Mechanisms are provided for allowing a user to dynamically manage rich media content in an efficient and effective manner. Tiles including media content, personalized video selections, content pack upgrades, and promotions for featured content are presented to a user. Each tile may include calls to view, purchase, discuss, rate, review, or read about associated content. Tiles may be presented as still images, logos, text, or live video. Multiple tiles may be manipulated using keyboard, mouse, touchpad, and/or touchscreen movements, motions, and gestures. In particular examples, an overlay provided on top of a tile mechanism provides a user with additional navigation and management options.
G06F 3/0482 - Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
G06F 3/04842 - Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements
H04N 21/431 - Generation of visual interfaces; Content or additional data rendering
H04N 21/462 - Content or additional data management e.g. creating a master electronic program guide from data received from the Internet and a Head-end or controlling the complexity of a video stream by scaling the resolution or bit-rate based on the client capabi
H04N 21/472 - End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification or for manipulating displayed content
H04N 21/482 - End-user interface for program selection
A system and method for improving media delivery and display. By utilizing a memory buffer in a DVR or similar device, and broadcasting linear content at a rate other than 1×, services like video on demand or regular broadcasters can be more versatile. For example viewers can start over without launching a separate VOD session. If part of the linear content requested is not in the buffer, a switched multicast stream can be sent to with the proper section of content. Other receivers on the network may also receive the stream and buffer the content if the content is related to what a viewer is viewing.
H04N 21/61 - Network physical structure; Signal processing
H04L 65/4061 - Push-to services, e.g. push-to-talk or push-to-video
H04N 5/765 - Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
H04N 5/782 - Television signal recording using magnetic recording on tape
H04N 5/783 - Adaptations for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate
H04N 21/433 - Content storage operation, e.g. storage operation in response to a pause request or caching operations
H04N 21/44 - Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing a video clip retrieved from local storage with an incoming video stream or rendering scenes according to MPEG-4 scene graphs
H04N 21/472 - End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification or for manipulating displayed content
H04N 21/6373 - Control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components for rate control
3.
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SMOOTH TRANSITION OF LIVE AND REPLAY PROGRAM GUIDE DISPLAYS
In general, certain embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods and/or systems for implementing a program guide, which comprises sending a first request and receiving a first response associated with a current or future program guide information. The current or future program guide information includes a first plurality of channel identifiers and a plurality of time slots that correspond to current or future time slots, and is displayed at a client device. A second request is sent, which indicates a requested time period that has already occurred and not displayed on the client device, and corresponds to navigation to a previous time slot. A second response is received, which is associated with past program guide information. The past program guide information includes a second plurality of channel identifiers and on-demand program information, and is displayed at the client device.
H04N 21/262 - Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission or generating play-lists
H04N 21/472 - End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification or for manipulating displayed content
H04N 21/482 - End-user interface for program selection
In general, certain embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods and/or systems for self-configuration of an electronic device to a wireless network is provided, which includes a wireless communication interface, one or more processors, memory, and one or more programs stored in the memory which comprise instructions for the wireless communication interface to send a plurality of multicast packets to a plurality of specific destination addresses. The plurality of multicast packets includes encoded messages in the plurality of specific destination addresses that allow a wireless connection device, with wireless capable hardware, to automatically configure itself to be able to access a wireless network. According to various embodiments, the wireless network may be a secure wireless network.
Techniques and mechanisms described herein facilitate the storage of digital media recordings. According to various embodiments, a system is provided comprising a processor, a storage device, Random Access Memory (RAM), an archive writer, and a recording writer. The archive writer is configured to retrieve a plurality of small multimedia segments (SMSs) in RAM and write the plurality of SMSs into an archive container file in RAM. The single archive container file may correspond to a singular multimedia file when complete. New SMSs retrieved from RAM are appended into the archive container file if the new SMSs also correspond to the singular multimedia file. The recording writer is configured to flush the archive container file to be stored as a digital media recording on the storage device once enough SMSs have been appended by the archive writer to the archive container file to complete the singular multimedia file.
H04N 21/433 - Content storage operation, e.g. storage operation in response to a pause request or caching operations
H04L 67/1097 - Protocols in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
H04N 21/231 - Content storage operation, e.g. caching movies for short term storage, replicating data over plural servers or prioritizing data for deletion
H04N 21/2747 - Remote storage of video programs received via the downstream path, e.g. from the server
H04N 21/845 - Structuring of content, e.g. decomposing content into time segments
Systems and methods for push-based dynamic bandwidth allocation deliver addressable, advertising content in a digital network. Bandwidth is allocated on a push basis in response to receiving a trigger from a content distribution stream. The trigger contains data indicating an addressable break. A portion of bandwidth is then allocated to an addressable content stream based on the data of the trigger. The addressable content stream is then streamed to a receiver during the addressable break and the receiver is tuned from the broadcast stream to the addressable content stream for the duration of the addressable break. The additional bandwidth is de-allocated at the end of the addressable break.
The media stream delivery system encodes and fragments media streams into numerous media stream fragments maintained on fragment servers. Devices obtain fragments to reconstruct media streams including live real-time media streams for playback on the devices. A device may perform caching of media stream fragments so that particular fragments need not be accessed again from a fragment server. A fragment server or even a content provider can analyze and monitor characteristics of media streams, viewing behavior, content popularity, etc., to identify fragments for caching at the playback devices. Caching indicators along with time period indicators may be included in the media stream fragments.
