An apparatus (100) is proposed for inserting graphics into a television/video signal. The graphics generally includes text portions which are language-specific. For broadcasting the signal in at least two reception regions having different languages (DE, UK), differentiated graphics are therefore needed, which are inserted into the television/video signal in order to obtain the (at least) two television transmission signals to be broadcast in the (at least) two reception regions. For this purpose, the apparatus is provided with at least two text memories (118, 119), one for each one of the (at least) two different languages, for storing, for each graphics, text portions corresponding to each one of the (at least) two different languages, and at least two sub-circuits (renderers 150, 152) for inserting the (at least) two graphics signals into the television signal.

A video synchronization apparatus and method by adding sync data to an ancillary data space of a video signal are provided. A sync data adding apparatus may include a sync data generator to generate sync data; and a sync data adder to add the sync data to an ancillary data space of a video signal.

A video synchronization apparatus and method by adding sync data to an ancillary data space of a video signal are provided. A sync data adding apparatus may include a sync data generator to generate sync data; and a sync data adder to add the sync data to an ancillary data space of a video signal.

A method and an apparatus for improving digital video signal transmission over a long transmission line are disclosed. A simple equalization reference signal is generated and then combined with a digital video signal in the digital domain such that the transmission of the reference signal takes place at a predefined time period during the vertical blanking interval of the video signal. The combined signal is then converted into an analog video transport signal, which analog signal is then transmitted over the long transmission line to a downstream video receiver. The equalization reference signal is extracted and used at the video receiver to restore the analog video signal which in turn is converted back to digital video signal.

A method and an apparatus are used to target interactive virtual objects to subscribers in a television delivery system. Programs are selected and virtual object locations are defined in the selected programs. The virtual objects available for targeting are categorized and the categories are correlated to subscriber information to determine the optimum targeting of the virtual objects. The virtual objects may be targeted based on individual subscriber information or on information related to groups of subscribers. When a frame of a program includes a virtual object location, a default or an alternate virtual object is displayed. The virtual object location may change over space or time. The virtual object may be interactive, and may be used to link a subscriber to a remote location, such as an Internet web site. An operations center or a cable headend may generate a group assignment plan that assigns the subscribers' television terminals to groups, based on factors such as area of dominant influence and household income. A retrieval plan is then generated that instructs the television terminals to select the desired virtual object for display. The television terminals record which virtual objects were displayed, and report this information to the cable headends and the operations center. The reported information is used to generate billing for commercial advertisers, and to analyze viewer watching habits. Interactive virtual objects are received by the television terminal with directions on actions to be taken upon selection of the interactive virtual object. Actions may result in the initiation of processes locally at the television terminal, or communication with a remote site for the initiation of processes to be performed remotely. The invention uses upstream data reception hardware, databases and processing hardware and software, and corresponding features in the televisions to accomplish these functions.

A method and an apparatus are used to target interactive virtual objects to subscribers in a television delivery system. Programs are selected and virtual object locations are defined in the selected programs. The virtual objects available for targeting are categorized and the categories are correlated to subscriber information to determine the optimum targeting of the virtual objects. The virtual objects may be targeted based on individual subscriber information or on information related to groups of subscribers. When a frame of a program includes a virtual object location, a default or an alternate virtual object is displayed. The virtual object location may change over space or time. The virtual object may be interactive, and may be used to link a subscriber to a remote location, such as an Internet web site. An operations center or a cable headend may generate a group assignment plan that assigns the subscribers' television terminals to groups, based on factors such as area of dominant influence and household income. A retrieval plan is then generated that instructs the television terminals to select the desired virtual object for display. The television terminals record which virtual objects were displayed, and report this information to the cable headends and the operations center. The reported information is used to generate billing for commercial advertisers, and to analyze viewer watching habits. Interactive virtual objects are received by the television terminal with directions on actions to be taken upon selection of the interactive virtual object. Actions may result in the initiation of processes locally at the television terminal, or communication with a remote site for the initiation of processes to be performed remotely. The invention uses upstream data reception hardware, databases and processing hardware and software, and corresponding features in the televisions to accomplish these functions.

Aspects relate to transmission of metadata from a source to a sink device, and optionally through one or more intermediaries. A source device encodes metadata into what would have been a blanking area of a field to be transmitted, according to a current video format. The source device encodes a timing for an active video data signal that is modified from a timing that would be used only for transmission of video data at a current resolution. A separate indicator from the source, or a negotiation between source and sink allows the sink to determine what part of the data indicated as being active video data is metadata, and to use that metadata for controlling aspects of the video display, and to use other parts of the received video data as video data for display. A sink can signal supported capabilities to a source.

Aspects relate to transmission of metadata from a source to a sink device, and optionally through one or more intermediaries. A source device encodes metadata into what would have been a blanking area of a field to be transmitted, according to a current video format. The source device encodes a timing for an active video data signal that is modified from a timing that would be used only for transmission of video data at a current resolution. A separate indicator from the source, or a negotiation between source and sink allows the sink to determine what part of the data indicated as being active video data is metadata, and to use that metadata for controlling aspects of the video display, and to use other parts of the received video data as video data for display. A sink can signal supported capabilities to a source.

Media content typically includes closed captioning information such as subtitled in domestic and foreign languages. Techniques and mechanisms provide that closed captioning information may be toggled on/off using menu options and preferences as well as automatically managed by intelligently monitoring the environment surrounding a device. Device sensors such as microphones and vibration monitors determine the noise level of an environment as well as the spectral characteristics of the noise to determine whether the noise profile would interfere with the video playback experience. A particular environmental noise profile could automatically trigger the display of closed captioning information or present an easy access, otherwise unavailable toggle to display closed captioning information associated with a video stream.

A method and an apparatus for processing a high dynamic range (HDR) video including a subtitle, where the method includes: encapsulating HDR video data into a video data frame that matches a transmission interface; encapsulating subtitle information into a subtitle information frame that matches the transmission interface; and separately transmitting the video data frame and the subtitle information frame to a display device through the transmission interface, where the video data frame and the subtitle information frame are packets in two types of formats. According to the method provided in this application, content and subtitle information of a dynamic metadata HDR video are separately transmitted to the display device. In this way, the display device can obtain the separated video content and subtitle information, and then separately perform corresponding processing on the HDR video and a subtitle.