22509 results about "Distribution networks" patented technology

A system, method, and computer program product for online advertising, including computing and dynamically updating a cost-per-click (CPC) value of an advertisement for an advertisement traffic source based on a variable; and automatically uploading and distributing the advertisement to the traffic source. The variable includes price, advertisement traffic source, and / or advertiser variableS. Further embodiments include dynamically updating an advertisement listing that has a cost-per-acquisition (CPA)-based value with associated CPC or cost-per-1000 (CPM) values; and distributing the advertisement listing to an advertisement distribution network that serves the listing based on the CPC or CPM values. The distribution network includes CPC-based, CPA-based, and / or CPM-based distribution networks. Further embodiments include determining a CPC value for a CPA-based advertisement; and placing the advertisement on an advertising network at the determined CPC based on a ratio of an expected number of conversions at a CPA value divided by a number of clicks at the CPC.

A system and method manage delivery of energy from a distribution network to one or more sites. Each site has at least one device coupled to the distribution network. The at least one device controllably consumes energy. The system includes a node and a control system. The node is coupled to the at least one device for sensing and controlling energy delivered to the device. A control system is coupled to the node and distribution network for delivery to the node at least one characteristic of the distribution network. The node controls the supply of energy to the device as a function of the at least one characteristic.

A method and system for providing targeted advertisements over a networked media delivery system, especially interactive television networks, the system comprising tracking and storing viewer selections, analyzing the selections, and delivering targeted advertisements that appeal to the particular subscriber making the selections, the system including a merge processor, a file server, a profile processor, and a broadcast server contained in a head end in communication with a plurality of set-top boxes through a distribution network. Based on a subscriber's viewing habits and account information, the present invention delivers different, customized advertisements to different viewers watching the same program or channel. The present invention delivers the advertisements as either still frame bit maps or as video streams advertisement insertion in a playlist or a broadcast media program.

A media distribution technique employs a multi-user server positioned at the terminal end of a broadcast media network. The server receives broadcast media signals and selectively captures a portion of the signals for live personalized media streaming and / or storage for later personalized media streaming and / or download over a local distribution network to a collection of user receivers. Request / control streams sent from the receivers to the server control real-time personalization of the media streams such as trick-play functions and channel selection. Buffering and data storage segmentation techniques are used to provide highly responsive personal video recorder-like functionality to the multiple end users.

An interactive entertainment system enables presentation of supplemental interactive content along side traditional broadcast video programs, such as television shows and movies. The programs are broadcast in a conventional manner. The supplemental content is supplied as part of the same program signal over the broadcast network, or separately over another distribution network. A viewer computing unit is located at the viewer's home to present the program and supplemental content to a viewer. When the viewer tunes to a particular channel, the viewer computing unit consults an electronic programming guide (EPG) to determine if the present program carried on the channel is interactive. If it is, the viewer computing unit launches a browser. The browser uses a target specification stored in the EPG to activate a target resource containing the supplemental content for enhancing the broadcast program. The target resource contains display layout instructions prescribing how the supplemental content and the video content program are to appear in relation to one another when displayed. When the data from the target resource is downloaded, the viewer computing unit is responsive to the layout instructions obtained from the target resource to display the supplemental content concurrently with the video content program. Embedding the layout instructions in the supplemental content advantageously places control of the presentation to the content developers. The developers are free to arrange the data and video in any manner they choose.

A disclosed gaming machine has a memory storing a list of one or more prizes, a prize display for viewing prize information, and a prize selection mechanism that allows a user playing a game on the gaming machine to select one or more prizes specific to one or more outcomes of the game played on the gaming machine. One or more gaming machines may be connected in a “prize distribution network” to a “prize server.” The prize server may include an interface for providing prize information to the gaming machines connected in the prize distribution network and a memory storing the prize information as groups of prizes for separate display on the gaming machines. With the prize server and prize distribution network, the prizes available as an award on each gaming machine in the prize distribution network may be easily changed.

Embodiments of a peer-to-peer-based content sharing / distribution network (CDN). In embodiments, some peers are content publishers while other peers are content consumers. When a consumer peer gets content from a content publisher, the consumer peer may become a content publisher that may be accessed by other peers. If a peer desires a particular content, the peer may get the content from a nearby content publisher, saving access to a central server. The more a content is in demand, the more likely it is to be replicated, and hence more likely to be found by consumer peers on nearby content publisher peers. If a content publisher peer does not have all of a requested content, the requesting peer may be redirected to another content publisher peer to obtain the missing content. Embodiments may be implemented in peer-to-peer networks implemented according to a peer-to-peer platform.