H04N 21/231 - Content storage operation, e.g. caching movies for short term storage, replicating data over plural servers or prioritizing data for deletion
8.
LATENCY-BASED ROUTING AND LOAD BALANCING IN A NETWORK
Methods and systems for load balancing are described. A network node may replicate content. A lag time may be determined. A data structure may be generated that comprises the lag time.
Mechanisms are provided to allow for improved media content navigation. Metadata such as closed captioning, social media content, and tags associated with various media segments are analyzed to allow identification of particular entities depicted in the various media segments. Image recognition and audio recognition algorithms can also be performed to further identify entities or validate results from the analysis of metadata.
Tools are provided for distributing access-restricted content in an internet protocol television (“IPTV”) environment based on portable entitlement keys. Such tools can include a decoder, an encoder, and a network entitlement handler. The decoder may be configured to receive a key associated with entitlement information, and transmit the entitlement information over a network. The encoder may be configured to receive content from content providers, and to encode the content to create IP-compatible content, with access restrictions based on entitlement. The network entitlement handler may be configured to receive a request for requested content from the decoder; receive the access-restricted content (including the requested content) from the encoder; and transmit the requested content over the network to the decoder using IP, when the decoder is entitled to receive the requested content.
H04N 21/418 - External card to be used in combination with the client device, e.g. for conditional access
H04N 21/432 - Content retrieval operation from a local storage medium, e.g. hard-disk
H04N 21/6334 - Control signals issued by server directed to the network components or client directed to client for authorisation, e.g. by transmitting a key
H04N 21/266 - Channel or content management, e.g. generation and management of keys and entitlement messages in a conditional access system or merging a VOD unicast channel into a multicast channel
H04N 21/4415 - Acquiring end-user identification using biometric characteristics of the user, e.g. by voice recognition or fingerprint scanning
H04N 21/472 - End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification or for manipulating displayed content
H04N 21/475 - End-user interface for inputting end-user data, e.g. PIN [Personal Identification Number] or preference data
The invention relates to a method for packaging media and data for transmission over a broadband communications network link for display at a terminal destination. Features of the method included creating desired media segments for transmission to the terminal destination and for creating targeting information, for example in whole or in part in the form of metadata, for transmission to the terminal destination. Other features include packaging the created media segments and the created targeting information in a single package and unpacking the single package for display of the targeted media at the terminal destination. In another aspect, the invention can provide a method for unpacking media and data for display at a terminal destination implementing, at the terminal destination, receiving a single package containing media segments and instructions regarding handling of the media segments, quickly unpacking the media segments and the instructions from the single package and, based on the unpacked instructions, assembling one or more of the media segments for display at the terminal destination.
H04N 21/2368 - Multiplexing of audio and video streams
H04N 21/8541 - Content authoring involving branching, e.g. to different story endings
H04N 21/45 - Management operations performed by the client for facilitating the reception of or the interaction with the content or administrating data related to the end-user or to the client device itself, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies
H04H 20/28 - Arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information
H04N 21/2668 - Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. by inserting targeted commercials into a video stream based on end-user profiles
H04H 60/73 - Systems specially adapted for using specific information, e.g. geographical or meteorological information using meta-information
H04N 21/234 - Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing of video streams or manipulating MPEG-4 scene graphs
One or more computing devices may be configured to identify information corresponding to a program change request associated with a multi-program data transmission. The information may comprise at least a link to a desired program within the multi-program data transmission. The one or more computing devices may communicate the link to the desired program to a client device over a specified time period. After the time period, the one or more computing devices may communicate the desired program to the client device using a single program data transmission. The single program data transmission may be derived from the multi-program data transmission.
H04N 21/2668 - Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. by inserting targeted commercials into a video stream based on end-user profiles
H04N 21/858 - Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object or by creating a hotspot
H04N 21/434 - Disassembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. demultiplexing audio and video streams or extraction of additional data from a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Extraction or processing of SI; Disassembling of packetised elementary stream
H04N 21/438 - Interfacing the downstream path of the transmission network originating from a server, e.g. retrieving MPEG packets from an IP network
H04N 21/4385 - Multiplex stream processing, e.g. multiplex stream decrypting
H04N 21/845 - Structuring of content, e.g. decomposing content into time segments
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.
H04N 7/088 - Systems for the simultaneous or sequential transmission of more than one television signal, e.g. additional information signals, the signals occupying wholly or partially the same frequency band with signal insertion during the vertical blanking interval the inserted signal being digital
H04N 21/422 - Input-only peripherals, e.g. global positioning system [GPS]
Real-time metadata tracks recorded to media streams allow search and analysis operations in a variety of contexts. Search queries can be performed using information in real-time metadata tracks such as closed captioning, sub-title, statistical tracks, miscellaneous data tracks. Media streams can also be augmented with additional tracks. The metadata tracks not only allow efficient searching and indexing, but also allow insertion of content specific advertising during appropriate portions of a media stream based on the content of the metadata tracks.
