An intelligent electronic appliance preferably includes a user interface, data input and/or output port, and an intelligent processor. A preferred embodiment comprises a set top box for interacting with broadband media streams, with an adaptive user interface, content-based media processing and/or media metadata processing, and telecommunications integration. An adaptive user interface models the user, by observation, feedback, and/or explicit input, and presents a user interface and/or executes functions based on the user model. A content-based media processing system analyzes media content, for example audio and video, to understand the content, for example to generate content-descriptive metadata. A media metadata processing system operates on locally or remotely generated metadata to process the media in accordance with the metadata, which may be, for example, an electronic program guide, MPEG 7 data, and/or automatically generated format. A set top box preferably includes digital trick play effects, and incorporated digital rights management features.

Intelligent electronic appliance system and method

An adaptive interface for a programmable system, for predicting a desired user function, based on user history, as well as machine internal status and context. The apparatus receives an input from the user and other data. A predicted input is presented for confirmation by the user, and the predictive mechanism is updated based on this feedback. Also provided is a pattern recognition system for a multimedia device, wherein a user input is matched to a video stream on a conceptual basis, allowing inexact programming of a multimedia device. The system analyzes a data stream for correspondence with a data pattern for processing and storage. The data stream is subjected to adaptive pattern recognition to extract features of interest to provide a highly compressed representation which may be efficiently processed to determine correspondence. Applications of the interface and system include a VCR, medical device, vehicle control system, audio device, environmental control system, securities trading terminal, and smart house. The system optionally includes an actuator for effecting the environment of operation, allowing closed-loop feedback operation and automated learning.

Ergonomic man-machine interface incorporating adaptive pattern recognition based control system

An interactive television program guide with remote access is provided. The interactive television program guide is implemented on interactive television program guide equipment. A remote program guide access device is connected to the interactive television program guide equipment by a remote access link to provide a user with remote access to program guide functions. An interactive television program guide system based on multiple user television equipment devices in a single household is provided. The system provides a user with an opportunity to adjust program guide settings with a given one of the interactive television program guides. Program guide setting include features related to setting program reminders, profiles, program recording features, messaging features, favorites features, parental control features, program guide set up features (e.g., audio and video and language settings), etc.

Interactive television program guide with remote access

An interactive television program guide system is provided. An interactive television program guide provides users with an opportunity to select programs for recording on a remote media server. Programs may also be recorded on a local media server. The program guide provides users with VCR-like control over programs that are played back from the media servers and over real-time cached copies of the programs. The program guide also provides users with an opportunity to designate gift recipients for whom programs may be recorded.

Client-server based interactive television program guide system with remote server recording

An adaptive interface for a programmable system, for predicting a desired user function, based on user history, as well as machine internal status and context. The apparatus receives an input from the user and other data. A predicted input is presented for confirmation by the user, and the predictive mechanism is updated based on this feedback. Also provided is a pattern recognition system for a multimedia device, wherein a user input is matched to a video stream on a conceptual basis, allowing inexact programming of a multimedia device. The system analyzes a data stream for correspondence with a data pattern for processing and storage. The data stream is subjected to adaptive pattern recognition to extract features of interest to provide a highly compressed representation that may be efficiently processed to determine correspondence. Applications of the interface and system include a video cassette recorder (VCR), medical device, vehicle control system, audio device, environmental control system, securities trading terminal, and smart house. The system optionally includes an actuator for effecting the environment of operation, allowing closed-loop feedback operation and automated learning.

Adaptive pattern recognition based control system and method

A remotely controllable computing and multimedia entertainment system includes a personal computer (24) having an entertainment circuit (12) made up of a radio frequency circuit (48), a television circuit (46), and an audio multimedia circuit (18). A remote control circuit (50) provides programmable control of the entertainment circuit (12) to select among computer function operation, television and radio operation, and audio operation. An analog mixing circuit (70) within the audio multimedia circuit (18) provides mixing for a plurality of analog audio signals. A telephone circuit (44) integrates data, fax, and voice telephone signals in the entertainment circuit (12). A volume control circuit (318) within the audio multimedia circuit (18) provides varying volume, bass, and tone levels for each audio signal received by the analog mixing circuit (70). The analog audio signals received by analog mixing circuit (70) may include monaural and stereo audio signals.

Computing and multimedia entertainment system

A personal computer workstation (10) for processing and communicating data which comprises, in combination, a personal computer chassis (20). Chassis (20) includes host computer (24) with memory (42) and a plurality of ports for communicating data signals. Telecommunications circuitry (12) within chassis (20) processes telecommunications data and communicates telecommunications data to host computer (24) and ports. Audio multimedia circuitry (18) within chassis (20) processes audio multimedia data and communicates audio multimedia data to host computer (24) and ports. An interface bus (300) within chassis (20) and associated with telecommunications circuitry (12) and audio multimedia circuitry (18) integrates telecommunications data and audio multimedia data to produce multimedia telecommunications data for processing and storage within host computer (24) and communication of the integrated multimedia telecommunications data external to chassis (20).

Brittain D. Fraley

Papers

Computing and multimedia entertainment system

Multimedia computing and telecommunications workstation