PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem, wherein it is impossible for an electronic content information provider to provide commercially secure and effective method, for a configurable general-purpose electronic commercial transaction/distribution control system. SOLUTION: In this system, having at least one protected processing environment for safely controlling at least one portion of decoding of digital information, a secure content distribution method comprises a process for encapsulating digital information in one or more digital containers; a process for encrypting at least a portion of digital information; a process for associating at least partially secure control information for managing interactions with encrypted digital information and/or digital container; a process for delivering one or more digital containers to a digital information user; and a process for using a protected processing environment, for safely controlling at least a portion of the decoding of the digital information. COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a423264.pdf

Systems and Methods for Secure Transaction Management and Electronic Rights Protection

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

In summary, the present invention is an information and advertising distribution system. A data server stores and updates a database of information items and advertisements. The information items and advertisements are each categorized so that each has an associated information category. Workstations remotely located from the data server each include a display device, a communication interface for receiving at least a subset of the information items and advertisements in the data server's database and local memory for storing the information items and advertisements received from the data server. An information administrator in each workstation establishes communication with the data server from time to time so as to update the information items and advertisements stored in local memory with at least a subset of the information items and advertisements stored by the data server. An information display controller in each workstation displays on the workstation's display device at least a subset of the information items and advertisements stored in local memory when the workstation meets predefined idleness criteria. At least a subset of the workstations include a profiler for storing subscriber profile data. The subscriber profile data represents subscriber information viewing preferences, indicating information categories for which the subscriber does and does not want to view information items. The information display controller includes a filter for excluding from the information items displayed on the display device those information items Inconsistent with the subscriber profile data.

Information and advertising distribution system and method

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

Apparatus for providing a user friendly interface to a subscription television terminal comprises a key pad arranged into a plurality of key groupings and an on-screen display controller for generating a plurality of screens for display on an associated television receiver. Five such key groupings are segregated from one another and comprise function keys, initialization keys, channel keys, audio keys and digit keys. The digit keys may be most conveniently arranged in a two dimensional matrix corresponding to a key pad of a conventional tone dialing telephone. Each of the other key groupings may be arranged linearly and differentiated by the use of color or boxes. A method of initializing the cable television terminal comprises the steps of generating a display of a menu structure, actuating the movement of a cursor in one direction through choices presented by a menu by use of a cursor key, and actuating a selection of a menu choice via actuation of a select key. For example, a sleep timer may be implemented in a subscription television terminal for turning off power to an associated television set after a predetermined period of time. Parental control of received channels can be established such that only those having knowledge of a particular code may view the parentally controlled channel. Other features of a terminal in accorance with the invention include messaging, establishing a favorite channel list, pay-per-view, program timing, and terminal control.

Method and apparatus for providing an on-screen user interface for a subscription television terminal

A system and method for multiplexing a plurality of digital programs for transmission to a plurality of remote locations is claimed (20). An encoder (16) is provided that first generates a plurality of subframe data streams (60) each comprising a continuous sequence of subframes. For each subframe data stream, portions of the program data region of each of the subframes in that subframe data stream are allocated to selected ones of the plurality of programs. Mapping information is provided in the transport layer region of each subframe for use by a decoder in extracting a selected program from each subframe. A multiplex data stream is then generated at the encoder that comprises a continuous sequence of superframes (66). A portion of the subframe data region of each superframe is allocated to at least one subframe from each of the plurality of subframe data streams. The multiplex data stream is then transmitted to the plurality of remote locations.

System and method for multiplexing a plurality of digital program services for transmission to remote locations

A subscriber terminal apparatus for a television in an in-band subscription television system is provided. The subscriber terminal is adapted to receive a television signal including video, audio, and data information. A tuner of the subscriber terminal tunes channels of the television signal and an on-screen display control circuit selectively provides a display of characters on the television. A tuner control tunes the tuner to a channel having in-band data when the display of characters is provided on the television.

Method and apparatus for tuning data channels in a subscription television system having in-band data transmissions

A subscriber terminal apparatus for a television in an in-band subscription television system is provided. The subscriber terminal includes a receiver for receiving a television signal including video, audio, and data information. A selector selects a channel of the television signal. A memory stores a plurality of barker screens providing messages regarding one or more channels of the television signal. An on-screen display control circuit controls the display of the barker screens on the television. A processor retrieving a barker screen from the memory and supplies the retrieved screen to the on-screen display control circuit if the barker screen provides a message regarding a selected channel. Barker screen information may also be obtained from a dedicated data channel or a six megahertz video barker channel.

Method and apparatus for providing message information to subscribers in a cable television system

A subscriber terminal includes a receiver for receiving a television signal including video, audio and data information. A channel of the television signal may be selected for display on the television. A memory stores channel identification information such as channel identifiers. The channel identifiers include at least one display character. A processor establishes a relationship between channel identification information and channel numbers associated with channels of the television signal. An on-screendisplay control circuit controls the display of character information on the television and has the capability of overlaying the channel number and the channel identification information on the video portion of a selected channel displayed on the television for a predetermined period of time. Program identification information such as program titles may also be displayed. Alternatively or additionally, the channel identification information may be displayed on a display such as an LED display of a subscriber terminal.

Julius B. Bagley

Papers

Method and apparatus for providing an on-screen user interface for a subscription television terminal

System and method for multiplexing a plurality of digital program services for transmission to remote locations

Method and apparatus for tuning data channels in a subscription television system having in-band data transmissions

Method and apparatus for providing message information to subscribers in a cable television system

Method and apparatus for displaying channel identification information