Arris Enterprises LLC

General Instrument Corporation

Michael A Casteloes

Wendell Sun

Erik John Elstermann

Kevin S Wirick

Siu-Wai Wu

Robert S Nemiroff

Vincent C Liu

Mark L Schaffer

John Shumate

Rebecca Lam

Todd T Kassman

Robert L Seymour

Jing Yang Chen

Vincent Hok Liu

Robert Stone

Ken-Ho Chang

Hanson On

Robert J Stone

An integrated network receiver includes a first universal resource identifier for a first channel and an input suitable for receiving a first input video content from the Internet based upon the first universal resource identifier. The integrated network receiver provides the first input video content for the first channel to a head end connected to a plurality of customer devices through a transmission network. The integrated network receiver updating the first universal resource identifier based upon data obtained from a video address server.

System to monitor and manage integrated receiver decoders

A method is disclosed that includes: receiving, via a network digital video recorder, a request to record requested content; receiving, via a network digital video recorder at a first time, the requested content in a first format and the requested content in a second format; storing, via the network digital video recorder, the requested content in the first format; storing, via the network digital video recorder, the requested content in the second format; deleting, from network digital video recorder, the requested content in the second format after a predetermined time period; and transcoding, via an on demand transcoder, the requested content in the first format to the requested content in a third format after the predetermined time period.A method is disclosed, including: receiving request to record content; receiving the requested content in a plurality of versions; storing the requested content; from the plurality of versions, identify mezzanine content having a first format and resolution for retaining in storage; for a remaining plurality of versions: determine at least one criterion; retain one or more versions of the remaining plurality of versions in storage until the at least one criterion is met; receiving a request for playback of the requested content to a subscriber's device; determining whether the request may be fulfilled using any stored versions of the plurality of versions of the requested content; if the version having a format and resolution corresponding to the decoding capabilities of the subscriber's device is not stored, regenerate, from a stored version of the plurality of versions, the format and resolution that corresponds to the decoding capabilities of the subscriber's device.

System and method for multiscreen network digital video recording using on-demand transcoding

A method is disclosed that includes: receiving, via a network digital video recorder, a request to record requested content; receiving, via a network digital video recorder at a first time, the requested content in a first format and the requested content in a second format; storing, via the network digital video recorder, the requested content in the first format; storing, via the network digital video recorder, the requested content in the second format; deleting, from network digital video recorder, the requested content in the second format after a predetermined time period; and transcoding, via an on demand transcoder, the requested content in the first format to the requested content in a third format after the predetermined time period.

A system is provided for coordinating the presentation of program content received from a first network and a second network independent from the first network. The system uses heartbeat messages typically transmitted along communication paths to monitor the operation of the communications paths to transmit information necessary for stream switching to alternate programming or alternate sources of the same programming.

Disseminating program content via alternative networks

Converting a DS3 transport stream to MPEG-2 packets over an ASI transport stream includes extracting MPEG-2 packets along with PCR values, calculating a new PCR value to compensate for packet time shift, and replacing the extracted PCR value with the new PCR value prior to outputting MPEG-2 packets. An apparatus for processing a DS3 transport stream carrying an MPEG-2 payload includes a DS3 receiver to receive the stream and to output a data signal and clock signal. The DS3 receiver includes a DS3 interface to receive DS3 packets and discard null packets, and includes PCR correction to determine if received DS3 packets include PCR values and to adjust PCR values prior to outputting the MPEG-2 packet. Packets are output without storing each packet in a buffer, but storing the PCR value in the buffer.

DS3 to ASI converter with reduced memory

A statistical multiplexer for coding and multiplexing multiple channels of digital television data, or multiple panels of HDTV digital television data. A bit rate need parameter is determined for each encoder in a stat mux group, and an encoding bit rate is allocated to each channel based on its need parameter. A transmission bit rate is allocated to each channel as a time-lagged version of its need parameter to minimize a rate mismatch between the output and the input of a decoder buffer. A packet processor checks for impending decoder buffer overflow or underflow events to set minimum and maximum limits on the transmission bit rate. Moreover, these limits are set based on whether a new transmission bit rate can be implemented before the decoding time stamp (DTS) of the current or next frame.

Method and apparatus for determining a transmission bit rate in a statistical multiplexer

A statistical multiplexer for coding and multiplexing multiple channels of digital television data, or multiple panels of HDTV digital television data. A bit rate need parameter is determined for each encoder in a stat mux group by scaling the complexities of previous pictures of the same and different picture types. Scaling factors based on an activity level, motion estimation score, and number of pictures of a certain type in a GOP, may be used. Moreover, the scaling factors may be bounded based on a linear or non-linear operator to prevent large variations in the factors. An encoding bit rate is allocated to each channel based on its need parameter.

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Poway, CA, United States of America

Michael A Casteloes