An embedded system for video processing comprises hardware means for realizing the following functions: a) a server function, wherein for realizing the server function the following functions are realized: a1) receiving of at least one image-, at least one audio-data stream; a2) compression of at least one of the image- and audio-data streams yielding in each case a combined data stream respectively; a3) output of at least one of the combined data streams via a protocol based network; b) a client function, wherein for realizing the client function the following functions are realized: b1) receiving of at least one combined data stream from the protocol based network; b2) decompression of the at least one combined data stream; b3) output of the combined decompressed image- and audio-data stream; c) wherein the hardware means are designed in such a way that they c1) compress and decompress a continuous combined data stream and c2) conduct an individual security measure by means of a hardware serial number saved in the system and/or an individual activation code and c3) comprise activation code monitoring means, which conduct a monitoring and comparison of activation codes.

A display apparatus transmits a picture acquisition request for getting picture information to an external image apparatus connected through a predetermined interface to the display apparatus from the external image apparatus at predetermined intervals and gets a plurality of pieces of picture information from the external image apparatus to be displayed. The plurality of pictures may be switched at predetermined intervals, for example, to be displayed, so that the plurality of pictures may be displayed in a so-called slide show manner. A plurality of pictures for thumbnail may be produced from the plurality of pieces of picture information and be arranged together to be displayed in one picture screen of a display device.

Provided is a relay device for transferring a protocol data unit (PDU) transmitted from a server device to a terminal device, receiving content information that pertains to content stored in the PDU, and controlling a transfer in the PDU transfer step on the basis of the content information. The terminal device receives, via the relay device, the PDU transmitted from the server device, and transmits the content information that pertains to the content stored in the PDU to the relay device.

A transport stream provider for providing a plurality of transport stream packets describing digital media information is configured to provide a transport stream packet of a first packet type including a program association table and key information for decrypting encrypted media information. The program association table contains an association between a program No. and a packet type identifier of a further transport stream packet of a second packet type. The transport stream provider is configured to provide a transport stream packet of the second packet type in such a manner that the transport stream packet of the second packet type contains a reference to packet type identifiers of transport stream payload data packets which describe contents of different content types of the digital media information.

A method and apparatus for controlling a group of the client devices to switch at least one client device of the group of client devices from a first conditional access system to a second conditional access system is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises generating a group identifier identifying the group of the client devices, transmitting a first client device signaling message having the group identifier only to each client device of the identified group of client devices, the group identifier for storage in each client device of the identified group of client devices in non-volatile memory, and transmitting a second client device signaling message to plurality of client devices, the second client device message comprising the group identifier and signaling a switch of each of the identified group of client devices from the first conditional access system to the second conditional access system.

Method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving a signal in a broadcasting communication system are provided. Data of an input stream is divided for transmission through a frame. A header that includes information about the input stream is constructed. The frame is constructed using the header and the divided data.

A multi-channel embedded data technique allows for embedding data, such as watermarks into multiple channels of audio, video, multi-media, and other digitized content streams. Two or more of the channels may be utilized. The embedded data may be segmented within each channel, and these segments may start and stop at identical times, or may be staggered or offset from one another. The available payload may be used for different data, or redundant data, providing enhanced reliability. Staggering allows for more rapid availability of at least some of the embedded data segments. References may be used between channels and between data streams to provide for highly complex configurations of encoding and decoding of the embedded data.

Provided is a transmission device including a stream input unit configured to input a plurality of streams each constituted of continuous packets, a stream synthesizing unit configured to synthesize the plurality of input streams to obtain one stream, and a stream transmission unit configured to transmit the one obtained stream. The stream synthesizing unit encodes at least a typical pattern portion of each packet of the plurality of streams using keys that are intrinsic to the respective streams for separation of packets of each stream on a reception side, and thereafter performs time-division multiplexing on the packets of the plurality of streams to obtain the one stream.

A distribution system comprises a play device 1, a distribution device 2 and an electronic machine 3 to function as a content distribution system. The distribution device 2 receives content signals and authorization information ECM (entitlement control message) from a play wave. Afterward, the distribution device 2 distributes the content signals and authorization information ECM to the electronic machine 3 by a communication means and in the same format as play wave transmission. A content protection disabling portion 30 of the electronic machine 3 is capable of performing content protection processing on content signals and simplifying the structure of the electronic machine 3, regardless of whether the content signals are transmitted from the play device 1 by a play wave or distributed from the distribution device 2 by a communication means.

A display apparatus transmits a picture acquisition request for getting picture information to an external image apparatus connected through a predetermined interface to the display apparatus from the external image apparatus at predetermined intervals and gets a plurality of pieces of picture information from the external image apparatus to be displayed. The plurality of pictures may be switched at predetermined intervals, for example, to be displayed, so that the plurality of pictures may be displayed in a so-called slide show manner. A plurality of pictures for thumbnail may be produced from the plurality of pieces of picture information and be arranged together to be displayed in one picture screen of a display device.