An audio distribution network system (20) allowing an audio distribution system to be created that is integrated with the home automation system into a home network that permits vocal feedback, status and even control with the audio through network speakers (100).

A system and method manage delivery of energy from a distribution network to one or more sites. Each site has at least one device coupled to the distribution network. The at least one device controllably consumes energy. The system includes a node and a control system. The node is coupled to the at least one device for sensing and controlling energy delivered to the device. A control system is coupled to the node and distribution network for delivering to the node at least one characteristic of the distribution network. The node for controls the supply of energy to the device as a function of the at least one characteristic.

A computer-implemented method is provided, which includes labeling an object with one or more object terms that characterize the object. A social graph is constructed that represents an online social network, the social graph having vertices that represent respective members of the social network, and links that represent social connections between respective pairs of the members. Each of the links is tagged with one or more link terms that represent common interests between two of the members whose vertices are connected by the link. Responsively to a comparison of the object terms and the link terms with which the links have been tagged, respective distribution ranks are calculated for a plurality of the members. A message is sent to one of the members of the social network suggesting that the member distribute the object to a subset of the members responsively at least in part to the distribution ranks.

The communication system includes a hybride fiber / coax distribution network. A head end provides for downstream transmission of telephony and control data in a first frequency bandwidth over the hybrid fiber / coax distribution network and reception of upstream telephony and control data in a second frequency bandwidth over the hybrid fiber / coax distribution network. The head end includes head end multicarrier modem for modulating at least downstream telephony information on a plurality of orthogonal carriers in the first frequency bandwidth and demodulating at least upstream telephony information modulated on a plurality of orthogonal carriers in the second frequency bandwidth. The head end further includes a controller operatively connected to the head end multicarrier modem for controlling transmission of the downstream telephony information and downstream control data and for controlling receipt of the upstream control data and upstream telephony information. The system further includes service units, each service unit operatively connected to the hybrid fiber / coax distribution network for upstream transmission of telephony and control data in the second frequency bandwidth and for receipt of the downstream control data and telephony in the first frequency bandwidth. Each service unit includes a service unit multicarrier modem for modulating at least the upstream telephony information on at least one carrier orthogonal at the head end terminal to another carrier in the second frequency bandwidth and for demodulating at least downstream telephony information modulated on at least a band of a plurality of orthogonal carriers in the first frequency bandwidth. Each service unit also includes a controller operatively connected to the service unit multicarrier modem for controlling the modulation of and demodulation performed by the service unit multicarrier modem. A method of monitoring communication channels, a distributed loop method for adjusting transmission characteristics to allow for transmission of data in a multi-point to point communication system, a polyphase filter technique for providing ingress protection and a scanning method for identifying frequency bands to be used for transmission by service units are also included. Also provided is a method and apparatus for performing a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT). In one embodiment, a scalable FFT system is built using a novel dual-radix butterfly core.

A broadband access transmission network integrating the functions of electric power network, communication network, TV network and Internet relates to network transmission. It includes a broadband transmission network of 10 KV power distribution network and a broadband transmission network of low-voltage power distribution network. These two transmission networks are connected via distribution transformers and optical fiber connectors. The broadband transmission network of 10 KV power distribution network is composed of optical compound power lines, wires, transformer substations, machine rooms, taps, insulating jackets, insulating waterproofing outer jackets and optical fiber connectors. The broadband transmission network of low-voltage power distribution network is composed of optical compound power lines, coaxial cable compound power lines, taps, insulating jackets, optical access points, distributors, modems and two-way amplifiers. The invention can perform high-speed broadband communication and power transmission on the same compound wires. It utilizes the existing power network sufficiently and prevents the cost of rebuilding the communication network, cable TV network and Internet, and can simultaneously perform building, operating, maintaining and managing of these networks.