H04N 9/82 - Transformation of the television signal for recording, e.g. modulation, frequency changing; Inverse transformation for playback the individual colour picture signal components being recorded simultaneously only
15.
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REPRESENTING LONG VIDEO SEQUENCES
Systems and procedures for transforming video into a condensed visual representation. An example procedure may include receiving video comprised of a plurality of frames. For each frame, the example procedure may create a first representation, reduced in one dimension, wherein a visual property of each pixel of the first representation is assigned by aggregating a visual property of the pixels of the frame having the same position in the unreduced dimension. The example procedure may further form a condensed visual representation including the first representations aligned along the reduced dimension according to an order of the frames in the video.
H04N 5/783 - Adaptations for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate
H04N 21/432 - Content retrieval operation from a local storage medium, e.g. hard-disk
H04N 21/44 - Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing a video clip retrieved from local storage with an incoming video stream or rendering scenes according to MPEG-4 scene graphs
Mechanisms provide intermediate key frame animation during a media seek. A streaming server receives a seek request from a client device while the streaming server provides the client device with a media stream. The seek request is made when the media stream is playing at an initial location and the seek request includes a request to play the media stream from a seek location. In some embodiments, intermediate key frames before the seek location are identified. In other instances, intermediate key frames between the initial location and the seek location are identified. These intermediate key frames are provided to the client device for display before the media stream begins playing at the seek location.
H04N 21/6587 - Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands or viewpoint selection
H04N 21/234 - Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing of video streams or manipulating MPEG-4 scene graphs
H04N 21/239 - Interfacing the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. prioritizing client requests
H04N 21/472 - End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification or for manipulating displayed content
Media content may be recommended based on feedback weightings. Input data describing the presentation of a media content items in association with content management accounts may be represented as data points. Each data point may identify feedback data for a media content item previously recommended for presentation in association with a content management account. The feedback data may identify a viewer reaction to the recommended media content item. A weighting factor based on the feedback data for the media content item presented in association with the content management account may be applied to produce a recommendation.
Techniques and mechanisms described herein facilitate the management of virtual encoding format converters for live media content streams. A media content system may employ potentially many converters to encode potentially many live video streams. When supporting many live video streams, there may be some streams that are not being viewed by anyone at a particular time. In some such situations, a virtual encoding format converter encoding a live media content stream that is not being viewed may be disabled. Then, live video content associated with the live video stream may be stored in a buffer and updated as new live video content is received. When a user transmits a request to view a stream for which the encoder has been disabled, an format converters for the requested video stream may be enabled. The buffered data may be used to quickly initialize the encoder.
Methods and systems for managing power consumption of network devices are disclosed. An example method can comprise detecting a triggering condition and reducing functionality of a network device based on detecting the triggering condition. The method can comprise detecting, at the network device, a user device, restoring functionality of the network device in response to detecting the user device, and transmitting information to the user device after restoring functionality of the network device.
H04W 4/80 - Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
Provided are methods and systems for variable speed playback. In one aspect the disclosure provides for receiving content having a first playback speed, determining a second playback speed for at least a portion of the content based on a playback factor, associating the second playback speed with the portion of the content, and providing at least the portion of the content at the second playback speed to a display device.
G06F 15/16 - Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs
H04N 5/783 - Adaptations for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate
H04N 21/2387 - Stream processing in response to a playback request from an end-user, e.g. for trick-play
H04N 21/258 - Client or end-user data management, e.g. managing client capabilities, user preferences or demographics or processing of multiple end-users preferences to derive collaborative data
A media device and methods that identify playback states reachable from a current content playback state and identify a reachable state that is likely to occur, are disclosed. A memory associated with the media device may receive frames that enable a smooth transition between the playback state and the reachable state. The media device may receive frames that correspond to points in the content that are separated by an amount of time that is proportional to the playback rate of the likely state. The frames may be frames corresponding to an image that may be played back at the playback rate of the likely state.
Methods and system for providing content are disclosed. One method can comprise receiving a request for data at a first time, wherein the data comprises a first time duration, determining a buffer size based upon the first time duration, and determining a playback window based upon the determined buffer size and the first time. The method can also comprise synchronizing presentation of content on a plurality of devices.
H04N 21/41 - Structure of client; Structure of client peripherals
H04N 21/234 - Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing of video streams or manipulating MPEG-4 scene graphs
H04N 21/2343 - Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing of video streams or manipulating MPEG-4 scene graphs involving reformatting operations of video signals for distribution or compliance with end-user requests or end-user device requirements
H04N 21/236 - Assembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. transport stream, by combining a video stream with other content or additional data, e.g. inserting a URL [Uniform Resource Locator ] into a video stream, multiplexing software data into a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Insertion of stuffing bits into the multiplex stream, e.g. to obtain a constant bit-rate; Assembling of a packetised elementary stream
H04N 21/242 - Synchronization processes, e.g. processing of PCR [Program Clock References]
H04N 21/845 - Structuring of content, e.g. decomposing content into time segments
H04N 21/24 - Monitoring of processes or resources, e.g. monitoring of server load, available bandwidth or upstream requests
H04N 21/43 - Processing of content or additional data, e.g. demultiplexing additional data from a digital video stream; Elementary client operations, e.g. monitoring of home network or synchronizing decoder's clock; Client middleware
H04N 21/472 - End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification or for manipulating displayed content
Multiple scheduling producers such as content management systems, advertisement systems, and emergency broadcast systems can independently send scheduling events to scheduling consumers such as streaming servers, guide generators, and playlogs. The scheduling consumers maintain state machines with persistent storage to process scheduling events from scheduling producers and output media channel playlists, channel guides, and/or content. Scheduling producers can contribute independently to define a channel playout while information at scheduling consumers remains synchronized.
