41 results about "Backchannel" patented technology

A system and method of receiving information hyperlinked to a television broadcast. The broadcast material is analyzed and one or more regions within a frame are identified. Additional information can be associated with a region, and can be transmitted in encoded form, using timing information to identify the frame with which the information is associated. The system comprising a video source and an encoder that produces a transport stream in communication with the video source, an annotation source, a data packet stream generator that produces encoded annotation data packets in communication with the annotation source and the encoder, and a multiplexer system in communication with the encoder and the data packet stream generator. The encoder provides timestamp information to the data packet stream generator and the data packet stream generator synchronizes annotation data from the annotation source with a video signal from the video source in response to the timestamp information. The multiplexer generates a digital broadcast signal that includes an augmented transport stream from the transport stream and the encoded data packets. A receiver displays the annotation information associated with the video signal in response to a viewer request on a frame by frame basis. A viewer can respond interactively to the material, including performing commercial transactions, by using a backchannel that is provided for interactive communication.

A system and method of adding hyperlinked information to a television broadcast in which an interactive content icon is used. The broadcast material is analyzed and one or more regions within a frame are identified. Additional information can be associated with a region, and can be transmitted in encoded form, using timing information to identify the frame with which the information is associated. The system comprising a video source and an encoder that produces a transport stream in communication with the video source, an annotation source, a data packet stream generator that produces encoded annotation data packets in communication with the annotation source and the encoder, and a multiplexer system in communication with the encoder and the data packet stream generator. The encoder provides timestamp information to the data packet stream generator and the data packet stream generator synchronizes annotation data from the annotation source with a video signal from the video source in response to the timestamp information. The multiplexer generates a digital broadcast signal that includes an augmented transport stream from the transport stream and the encoded data packets. A receiver displays the annotation information associated with the video signal in response to a viewer request on a frame by frame basis. A viewer can respond interactively to the material, including performing commercial transactions, by using a backchannel that is provided for interactive communication. The interactive content icon can be used to inform a viewer of the presence of hyperlinked information, for teaching the viewer how to use the system, and for informing the viewer about the hyperlinked information.

A system and method of adding hyperlinked information to a television broadcast in which an interactive content icon is used. The broadcast material is analyzed and one or more regions within a frame are identified. Additional information can be associated with a region, and can be transmitted in encoded form, using timing information to identify the frame with which the information is associated. The system comprising a video source and an encoder that produces a transport stream in communication with the video source, an annotation source, a data packet stream generator that produces encoded annotation data packets in communication with the annotation source and the encoder, and a multiplexer system in communication with the encoder and the data packet stream generator. The encoder provides timestamp information to the data packet stream generator and the data packet stream generator synchronizes annotation data from the annotation source with a video signal from the video source in response to the timestamp information. The multiplexer generates a digital broadcast signal that includes an augmented transport stream from the transport stream and the encoded data packets. A receiver displays the annotation information associated with the video signal in response to a viewer request on a frame by frame basis. A viewer can respond interactively to the material, including performing commercial transactions, by using a backchannel that is provided for interactive communication. The interactive content icon can be used to inform a viewer of the presence of hyperlinked information, for teaching the viewer how to use the system, and for informing the viewer about the hyperlinked information.

A method and system for anonymously and opportunistically tracking the location of a portable device in a wireless infrastructure is described. The system comprises an installed infrastructure (12) in for example a shopping mall, the infrastructure having short range radio stations (14a,14b) primarily installed as wireless information access points. Standard communication between a users device (10a) and a station (14a) is according to a short range radio protocol such as ZigBee in which devices are assigned unique identifiers. In an exchange, the identifier is correlated with location, time and date data and uploaded via a backchannel connection (16) to a database (20) which a user may connect with at a later time. The user, knowing his objects identifier, can therefore access the data to determine where his object last interacted with a station.

