751 results about "Digital network" patented technology

A method and apparatus for efficiently managing the allocation of available data capacity on a physically shared digital network among devices connected to that network is disclosed. Also disclosed is a method and apparatus for managing the ongoing timely movement of data on the shared network such that precise long-term data rates are achieved between attached devices with minimal additional buffering. The invention further comprises a method and apparatus which allows the use of any remaining network capacity for non time-critical data movement without the need for centralized access management.

In some embodiments, the invention is a personal digital network (“PDN”) including hardware (sometimes referred to as Ingress circuitry) configured to transcrypt encrypted content that enters the PDN. Typically, the transcryption (decryption followed by re-encryption) is performed in hardware within the Ingress circuitry and the re-encryption occurs before the decrypted content is accessible by hardware or software external to the Ingress circuitry. Typically, transcrypted content that leaves the Ingress circuitry remains in re-encrypted form within the PDN whenever it is transferred between integrated circuits or is otherwise easily accessible by software, until it is decrypted within hardware (sometimes referred to as Egress circuitry) for display or playback or output from the PDN. Typically, the PDN is implemented so that no secret in Ingress or Egress circuitry (for use or transfer by the Ingress or Egress circuitry) is accessible in unencrypted form to software or firmware within the PDN or to any entity external to the PDN. Other aspects of the invention are methods for protecting content in a PDN (e.g., an open computing system) and devices (e.g., multimedia graphics cards, set top boxes, or video processors) for use in a PDN.

A fully digital camera system provides high-resolution still image and streaming video signals via a network to a centralized, server supported security and surveillance system. The digital camera for collects an image from one or more image transducers, compressing the image and sending the compressed digital image signal to a receiving station over a digital network. A plurality of image transducers or sensors may be included in a single camera unit, providing array imaging such as full 360 degree panoramic imaging, universal or spherical imaging and field imaging by stacking or arranging the sensors in an array. The multiple images are then compressed and merged at the camera in the desired format to permit transmission of the least amount of data to accomplish the desired image transmission. The camera also employs, or connects to, a variety of sensors other than the traditional image sensor. Sensors for fire, smoke, sound, glass breakage, motion, panic buttons, and the like, may be embedded in or connected to the camera. Data captured by these sensors may be digitized, compressed, and networked to detect notable conditions. An internal microphone and associated signal processing system may be equipped with suitable signal processing algorithms for the purpose of detecting suitable acoustic events and their location. In addition, the camera is equipped with a pair of externally accessible terminals where an external sensor may be connected. In addition, the camera may be equipped with a short-range receiver that may detect the activation of a wireless ‘panic button’ carried by facility personnel. This ‘panic button’ may employ infrared, radio frequency (RF), ultrasonic, or other suitable methods to activate the camera's receiver.

Adaptive bandwidth allocation for Non-Reserved traffic over high speed transmission links of a digital network is operated through regulation of data packet transfers over network nodes/ports including input/output adapters connected through a switching device. A network node is assigned with a Control Point computing devise (CP) storing a Topology Data Base containing an image of the network. This Data Base is periodically and at call set up updated by Topology Data Base Update messages (TDUs) including an Explicit Rate parameter for link l indicating the current available bandwidth on link l, and a parameter NNRl indicating the number of Non-Reserved connections on link l. This information are used within each Adapter to periodically regulate the transmission bandwidth assigned to each Non-Reserved traffic connection within the network. To that end, each adapter is provided with an Access Control Function device for each attached connection (data source) and a Connection Agent (CA) getting, on request, required current link informations from the attached Topology Data Base.

A digital rights management (DRM) method is negotiated prior to initiating delivery of a DRM encoded content item over a digital network between a client and a target server. The client identifies a link to the target server for accessing the DRM encoded content item. The client initiates a network session with the target server. The client sends an offer message to the target server containing a list of at least one supported DRM method. The target server sends an answer message to the client containing a corresponding list 1) indicating whether each DRM method listed in the offer message is supported by the target server, and 2) providing a network address of a DRM license server for each supported DRM method. The client selects a supported DRM method. The client obtains a DRM license using the network address listed for the selected DRM method. The target server delivers the DRM encoded content item to the client using the selected DRM method.

A system for handling video tags. The tags are displayed synchronized to a video. A controller manages and modifies tag data that can be created by one or more users. The controller identifies a tag dataset for use with a video and provides information for synchronization and display of the tags. In a particular embodiment, features of a social-network website implementation are disclosed whereby a user community can post, filter, rate and display tags.

A Call Management System provides for management of calls directly by system users at their workstation computers via a digital data network such as a digital networks not controlled via the user's telephone instruments as in prior systems. A call management computer intercepts incoming calls and controls the handling of such calls according to instructions received from the users' workstations, which are accessed via the digital data network. Trunk circuits are monitored and controlled using digital signal processors to proactively identify the called party, the calling party and the call type (voice, Fax, data) and control and to monitor all calls. Each different type of call is managed differently and automatically through direct user workstation controls and/or user-generated rules to provide special treatment for designated callers. Multiple calls to user at the same time may be handled with no busy signals to callers. Only one number is needed for a user to receive voice Fax and data calls. Fax and data transmissions are automatically received.