H04N 21/458 - Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules
H04N 21/262 - Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission or generating play-lists
Techniques and mechanisms described herein facilitate the management of digital rights for media content item presentation. According to various embodiments, a request for a content decryption key may be received at a media application implemented at a computing device. The request may be transmitted by a media content player implemented at the computing device. The request may be transmitted in accordance with a designated key exchange protocol. A license for an encrypted media content item corresponding with the requested content decryption key may be identified at the media application. Based on information included in the license, encrypted key material may be decrypted to create the requested content decryption key via a processor at the computing device. The requested content decryption key may be provided to the media content player.
Speech recognition may be improved by generating and using a topic specific language model. A topic specific language model may be created by performing an initial pass on an audio signal using a generic or basis language model. A speech recognition device may then determine topics relating to the audio signal based on the words identified in the initial pass and retrieve a corpus of text relating to those topics. Using the retrieved corpus of text, the speech recognition device may create a topic specific language model. In one example, the speech recognition device may adapt or otherwise modify the generic language model based on the retrieved corpus of text.
Novel tools and techniques are provided for scene aware searching. A system may include a media player configured to play a video stream, a database, and a server configured to host an artificial intelligence (AI) engine. The server may further include a processor and a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising a set of instructions that, when executable by the processor to receive, from the media device, a search query from a user. The AI engine may further be configured to obtain the video stream associated with the search query, identify one or more objects in the video stream, derive contextual data associated with the one or more objects, identify one or more matches based on the contextual data, and determine a result of the search query.
H04N 21/84 - Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors
H04N 21/482 - End-user interface for program selection
G06F 16/783 - Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually using metadata automatically derived from the content
H04N 21/439 - Processing of audio elementary streams
H04N 21/44 - Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing a video clip retrieved from local storage with an incoming video stream or rendering scenes according to MPEG-4 scene graphs
27.
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ENHANCED VIDEO SELECTION USING AN ON-SCREEN REMOTE
A system and method for presenting video asset information to a viewer to assist the view in selecting a video asset for viewing is described. The video assets can be available from a plurality of different video asset sources, such as VOD (video on demand), PVR (personal video recorders) and broadcast (including over the air, cable, and satellite). Images from the video assets are displayed in a uniform manner, along with information about the video assets. The information includes data in a metadata category. The view can select one of the video assets for viewing, but also can navigate using metadata categories such as genre, actors, director etc. Moreover, the system and method includes an on-screen remote control that can be utilized in conjunction with a physical input device for navigation and viewing one or more video assets. This allows a much easier and natural navigating and selection process for viewers.
H04N 21/431 - Generation of visual interfaces; Content or additional data rendering
H04N 21/45 - Management operations performed by the client for facilitating the reception of or the interaction with the content or administrating data related to the end-user or to the client device itself, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies
H04N 21/472 - End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification or for manipulating displayed content
H04N 21/482 - End-user interface for program selection
H04N 21/658 - Transmission by the client directed to the server
Methods, systems, computer readable media, and apparatuses for providing enhanced content are presented. Data including a first program, a first caption stream associated with the first program, and a second caption stream associated with the first program may be received. The second caption stream may be extracted from the data, and a second program may be encoded with the second caption stream. The first program may be transmitted with the first caption stream including first captions and may include first content configured to be played back at a first speed. In response to receiving an instruction to change play back speed, the second program may be transmitted with the second caption stream. The second program may include the first content configured to be played back at a second speed different from the first speed, and the second caption stream may include second captions different from the first captions.
G11B 27/30 - Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel by using information detectable on the record carrier by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording on the same track as the main recording
H04N 21/2343 - Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing of video streams or manipulating MPEG-4 scene graphs involving reformatting operations of video signals for distribution or compliance with end-user requests or end-user device requirements
H04N 21/235 - Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
H04N 21/2387 - Stream processing in response to a playback request from an end-user, e.g. for trick-play
Systems and methods are provided for relevance-based media content discovery. Relevance scores for segments of a media asset are calculated based on a time amount that at least one viewer has viewed the segments of the media asset. Segments are then chosen for display based on the relevance score. Users may select segments based on representative images of the segments.
H04N 21/482 - End-user interface for program selection
G06F 16/50 - Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor of still image data
G06F 16/583 - Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually using metadata automatically derived from the content
G06F 3/048 - Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
G11B 27/22 - Means responsive to presence or absence of recorded information signals
H04N 21/44 - Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing a video clip retrieved from local storage with an incoming video stream or rendering scenes according to MPEG-4 scene graphs
H04N 21/442 - Monitoring of processes or resources, e.g. detecting the failure of a recording device, monitoring the downstream bandwidth, the number of times a movie has been viewed or the storage space available from the internal hard disk
H04N 21/466 - Learning process for intelligent management, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies
H04N 21/472 - End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification or for manipulating displayed content
30.
