A verbal request for an action to be performed in connection with a user's set-top box may be received by a Program Content Manager (PCM) from a voice-enabled input/output device such as a VoIP-enabled device or a mobile communication device. Alternatively, the user may request an action via email, text message, and the like. The PCM receiving the action request may execute, or schedule the request for later execution, depending on whether the request is for a real-time or future action. The user may also request to send an alert or a program recording request to others. Recipients may be able to request further alerts or confirm a program recording invitation if certain criteria are met.
H04N 21/25 - Opérations de gestion réalisées par le serveur pour faciliter la distribution de contenu ou administrer des données liées aux utilisateurs finaux ou aux dispositifs clients, p. ex. authentification des utilisateurs finaux ou des dispositifs clients ou apprentissage des préférences des utilisateurs pour recommander des films
H04N 7/173 - Systèmes à secret analogiquesSystèmes à abonnement analogiques à deux voies, p. ex. l'abonné envoyant un signal de sélection du programme
H04N 21/258 - Gestion de données liées aux clients ou aux utilisateurs finaux, p. ex. gestion des capacités des clients, préférences ou données démographiques des utilisateurs, traitement des multiples préférences des utilisateurs finaux pour générer des données collaboratives
H04N 21/414 - Plate-formes spécialisées de client, p. ex. récepteur au sein d'une voiture ou intégré dans un appareil mobile
H04N 21/439 - Traitement de flux audio élémentaires
H04N 21/472 - Interface pour utilisateurs finaux pour la requête de contenu, de données additionnelles ou de servicesInterface pour utilisateurs finaux pour l'interaction avec le contenu, p. ex. pour la réservation de contenu ou la mise en place de rappels, pour la requête de notification d'événement ou pour la transformation de contenus affichés
H04N 21/488 - Services de données, p. ex. téléscripteur d'actualités
H04N 21/4227 - Entrée à distance par un utilisateur situé à distance du dispositif client, p. ex. au travail
H04N 21/4402 - Traitement de flux élémentaires vidéo, p. ex. raccordement d'un clip vidéo récupéré d'un stockage local avec un flux vidéo en entrée ou rendu de scènes selon des graphes de scène du flux vidéo codé impliquant des opérations de reformatage de signaux vidéo pour la redistribution domestique, le stockage ou l'affichage en temps réel
H04N 21/4786 - Services additionnels, p. ex. affichage de l'identification d'un appelant téléphonique ou application d'achat communication par messages électroniques
H04N 21/4788 - Services additionnels, p. ex. affichage de l'identification d'un appelant téléphonique ou application d'achat communication avec d'autres utilisateurs, p. ex. discussion en ligne
A content providing service may employ a variety of streaming devices such as servers, and may associate or assign the servers to different content duration time ranges. Each server may then be responsible for servicing requests for content whose duration lies within the server's assigned content duration time range. In response to overload or underload status of a server, the server's time range may be adjusted. The time range of other servers in the system may also be adjusted to compensate.
G06F 15/173 - Communication entre processeurs utilisant un réseau d'interconnexion, p. ex. matriciel, de réarrangement, pyramidal, en étoile ou ramifié
H04L 29/08 - Procédure de commande de la transmission, p.ex. procédure de commande du niveau de la liaison
H04L 29/06 - Commande de la communication; Traitement de la communication caractérisés par un protocole
H04N 21/00 - Distribution sélective de contenu, p. ex. télévision interactive ou vidéo à la demande [VOD]
H04N 21/231 - Opération de stockage de contenu, p. ex. mise en mémoire cache de films pour stockage à court terme, réplication de données sur plusieurs serveurs, ou établissement de priorité des données pour l'effacement
H04N 21/24 - Surveillance de procédés ou de ressources, p. ex. surveillance de la charge du serveur, de la bande passante disponible ou des requêtes effectuées sur la voie montante
A system may selectively deliver interactive portions of a piece of content, based for example on a recipient user's historical tendency to use interactive portions of prior content. Multiple levels of interactivity may be defined for a given piece of content, such as an advertisement, and different users may receive different levels of interactivity based on how much they use interactive features. Some users may receive no interactive features at all, while others may receive the interactive features, and despite the fact that all of the users' devices may be perfectly capable of processing the interactive features for the user. The omission from transmission may conserve bandwidth and transmission resources.
