124results about "Broadcast systems characterised by addressed receivers" patented technology

A remote control for operating a consumer electronic device. The remote control device may comprise a housing providing a mounting for a visual display and a keyboard including a plurality of keys; electrical circuitry in the housing including a microprocessor, at least one of an IR or RF receiver circuit coupled to the microprocessor, keyboard circuitry coupled between the microprocessor and the keyboard, a memory coupled to the microprocessor, and at least one of an IR or RF transmitter circuit coupled to the microprocessor. Program guide software is stored in the memory and executable by the microprocessor for causing to be displayed on the visual display, upon actuation of one or more of the keys, a program guide, advertising and / or other content contained in a data set received by the receiver.

A novel network manager for use with a cable television system headend capable of monitoring and managing headend components and set top terminals in a television delivery system is described. The invention relates to methods and apparatus that manage and coordinate the reception of various programming and control signals at a headend. The invention manages and coordinates the storage of such signals for intelligent selection and distribution to set top terminals. The invention makes use of a receiver or set of receivers, a work station, a program control information processing component, a network management CPU, databases, control software and an instruction memory. The invention uses these components to manage and monitor certain headend components, such as signal reception equipment, an authorization component, a file server, MPEG decoders, a digital buffer with frame repeat and channel modulators. The invention is particularly useful in processing and responding to upstream information and subscriber communications received from set top terminals. In so doing, the invention accommodates various system services, including (1) near video on demand (NVOD), (2) virtual video on demand (VVOD), (3) video on demand (VOD), (4) interactive program services, (5) program suggestion features, (6) advertisement targeting, (7) generation of standard and custom menus, and (8) data spooling and text overlaying.

A viewer interface for a television program delivery system is described. The innovation relates to methods and devices for viewer pathways to television programs. Specifically, the interface involves hardware and software used in conjunction with a television at the viewer home to create a user friendly menu based approach to television program access. The device is particularly useful in a program delivery system with hundreds of programs and a data signal carrying program information. The disclosure describes menu generation and menu selection of television programs.

Methods and systems for generating, distributing, and screening commercial content are disclosed. A commercial content generator (CCG) generates commercial content message and obtains from a push proxy agent address resolution server the network routing address of each push proxy agent that is required for distribution of the message to the target mobile subscriber audience. A push proxy agent receives a message containing commercial content and resolves a mobile subscriber identifier for each mobile subscriber who is to receive the commercial content information using subscriber information obtained from a subscriber location register, such as a visitor location register (VLR). The push proxy agent may also negotiate media format characteristics for each member of the target mobile subscriber audience and facilitate delivery of the commercial content to each member of the target mobile subscriber audience.

An expanded television program delivery system is disclosed which allows viewers to select television and audio program choices from a series of menus. Menus are partially stored in a set-top terminal in each subscriber's home. The menus may be reprogrammed by signals sent from a headend or from a central operations center. The system allows for a great number of television signals to be transmitted by using digital compression techniques. An operations center with computer-assisted packaging allows various television, audio and data signals to be combined, compressed and multiplexed into signals transmitted on various channels to a cable headend which distributes the signals to individual set-top terminals. Various types of menus may be used and the menus may incorporate information included within the video / data signal received by the set-top terminal. A remote control unit with icon buttons allows a subscriber to select programs based upon a series of major menus, submenus, and during program menus. Various billing and statistics gathering methods for the program delivery system are also disclosed.

Methods are provided for predicting uplink interference potential to a mobile satellite system (MSS) generated by ancillary terrestrial components (ATCs) of an ancillary terrestrial network (ATN) and / or ATC radioterminals that are configured to terrestrially use / reuse satellite frequencies that are used and / or authorized for use by a MSS. The methods include measuring power transmitted by and / or received at one or more radioterminals communicating with one or more terrestrial networks and / or transmitted by and / or received at the one or more terrestrial networks communicating with the one or more radioterminals using terrestrial frequencies that are at least partially outside a range of the satellite frequencies. Uplink interference potential to the MSS generated by terrestrial use / reuse of satellite frequencies by the ATN and / or the ATC radioterminals is predicted responsive to the measured power. Related ancillary terrestrial networks are also described.

A method of multicasting a data file. The method includes transmitting a notification on an upcoming multicast transmission to a plurality of receivers (20) designated to receive the multicast transmission, tuning by at least one of the plurality of receivers (20) to one or more multicast channels, responsive to the notification, transmitting a data file, from a data server (42), on the one or more multicast channels, without the data server (42) receiving acknowledgements from the receivers (20) on whether they received the notification, determining receivers (20) designated to receive the multicast transmission that did not receive at least a portion of the data file; and attempting to deliver the data file to the determined receivers (20).

