Sarnoff Corporation

Nbcuniversal Media, LLC

Akikaze Technologies, LLC

Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Corporation

Nbc Universal, Inc.

Algen Design Services Incorporated

Mediatek Corporation

Glenn Arthur Reitmeier

Michael Tinker

Sheau Bao Ng

Michael F Steib

Jeremy D Pollack

Thomas M Duff

Rajan Mehta

Peter Smith

Ya-Qin Zhang

Charles M Wine

Steven A Steckler

George Herbert Needham Riddle

Robert Norman Hurst

Terrence R Smith

Herschel Clement Burstyn

Daniel Berkowitz

Dinei Afonso Ferreira Florencio

Christopher J Falkner

Thomas Michael Stiller

Smith Freeman

Carl C Steinmetz

Ralph Anthony Stanziola

Arley Christopher Seeger

Harold Douglas Lung

Bill Mandel

A tangible, non-transitory machine-readable medium includes machine-readable instructions that, when executed, cause processing circuitry to receive a signal indicative of high dynamic range content. The signal includes 1) a first portion that forms a first percentage of the signal and is associated with a first brightness range and 2) a second portion that forms a second percentage of the signal associated with a second brightness range. The instructions, when executed, are also configured to cause the processing circuitry to produce an adjusted signal to represent the signal such that a graphical representation of the adjusted signal includes an area corresponding to the first portion of the signal that is expanded relative to a graphical representation of the first portion of the signal. Furthermore, the instructions, when executed, are configured to cause the processing circuitry to cause display of a graphical representation of the adjusted signal.

Normalized high-dynamic range visualization

Described are methods and systems for combining programming content in a controlled synchronized manner. The systems and methods allow for centrally generated content to be modified using local content. The centrally generated content can include data that specifies what portions of the centrally generated content can be modified by the local content.

Distributed composition of broadcast television programs

A system for coordinated playback of time-shifted content with time-adapted complimentary content is provided. The time-shifted content may be played back from storage media, both local and remote. Time-shifting may occur by independent playback such as from optical discs and other memory devices, as well as from user manipulation of features in a playback system based upon real-time or near real-time content distribution. The content is identified, along with timing information identifying where in the content the playback is occurring. Time-adapted complimentary content may then be selected and transmitted to the playback system. Such time-adapted content may include advertisement, product and service offerings, complimentary information, audio and/or video content, and so forth.

Time-adapted content delivery system and method

Broadcasts over designated bands of the radiofrequency spectrum allow for flexible use of the spectrum as well as for the receipt of return signals from receivers. To obtain return signals, information indicating one or more return channels and/or one or more return time windows may be sent with the broadcast transmission. The broadcast transmission may be made over UHF bands, with the return signals being made over VHF bands. Spectrum may be utilized more efficiently by transmitting one or more beacon signals that define parameters for the broadcast transmission. Receivers may be adapted to decode the data of the beacon signals and rapidly tune to the broadcast transmission.

Flexible broadcast system and method

A technique is provided for the parallel communication of digital content via broadcast channels and two-way data communications channels. Mobile devices may receive the digital content by the broadcast channels, and depending upon user preferences, signal quality, signal strength and other factors, coordinated switchover may be made from reception and playback of the content from a broadcast channel to reception and content from a two-way data communications channel.

Broadcast/digital network switchover system and method

A method and apparatus for preserving the dynamic range of a relatively high dynamic range information stream, illustratively a high resolution video signal, subjected to a relatively low dynamic range encoding and/or transport process(es). A relatively high dynamic range information stream is subjected to a segmentation and remapping process whereby each segment is remapped to the relatively low dynamic range appropriate to the encoding and/or transport process(es) utilized. An auxiliary information stream includes segment and associated remapping information such that the initial, relatively high dynamic range information stream may be recovered in a post-encoding (i.e. decoding) or post-transport (i.e., receiving) process.

Region-based information compaction as for digital images

A method and concomitant apparatus for compressing, multiplexing and, in optional embodiments, encrypting, transporting, decrypting, decompressing and presenting high quality video information in a manner that substantially preserves the fidelity of the video information in a system utilizing standard quality circuits to implement high quality compression, transport and decompression.

Enhanced MPEG information distribution apparatus and method

A method of validating content for use on at least one node of a network, includes identifying whether the content has at least one adjunct; reviewing the at least one adjunct, where found, to determine whether the content is valid for use on the at least one node; and indicating that the content is unauthorized for use on the at least one node where no adjunct is found and/or where an adjunct is found that is not able to render the content valid for use on the at least one node.

Content validation for digital network

A method and apparatus for securing and, optionally, distributing an information stream by divided the information stream into a collection of segments and compressing the segments, rearranging the order of the segments and encrypting the segments.

Secure information distribution system utilizing information segment scrambling

A color display apparatus and method for displaying colors using radiation sources uses displays that may include multiple radiation sources, a display surface and control hardware and software that enable accurate and reproducible color display. Another apparatus provides means for generating colors upon request and communicating digital information regarding the generation of the color spectrum to local or remote display devices. The apparatus may be used in selecting and ordering colors subject to supplier constraints. Methods for displaying colors and enabling display of the colors in remote locations, as well as methods for conducting business by communicating the color display information are all provided.

Color display device

Compression-related information is used to constrain the selection and control of video imagery and content used to produce one or more uncompressed video streams for subsequent compression processing. Rather than taking an uncompressed video stream &ldquo;as is&rdquo; for compression processing, characteristics of compression processing are taken into consideration during the video production stage when the uncompressed video stream is generated. Different types of constraints include &ldquo;intra-frame&rdquo; constraints that constrain video content within a frame of a video stream, &ldquo;inter-frame&rdquo; constraints that constrain video content from frame to frame within a video stream, and &ldquo;inter-stream&rdquo; constraints that constrain video content across different video streams. Two or more different constraints and two or more different types of constraints may be applied simultaneously. The compression-related information may be &ldquo;static&rdquo; (e.g., in the form of processing &ldquo;rules&rdquo; that are applied) or fed back in real time from the video compression stage as &ldquo;dynamic&rdquo; information. By taking the subsequent compression processing into account during the video production stage, the resulting uncompressed video stream(s) can be encoded (e.g., to achieve more programs per channel and/or higher quality per program) using computationally inexpensive &ldquo;objective&rdquo; video compression algorithms that operate without taking video content into consideration, while still achieving the bit rate and video quality levels achieved using computationally expensive &ldquo;subjective&rdquo; video compression algorithms that do take video content into consideration.

Growing community of inventors

Yardley, PA, United States of America

Glenn Arthur Reitmeier