H04H 60/32 - Dispositions de contrôle des conditions des stations réceptrices, p. ex. un dysfonctionnement ou une panne de celles-ci
H04N 21/442 - Surveillance de procédés ou de ressources, p. ex. détection de la défaillance d'un dispositif d'enregistrement, surveillance de la bande passante sur la voie descendante, du nombre de visualisations d'un film, de l'espace de stockage disponible dans le disque dur interne
H04N 21/2668 - Création d'un canal pour un groupe dédié d'utilisateurs finaux, p. ex. en insérant des publicités ciblées dans un flux vidéo en fonction des profils des utilisateurs finaux
H04N 21/25 - Opérations de gestion réalisées par le serveur pour faciliter la distribution de contenu ou administrer des données liées aux utilisateurs finaux ou aux dispositifs clients, p. ex. authentification des utilisateurs finaux ou des dispositifs clients ou apprentissage des préférences des utilisateurs pour recommander des films
H04N 21/258 - Gestion de données liées aux clients ou aux utilisateurs finaux, p. ex. gestion des capacités des clients, préférences ou données démographiques des utilisateurs, traitement des multiples préférences des utilisateurs finaux pour générer des données collaboratives
H04N 21/4725 - Interface pour utilisateurs finaux pour la requête de contenu, de données additionnelles ou de servicesInterface pour utilisateurs finaux pour l'interaction avec le contenu, p. ex. pour la réservation de contenu ou la mise en place de rappels, pour la requête de notification d'événement ou pour la transformation de contenus affichés pour la requête de données additionnelles associées au contenu utilisant des régions interactives de l'image, p. ex. zones actives ("hot spots")
H04N 21/658 - Transmission du client vers le serveur
A resource management system may use information regarding the bandwidth status of a downstream communication path to determine what portion of queued content should be sent in the current available bandwidth timeslot. In some embodiments, multiple versions of the same requested content may be available, and the system may select a lower-quality version to send if needed to meet a time deadline included in the original content request.
The present invention is directed to content searching of various databases in an interactive television network; caching programming for rebroadcasting to interactive television network subscribers; and interactively offering goods and services referred to in broadcast programming to interactive television network subscribers.
H04N 7/10 - Adaptations à la transmission par câble électrique
H04N 7/025 - Systèmes pour la transmission de données numériques autres que des données d'image, p. ex. de texte pendant la partie active d'une trame de télévision
H04N 5/445 - Circuits de réception pour visualisation d'information additionnelle
G06F 13/00 - Interconnexion ou transfert d'information ou d'autres signaux entre mémoires, dispositifs d'entrée/sortie ou unités de traitement
G06F 3/00 - Dispositions d'entrée pour le transfert de données destinées à être traitées sous une forme maniable par le calculateurDispositions de sortie pour le transfert de données de l'unité de traitement à l'unité de sortie, p. ex. dispositions d'interface
A content delivery networked is monitored to verify operation of control channels for the delivery of content to a customer. Monitoring includes joining a connection with at least one control channel in the network, decoding content of a signal in the control channel, determining whether the decoded content complies with a pre-determined rule corresponding to content transmitted in the control channel, and producing a report indicating whether the decoded content is compliant with the rule. In addition, a graphical user interface (GUI) displays the status and results of testing the control channel. The GUI is configured to perform generating a display representing testing status of a plurality of DSG tunnels in a first frame and test results of the DSG tunnels in a second frame and providing details of a DSG tunnel test when selected by a user.
