Methods and apparatus to configure broadband-enabled entertainment systems: Methods and apparatus to configure broadband-enabled entertainment systems are disclosed. An example method comprises presenting a first user interface to enable a user to configure a communication service between a residential gateway and a service provider, detecting a set-top box communicatively coupled to the residential gateway, directing the set-top box... Agent: At&t Legal Department - Hfz Attn. Patent Docketing

20090271831 - Mobile instructional videos: The personal mobile trainer of the present invention provides a system and method for delivering a training video to an electronic device, including a cellular phone, personal digital assistant, micro PC, laptop computer, or desktop computer. The system and method facilitates convenient access to a broad range of training videos... Agent: Foley & Lardner LLP

20090271832 - Video on demand transmission/reception method and system using divided transport system: Provided are a video on demand (VOD) transmission/reception method and system using a divided transport stream (TS). The VOD transmission method includes setting a division coefficient for dividing a TS; dividing the TS into a unicast segment and multicast segments according to the division coefficient; and transmitting the unicast segment... Agent: Occhiuti Rohlicek & Tsao, LLP

20090271833 - Method and apparatus with subscription quality of service in a video system: A method and apparatus for controlling access to a video system based on bandwidth consumption include processing that begins as the server monitors bandwidth utilization of connections within the video system. The processing continues when the server receives a request to access a video program via the connection from a... Agent: Garlick Harrison & Markison

20090271834 - Advanced set top terminal having a video call feature: A set top terminal equipped with a camera and microphone includes the capability to send and receive video calls through a cable television delivery system or other communications networks. In response to detection of the occurrence of a video call event or triggering event, a video program is automatically paused.... Agent: Banner & Witcoff , Ltd Attorneys For Client Number 007412

20090271835 - Set top box system parameter retrieval: A method, system and computer readable medium box is disclosed for determining a networked device connection status of an IP set top. A signal strength parameter request is generated associated with the networked device's operation. This request is transmitted to a specific point in a network system where it is... Agent: Thomson Licensing LLC

20090271836 - Testing catv networks with direct sequence spread spectrum signals: Use of direct sequence spread spectrum test signals injected at the same time and frequency of active network services to perform non-interfering measurements in the forward and reverse path of a CATV plant. Ideally, a plurality of transmitters, each transmitting a test signal with a unique spreading code, whereby multiple... Agent: Pequignot + Myers LLC

20090271837 - Apparatus and method for providing broadcast contents in internet broadcast system: A method and apparatus for providing content in a broadcast system is provided. Upon receipt of a request for synchronization from a mobile terminal, a set-top box creates a recommended content list based on user information received from the mobile terminal and delivers the recommended content list to the mobile... Agent: The Farrell Law Firm, LLP

20090271838 - Method for transmitting scene data in a unidirectional data broadcast system: A plurality of scene data describing at least one scene are transmitted by a data carousel from a transmitter to at least one receiver of a unidirectional broadcast system. The data carousel is used to transmit an index file to the receiver, a temporal arrangement of the scene data file... Agent: Staas & Halsey LLP

20090265729 - Audience detection: A technique is disclosed for identifying members of an audience tuned to a program broadcast by a programming signal source, comprising the steps of storing personal identification signals in a plurality of portable devices to be carried by members of the audience; periodically transmitting said identification signals from the portable... Agent: Cohen, Pontani, Lieberman & Pavane LLP

20090265730 - Methods and apparatus to detect an internally generated signal mode of a local media playback device: Methods and apparatus to detect an internally generated signal mode of a local media playback device are disclosed. A disclosed method comprises tuning a harmonic frequency of a chrominance signal output by a local media playback device, and determining that the local media playback device is in an internally generated... Agent: Hanley, Flight & Zimmerman, LLC

20090265731 - Extensible downloadable content advisory system: A region rating table includes a number of rating dimensions and a number of rating levels. The rating dimensions may be identified by an index. Also, one or more rating level tags are added to the rating levels. The rating level tags identify each rating level within a rating dimension... Agent: Trellis Intellectual Property Law Group, PC

20090265732 - Contents providing system, and contents providing method: A contents processing device for displaying contents is enabled to change the display format of a contents displaying display unit and to display not only the contents but also other information. As problem solving means, there is proposed a contents providing system, which includes a display unit for displaying the... Agent: Greenblum & Bernstein, P.L.C

20090265733 - Method and apparatus for providing targeted advertising during the presentation of sdv programming: A method is provided for delivering a targeted advertisement to a user who is viewing a switched digital video (SDV) program. The method includes receiving over an access network a user input reflective of the user's advertising preferences. An advertisement is selected at least in part on the user input... Agent: Motorola, Inc. Law Department

20090265734 - System and/or methods for distributing advertisements from a central advertisement network to a peripheral device via a local advertisement server: Certain exemplary embodiments disclosed herein relate to systems and/or methods for distributing advertisements from a central advertisement network to one or more peripheral devices at a location via a local advertisement server. In certain exemplary embodiments, the local advertisement server within a location receives advertisements from the central advertisement network... Agent: Nixon & Vanderhye, PC

20090265736 - Broadcast receiving apparatus and firmware upgrade method thereof: Provided are a broadcast receiving apparatus and a firmware upgrade method thereof The firmware upgrade method includes receiving firmware which is transmitted from headend equipment through an Ethernet and upgrading the firmware in the broadcast receiving apparatus. The determination whether to upgrade is based on product information transmitted from the... Agent: Sughrue Mion, PLLC