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ENHANCED INFORMATION VISUALIZATION
In accordance with the present invention, an information management application that provides users with the ability to create and customize matrix displays of information relating to a particular product or service for navigation by other users is provided.
Methods and apparatuses to deliver at least a portion of an advertisement to a viewer at normal playback speeds after receiving a command from the viewer to fast-forward through an advertisement faster than normal playback speeds are described. In one example, a portion of the advertisement may be delivered to be played at normal playback speeds, and the remaining portion may be delivered to be played at a playback speed that is faster than the specified playback speed so that the combination of the portions delivered at normal and faster playback speeds is delivered to the user at the specified playback speed. In another example, at least a portion of the first advertisement may be delivered at normal playback speeds, and one or more other advertisements may be delivered to the viewer simultaneously with the first advertisement with the audio information muted based on the specified playback speed.
H04N 21/6587 - Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands or viewpoint selection
H04N 21/2387 - Stream processing in response to a playback request from an end-user, e.g. for trick-play
H04N 7/173 - Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal
H04N 21/432 - Content retrieval operation from a local storage medium, e.g. hard-disk
H04N 21/433 - Content storage operation, e.g. storage operation in response to a pause request or caching operations
H04N 21/44 - Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing a video clip retrieved from local storage with an incoming video stream or rendering scenes according to MPEG-4 scene graphs
H04N 21/482 - End-user interface for program selection
Techniques and mechanisms described herein facilitate the efficient common storage of partially encrypted content. According to various embodiments, a client device to transmit a designated representation of a media content item via a communications interface may be received. The media content item may be associated with a plurality of representations including the designated representation. The media content item may be associated with first media content data and second media content data. The first media content data may be shared among the plurality of representations. The second media content data may be specific to the designated representation. The first media content data may be combined with the second media content data to create a designated partially encrypted media content portion associated with the designated representation via a processor. The designated partially encrypted media content portion may be transmitted to the client device via the communications interface.
H04L 9/06 - Arrangements for secret or secure communications; Network security protocols the encryption apparatus using shift registers or memories for blockwise coding, e.g. D.E.S. systems
G06F 21/10 - Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material
H04N 21/2347 - Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing of video streams or manipulating MPEG-4 scene graphs involving video stream encryption
H04L 65/65 - Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]
H04L 67/02 - Protocols based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
H04L 65/612 - Network streaming of media packets for supporting one-way streaming services, e.g. Internet radio for unicast
Content may be received at an edge location in one format, but delivered to a terminal on an access network in another format. The received content may be transcoded at the edge location. The transcoded content may be stored, or immediately delivered. The transcoded content may be fragmented prior to storage. Multiple copies of the transcoded content may be maintained in multiple formats. These formats may be aligned with one another such that delivery of the content can include delivering portions of the content in one format and other portions of the content in another format.
H04N 21/2343 - Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing of video streams or manipulating MPEG-4 scene graphs involving reformatting operations of video signals for distribution or compliance with end-user requests or end-user device requirements
H04N 21/24 - Monitoring of processes or resources, e.g. monitoring of server load, available bandwidth or upstream requests
H04N 21/258 - Client or end-user data management, e.g. managing client capabilities, user preferences or demographics or processing of multiple end-users preferences to derive collaborative data
H04N 21/61 - Network physical structure; Signal processing
H04N 21/845 - Structuring of content, e.g. decomposing content into time segments
34.
In-stream controls for national video distribution
Systems and methods are described for delivering regional content for a lineup over a national network. A content provider may select a particular regional broadcast for inclusion in a regional service lineup. The content provider may be able to broadcast multiple, or even all, services nationally. At regional distribution centers, a multiplexer may select only those services that are desired for the region in response to in-stream signals. In some instances, a single region-specific version of a given service may be selected from multiple versions broadcasted nationally. The regional lineup, including the selected services, can then be multiplexed and transmitted to customers throughout the region.
H04N 21/236 - Assembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. transport stream, by combining a video stream with other content or additional data, e.g. inserting a URL [Uniform Resource Locator ] into a video stream, multiplexing software data into a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Insertion of stuffing bits into the multiplex stream, e.g. to obtain a constant bit-rate; Assembling of a packetised elementary stream
H04N 21/235 - Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
H04N 21/234 - Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing of video streams or manipulating MPEG-4 scene graphs
H04N 21/2365 - Multiplexing of several video streams
H04N 21/237 - Communication with additional data server
H04N 21/238 - Interfacing the downstream path of the transmission network, e.g. adapting the transmission rate of a video stream to network bandwidth; Processing of multiplex streams
H04N 21/2381 - Adapting the multiplex stream to a specific network, e.g. an IP [Internet Protocol] network
H04N 21/24 - Monitoring of processes or resources, e.g. monitoring of server load, available bandwidth or upstream requests
H04N 21/262 - Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission or generating play-lists
H04N 21/222 - Secondary servers, e.g. proxy server or cable television Head-end
H04N 21/2343 - Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing of video streams or manipulating MPEG-4 scene graphs involving reformatting operations of video signals for distribution or compliance with end-user requests or end-user device requirements
H04N 21/2668 - Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. by inserting targeted commercials into a video stream based on end-user profiles
H04N 21/6338 - Control signals issued by server directed to the network components or client directed to network
Access devices may receive signals over a network and calculate a frequency spectrum of the received signals. An analyzer system may collect the frequency spectrum data from multiple access devices, and based on the collected data, detect, identify, and locate sources of anomalies in a communication network.