A system and method of adding hyperlinked information to a television broadcast. The broadcast material is analyzed and one or more regions within a frame are identified. Additional information can be associated with a region, and can be transmitted in encoded form, using timing information to identify the frame with which the information is associated. The system comprising a video source and an encoder that produces a transport stream in communication with the video source, an annotation source, a data packet stream generator that produces encoded annotation data packets in communication with the annotation source and the encoder, and a multiplexer system in communication with the encoder and the data packet stream generator. The encoder provides timestamp information to the data packet stream generator and the data packet stream generator synchronizes annotation data from the annotation source with a video signal from the video source in response to the timestamp information. The multiplexer generates a digital broadcast signal that includes an augmented transport stream from the transport stream and the encoded data packets. A receiver displays the annotation information associated with the video signal in response to a viewer request on a frame by frame basis. A viewer can respond interactively to the material, including performing commercial transactions, by using a backchannel that is provided for interactive communication.

Techniques are disclosed for passing Extended Display Identification Data (EDID) or Enhanced-EDID (E-EDID) in an uncompressed multimedia communication system including a video sink side communicatively coupled to a video source side. An EDID AVAILABLE packet is communicated via a serial backward channel from the video sink side. A REQUEST is communicated to the video sink side via a serial forward channel to indicate the video sink side can send the EDID data. The EDID data is then communicated to the video sink side via the serial backward channel.

This specification discloses a satellite transmission system for transmission of TCP / IP compatible packets from a head end computer through a satellite uplink, an extraterrestrial satellite, a satellite downlink, and an integrated satellite receiver / router for outputting of the TCP / IP compatible packets through a port on the receiver / router onto a computer LAN or WAN. The system may include an Internet or telecommunications backchannel. The receiver becomes router enabled by means of a removable insertion Ethernet / Router insertion card inserted into a slot in the receiver, although the transmission system may be used to simultaneously transmit a variety of other services through the receiver by use of other service slots in the receiver. The Ethernet / Receiver supports the IGMPv2 Multicasting (querier and non querier modes), standard TCP / IP (including UDP and Telnet), and SNMP protocols.

A voice processing system comprises a processing device that processes and receives a stream of voice input as a user is speaking. A software program executes program steps for determining a predetermined pattern of speech and silence during processing of stream of voice input so as to play or present the predetermined backchannel response to the user. A method provides an audible backchannel response between the voice processing system and the user, while the user is speaking, in particular, recording a message. The method includes monitoring the message to determine a predetermined pattern of speech and silence based on timing between the speech and silence periods. Then, the method produces the audible backchannel response based on the predetermined pattern. An audible user interface includes a speech processor that processes or classifies an audio message in the telecommunication device as speech and silence frame while a calling party is speaking, in particular, recording the audio message to a called party. A control circuitry cooperates with the speech processor and responds to a predetermined pattern of the speech and silence segments so as to play the preset backchannel response in audible form to the calling party.

A method and apparatus for providing conditional access to media programs is disclosed. An embodiment of the method comprises the steps of generating a validation message in at least one of the receiver stations, the validation message comprising an answer to a validation query; transmitting the validation message directly from the receiver to the satellite on an always-on backchannel communications link; and receiving the media programs from the satellite only if the validation message matches an expected validation message.

Provided are apparatuses and methods for delivering service guide information to a mobile terminal via a presence server. In one example, a presence server receives information including service guide information corresponding to a program or service from a program source and store the received information under a presence identifier. The stored information may be delivered to a mobile terminal subscribing to a corresponding presence service. Alternatively, service guide information may be provided by another channel or backchannel.

A method, apparatus for passing data from a first application at a first security level to a second application in a second security level higher than the first security level is disclosed. A backchannel communications link is established between the first application and the second application, and the backchannel link is used to transmit information such as an acknowledgement message to from the second application to the first application.

A system and method of adding hyperlinked information to a television broadcast. The broadcast material is analyzed and one or more regions within a frame are identified. Additional information can be associated with a region, and can be transmitted in encoded form, using timing information to identify the frame with which the information is associated. The system comprising a video source and an encoder that produces a transport stream in communication with the video source, an annotation source, a data packet stream generator that produces encoded annotation data packets in communication with the annotation source and the encoder, and a multiplexer system in communication with the encoder and the data packet stream generator. The encoder provides timestamp information to the data packet stream generator and the data packet stream generator synchronizes annotation data from the annotation source with a video signal from the video source in response to the timestamp information. The multiplexer generates a digital broadcast signal that includes an augmented transport stream from the transport stream and the encoded data packets. A receiver displays the annotation information associated with the video signal in response to a viewer request on a frame by frame basis. A viewer can respond interactively to the material, including performing commercial transactions, by using a backchannel that is provided for interactive communication.

