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 network media environment includes a first hub network and a second hub network. The first hub network encompasses a first local environment based on a first server which is coupled to a first client. The second hub network encompasses a second local environment based on a second server which is also coupled to the first client. The first local environment and the second local environment overlap. The second local environment is movable with a movement of the second server.

Electronic equipment and methods for permitting quick control of the operating state of a source equipment side from sink equipment. A television receiver (sink equipment) 100 and an amplifier (repeater equipment) 200 are interconnected over an HDMI cable 610, and the amplifier 200 and a DVD recorder (source equipment) 300 are interconnected over an HDMI cable 620. Each of the pieces of equipment includes, in addition to an HDMI receiving unit and an HDMI transmitting unit, a high-speed data line I/F included in a bidirectional communication unit that uses predetermined lines of the HDMI cable. The bidirectional communication unit is used to transmit channel selection information, a remote control code instructing recording, “theater mode” designating information, a remote control code, or the like from the television receiver 100 to the audio amplifier 200 or DVD recorder 300.

Systems and methods described herein relate to detecting the existence of unauthorized content in multiuser composite media stream. In particular, multiuser composite media streams can be examined and to determine if these composite streams include unauthorized content such as copyrighted content or nudity, violence, language violations where desired. The multiuser composite media stream can be partitioned into sections associated with broadcasting users and the portions can be analyzed independently. A notification can be provided to, e.g., the broadcasting user responsible for the unauthorized content in response to detection of the unauthorized content.

The invention proposes a method of display of a user interface, that comprises the following steps: a step of display in foreground of a first user interface generated from stored display elements, comprising a first set of display elements providing access to first services, a reception step of a second set of display elements giving access to second services, and a display step of a second user interface in foreground, replacing the first user interface. The invention also relates to a method of transmission of a set of display elements giving access to services, that comprises the following steps: a transmission step of a first set of display elements, giving access to services, and a transmission step of a second set of display elements, giving access to services, and destined to be stored.

A contents receiving system can include a content receiver and a portable terminal storing ID information. The content receiver can further include: a receiving unit capable of receiving content and subsidiary content from at least one of a broadcast wave and a network; an output unit capable of outputting, as audio video content, a video and/or audio of the content received by the receiving unit; a transmission unit capable of transmitting the subsidiary content to the portable terminal, the transmission unit enabling information on a payment transaction corresponding to an ID information of the portable terminal to be transmitted to the portable terminal individually, the portable terminal including: a second transmission unit capable of receiving the subsidiary content and the information on the payment transaction transmitted from the transmission unit of the content receiver; and a processing unit for performing a processing regarding the payment transaction.

A method and system for authoring templates for personalized video message campaigns in general, and personalized TV commercial campaigns in particular. The invention allows for campaign templates to be authored and edited in such a way that commercials can be automatically generated later on in the process, when the target audience and context are known, while at the same time adhering to the existing (post) production workflows and tools. The invention maintains assembly information for messages in a format that allows easy assembly of variations of commercials at any point in the creation, editing, post-production and delivery process.

A method and a system relates to a cellular-network assisted Pay-Per-View (PPV). An issue arises in reconciling PPV purchase balance data when a Set-top Box (STB) lacks a communication link to the PPV headend server. The present disclosure addresses the issue by using a mobile computing device for delivering the PPV balance data from the STB to the PPV headend server over a cellular-network. The mobile computing device receives the PPV balance data from the Conditional Access Module (CAM) on STB through near-field communications. The mobile computing device, when it is moved to inside a service coverage area of a cellular or Wi-Fi-network, transmits the PPV balance data to the PPV headend server. The PPV headend server updates the PPV balance data and transmits the updated PPV balance data to the CAM on STB via the satellite broadcasting network.

There is provided an image processing apparatus which comprises a receiver which receives primary image content; a communicator which communicates with at least one supply source which supplies related image content of the primary image content; a signal processor which processes and outputs the primary image content; and a controller which controls the communicator to request the supply source to supply the related image content, and controls the signal processor to process and play the related image content supplied from the supply source in response to the request if a user selects a key to play the related image content of the primary image content while the primary image content received by the receiver is processed by the signal processor.

The present invention relates to a subscriber unit in a home environment and a communication system. In one embodiment the subscriber unit has an input for connection to a local video signal, from for instance a picture telephone or a video camera. A video/picture signal may thereby be reproduced in a TV-receiver being connected to the subscriber unit. A sensor in the subscriber unit detects whether a local video signal is present on the telephone unit's input. If this is the case, the control unit connects this signal to the receiving means for further transmission through the subscriber unit and the TV-receiver. The picture telephone image may either be shown separately across the entire screen of the TV or be presented in parallel with other pictorial/video information.