Systems and methods for consuming content. A computing device may receive data. The computing device may determine an inference. The computing device may manage content. The computing device may manage content based on the inference.
H04N 21/258 - Client or end-user data management, e.g. managing client capabilities, user preferences or demographics or processing of multiple end-users preferences to derive collaborative data
H04N 21/442 - Monitoring of processes or resources, e.g. detecting the failure of a recording device, monitoring the downstream bandwidth, the number of times a movie has been viewed or the storage space available from the internal hard disk
H04N 21/482 - End-user interface for program selection
Techniques and mechanisms described herein facilitate providing dynamic digital object placement in a video stream. An exchange network for engagements within video streaming content is maintained, and a number of engagement entities and content providers are connected to the exchange network. An engagement proposal is received from an engagement entity in the exchange network, containing media assets for an engagement and proposed engagement information. Content provider requirements are also received from a content provider in the exchange network, containing content provider requirements and one or more engagement surfaces associated with a video stream. The exchange network determines that the received engagement proposal matches the received content provider requirements. Once the exchange network matches the two entities, the media assets from the engagement entity are dynamically inserted into the video stream published by the content provider by mapping the media assets to the one or more engagement surfaces.
H04N 21/25 - Management operations performed by the server for facilitating the content distribution or administrating data related to end-users or client devices, e.g. end-user or client device authentication or learning user preferences for recommending movies
Aspects of the disclosure relate to a remote control which may include one or more buttons configured to provide input to the remote control upon being activated, a transmitter for transmitting data, a receiver for receiving data, a processor and memory storing computer executable instructions that, when executed, cause the two-way remote control to perform a method for configuring repeat transmission behavior of one or more of the buttons of the two-way remote control. Further, the receiver may be configured to receive data from a device configured to be controlled by the remote control and the data may include instructions for configuring the repeat transmission behavior of the one or more buttons of the two-way remote control. Additionally, the two-way remote control may configure the repeat transmission behavior of the one or more buttons of the two-way remote control based on the data received from the device.
H04B 1/20 - Circuits for coupling gramophone pick-up, recorder output, or microphone to receiver
G06F 3/038 - Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
G08C 17/02 - Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link using a radio link
H04L 12/28 - Data switching networks characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks]
H04N 21/422 - Input-only peripherals, e.g. global positioning system [GPS]
G08C 23/04 - Non-electric signal transmission systems, e.g. optical systems using light waves, e.g. infrared
G06F 3/023 - Arrangements for converting discrete items of information into a coded form, e.g. arrangements for interpreting keyboard generated codes as alphanumeric codes, operand codes or instruction codes
39.
System and method for smooth transition of live and replay program guide displays
Methods and systems are provided for generating a program guide that simultaneously displays future content item identifiers and past content item identifiers. The future content items will be available from a content source in future time slots. The future content item identifiers are sized according to the lengths of corresponding future content items. The past content item that were available from the content source in past time slots. The past content item identifiers are not sized according to the lengths of corresponding past content items.
H04N 21/262 - Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission or generating play-lists
H04N 21/472 - End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification or for manipulating displayed content
H04N 21/482 - End-user interface for program selection
Mechanisms are provided for presenting a media location browsing interface to facilitate a media search and/or seek. A client device receives a media stream from a streaming server. This client device provides a media location browsing interface after receiving the media stream. This media location browsing interface includes a plurality of key frames representing locations along the media stream that are selectable at the client device. A seek request to play the media stream from a seek location corresponding to one of the plurality of key frames is captured. The client device begins playback of the media stream at the seek location.
H04L 65/61 - Network streaming of media packets for supporting one-way streaming services, e.g. Internet radio
G06F 3/04847 - Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
G06F 3/04842 - Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements
G06F 3/04883 - Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI] using specific features provided by the input device, e.g. functions controlled by the rotation of a mouse with dual sensing arrangements, or of the nature of the input device, e.g. tap gestures based on pressure sensed by a digitiser using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
H04N 21/40 - Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of, or interaction with, content, e.g. STB [set-top-box]; Operations thereof
H04N 21/472 - End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification or for manipulating displayed content
H04N 21/845 - Structuring of content, e.g. decomposing content into time segments
H04N 21/433 - Content storage operation, e.g. storage operation in response to a pause request or caching operations
41.
Transmission and consumption of time-shifted content in a one-way communication environment
Aspects of the disclosure relate to control of transmission and consumption of content in a device, such as an end-point rendering device. The content can include linear-programming content assets and/or time-shifted content assets. Consumption can be mediated by a control device that can coordinate the functional interaction between the device and a content distribution network node or an access network node that can supply the content and related information.