Delivery of content such as advertisements to audience members. Profile data is collected regarding audience members to whom advertisements may be delivered, such that a given audience member has an established profile data. Upon receiving a request to serve an advertisement to an audience member, a recognition that the target of the request is the given audience member is made. Then it is determined that a particular advertisement should be served to the given audience member. The determination includes recognition of the given audience member and corresponding selection advertisements optimized for the recognized audience member. A configurable delivery decision making mode allows pre-optimized as well as delivery time factoring for determining advertisements. Performance criteria and revenue allocation based upon data provider participation are also provided.

Disclosed is a method for transmitting a notification message in a mobile broadcast system that includes transmitting common notification message channel information necessary for receiving a common notification message for all users capable of receiving broadcast services, along with an Electronic Service Guide (ESG) for the broadcast services or a control signal for the broadcast services; transmitting specific notification message channel information necessary for receiving a specific notification message for a specific user group to a terminal in the specific user group along with the ESG; generating at least one of the common notification message and the specific notification message; and transmitting the generated notification message to the terminal using the corresponding channel information.

A method of broadcasting data files to selected mobile units, comprising steps of (a) receiving, through a bi-directional wireless network, a data request from a mobile unit, the data request including identification information for the mobile unit, (b) associating the data request with a digital data file; and (c) broadcasting the digital data file together with identification data for the mobile unit over a download channel on a broadcast network that has an overlapping coverage area with the bi-directional wireless network.

The invention relates to a method and system of delivering an object relating to a broadcast media stream to a user terminal (110) of a radio system (206). A broadcast system (2000) broadcasts the media stream, associates the object to the media stream and delivers an object identification of the object to at least one user terminal (110) either through the radio system or as an RDS broadcast. The user terminal (110) presents the object identification in synchronization with the media stream in the user terminal and sends, if a user requests the delivery of the object based on the object identification, a transaction signal with the object identification to a database (208) having at least one object through the radio system (206). The database (208) delivers the object of the object identification to the user terminal (110), which sent the request signal, through the radio system (206).

At least first and second potential viewers deliver their personal demographic informations to a processing system (Internet processing server). Viewing information concerning their television or computer multimedia viewing habits are entered automatically from their respective viewing stations into the processing system. From this demographic and viewing information, the processing system determines pursuant to pre-determined criteria incorporated into processing system software the desired sponsored video message (advertisement), which is played when that viewer views multimedia at his / her viewing station. In other words, the video advertisements shown are selected for the individual viewer, and this determination is a dynamic determination based at least in part on the most recent viewing behavior of that viewer. The message can be pre-cached at the viewing station and shown when the multimedia content is not “available” for viewing at the station, and particularly when an initial portion of the multimedia content is being downloaded for later presentation at the station. Additionally, from all of the information delivered to the processing system, valuable viewer / viewing information can be processed and made available to a recipient.

A targeted advertising system uses a machine learning tool to select an asset for a current user of a user equipment device, for example, to select an ad for delivery to a current user of a digital set top box in a cable network. The machine learning tool first operates in a learning mode to receive user inputs and develop evidence that can characterize multiple users of the user equipment device audience. In a working mode, the machine learning tool processes current user inputs to match a current user to one of the identified users of that user equipment device audience. Fuzzy logic may be used to improve development of the user characterizations, as well as matching of the current user to those developed characterizations. In this manner, targeting of assets can be implemented not only based on characteristics of a household but based on a current user within that household.

A system and method is provided for use in connection with delivering content that is targeted to users of a broadcast network. In order to select content that is targeted to users of the broadcast network, signals are received from a plurality of customer premise equipment devices (CPEs) of the network users via a broadcast network interface. Based on the received signals, broadcast assets (e.g., programming, advertisements etc.) are selected from a collection of available asset options. Accordingly, at least a portion of the selected assets are inserted into a content stream of the broadcast network. Once the content stream is broadcast over a broadcast network interface, at least a portion of the selected assets area available for receipt by at least a portion of the CPEs. The CPEs generate reports regarding assets delivered such that asset providers can be billed based on guaranteed targeted impressions.

A system and method is provided for use in connection with delivering content that is targeted to users of a broadcast network. In order to select content that is targeted to users of the broadcast network, signals are received from a plurality of customer premise equipment devices (CPEs) of the network users via a broadcast network interface. Based on the received signals, broadcast assets (e.g., programming, advertisements etc.) are selected from a collection of available asset options. Accordingly, at least a portion of the selected assets are inserted into a content stream of the broadcast network. Once the content stream is broadcast over a broadcast network interface, at least a portion of the selected assets area available for receipt by at least a portion of the CPEs. The CPEs generate reports regarding assets delivered such that asset providers can be billed based on guaranteed targeted impressions.