Improved systems and methods for configuring network devices are provided. Aspects of the invention relate to novel QoS configuration parameters and methods for using QoS configuration parameters to reduce impacts caused by security breach within a network. In one embodiment, a QoS configuration parameter is selected from a plurality of configuration parameters on a central database based upon unique identifying information of a network device and a status signal. In one embodiment, each configuration parameter comprises at least a first parameter for configuring a communication speed of the network device and a second parameter configurable to alter the ability of the network device to communicate with another device in the network. Further aspects of the invention relate to providing improved services to an end user. In one embodiment, services may be customized to an end user and allow increased flexibility for both the service provider and the end user.
H04L 12/28 - Réseaux de données à commutation caractérisés par la configuration des liaisons, p. ex. réseaux locaux [LAN Local Area Networks] ou réseaux étendus [WAN Wide Area Networks]
8.
Communications system for delivering multimedia internet protocol packets across network boundaries
A communications system and method enables delivery of packets over network boundaries while preserving the QoS bits configuration. The communications system includes at least one sending site configured to send the packet. The packet may have a first set of bits in a first bit-set location that indicates an intended packet forwarding priority of the packet. A data network is included that has a traffic class identification. The data network associates the packet forwarding priority with the traffic class identification and writes a second set of bits into the first bit-set location of the packet based on the traffic class identification. The second set of bits indicates a delivery priority that corresponds to the packet forwarding priority. The packet is forwarded based on at least one of the packet forwarding priority and the delivery priority, wherein the delivery priority is based on the data traffic class identification.
H04L 12/28 - Réseaux de données à commutation caractérisés par la configuration des liaisons, p. ex. réseaux locaux [LAN Local Area Networks] ou réseaux étendus [WAN Wide Area Networks]
9.
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR UPDATING SETTOP BOX ARCHITECTURE
A system and method for updating a settop box (STB) architecture that can be used to immediately update a device without requiring the device to be reset/restarted. The device may be any type of device that simultaneously supports multiple applications. The architecture may be used to update one of the applications with new functionality in a seamless manner that allows the applications including the one application to continue to operate without interruption.
A system and method for controlling the transmission of signals within an interactive network which transmits audio/visual (A/V) information on at least one channel to a user and including a transmission source configured to transmit the A/V information on the at least one channel is provided. The system includes at least one set-top box and at least one random number generator. The set-top box is configured to record the A/V information on a channel at a predetermined recording time and to transmit a change channel request signal to the transmission source prior to the predetermined recording time to change the channel to record the A/V information at the predetermined recording time. The random number generator is configured to generate a time value such that the at least one set-top box transmits the change channel request signal to the transmission source at the time value prior to the predetermined recording time.
A system for correlating a user's interests to media content, said system comprising: (a) at least one data store comprising media content data relating to people, works, and tags; (b) a relationship generator configured to generate direct relationships among said people, works and tags; (c) a connection module to generate connections between a primary person, work or tag and a first set of said people, work and tags, wherein each person, work and tag of said first set has a direct relationship with said primary person, work or tag; and (d) a display module for causing the display of at least a portion of said first set of said people, works and tags.
G06F 3/00 - Dispositions d'entrée pour le transfert de données destinées à être traitées sous une forme maniable par le calculateurDispositions de sortie pour le transfert de données de l'unité de traitement à l'unité de sortie, p. ex. dispositions d'interface
12.
USER INTERFACE DISPLAY WITHOUT OUTPUT DEVICE RENDERING
System and method for providing accessing to media available through a media output device. The access being facilitated through user interaction with user interface displayed on the media output device. The user interface may be displayed on the media output device without requiring the media output device to support graphical rendering associated with generating the user interface.
A method for limiting user access to a captive domain or an open domain. The captive domain may include electronically accessible content that is selected/controlled by a service provider and the open domain may include electronically accessible content that is not completely selected/controlled by the service provider. The method may include configuring a modem or other user device in such a manner as to limit use access to the desired domain.