H04N 21/45 - Management operations performed by the client for facilitating the reception of or the interaction with the content or administrating data related to the end-user or to the client device itself, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies
H04N 21/6587 - Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands or viewpoint selection
H04N 21/41 - Structure of client; Structure of client peripherals
H04N 21/466 - Learning process for intelligent management, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies
H04N 21/482 - End-user interface for program selection
H04N 21/422 - Input-only peripherals, e.g. global positioning system [GPS]
Mechanisms are provided for allowing a user to dynamically manage rich media content in an efficient and effective manner. Tiles including media content, personalized video selections, content pack upgrades, and promotions for featured content are presented to a user. Each tile may include calls to view, purchase, discuss, rate, review, or read about associated content. Tiles may be presented as still images, logos, text, or live video. Multiple tiles may be manipulated using keyboard, mouse, touchpad, and/or touchscreen movements, motions, and gestures. In particular examples, an overlay provided on top of a tile mechanism provides a user with additional navigation and management options.
G06F 3/0482 - Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
H04N 21/431 - Generation of visual interfaces; Content or additional data rendering
H04N 21/462 - Content or additional data management e.g. creating a master electronic program guide from data received from the Internet and a Head-end or controlling the complexity of a video stream by scaling the resolution or bit-rate based on the client capabi
H04N 21/482 - End-user interface for program selection
G06F 3/04842 - Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements
H04N 21/472 - End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification or for manipulating displayed content
Mechanisms are provided to allow efficient delivery of content through a content delivery network (CDN) without taxing an origin server while maintaining fine grained location based access control. Requests to a CDN are augmented with quantized and non-quantized versions of location information. A CDN can use quantized location information in a URI to identify and return content if content corresponding to the URI is available in cache. If the content is not available in cache, the CDN can contact an origin server to obtain a result for the request using non-quantized location information. The origin server examines the non-quantized location information to determine whether to respond to the client request with content. The origin server examines the area corresponding to the quantized location information to determine whether the content should be cached at the CDN.
Mechanisms are provided for allowing a mobile device to dynamically obtain program guide data. A mobile device having the capability of playing media streams is configurable to dynamically request program guide structure information followed by program guide content information. In one example, the program guide structure information allows a user to begin navigating the program guide data in an active and dynamic manner. Program guide content information including data such as program titles, times, icons, and links are then downloaded and displayed as needed. Potentially limitless amounts of program guide data can be provided on a mobile device. Program guide content information can be provided in a generic manner while allowing user layout customization. Program guide information can also be preemptively provided to a mobile device based on a variety of criteria.
H04N 21/482 - End-user interface for program selection
H04N 7/173 - Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal
H04N 21/21 - Server components or server architectures
H04N 21/23 - Processing of content or additional data; Elementary server operations; Server middleware
H04N 21/236 - Assembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. transport stream, by combining a video stream with other content or additional data, e.g. inserting a URL [Uniform Resource Locator ] into a video stream, multiplexing software data into a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Insertion of stuffing bits into the multiplex stream, e.g. to obtain a constant bit-rate; Assembling of a packetised elementary stream
H04N 21/414 - Specialised client platforms, e.g. receiver in car or embedded in a mobile appliance
H04N 21/434 - Disassembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. demultiplexing audio and video streams or extraction of additional data from a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Extraction or processing of SI; Disassembling of packetised elementary stream
H04N 21/61 - Network physical structure; Signal processing
H04N 21/84 - Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors
Transaction activity of a cache maintaining content may be monitored to determine periods of transaction activity below a first threshold amount of transactions. A period of anticipated transaction activity above a second threshold amount of transactions may be determined. A period of anticipated transaction activity below the first threshold may be selected based upon the monitored periods of transaction activity below the first threshold and the determined period of anticipated transaction activity above the second threshold. Content then may be evicted from the cache during the selected period of anticipated transaction activity.
H04L 67/289 - Intermediate processing functionally located close to the data consumer application, e.g. in same machine, in same home or in same sub-network
H04L 67/568 - Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
H04L 67/5682 - Policies or rules for updating, deleting or replacing the stored data
H04N 21/222 - Secondary servers, e.g. proxy server or cable television Head-end
H04N 21/231 - Content storage operation, e.g. caching movies for short term storage, replicating data over plural servers or prioritizing data for deletion
46.
System and method for storing multimedia files using an archive file format
Techniques and mechanisms described herein facilitate the storage of digital media recordings. According to various embodiments, a system is provided comprising a processor, a storage device, Random Access Memory (RAM), an archive writer, and a recording writer. The archive writer is configured to retrieve a plurality of small multimedia segments (SMSs) in RAM and write the plurality of SMSs into an archive container file in RAM. The single archive container file may correspond to a singular multimedia file when complete. New SMSs retrieved from RAM are appended into the archive container file if the new SMSs also correspond to the singular multimedia file. The recording writer is configured to flush the archive container file to be stored as a digital media recording on the storage device once enough SMSs have been appended by the archive writer to the archive container file to complete the singular multimedia file.
