General Instrument Corporation

Comcast Cable Communications, LLC

Concurrent Computer Corporation

Jack M Birnbaum

Derek T Harrar

Chris Del Sordo

Christopher S Del Sordo

Christopher Poli

Ira S Lehrman

Kenneth P Miller

Douglas S Makofka

Stephen A Allinson

Dave Prezuhy

Michael A Chen

Thomas F Bates, Iv

Donald Tavoletti

David A Prezuhy

Robert Gazda

Mike Tudisco

Thomas F Bates Iv

Jeffrey T Davis

Rocky C Torsitano

A system and method for facilitating, selecting, or otherwise providing access to electronic content and services. Access to the content and services may be provided in such a manner as to facilitate access to higher quality forms of the content. The higher quality forms of the content may relate to any number of characteristics associated with displaying, transmitting, compressing, securing, and/or otherwise manipulating the content to more suitable forms relative to another form.

Selection of electronic content and services

A system and method to facilitating selecting or otherwise providing access to electronic content and services. Access to the content and services may be provided in such as a manner as to facilitate access to higher quality forms of the content. The higher quality forms of the content may be relate to any number of characteristics associated with displaying, transmitting, compressing, securing, and/or otherwise manipulating the content to more suitable forms relative to another form.

A targeted integrated image is created for delivery to a user. Content of potential interest to the user is determined based on at least one user preference. This determination may be made prior to or during the user's request for an image, such as video content, or while the user is receiving an image, such as a menu or programming guide. An image representing the content of potential interest to the user, such as a barker is selected and combined with another image of interest to the user to form a targeted integrated image for delivery to the user. The user preference may include information representing content viewing habits or content ordering habits of the user. The user preferences may be associated with the identity of the user.

Method and apparatus for creating a targeted integrated image

A Download Control Message instructs a set-top terminal in a cable television system to located and immediately begin downloading a code or other data object available over the cable system. The Download Control Message specifies, for example, the size, name, version and location (URL or transport stream and PID) of the object to be acquired by the set-top terminal. The terminal accordingly can begin immediate acquisition of the object. An address or other characteristic associated with the Download Control Message allows the system operator to target the Message to a particular set-top terminal or group of terminals.

Method and system for directing the download of software and firmware objects over a network such as a cable television system

A software interface () is provided to enable television settop middleware () and operating system (OS) software () to control and interact with core settop system software () in a subscriber television terminal to facilitate the provision of desirable digital television services, including authentication and authorization.

Programming interface for configuring a television settop terminal

A software interface () is provided to enable television settop middleware () and operating system (OS) software () to control and interact with core settop system software () in a subscriber television terminal to facilitate the provision of desirable digital television services, including service acquisition (e.g., acquisition of a pay-per-view movie), system information management, settop configuration and control, return path for polling, download capability, and non-volatile memory management.

A method and apparatus for providing abstraction layers in the hierarchical structure of a set-top terminal to enable the set-top's firmware to be compatible with different operating systems. An operating system (OS) kernel interface is provided using a first OS abstraction layer that is OS-independent, and a second abstraction layer that is OS-dependent. The interface enables the terminal's firmware to access the kernel's set of functions independently of the OS. The abstraction layers provide an interface for kernel functions for the following kernel constructs: Timers, Threads, Memory, Synchronization and Messaging. The invention benefits terminal manufacturers and developers as well as network operators by allowing set-top firmware to run without modifications due to a change in the set-top's OS.

Kernel abstraction layer for digital television set-top box firmware

A method and apparatus for detecting a hardware configuration in a digital terminal, and, in response, selecting a corresponding executable software path for initializing the hardware. All terminals in a digital communication network, such as a television network, are provided with a single common set-top firmware/software object that contains all software components required to run on all hardware platforms. The total amount of software needed at the terminals is reduced over prior art schemes since the common software object includes software that is common to the different hardware component types only once, instead of providing a different object for each hardware type which results in duplication of the common software. The software from the software object can execute on platforms with different hardware components and circuits. This provides freedom to the network operator to select terminals with reduced cost components, e.g., from different manufacturers. Additionally, the system avoids the need to provide different software to the terminals based on their hardware platform type.

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Southampton, PA, United States of America

Jack M Birnbaum