A method and system for providing technical support for networked devices includes a first client component on a networked device having a conferencing application to enable communication exchange with a second client component. A server component is configured to distribute video and audio data streams to the first client component and the second client component in a conference session. A conference channel communication connection is established over which the video and audio data streams are carried between the first client component, the server component, and the second client component, and a back-channel communication connection is established for transmission of diagnostic and status information. A service call is managed by a service center dispatcher, who connects a technician client and a networked device client in a multi-party conference hosted on one of a plurality of load balanced servers.

A Power Line Communications (PLC) device includes a processing module, memory, a Wireless Local Area Network interface (WLAN I / F), and a PLC communication interface (PLC I / F). When operating as a client device, the PLC device establishes communications with a premises communication device via the PLC I / F, requests WLAN service from the premises communication device via the PLC I / F, receives WLAN access credentials from the premises communication device via the PLC I / F, and accesses a WLAN via the WLAN I / F using the WLAN access credentials. The PLC device communicates with a client device via the PLC I / F, receives a WLAN service request from the client device via the PLC I / F, validates the client device for WLAN service, and transmits WLAN access credentials to the client device via the PLC I / F. The PLC device may also support backchannel operations such as financial transactions, key exchanges, encryption support, all via the PLC I / F.

A method and apparatus for passing data from a first application at a first security level to a second application in a second security level higher than the first security level is disclosed. A backchannel communications link is established between the first application and the second application, and the backchannel link is used to transmit information such as an acknowledgement message from the second application to the first application.

Systems and methods for utilizing a back channel as a feedback system to regulate the quality of broadcast. A signal source transmits a signal corresponding to the broadcast to one or more home entertainment systems. The displaying, recording or utilization of the broadcast is tracked at the individual home entertainment systems. The tracked information is transmitted in either real time or on a deferred basis from home entertainment systems as feedback across a back channel. The quality of the broadcast is regulated and / or optimized as a result of the feedback. As such, the broadcast can be dynamically restructured by modifying the bandwidth of the broadcast, by changing the modulation of the broadcast, by changing the encoding scheme of the broadcast, by varying parameters of the encoding scheme of the broadcast, by redistributing satellite channels to take full advantage of transponders available in a satellite television system, etc. The feedback also informs the operators and broadcasters as to when a disruption can be made on the broadcast so that the effect of the disruption is minimized.

In one embodiment of the invention, a system and method for receiving and correcting content is provided. A receiver receives a plurality of transmission with embedded content key identifiers. Data packets for which the receiver has a corresponding authentication key are authenticated. Non-successful authentications, or data packets without a corresponding authentication key, are ignored by the receiver. The receiver checks if the content is encrypted. If so, the content may also be decrypted using content decryption keys stored within the receiver. Authentication keys and decryption keys may be updated via secure transmissions. The receiver status is monitored for incomplete and / or corrupted content receipt. The failed content may be retransmitted to the receiver over radio transmitters. Failed content may also be supplied to the receiver via the backchannel. Retransmission of the content may be performed according to a content delivery schedule.

A direct content delivery method, intended for directly delivering regular audiovisual and marketing content to consumers, includes regularly providing a delivery component having audiovisual content, marketing content, and backchannel connection information. The delivery component may be directly physically or directly electronically distributed to consumers. Consumers view the audiovisual content but may not avoid the marketing content. Consumers are drawn to the high quality audiovisual content, which may be episodic in nature. A backchannel connection arrangement, correlated to the backchannel connection information, implements a two-way direct communication path.

Streaming content may be delivered through a combination of broadcast and a backchannel. Related apparatus and methods for receiving and distributing streaming content are described. A receiving device may receive a packet of information in the form of a broadcast signal from a broadcast source. The packet of information may contain one or more streamlets and a table of contents associated with the streamlets. A desired streamlet may be selected from the packet of information and presented with a display. A remainder of a data stream associated with the streamlet may be requested and received from via a backchannel while the desired streamlet is being presented. The remaining data stream may then be presented with the display.

