North American Philips Corporation

Philips Electronics North America Corporation

U.S. Philips Corporation

Hugo J Strubbe

Donald R Gentner

Jorge Caviedes

Ijsbrand Jan Aalbersberg

Max Wu

Robert McFarlane

Nermeen Ismail

A method by which video compression parameters of different video streams are changed to optimize overall bandwidth utilization according to rules related to the varying interactions among group members. Different video streams are allocated different portions of the overall bandwidth based on a priority scheme. The priority scheme is based upon group dynamics. A controller (central or distributed) receives a group dynamics monitoring signal which monitors the various activities of group members. The controller (central or distributed) uses the network congestion control feedback signal and the priorities assigned to the different video streams to send feedback signals to the different video transmitters requesting the transmitters to adhere to, increase, or decrease their video data rates by changing parameters controlling the video encoding process.

Group based control scheme for video compression

A system comprising a user interface which can access downloaded electronic programs (e.g. pay per view movies) and information records related to said programs, which can be continually updated and provided over cable or satellite transmission paths or other 'fast data' paths, and which can automatically correlate the program information with the preferences of the user, to create and display at least one personalized information database based upon the results of the correlation.

System and method for finding a movie of interest in a large movie

A system comprising a user interface which can access downloaded electronic shopping information, which can be continually updated and provided either 'over the air', over cable or satellite transmission paths or other 'fast data' paths, and automatically correlate this information with the preferences of the user, to create and display at least one personalized shopping information database based upon the results of the correlation.

System and method for automatically correlating user preferences with

A television receiver comprising an improved interface circuit which automatically activates a PIP display of an auxiliary input (for example a videocassette or videodisc) when such an input is detected.

System for automatically activating picture-in-picture when an auxiliary

A user interface which can access downloaded TV program information, which can be continually updated and provided either 'over the air', over cable or satellite transmission paths or other 'fast data' paths, and automatically correlate this information with the preferences of the user, to create and display at least one program information database based upon the results of the correlation.

System and method for automatically correlating user preferences with a

A system for integrating the operation and control of a television receiver and a video cassette recorder (vcr), the television receiver being capable of receiving and displaying various television channels as well as other video signals, and the vcr being capable of recording programs at least from the broadcast channels and reproducing programs previously recorded on tapes and outputting the programs as video signals, the system having a device for enabling a user to control the system and thereby operate the television receiver and/or the vcr, and to enter information concerning the user's favorite broadcast programs and various particular broadcast programs into the system, the information including the program name, broadcast channel, starting time, length, repeat pattern in the case of favorite broadcast programs, and whether the user wants the program recorded; a first store for storing the favorite broadcast program information and the various particular broadcast program informantion; a second store for storing information concerning programs on a tape currently loaded in the vcr; a third store for storing information concerning programs on other tapes of the user; a devicd coupled to the vcr for controlling the recording and reproducing functions thereof in response to the information stored in the first and second stores and the enabling device; an output device coupled to the first, second and third stores for selectively providing to the television receiver an output of the system including the favorite broadcast program information, the program information of the current tape, and the program information of the other tapes; and a device coupled to the television receiver for selectively switching an input of the television receiver between the broadcast channels, the vcr output and the system output.

Interface for a TV-VCR system

A television system with picture-in-picture capability in which a common control element can be used to control both the main picture and the picture-in-picture on the screen together with an indicating means displayable on the screens indicate which picture the common control element is capable of controlling at any time.

Growing community of inventors

Yorktown Heights, NY, United States of America

Hugo J Strubbe