Thomson Licensing

Interdigital Madison Patent Holdings, Sas

Chad Andrew Lefevre

Mark Gilmore Mears

Aaron Hal Dinwiddie

Mark Francis Rumreich

Thomas Edward Horlander

Eric Stephen Carlsgaard

James Duane Tenbarge

Joseph Wayne Forler

Richard Allen Zemer

Peng Yin

Zhenyu Wu

Dong Tian

David Johnston Lynch

Wang Lin Lai

Scott Edward Klopfenstein

Steven Lee Cooper

Martin Vincent Davey

Benoit Pol Menez

Khelan M Modi

Steven True

Mark Alan Logan

Carlton Jethro Simmons, Jr

Bret David Hawkins Hawkins

Jr Steven Lee Cooper

Method () of providing power saving information for media content is described including receiving () media content comprising a plurality of media segments, determining () a power consumption indicator for a media segment of the plurality of media segments, determining () power saving information for the media segment based on the power consumption indicator for the media segment and providing () the power saving information. Method () of receiving power saving information for media content is described including receiving () power saving information for a media segment in a media content, applying () said power saving information to the media segment to generate a power adjusted media content and providing () the power adjusted media content. Equivalent apparatuses for providing () and for receiving () power saving information for media content are also provided.

Method and apparatus for providing power saving media content

A system and method for setting time and date in a device (e.g., a set top box (), or similar client device) through a network connection when a network time standard server () (e.g., a NTP server) is unavailable (e.g., blocked or blacklisted) are provided. The system and method of the present disclosure involves sending () a request over a network from a device for information from an Internet address (), receiving () a packet () from the Internet address () in response to the request, extracting () time and date information from a header () in the packet (), and using the extracted time and date information to set () the current time and date for the device.

System and method for setting time and date in a device without access to network time protocol

A method and apparatus for a first device to determine profile information are described including receiving input from a second device, wherein at least one of the first device or the second device detects physical characteristics of people present in an area and the physical characteristics are used by the device to determine who is present in the area, retrieving profile information of the people present in the area, determining a relationship between profiles of the people in the area, applying rules to negotiate a compromise regarding device settings responsive to the relationship between profiles of the people present in the area and adjusting settings of a first device or a third device responsive to the compromise.

Automatic settings negotiation

A method and apparatus for serving targeted advertising to a user via a user device are described including receiving content provided by a content provider, rendering the provided content, viewing a commercial, wherein the commercial was spliced into the content based on a default commercial selection algorithm at a commercial break, determining if the user wants to rate the commercial, accepting the user's rating of the commercial if the user wants to rate the commercial and communicating the user's rating of the commercial to the content provider.

Targeted advertising

An apparatus such as a television signal receiver controls a digital recording device via a digital data bus to enable sub-channel recording and playback. According to an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus includes a processor that is operative to process signals representing a plurality of sub-channels to generate digital data for a first one of the sub-channels. The digital data includes program data and identification data for the first sub-channel. An input/output terminal is operative to provide the digital data to a digital recording device via a digital data bus.

Method and apparatus for enabling sub-channel recording and playback

A remote control device is operative to enable and facilitate user control of video systems that are operative to provide one or more three-dimensional (3D) viewing effects. According to an exemplary embodiment, the remote control device includes a user input terminal having an input element operative to receive user inputs to adjust at least one of a volume setting and a channel setting of a video system, and further operative to receive user inputs to adjust a three-dimensional (3-D) viewing effect of the video system. A transmitter is operative to transmit control signals to the video system in response to the user inputs.

Remote control device for 3D video system

A viewer viewing audio-visual content on an audio-visual display () advantageously can receive information as to potential sources of alternative audio (-) via a set-top box (). The set-top-box collects metadata identifying the audio-visual content viewed by the viewer and provides that metadata to a database () that searches for and identifies to the set-top-box the source(s) of alternative audio-if any. The set-top box will alert the viewer who can then select one of the identified sources of alternative audio in place of the audio embedded in the currently viewed audio-visual content.