A highly configurable kernel supports a wide variety of content protection systems. The kernel may reside in a host that interacts with a secure processor maintaining content protection clients. After establishing communication with the secure processor, the host receives messages from content protection clients requesting rules for message handling operations to support client operations. This flexible configuration allows for dynamic reconfiguration of host and secure processor operation.
Method of limiting offending messages communicated over a network, such as but not limited to messages associated with Spam and DoS attacks. The message limiting optionally including limiting bandwidth or other communication capabilities associated with an entity communicating or facilitating communication of the messages.
Tracking usage of portable media device such that usage information associated with the media device may be tracked while the media device is offline. The usage information may relate to any number operating parameters and conditions of the media device, including media consumption and usage information.
Provisioning of network element with a provisioning element having a number of provisioning servers. Each provisioning server being active to support its own provisioning and to actively backup the provisioning of the provisioning servers such that operations of the provisioning servers is maximized while providing redundancy in the event that one of the other provisioning servers is lost or disabled.
A method for provisioning subscribers, products, and services in a broadband network includes establishing a directory system for storing information about a plurality of subscribers. The directory system includes a subscriber namespace and a device namespace. A subscriber is added by instantiating a subscriber object for the subscriber in the subscriber namespace. Each available service has its own state in the directory system to provide a multi-state provisioning system that permits granular management services.
Method and system of distributing content and generating playlists to facilitate playback and distribution of the content. The method and system permitting a user to select multiple pieces of content for inclusion within a playlist and thereafter facilitating distribution of the specified content to the user for playback according to an order specified in the playlist.
Settop box (STB) or other housing for use in protecting electronic components. The housing may include an interior portion for protecting the components. The housing may include feet on a bottom and side to facilitate stabilizing the STB in a vertical and horizontal position. The housing may include vents to facilitate air flow to the interior. The vents may be associated withe blocking aspects to protect against blocking the vents.
A content storage method and system for use in a content distribution network are provided. A personal file locker is established on the network for a user. A content-storage-request database is established. The database tracks requests by the user for placing video programs into the user's file locker for personal use by the user. Upon the broadcasting of a video program for which there exists a request by the user to place the video program into the user's file locker, the requested video program is stored in the user's file locker. The stored video program is then made available to the user for viewing. Alternative approaches to content storage methods and systems are also described, including the use of a buffer enhancement to enable the performance of operations on 'live' television.
H04H 60/27 - Dispositions d'enregistrement ou d'accumulation des informations radiodiffusées ou des informations relatives à la radiodiffusion
H04N 7/173 - Systèmes à secret analogiquesSystèmes à abonnement analogiques à deux voies, p. ex. l'abonné envoyant un signal de sélection du programme
H04H 60/23 - Dispositions d'accès conditionnel aux informations radiodiffusées ou aux services relatifs à la radiodiffusion au moyen de la cryptographie, p. ex. le chiffrement, l’authentification ou la distribution de clés
H04H 60/39 - Dispositions d'identification ou de reconnaissance de caractéristiques en liaison directe avec les informations radiodiffusées ou le créneau spatio-temporel de radiodiffusion, p. ex. pour identifier les stations de radiodiffusion ou pour identifier les utilisateurs pour identifier le temps ou l'espace de radiodiffusion pour identifier le créneau spatio-temporel de radiodiffusion
22.
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING MULTIMEDIA SERVICES UTILIZING A LOCAL PROXY
A communications system and method is configured to provide multimedia services utilizing a signaling protocol such as a session initiated protocol (SIP), via a local access network. The method includes providing a local proxy having an Internet protocol (IP) address, wherein the local proxy is integrated with the local access network. The method further includes providing a client device having a signaling protocol client, wherein the client device is coupled to a remote access network that is external to the local access network. Additionally, the method includes initiating a session by the client device accessing the IP address of the local proxy.
