Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080281867 | Creation of Digital Program Playback Lists in a Digital Device Based On Hierarchal Grouping of a Current Digital Program - Playback list creation for digital programs in a digital device utilizes navigation path used to locate a particular digital program in a hierarchally-ordered grouping of digital programs, the grouping based on organization parameters of the digital program. The playback list is created from digital programs within the navigation path used to reach the selected digital program. The playback list may be shuffle-played or played in order. Playback of a different digital program causes changes to the navigation path, which then changes the playback list. In an MP3 player, for example, ID3 tag attributes are used as organization parameters to provide hierarchal grouping of digital audio files. | 11-13-2008 |
20090037957 | Methods and Apparatus for Providing a Channel History - An apparatus such as a mobile television signal receiver includes a channel history feature. Methods for adding channels to the channel history, tuning channels from the channel history, and generally maintaining the channel history are provided. According to an exemplary embodiment, a method for adding a channel to channel history includes a step of adding a selected channel to the channel history if the channel meets a criterion. According to an exemplary embodiment, a method for tuning channels includes steps of receiving a useable program signal from a first channel, testing for presence of a useable program from a second channel without interrupting the receiving step, and if the useable program signal from the second channel is detected, tuning the second channel. According to an exemplary embodiment, a method for maintaining a channel history includes a step of maintaining a retrieved channel in the channel history if the useable program signal is present, and updating the channel history by replacing the retrieved channel with another channel if the useable program signal is not present. | 02-05-2009 |
20090089832 | System, method and apparatus for enabling channel surfing while buffering and recording of preferred channels - A system, method and apparatus for surfing channels while preserving content on a preferred channel includes buffering and optionally recording a prime channel using a first tuner while surfing available channels using a second tuner. Upon return to the preferred channel, the programming content of the preferred channel is continued to be viewed in a time-shifted manner. The simultaneous buffering of the prime channel upon changing viewing channels is performed such that the buffering of the prime channel includes a complete record of received content without any loss of programming information. | 04-02-2009 |
20090125942 | Method and Apparatus for Providing Program Guide - A method and apparatus provide an on-screen program guide that uses its space in an efficient manner by shifting program information within the program guide by relatively small time increments. According to an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus includes a memory operative to store data that enables the program guide. A processor is operative to enable display of a portion of the program guide including program information covering a first time interval including a current time. The program guide has time information in a first axis and channel information in a second axis. The processor is further operative to cause the program information to be shifted along the first axis by a second time interval if an elapsed time equals the second time interval. The second time interval is less than thirty minutes. | 05-14-2009 |
20090144769 | Digital Video Recording Device and Method - A multi-media content playback method comprising: detecting a user request to play-back stored multi-media content for a selected program; determining whether a loss of signal (LOS) condition is associated with the stored multi-media content; and if a LOS condition is determined to be associated, alerting the user, prior to play-back of the stored multi-media content, that at least a portion of the multi-media content for the selected program is missing. | 06-04-2009 |
20090232473 | User Message System and Method for Digital Video Recorder - An apparatus and method is presented for receiving and displaying user messages associated with multimedia content. Specifically, the present invention is directed to controlling the operation of a television recording/playback system to permit a user to input a message, associate that message with a selected television program, and display the associated message when the selected television program is accessed by another user (see FIG. | 09-17-2009 |
20100157166 | Method and Apparatus for Enabling Channel Selection - A method for enabling channel selection for an electronic apparatus such as a television signal receiver is performed via a user input device having a key capable of being rotated and pressed. According to an exemplary embodiment, the method includes enabling selection of a plurality of channel numbers to form a group, enabling a first one of the channel numbers to be selected as a initial channel number in response to the selection of the plurality of channel numbers in the group, enabling display of the initial channel number, enabling display of a second one of the channel numbers that is larger than the initial channel number if the key is rotated in a first direction, enabling display of a third one of the channel numbers that is smaller than the initial channel number if the key is rotated in a second direction, and tuning to one of the initial channel number, the second channel number and the third channel number responsive to depression of the key. | 06-24-2010 |
20100232762 | System and Method for Closed Captioning - An apparatus and method is presented for displaying auxiliary information associated with a multimedia program. Specifically, the present invention is directed to receiving program signals, acquiring auxiliary information (e.g. closed captioning information) from the program signals, associating time information with the auxiliary information, storing the auxiliary information in a file associated with program content, using the auxiliary information file and program content to determine candidate program portions for customization of the auxiliary information, and displaying customized auxiliary information with the program content in accordance with user selections (see FIG. | 09-16-2010 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090055189 | Automatic Replacement of Objectionable Audio Content From Audio Signals - A method, apparatus and system are provided for the automatic replacement of potentially objectionable audio content from an audio signal in real time. In one embodiment of the present invention, the selective filtering of objectionable audio content from an audio signal is accomplished by first marking objectionable audio content in the audio signal with filtering information that identifies the type of objectionable audio content (e.g., crude language, ethnic and racial slurs, cursing, strong profanity) and storing the filtering information and the corresponding location of the objectionable audio content for that particular audio signal. Objectionable audio content having filtering information corresponding to a stored replacement content code determined from a predetermined replacement setting is then automatically replaced with an audio clip corresponding to the replacement setting. | 02-26-2009 |
20090070809 | Method for Providing an Electronic Program Guide Based on User Preference Data - An apparatus such as a television signal receiver provides an electronic program guide based on user preference data collected at different time intervals in a day. According to an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus includes a memory operative to store first and second sets of user preference data collected at respective first and second time intervals in a day, and a processor operative to enable display of an electronic program guide including a list of channels. The channels are arranged in the list based on one of the first and second sets of user preference data. | 03-12-2009 |
20100141851 | Method for Enabling User Control of an Apparatus | 06-10-2010 |
20100218209 | Apparatus having an emergency alert function that facilitates location selection - An apparatus ( | 08-26-2010 |