Alternative audio delivery for television viewing

A method and apparatus enables users to specify analog connections for devices on a data bus network such as an IEEE 1394 network in a convenient, time-efficient manner. According to an exemplary embodiment, the method includes steps of enabling an on-screen display comprising a list of devices connected to the digital data bus network requiring analog connections to the apparatus, and enabling a user to specify the analog connections responsive to the on-screen display.

Method and apparatus for specifying analog connections for data bus network devices having both digital and analog outputs

A method and apparatus enables a user to assign a given key on an input device to any specific device on a data bus network connected to the apparatus, and thereby enables the user to quickly select the specific device for control using the given key. According to an exemplary embodiment, the method includes steps of enabling a user to assign a key on an input device of the apparatus to a device on the data bus network that is indirectly connected to the apparatus, and enabling the user to select the device for control responsive to an input of the assigned key.

Method and apparatus for selecting devices on a data bus

An apparatus and method for controlling a video signal processing apparatus having a browser feature to protect a display device associated with the apparatus against the premature aging effects of screen burn due to an idle display when the browser feature is activated. The method includes the steps of detecting a first user input to a video apparatus, determining whether the first user input activates a browser feature of the video apparatus, and controlling the operation of the apparatus to reduce the screen burn. The operation can include setting a display parameter for the video apparatus to a first predetermined level responsive to determining that the first user input activates the browser feature, or determining an idle time and inactivating the browser feature if the idle time exceeds a predetermined period of time.

Method and apparatus for controlling a video signal processing apparatus to prevent screen aging

An apparatus such as a television signal receiver controls an external device such as a digital recording/reproduction device via a digital data bus by remapping keys on a user input device. According to an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus includes an input/output terminal operative to enable signal transfer between the television signal receiver and an external device via a digital data bus. A processor is operative to detect a first command signal of a first control protocol from a user input device, and to detect one of first and second modes of the television signal receiver. The processor detects the first mode in response to making a connection between the television signal receiver and the external device via the digital data bus, and detects the second mode in response to terminating the connection between the television signal receiver and the external device via the digital data bus. The processor enables the input/output terminal to output a second command signal of a second control protocol to the external device via the digital data bus responsive to the first command signal if the first mode is detected. The processor enables a function of the television signal receiver responsive to the first command signal without enabling output of the second command signal to the external device if the second mode is detected.

Method and apparatus for controlling an external device by remapping keys on a user input device

Screen bum on televisions having Internet browser capability is avoided by removing the conventional static icons such as toolbars and buttons from the default browser and replacing their functions with keyboard keys. The invention is especially useful in projection televisions and with keyboards which have keys assigned to browser functions. Favorite URLs can be mapped to a favorite key by holding down the favorite key while a favorite web page is displayed.

Web browser for use with a television display for preventing screen burn

An apparatus having a memory and an operating system running a plurality of applications that are controlled by user signals, means to register the user signals required by each application, means to receive user signals, and means to send each received user signal to the application registered to require that signal. A method of passing user signals to a plurality of applications running with an operating system comprising receiving from each application information on user signals required by that application; saving in a memory the required user signals associated with each application; receiving a user signal from a user interface device; retrieving from the memory applications that require the received user signal; and sending the received user signal to each of the retrieved applications.

Remote key manager

An external device such as a digital recording/reproduction device may be controlled via a digital data bus using auto-play and/or auto-pause functions. According to an exemplary embodiment, a method for controlling an external device includes detecting initiation of one of a disconnection from the external device and a connection to the external device, providing a pause command signal to the external device via a digital data bus if the initiation of the disconnection from the external device is detected, and providing a play command signal to the external device via the digital data bus if the initiation of the connection to the external device is detected.

Growing community of inventors

Indianapolis, IN, United States of America

Chad Andrew Lefevre