The techniques described employ a cooperative organization of network service providers to provide improved distributed network services. The network service providers that are constituent to the cooperative organization represent various perspectives within the overall Internet content distribution network, and may include network owners, telecommunications carriers, network access providers, hosting providers and distribution network owners, the latter being an entity that caches content at a plurality of locations distributed on the network. Aspects include managing content caches by receiving control signals specifying actions related to cached content that is distributed on a network, such as the Internet, and forwarding the control signals through to the caching locations to implement the actions represented by the control signals, thus providing content publishers the capability of refreshing their content regardless of where it is cached. Aspects include managing content caches by receiving activity records that contain statistics related to requests for cached content, segregating the statistics according to which content publisher provides the content associated with the statistics, and providing to each content publisher statistics corresponding to content provided by that content publisher, thus allowing them to monitor requests for their content regardless of where it may be cached on the network.

A video game distribution network for use in airlines, trains, hotels, cruise ships, set top boxes, cable television systems, satellite and other wireless systems or other communications systems, distributes special purpose game binary image files to general purpose computing / display devices. Software emulators running on the general purpose computing / display devices model the game source platform and interpret and / or compile the game files to provide interactive video game play. Software emulators for emulating a handheld video game platform such as GAME BOY®, GAME BOY COLOR® and / or GAME BOY ADVANCE® on a low-capability target platform (e.g., a seat-back display for airline or train use, a personal digital assistant, a cell phone) may provide any number of features and optimizations to provide high quality graphics and sound that nearly duplicates the game playing experience on the native platform.

An open access signal distribution system in which a variety of wireless voice, data and other services and applications are supported. The open access system makes use of a distributed Radio Frequency (RF) distribution network and associated network entities that enable the system operator to employ a wireless infrastructure network that may be easily shared among multiple wireless service providers in a given community. The open access system provides the ability for such operators and service providers to share the infrastructure regardless of the specific RF air interface or other signal formatting and / or managing messaging formats that such operators choose to deploy.

A system, method, and computer program product for online advertising, including generating pricing for an advertisement campaign of an advertiser paying on a Cost-Per-Click (CPC) basis or Cost-Per-Acquisition (CPA) based on internal tracking metrics and / or pricing and performance analysis of advertisements from an advertising distribution network; and distributing the advertisement as a CPC-based advertisement and / or CPA-based advertisement to an advertising distribution network.

Systems and methods for back-of-die, through-wafer guided-wave optical clock distribution systems (networks) are disclosed. A representative back-of-die, through-wafer guided-wave optical clock distribution system includes an integrated circuit device with a first cladding layer disposed on the back-side of the integrated circuit device, and an core layer disposed on the first cladding layer. The core layer, the first cladding layer, or the second cladding layer can include, but is not limited to, vertical-to-horizontal input diffraction gratings, a horizontal-to-horizontal diffraction gratings, and horizontal-to-vertical output diffraction gratings.

A power distribution monitoring system is provided that can include a number of features. The system can include a plurality of power line sensing devices configured to attach to individual conductors on a power grid distribution network. In some embodiments, the power line sensors can include a split-core transformer. In some embodiments, a power line sensing device is disposed on each conductor of a three-phase network. The sensing devices can be configured to measure and monitor, among other things, current and electric-field on the conductors. Methods of installing, sealing, and protecting the split-core transformers of the power line sensors are also discussed.

Systems, methods, apparatus are provided for providing to a receiver a time diverse digital signal corresponding to a service including receiving a digital signal containing a service content and receiving a digital signal containing a non-deterministic content. The service content is inserted into a first predetermined number of data packets in a first predetermined number of data frames deterministically. In addition, a first portion of the non-deterministic content is inserted into a second predetermined number of data packets in the first predetermined number of data frames. A copy of the first predetermined number of data packets is generated. The first predetermined number of data frames is broadcast over a distribution network. The copy of the first predetermined number of data packets is inserted into a second predetermined number of data frames and a second portion of the non-deterministic content is inserted into the second predetermined number of data frames. The second predetermined number of data frames is broadcast after a predetermined time.

Audiovisual reproduction system comprising a central unit managing a sound control circuit, and a telecommunications modem connected to a distribution network controlled by a host server, through a multitask operating system created around a tools and services library, characterized in that the operating system comprises a function that adjusts the sound control circuit to couple volumes in the various areas in which the loudspeakers in the audiovisual reproduction system are used, this function being accessible through a management mode of the multitask operating system, the coupling maintaining the ratios between the various volumes in each area when the volume in one area is modified.