20090265735 - Method and apparatus for outputting media content: A mobile communication device comprises receiver circuitry operable to receive broadcast real-time media data over a communication interface, and signal processing logic operable to extract real-time media content from the broadcast real-time media data, and output the extracted real-time media content via a user interface of the mobile communication device.... Agent: Morrison & Foerster LLP

20090265737 - Publishing key frames of a video content item being viewed by a first user to one or more second users: Systems and methods for obtaining key frames of video content items being viewed by first users and publishing the key frames of the video content items to second users are provided. In general, either prior to playback of a video content item by a first user or during playback of... Agent: Withrow & Terranova Ct

20090265738 - Method for dynamically displaying auxiliary display data: A method for dynamically displaying an auxiliary display data on a screen includes the following steps: (a) receiving a message carrier, and storing at least a data transmitted via the message carrier into a storage device; (b) comparing a received data of the message carrier and a stored data in... Agent: North America Intellectual Property Corporation

20090265741 - Information processing apparatus and method, and recording media: An information processing apparatus includes: a program distribution schedule information receiver configured to receive program distribution schedule information; a program-associated information acquirer configured to acquire, for each program listed in the program distribution schedule information, information for identifying content associated with the program and program-associated information including information for identifying... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland Maier & Neustadt, L.L.P.

20090265740 - Media storefront for interactive media service device: A storefront for accessing digital media and services is provided. The storefront is installed on an interactive media service device. The storefront displays a list of digital media and services to a user based on the configuration of the interactive media service device and the user profile and preferences. The... Agent: Lester H. Birnbaum

20090265739 - Method and system for channel selection in a digital broadcast reception terminal: The present invention discloses a system and method for channel selection in a digital broadcast reception terminal. The system tunes to different frequencies and generates visual clips corresponding to a plurality of channels in a frequency band. Visual clips of multiple channels are simultaneously displayed on a display screen which... Agent: Hogan & Hartson LLP

20090265742 - Remote access to personal video profile: A system for providing a user-specific list of programs for online viewing based on a user profile stored in a DVR of a user, said system comprising: (a) a preference server linked to a wide area network and in communication with said DVR and at least one content server having... Agent: Banner & Witcoff , Ltd Attorneys For Client Number 007412

20090265743 - Video on demand control method, client device and switching control apparatus: The present invention discloses a VOD control method, a client device, and a switching control apparatus, relating to a media playing technology. The method includes: receiving VOD commands from a user; selecting and joining a multicast/broadcast channel with the playing time close to the playing start time of the video... Agent: Leydig, Voit & Mayer, Ltd (for Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd)

20090265744 - System and method for wireless communication of video data having partial data compression: A system and method for wireless communication of video data are disclosed. One embodiment of the system transmits partially compressed video data from a transmitter to a receiver over a wireless channel. The transmitter is configured to send a plurality of groups of data bits over a wireless channel. The... Agent: Knobbe, Martens, Olson, & Bear, LLP

20090265745 - Reversible faceplate terminal adapter which changes signal flow direction: A directional terminal adapter has a housing and a reversible faceplate. Distribution cables of a cable network are connected to the housing and conduct downstream and upstream signals through the housing. Signals flow through the faceplate in a predetermined direction. Reversing the orientation of the faceplate with respect to the... Agent: John R Ley, LLC

20090265748 - Handheld multimedia receiving and sending devices: A handheld multimedia device connect to the internet to obtain internet content and transmits formatted content, including internet content, to a display, such as a television. Thus, users of the multimedia device have a platform for watching internet television or movies, listening to internet music, and otherwise experiencing internet content... Agent: Luce, Forward, Hamilton & Scripps LLP

20090265746 - Method and apparatus in a media player: A method and arrangement for switching between a common media stream and a selective media stream of a media session received in a media player including a media buffer entity. Media frames of either a common media stream or a selective media stream are received and buffered in the media... Agent: Ericsson Inc.

20090265747 - Systems and methods for providing web based self serviced video monitoring and security features for systems comprising ip video terminals and servers: m

20090265750 - Techniques and systems for supporting podcasting: Improved podcasts and techniques that facilitate their use are disclosed. The improved techniques can pertain to creating, publishing, hosting, accessing, subscribing, managing, transferring, and/or playing podcasts. According to one aspect, a client application can subscribe to podcasts and then automatically monitor the podcasts for updates to be downloaded. In the... Agent: Beyer Law Group LLP/apple Inc.

20090265749 - Wireless display system: A wireless display system includes at least one information providing unit and a display unit to perform wireless transmission between them through a wireless transmission module. The wireless display system further has an identification (ID) code generation unit in the information providing unit and an ID unit in the display... Agent: Muncy, Geissler, Olds & Lowe, PLLC

20090265751 - Reception of ancillary 8vsb signals controlled responsive to information signaling version of broadcast standard being used: Modifications to the system of broadcasting robustly coded ancillary transmissions to mobile and portable receivers of 8VSB digital television signals include version information as part of signal transmissions besides those made specifically to support an electronic service guide (ESG). This version information indicates what version of broadcast standard the signals... Agent: Allen Leroy Limberg, Esq.