An integrated communications system for exchanging data messages on a data network suitably includes an interface configured to receive said data messages via the data network; a plurality of application servers configured to process data messages and to create output messages in response thereto; and a messenger service configured to route data and output messages between the application servers and users. A method for exchanging data messages on a data network suitably includes receiving data messages at an interface; routing data messages from the interface to an application server with a messaging service; processing the data messages at an appropriate application server to create output messages in response thereto; and providing output messages to a recipient via the messaging service. An exemplary client application suitably includes a network interface module configured to send and receive messages via a digital network; a file transfer module configured to transfer data files between a local storage medium and a remote storage medium via the network interface module; an instant messaging module configured to transfer instant messages between the user and another user via the network interface module; and a user interface module configured to display data files and instant messages for the user, and to accept inputs from the user.

A system and method for having a plurality of participants author and submit segment candidates to create a collaborative work over a computer network. The plurality of participants receive segment instructions for authoring the segment candidates. The candidates are submitted to the system and at least a subset of the submitted segment candidates are distributed to a voting audience over the computer network. In response the system receives votes for a favored segment candidate from the voting audience. Next, a winning segment candidate is selected from the submitted segment candidates for inclusion in the collaborative work based on the votes. This process is repeated by the system until the collaborative work is complete.

A communications system with distributed intelligence thereby allowing easy expansion of the system while also providing a high degree of fault tolerance. The communications system allows for conversion, transmission and restoration of the human voice over a digital network. A telephone can be used as the input device for receiving the analog signal, or human voice. The telephone is also used to select a destination for the analog signal. The information is transmitted over the digital network and may also traverse through a private branch exchange and a wireless network before it arrives at its destination. At the destination the transmitted information is restored to an analog signal and played over one or more speakers. The present system is especially suited for use with an existing network.

Interference classification with minimal or incomplete information. Receivers in access points and in other network devices on a wireless digital network may be switched to a spectrum monitor mode in which they provide amplitude-versus-frequency information for a chosen part of the spectrum. This may be performed by performing a FFT or similar transform on the signals from the receiver. Receivers are calibrated with known interference sources in controlled environments to determine peaks, pulse frequency, bandwidth, and other identifying parameters of the interference source in best and worst case conditions. These calibrated values are used for matching interference signatures. Calibration is also performed using partial signatures collected over a short period in the order of microseconds. These partial signals may be used to detect interferers while scanning. Another aspect of the invention is to record the variation of noise floor in the presence of interference sources. Multiple interference sources may be detected. While data collection is performed in one or more APs, classification may be performed in the

AP or on other systems associated with the network collecting and processing spectrum information from one or more APs.

Delivering interactive non-intrusive advertising content, including receiving a selection signal indicating that a user has selected an item displayed on a television screen, the item having associated non-intrusive interactive advertising content; identifying the selected item; and displaying the associated non-intrusive interactive advertising content. Embodiments typically include receiving and storing advertising data that associates the selected item with a screen region and with interactive advertising content. Receiving the advertising data often includes receiving the advertising data encoded in a video signal that includes a video image of the item. In some embodiments, the advertising data is encoded in a digital data stream separate from a video signal, and receiving the advertising data is carried out by receiving the data stream through a digital network. In typical embodiments, the advertising data includes instructions for control of the display of interactive non-intrusive advertising content for an item.

A method of operating a system including a digital network interconnected intelligent digital devices (IDDS) generating and receiving eXtensible Markup Language (XML) documents containing data and respective Document Type Definitions (DTDs) describing the data content. Preferably, the method includes steps for transmitting a generated XML document from a first IDD to a second IDD, and, when the respective DTD for the generated XML document satisfies a predetermined criteria, operating on the data contained in the XML document at the second IDD. In a first exemplary case, the second IDD maintains a list of trusted DTDs, and the predetermined criteria is equality between the name of the respective DTD and the name of a trusted DTD. Alternatively, the predetermined criteria is satisfied by inclusion of the name of a program residing on the second IDD in the respective DTD. In a second exemplary case, the transmitting step includes transmitting the generated XML document from the first IDD to the second IDD and a third IDD, the operating step includes operating on the data contained in the XML document at the second IDD when the respective DTD for the generated XML document satisfies a first predetermined criteria, and the method further includes the step of operating on the data contained in the XML document at the third IDD when the respective DTD for the generated XML document satisfies a second predetermined criteria. A system composed of IDDs interconnected by an in home digital network (IHDN) or other mechanism, which system can be operated by the method mentioned above, is also described.

In a high speed digital network including access nodes and network nodes each having topology data bases, a method for optimizing the connection set-up operations required for connecting a calling end-user attached to a local access node to a destination user attached to a remote access node, via a conventional connection set-up operation. An Access Node Connection Table (ANCT) in each access node stores a list of every remote access node for which the local access node has at least one user connection. A field in the locate reply message is defined for the destination remote Access Node Topology Database (ANTDB) and remote ANTDB information is inserted prior to sending the reply message. Locate reply message reception is monitored by the local access node, and upon reception an entry is created for the received remote ANTDB information in the local access node unless the remote access node was already identified in the local access node. An optimal path is then selected and connection set up. The ANCT is then updated accordingly.