This invention confers to an interactive audio / video entertainment system providing video-on-demand (VOD) services the abilities to automatically adapt to viewers tastes and preferences and download in advance the most likely viewing choices of each user, thereby freeing the system and its users from the real-time throughput constraints and availability limitations of the audio / video distribution network. Viewers are presented with a virtual video-rental-store paradigm offering a locally stored, and therefore immediately available for rental, selection of audio / video programs tailored to each viewer on the basis of observation by the system, in a transparent fashion, of the viewer's past choices.

An entertainment head-end provides broadcast programming, video-on-demand services, and HTML-based interactive programming through a distribution network to client terminals in subscribers' homes. A number of different features are provided, including novel user interfaces, enhanced video-on-demand controls, a variety of interactive services (personalized news, jukebox, games, celebrity chat), and techniques that combine to provide user experiences evocative of conventional television.

The present disclosure provides for distributed resource scheduling performed by an advanced resource scheduling (ARS) module implemented on a distributed grid management (DGM) server in a power system. The ARS module is configured to automatically generate a resource schedule for controllable distributed energy resources (e.g., resources that are remotely controllable by DGM server and ARS module) in a distribution network of the power system, such as power generation resources and energy storage resources, to provide power in a cost-effective (e.g., optimal) manner. The ARS module is configured to take into account the operating limits of the distributed energy resources (DERs), the cost curves of the DERs, the system load demand, and other operating constraints to determine the most economical operating plan for the DERs, using an optimization technique such as the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm.

A computerized method for monitoring a water utility network, the water utility network comprising a network of pipes for delivering water to consumers and a plurality of meters positioned within the pipes across the water distribution network. The method includes receiving meter data representing parameters measured by the meters, such as flow, pressure, chlorine level, pH and turbidity of the water being distributed through the pipes. The method also includes receiving secondary data from sources external to the meters and representing conditions affecting consumption of water in a region serviced by the water utility network such as weather and holidays. The meter and secondary data is analyzed using statistical techniques to identify water network events including leakage events and other events regarding quantity and quality of water flowing through the pipes and operation of the water network. The events are reported to users via a user interface.

Methods and systems for an integrated voltage controlled oscillator (VCO)-based transmitter and on-chip power distribution network are disclosed and may include supplying bias voltages and / or ground to a chip utilizing conductive lines. One or more VCOs and low-noise amplifiers (LNAs) may each be coupled to a leaky wave antenna (LWA) integrated in the bias voltage and / or ground lines. One or more clock signals may be generated utilizing the VCOs, which may be transmitted from the LWAs coupled to the VCOs, to the LWAs coupled to the LNAs. RF signals may be transmitted via the LWAs, and may include 60 GHz signals. The LWAs may include microstrip and / or coplanar waveguides, where a cavity length of the LWAs may be dependent on a spacing between conductive lines in the waveguides. The LWAs may be dynamically configured to transmit the clock signals at a desired angle from a surface of the chip.

Audiovisual reproduction system comprising a central unit managing a sound control circuit, and a telecommunications modem connected to a distribution network controlled by a host server, through a multitask operating system created around a tools and services library, characterized in that the operating system comprises a function that adjusts the sound control circuit to couple volumes in the various areas in which the loudspeakers in the audiovisual reproduction system are used, this function being accessible through a management mode of the multitask operating system, the coupling maintaining the ratios between the various volumes in each area when the volume in one area is modified.

Payment-based audiovisual playback system characterized by comprising a microprocessor device associated with a payment device primarily including means for storing, inter alia, in digital format the visual and sound information to be used. The system is associated through interfaces with display means and sound playback means for providing a multimedia environment. The system is controlled by a multitask operating system including a tool and service library integrated into the storage means. The system, which is also associated through an interface with a telecommunications modem, is optionally connected to an audiovisual data distribution network by a telecommunications modem and telecommunications links, said telecommunications function also being controlled by said multitask operating system.

The invention is directed to a method and device for simultaneously testing a sample for the presence, absence, and / or amounts of one or more a plurality of selected analytes. The invention includes, in one aspect, a device for detecting or quantitating a plurality of different analytes in a liquid sample. The device includes a substrate which defines a sample-distribution network having (i) a sample inlet, (ii) one or more detection chambers, and (iii) channel means providing a dead-end fluid connection between each of the chambers and the inlet. Each chamber may include an analyte-specific reagent effective to react with a selected analyte that may be present in the sample, and detection means for detecting the signal. Also disclosed are methods utilizing the device.