The invention discloses a method and system for seamless SCTP-server failover between SCTP servers running on different machines. A Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP) cluster of multiple SCTP-servers is defined such that some servers are assigned Active Role where others are assigned Standby Role ensuring uninterrupted SCTP-connections between the SCTP-cluster and SCTP- clients. The Standby Servers use the same Internet Protocol (IP)-address(es) on the SCTP bound interfaces as their assigned Active Server. The Active Servers are communicating to the SCTP-clients, where the Standby Servers are communicating to their assigned Active SCTP-Server using a separate backchannel TCP-connection. The Standby Server receives regular updates over the backchannel connection from the Active Server. These updates ensure that the Standby Server could locally simulate SCTP- negotiations and create SCTP-associations as if the SCTP-negotiations. The Standby Servers are synchronized and ready in case of an Active Server failure to continue SCTP-communications. This handover does not involve any subsequent action from the SCTP-clients so that the SCTP-clients are unaware a handover occurred.

Streaming content may be delivered through a combination of broadcast and a backchannel. Related apparatus and methods for receiving and distributing streaming content are described. A receiving device may receive a packet of information in the form of a broadcast signal from a broadcast source. The packet of information may contain one or more streamlets and a table of contents associated with the streamlets. A desired streamlet may be selected from the packet of information and presented with a display. A remainder of a data stream associated with the streamlet may be requested and received from via a backchannel while the desired streamlet is being presented. The remaining data stream may then be presented with the display.

Receiver circuitry for receiving a data signal includes summation node circuitry that predicts an error value of the received data signal. The receiver circuitry also includes adaptation engine circuitry coupled to the summation node circuitry. The adaptation engine circuitry determines a transmitter adjustment based on the error value and sends a freeze signal to one or more components of the receiver to cause the receiver to continue operating without changing current settings of the one or more components. The receiver circuitry further includes a user interface and sequence controller, coupled to the adaptation engine circuitry, wherein the user interface and sequence controller sends a signal indicative of the transmitter adjustment to the transmitter.

Described are communication systems that convey differential and common-mode signals over the same differential channel. Noise-tolerant communication schemes use low-amplitude common-mode signals thatare easily rejected by differential receivers, thus allowing for very high differential data rates. Some embodiments employ the common-mode signals to transmit backchannel signals for adjusting the characteristics of the differential transmitter. Backchannel control signals are effectively conveyed even if the forward channel transmitter is so maladjusted that the received differential data is unrecognizable. Systems in accordance with the above-described embodiments obtain these advantages without additional pins or communications channels, and are compatible with both AC-coupled and DC-coupled communications channels. Data coding schemes and corresponding data recovery circuits eliminate the need for complex, high-speed CDR circuits.

Streaming content may be delivered through a combination of broadcast and a backchannel. Related apparatus and methods for receiving and distributing streaming content are described. A receiving device may receive a packet of information in the form of a broadcast signal from a broadcast source. The packet of information may contain one or more streamlets and a table of contents associated with the streamlets. A desired streamlet may be selected from the packet of information and presented with a display. A remainder of a data stream associated with the streamlet may be requested and received from via a backchannel while the desired streamlet is being presented. The remaining data stream may then be presented with the display.

The present invention detects the presence of commands requesting backchannel data in a print job and directs the flow of print jobs accordingly. If commands requesting backchannel data are detected, the jobs are routed directly to the interpreter and the print engine. If no commands for backchannel data are detected in the print job, the job may be routed to a spooler. If a print job containing commands for backchannel data is cancelled, the job data are processed through the interpreter to generate the backchannel content and are purged after the interpreter and before the job is committed to paper. Print jobs that do not contain commands requesting backchannel data are purged from the point of job cancellation.

Systems and methods for accessing electronic program guide (EPG) information via a backchannel link are disclosed. An exemplary embodiment receives a first portion of EPG information residing in a data channel of a program content stream, establishes a communication link between a media device and a remote EPG content system, and receives a second portion of EPG information from the remote EPG content system via the established communication link.

A device for a website building system. The device includes a page composer to create a page containing website instances of at least one third party application and a configurer to define a 2-way communication backchannel between the page and the at least one third party application or between the at least one third party application and at least one other third party application. The device also includes a coordinator to coordinate communication according to the communication backchannel when the page is viewed or accessed.