International Business Machines Corporation

Glen E Hamblin

Kenneth Louis Milsted

James T Tsevdos

Marco M Hurtado

Kha D Nguyen

George Gregory Gruse

Craig N Kindell

Susan E Waefler

John Dorak

Paripon Singkornrat

Ross L Cook

Donald J Watzel

Brent C Anderson

Don E Basnett, Jr

Robert S Barnhill

Nancy Lee Ring

Carlos Portela

In a data communication network wherein broadcasted transmissions include a portion uniquely identifying the content of the following transmission and wherein transmissions are repeated at predetermined intervals, a communication unit for operating within the system includes a receiver, a processor, and memory for storing data and instructions for the processor. The receiver receives transmissions over the communication network. The communication unit receives a record command from a user that causes it to record the audio/video content being broadcasted during a subsequent transmission thereof. The memory includes space for storing the program that causes the communication unit to automatically record the transmission at the time the transmission is re-broadcasted.

Method and system for recording in-progress broadcast programs

A game programming system uses rewritable cartridges that are compatible with commercially available game systems to produce game cartridges at a point-of-sale location so that retailers only need to stock sufficient uniquely designed game blanks to meet consumer demand. A game programmer or programming device loads digital content from computer storage to a rewritable game cartridge incorporating reprogrammable flash memory. The system includes flash rewritable cartridge identification hardware that allows verification of the cartridge to identify it as proprietary to a particular manufacturer or authorized dealer. The system provides for game content to be erased from the cartridge and new game content to be programmed so that the cartridge can be reused time after time to house any number of programs. During a cartridge write operation, a game programmer interface accepts data stored in a personal computer (PC) and fills first in first out (FIFO) memory. A sequencer generates addresses, proper commands, control signals, and timing signals, and sends the game content from the FIFO memory to the game programmer which passes the information to the reprogrammable game cartridge. The sequencer enables the game programming system to write data to the reprogrammable game cartridge very rapidly. The game programmer provides an interface between the game program storage and reprogrammable game cartridge. The programmer may include multiple slots or sockets and accommodate cartridges from different manufacturers with different game formats.

Game programming flash memory cartridge system including a programmer

A digital data on-demand turnkey system at a customer premise wherein N number of sewers provide for 100% of content distribution of remotely stored digitized information, which information may be previewed in real-time, and product incorporating selected digitized information can be manufactured on-site and within a short response time to a customer's request at a point of sale location. In a retail environment customers, at a point-of-sale location are able to exhaustively search and preview the content database using graphics-based touch screens at consumer kiosks. Previews including audio and video segments are made available. Prompting screens allow customers to make purchasing decisions by stipulating content which is available from any number of categories of subject matter including music. The selected media for the manufacture and production of the digital data may be from a myriad of different selections and can include CD's, cassette tapes, CD ROM technology, reel-to-reel tapes, and video disks, as an example. A master server will be situated geographically so as to be accessible to chain and network subservers. Its geographic and networked location is dependent upon communication network systems and subsystem costs and availability in order to best serve a customer's premise, whether it be a retail store or similar point-of-sale or other end-user location. Security mechanisms that require centralized database authorizations prior to the transmission of content and/or the manufacture of any of the products is provided in addition.

Digital information accessing, delivery and production system

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Boca Raton, FL, United States of America

Glen E Hamblin