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

Methods and systems for processing touch inputs are disclosed. The invention in one respect includes reading data from a multipoint sensing device such as a multipoint touch screen where the data pertains to touch input with respect to the multipoint sensing device, and identifying at least one multipoint gesture based on the data from the multipoint sensing device.

Gestures for touch sensitive input devices

A system for utilizing metadata created either at a central location for shared use by connected users, or at each individual user's location, to enhance user's enjoyment of available broadcast programming content. A variety of mechanisms are employed for automatically and manually identifying and designating programming segments, associating descriptive metadata which the identified segments, distributing the metadata for use at client locations, and using the supplied metadata to selectively record and playback desired programming.

Audio and video program recording, editing and playback systems using metadata

A computer-implemented method for use in conjunction with a computing device with a touch screen display comprises: detecting one or more finger contacts with the touch screen display, applying one or more heuristics to the one or more finger contacts to determine a command for the device, and processing the command. The one or more heuristics comprise: a heuristic for determining that the one or more finger contacts correspond to a one- dimensional vertical screen scrolling command, a heuristic for determining that the one or more finger contacts correspond to a two-dimensional screen translation command, and a heuristic for determining that the one or more finger contacts correspond to a command to transition from displaying a respective item in a set of items to displaying a next item in the set of items.

Touch screen device, method, and graphical user interface for determining commands by applying heuristics

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

A system supplying information associated with a broadcast television program to a consumer such that said consumer perceives the associated data as the result of two way interactivity with external sources of data such as online services or the Internet. The system includes equipment for inserting the associated data into the vertical blanking interval of the television signal on the supplier side of the system. On the receiving side, the system includes a personal computer capable of receiving the television program and storing the associated data locally. The consumer may then interact with the stored associated data in an apparently two way interactive manner. Additional interactivity may be achieved by adding an actual two way communication channel to the personal computer so that online services or the Internet may be accessed. This two way communication channel is made particularly effective if the associated data contains pointers to locations in the online services or the Internet which are particularly relevant to the television program.

System and method for simulating two-way connectivity for one way data streams

A number of participants communicate via their personal computers over a telephone network with an on-line service that provides a chat capability. A server connects to the telephone network at the on-line service provider. A chat formatter at this server formats and transmits the chat over an associated data channel. This server accommodates both text and audio chat. A television program is combined with the associated data at a broadcast transmitter. The encoded television signal is broadcast over the airways by way of a broadcast tower, satellite or cable. A consumer receives the encoded television signal at a television antenna, satellite dish or cable connection. Software at the consumer's computer reads the broadcasted chat and formats it such that it appears on the computer screen as if the consumer were a participant in the chat. This software is tied to the broadcast of a particular television program. Seamless integration with a low-bandwidth data is back channel allows the consumer to view broadcast television program and chat, and participate in the chat by sending replies over the back channel.

Method and apparatus for viewing of on-line information service chat data incorporated in a broadcast television program

A host device is disclosed. The host device includes a processor and a control mechanism. The processor operates to receive primary and associated data, decode and separate the associated data from the primary data, and cause the associated data to be rendered on a separate hand held device. The processor also operates the control mechanism to control a separate display apparatus to separately receive and render the primary data.

Host apparatus for simulating two way connectivity for one way data streams

A signal processing unit is provided with at least one analyzing unit to analyze channel data generated for a number of channels of a communication signal indicative of its channel contents to determine if channel contents of the channels are among channel contents defined by selection data. The signal processing unit is further provided with an arbitrating unit for arbitrating display and/or recording resource contentions among channels having channel contents that are defined by the selection data. The channel data may be texts, uniform resource locators, images as well as numeric data, and the like. The signal processing unit is suitable for incorporation in a stand-alone as well as a client computer system.

Method and apparatus for controlling video/audio and channel selection for a communication signal based on textual information indicative of channel contents of a signal

An automatically-reconfigurable screened device. The direction of display is automatically sensed, and is automatically changed. The display is sensed by detecting which of a plurality of sensors is being touched.

Edward R. Harrison

Papers

System and method for simulating two-way connectivity for one way data streams

Method and apparatus for viewing of on-line information service chat data incorporated in a broadcast television program

Host apparatus for simulating two way connectivity for one way data streams

Method and apparatus for controlling video/audio and channel selection for a communication signal based on textual information indicative of channel contents of a signal

Automatic reorienting of screen orientation using touch sensitive system