A method of processing a multicast frame in a wireless local area network (WLAN) and an apparatus supporting the method are provided. The method comprises receiving, at a station, a unicast frame from an access point (AP), the unicast frame including an unicast address indicating a single station which receives the unicast frame, receiving a multicast frame from the AP, the multicast frame including a group address indicating a group of stations which receives the multicast frame, determining whether the unicast frame is duplicated with the multicast frame, and discarding the multicast frame if the unicast frame is duplicated with the multicast frame.

Methods and systems for generating, distributing, and screening commercial content are disclosed. A commercial content generator (CCG) generates commercial content message and obtains from a push proxy agent address resolution server the network routing address of each push proxy agent that is required for distribution of the message to the target mobile subscriber audience. A push proxy agent receives a message containing commercial content and resolves a mobile subscriber identifier for each mobile subscriber who is to receive the commercial content information using subscriber information obtained from a subscriber location register, such as a visitor location register (VLR). The push proxy agent may also negotiate media format characteristics for each member of the target mobile subscriber audience and facilitate delivery of the commercial content to each member of the target mobile subscriber audience.

A targeted advertising system uses a machine learning tool to select an asset for a current user of a user equipment device, for example, to select an ad for delivery to a current user of a digital set top box in a cable network. The machine learning tool first operates in a learning mode to receive user inputs and develop evidence that can characterize multiple users of the user equipment device audience. In a working mode, the machine learning tool processes current user inputs to match a current user to one of the identified users of that user equipment device audience. Fuzzy logic may be used to improve development of the user characterizations, as well as matching of the current user to those developed characterizations. In this manner, targeting of assets can be implemented not only based on characteristics of a household but based on a current user within that household.

A method and system that uses electronic message delivery combined with data collection techniques and data-mining methods to determine and enhance the effectiveness of a given communication and to optimize the target audience of the given communication. One embodiment of the system utilized in practicing the method also includes a means for collecting real-time, synchronized survey audience response data with respect to the videos presented and a data-mining tool for analyzing the data collected and the streaming videos presented. One embodiment of the system includes an audience manager (12), and invitation manager (14), and order manager (16), and a message manager (18). In one embodiment, the message manager (18) includes a testing process (20), a scoring process (22), a ranking process (24), and a response analysis process (26).

A method for transmission of a data message from a message center to a receiving mobile station in a telecommunication network is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of: Providing a data message to be forwarded to said receiving mobile station; Incorporating identification information for identification of said receiving mobile station in said data message; Storing the message in a server; Making a query to check the receiving mobile station location area and availability in the server; Broadcasting said data message in a geographical area in which said receiving mobile station is situated; and Acknowledging reception of the data message at the receiving mobile station to the message center through the telecommunication network. Further, a corresponding mobile station and telecommunications system is disclosed.

A method and apparatus for receiving dispatch messages in a broadcast radio receiver. In one embodiment, audio dispatch messages can be received, in another embodiment, data dispatch messages can be received. In either embodiment, a previously selected broadcast channel is received until a dispatch alert message is simultaneously received. The dispatch alert message includes a dispatch ID codes which is compared by the receiver with a previously stored dispatch ID code. If equality is found, the receiver switches from the previously selected broadcast channel to a dispatch broadcast channel to receive the dispatch message. Upon completion of the dispatch message, the receiver automatically switches back to the previously selected broadcast channel.

Methods are provided for predicting uplink interference potential to a mobile satellite system (MSS) generated by ancillary terrestrial components (ATCs) of an ancillary terrestrial network (ATN) and / or ATC radioterminals that are configured to terrestrially use / reuse satellite frequencies that are used and / or authorized for use by a MSS. The methods include measuring power transmitted by and / or received at one or more radioterminals communicating with one or more terrestrial networks and / or transmitted by and / or received at the one or more terrestrial networks communicating with the one or more radioterminals using terrestrial frequencies that are at least partially outside a range of the satellite frequencies. Uplink interference potential to the MSS generated by terrestrial use / reuse of satellite frequencies by the ATN and / or the ATC radioterminals is predicted responsive to the measured power. Related ancillary terrestrial networks are also described.

This invention relates to methods and systems for the broadcast and reception of targeted content. Using the systems and methods, a wide variety of different types of content can be targeted to a single client or a group of clients. The methods and systems utilize application handlers to handle different types of content. Further, the system can distribute packets with different rates depending on their priority.

A method of showing approval or disapproval of an item overheard on an audio system. The method includes sending an item via radio waves to an audio system, listening to the item on the audio system and activating a button to indicate approval or disapproval of the item.