A system for integrating video programming with the vast information resources of the Internet. A computer-based system receives a video program with embedded uniform resource locators (URLs). The URLs, the effective addresses of locations or Web sites on the Internet, are interpreted by the system and direct the system to the Web site locations to retrieve related Web pages. Upon receipt of the Web pages by the system, the Web pages are synchronized to the video content for display. The video program signal can be displayed on a video window on a conventional personal computer screen. The actual retrieved Web pages are time stamped to also be displayed, on another portion of the display screen, when predetermined related video content is displayed in the video window. As an alternative, the computer-based system receives the URLs directly through an Internet connection, at times specified by TV broadcasters in advance. The system interprets the URLs and retrieves the appropriate Web pages. The Web pages are synchronized to the video content for display in conjunction with a television program being broadcast to the user at that time. This alternative system allows the URLs to be entered for live transmission to the user.

Enhanced video programming system and method for incorporating and displaying retrieved integrated Internet information segments

Newness and distinctiveness is claimed in the features of ornamentation as shown inside the broken line circle in the accompanying representation.

Display screen or portion thereof with graphical user interface

An intelligent automated assistant system engages with the user in an integrated, conversational manner using natural language dialog, and invokes external services when appropriate to obtain information or perform various actions. The system can be implemented using any of a number of different platforms, such as the web, email, smartphone, and the like, or any combination thereof. In one embodiment, the system is based on sets of interrelated domains and tasks, and employs additional functionally powered by external services with which the system can interact.

Intelligent Automated Assistant

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 modular self-care health monitoring system which employs a small handheld microprocessor-based unit (12) such as a compact video game system of the type that includes a display screen (28), switches for controlling device operation (30, 32, 34, 36, 38) and a program cartridge (41, 42, 43) that is inserted into the handheld unit to adapt it for operation with a microprocessor-based healthcare data management unit (10) and a glucose monitor (16) (or, another type of health monitor (30, 32). A modem (46), included in the microprocessor-based data management unit (10), allows data such as blood glucose level to be transmitted to a clearinghouse (54), which transmits reports to a remotely located healthcare professional (60) via facsimile transmission (55). The system is intended for use by persons of all ages, but primarily is directed to children afflicted with diabetes or other chronic ailments.

Modular microprocessor-based health monitoring system

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a home controller receives signals from the cable television system and utilizes a cable demodulator tuned to the RF frequency of the channel which carries the data information. The cable demodulator demodulates the RF encoded signals into conventional baseband digital form which are transmitted to a packet receiver which decodes packets addressed to individual users. If a packet is addressed to the user, the packet receiver transmits the corresponding data such as by an ETHERNET transceiver to the user's personal computer. A communication controller may be utilized to provide an interface between the personal computer and the cable demodulator, thereby enabling the personal computer to select the channel to which the cable demodulator is tuned, in order to permit multiple data channels to be utilized.

Customer premises equipment receives high-speed downstream data over a cable television system and transmits lower speed upstream signaling on a separate channel

Data communications apparatus and methods employing a bidirectional low bandwidth channel and a unidirectional high bandwidth channel. A PC is coupled to an information source by a communications system which provides both a bidirectional low bandwidth channel between the PC and the information source and a high bandwidth channel in which the information source is the source and the PC is the sink. A component of the communications system termed the director responds to a message received in the low bandwidth channel by switching the information being sent from the information source to the PC to the high or low bandwidth channel as specified in the message. The message may come either from the PC or the information source. A graphical user interface at the PC provides the user with "buttons" to specify the bandwidth. The apparatus and methods may be advantageously employed to provide telecommuting services.

Apparatus and method for combining high bandwidth and low bandwidth data transfer

A split channel bridging unit includes a router that operates under the control of a control processor to route packets of information destined for a user to a modulator which is connected to the cable distribution head-end of the cable television system which serves the requesting user. The modulator encodes the digital information transmitted from the router and encodes it in an RF channel to be carried by the television cable. The cable distribution head-end combines this channel with other conventional cable television sources to broadcast these channels to its users. The customer premises equipment of the user includes an RF demodulator and packet receiver which demodulates the RF encoded signals and utilizes the packet receiver to transmit the digital information addressed to the particular user to the user's personal computer. Upstream requests are made by the user by utilizing a modem connection over the public switched telephone network with a terminating modem contained in the split channel bridging unit. Secured low-speed control information is preferably supported bidirectionally by utilizing a modem connection over the public switched telephone network.

Apparatus and Method for Integrating Downstream Data Transfer Over a Cable Television Channel with Upstream Data Carried by Other Media

A user's personal computer is coupled to a home controller which is, in turn connected to the input cable from a cable television system and to a set top box which determines the channel to be delivered to an associated television. The service provider transmits over a conventional modem communication link the alert message to the user's personal computer. If an acknowledgment by the user is not transmitted to the service provider, a command message is transmitted by the dial-up communication link to the personal computer instructing the personal computer to activate a modulator contained in the home controller to provide an RF encoded signal representing the alert message to be displayed on the television associated with the set top box. In order to determine the channel to which the set top box is tuned, the home controller receives such information from the set top box and relays the information to the personal computer which can then instruct the modulator contained in the home controller to tune to the correct channel being viewed on the television associated with the set top box. This permits the service provider to effectively display an alert message over the television served by the cable television system thereby, providing a greater likelihood of alerting the user or someone in the user's household that an alert has been received.

Apparatus and method for diplaying an alert to an individual personal computer user via the user's television connected to a cable television system

A system which avoids the bandwidth inefficiencies of simply providing multiple separate and independent channels for distributing data services over television compatible networks by considering the multiple channels as one unit and managing them as one unit with an upstream bandwidth management unit. This bandwidth management unit dynamically assigns active users to unused bandwidth among multiple channels. To accomplish this, the bandwidth management unit records each request for channel bandwidth that is made, each request that is being actively fulfilled, and each request that has been completed. Thus, data service providers, such as multimedia services, can efficiently use multiple 6 megahertz television network compatible channels to distribute their data to many requesters/users at high rates of speed over a relatively inexpensive existing network.

Venkata Chalapathi Majeti

Papers

Customer premises equipment receives high-speed downstream data over a cable television system and transmits lower speed upstream signaling on a separate channel

Apparatus and method for combining high bandwidth and low bandwidth data transfer

Apparatus and Method for Integrating Downstream Data Transfer Over a Cable Television Channel with Upstream Data Carried by Other Media

Apparatus and method for diplaying an alert to an individual personal computer user via the user's television connected to a cable television system

Dynamic channel assignment for TCP/IP data transmitted via cable television channels by managing the channels as a single sub network