A system for managing assets includes at least one asset located within a geographic area and a server configured to store data associated with the assets. The server may be adapted to store data associated with the asset location and be updated with current asset data by at least one administrator. The server is further adapted to generate and integrate asset symbols within an electronic spatial illustration of the geographic area wherein the location of the asset symbol on the spatial illustration corresponds to the location of the asset within the geographic area. The system further includes a portable device that communicates with the server and is adapted to display the data generated by and stored on the server. The portable device is also adapted to receive inputs from a user, display data in response to the user inputs, and display the spatial illustration having the integrated asset symbols and asset locations.
A system and method for managing communication. The system and method applying to but not limited to settop boxes (STBs) and other devices used to interface services. The management including any number of features and processes associated with achieving Quality of Service (QoS) across different domains and according to network limitations associated with the same.
G06F 15/16 - Associations de plusieurs calculateurs numériques comportant chacun au moins une unité arithmétique, une unité programme et un registre, p. ex. pour le traitement simultané de plusieurs programmes
G06F 3/00 - Dispositions d'entrée pour le transfert de données destinées à être traitées sous une forme maniable par le calculateurDispositions de sortie pour le transfert de données de l'unité de traitement à l'unité de sortie, p. ex. dispositions d'interface
H04N 7/173 - Systèmes à secret analogiquesSystèmes à abonnement analogiques à deux voies, p. ex. l'abonné envoyant un signal de sélection du programme
H04N 7/20 - Adaptations pour la transmission sur une bande de fréquence du domaine des GHz, p. ex. par satellite
A method and system of configuring media units (18,20,22,24). The method and system may include a bulk configuration file having instructions for configuring the media units. The bulk configuration file include instructions to support configuring media units (18,20,22,24) provided by different vendors or otherwise requiring different configurations. The bulk configuration file may be transmitted to one or more of the media units (18,20,22,24), such as through a unicast or multicast operation.
A method and system of monitoring media units. The method and system relating to configuring to the media units to log data associated with particular events and to store the data in a manner suitable for transmission to a network element. The network element may include features to facilitate monitoring the media units as a function of the logged data.
H04H 60/66 - Dispositions pour des services utilisant les résultats du contrôle, de l'identification ou de la reconnaissance, couverts par les groupes ou pour utiliser les résultats côté distributeurs
H04N 7/173 - Systèmes à secret analogiquesSystèmes à abonnement analogiques à deux voies, p. ex. l'abonné envoyant un signal de sélection du programme
H04N 9/00 - Détails des systèmes de télévision en couleurs
H04H 60/13 - Dispositions de commande de dispositifs, affectés par les informations radiodiffusées
H04H 60/32 - Dispositions de contrôle des conditions des stations réceptrices, p. ex. un dysfonctionnement ou une panne de celles-ci
27.
METHOD AND SYSTEM WHICH APPLY HEURISTICS TO IDENTIFY SIGNALS ACCESSIBLE TO SUBSCRIBERS IN HYBRID FIBER COAXIAL (HFC) INTERACTIVE NETWORKS
A system and method for identifying which signals provided by a head-end are accessible to CPE of a subscriber in an HFC network. The method includes obtaining a partial list of signals accessible to the CPE, and then applying heuristic rules on the partial list to generate a complete accessible signal list. Obtaining the partial list includes discovering signal information regarding a subset of the signals which are accessible to the CPE; using the discovered signal information to obtain a signal identification of a signal accessible to the CPE; and generating the partial list based on the obtained signal identification. Applying a heuristic rule includes using a bit mask within the obtained signal identification or a naming convention of the obtained signal identification to identify other associated signals. The partial list is then generated based on the obtained signal identification and the signal identifications of the other associated signals.
H04L 12/28 - Réseaux de données à commutation caractérisés par la configuration des liaisons, p. ex. réseaux locaux [LAN Local Area Networks] ou réseaux étendus [WAN Wide Area Networks]
cable television transmission services, namely transmitting television programming and two-way communication capability via satellite to cable companies and other multi-channel distributors enabling customers of the distributors to select programming and conduct other two-way communication with the distributor