H04N 21/433 - Content storage operation, e.g. storage operation in response to a pause request or caching operations
H04L 67/1097 - Protocols in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
H04N 21/231 - Content storage operation, e.g. caching movies for short term storage, replicating data over plural servers or prioritizing data for deletion
H04N 21/2747 - Remote storage of video programs received via the downstream path, e.g. from the server
H04N 21/845 - Structuring of content, e.g. decomposing content into time segments
Advertisements are often presented in the context of a media content viewing experience. Advertisement presentation may be intrusive or subtle. In many instances, users may be interested in particular advertisements but may not want to disrupt a media content viewing experience by launching an advertisement window, opening an advertisement application, or otherwise being redirected to another piece of content. Consequently, mechanisms are provided to allow a user to identify advertisements or save advertisement interests for presentation at a later time. Saved advertisement interests can be used to inform future advertisement and/or content suggestions, and the user can be presented with selected advertisements within an application or through external mechanisms.
The media stream delivery system encodes and fragments media streams into numerous media stream fragments maintained on fragment servers. Devices obtain fragments to reconstruct media streams including live real-time media streams for playback on the devices. A device may perform caching of media stream fragments so that particular fragments need not be accessed again from a fragment server. A fragment server or even a content provider can analyze and monitor characteristics of media streams, viewing behavior, content popularity, etc., to identify fragments for caching at the playback devices. Caching indicators along with time period indicators may be included in the media stream fragments.
H04N 21/234 - Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing of video streams or manipulating MPEG-4 scene graphs
H04N 21/25 - Management operations performed by the server for facilitating the content distribution or administrating data related to end-users or client devices, e.g. end-user or client device authentication or learning user preferences for recommending movies
H04N 21/44 - Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing a video clip retrieved from local storage with an incoming video stream or rendering scenes according to MPEG-4 scene graphs
H04N 21/6543 - Transmission by server directed to the client for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording
H04N 21/845 - Structuring of content, e.g. decomposing content into time segments
H04N 21/231 - Content storage operation, e.g. caching movies for short term storage, replicating data over plural servers or prioritizing data for deletion
H04N 21/2343 - Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing of video streams or manipulating MPEG-4 scene graphs involving reformatting operations of video signals for distribution or compliance with end-user requests or end-user device requirements
H04N 21/2387 - Stream processing in response to a playback request from an end-user, e.g. for trick-play
H04N 21/239 - Interfacing the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. prioritizing client requests
H04N 21/433 - Content storage operation, e.g. storage operation in response to a pause request or caching operations
H04N 21/218 - Source of audio or video content, e.g. local disk arrays
In general, certain embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods and/or systems for self-configuration of an electronic device to a wireless network is provided, which includes a wireless communication interface, one or more processors, memory, and one or more programs stored in the memory which comprise instructions for the wireless communication interface to send a plurality of multicast packets to a plurality of specific destination addresses. The plurality of multicast packets includes encoded messages in the plurality of specific destination addresses that allow a wireless connection device, with wireless capable hardware, to automatically configure itself to be able to access a wireless network. According to various embodiments, the wireless network may be a secure wireless network.
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.
H04N 7/088 - Systems for the simultaneous or sequential transmission of more than one television signal, e.g. additional information signals, the signals occupying wholly or partially the same frequency band with signal insertion during the vertical blanking interval the inserted signal being digital
H04N 21/422 - Input-only peripherals, e.g. global positioning system [GPS]
Systems and methods for managing a network are disclosed. One method can comprise determining presence of a first network device associated with a network. If the first network device is not present, a second network device can be configured to assume authority of the network. If the first network device is present, the second network device can be configured to join the network. Other aspects relate to providing services in an environment having multiple service providers.
A media device and methods that identify playback states reachable from a current content playback state and identify a reachable state that is likely to occur, are disclosed. A memory associated with the media device may receive frames that enable a smooth transition between the playback state and the reachable state. The media device may receive frames that correspond to points in the content that are separated by an amount of time that is proportional to the playback rate of the likely state. The frames may be frames corresponding to an image that may be played back at the playback rate of the likely state.
Techniques and mechanisms described herein facilitate providing dynamic digital object placement in a video stream. An exchange network for engagements within video streaming content is maintained, and a number of engagement entities and content providers are connected to the exchange network. An engagement proposal is received from an engagement entity in the exchange network, containing media assets for an engagement and proposed engagement information. Content provider requirements are also received from a content provider in the exchange network, containing content provider requirements and one or more engagement surfaces associated with a video stream. The exchange network determines that the received engagement proposal matches the received content provider requirements. Once the exchange network matches the two entities, the media assets from the engagement entity are dynamically inserted into the video stream published by the content provider by mapping the media assets to the one or more engagement surfaces.
H04N 21/25 - Management operations performed by the server for facilitating the content distribution or administrating data related to end-users or client devices, e.g. end-user or client device authentication or learning user preferences for recommending movies
Techniques and mechanisms described herein facilitate the storage of digital media recordings. According to various embodiments, a system is provided comprising a processor, a storage device, Random Access Memory (RAM), an archive writer, and a recording writer. The archive writer is configured to retrieve a plurality of small multimedia segments (SMSs) in RAM and write the plurality of SMSs into an archive container file in RAM. The single archive container file may correspond to a singular multimedia file when complete. New SMSs retrieved from RAM are appended into the archive container file if the new SMSs also correspond to the singular multimedia file. The recording writer is configured to flush the archive container file to be stored as a digital media recording on the storage device once enough SMSs have been appended by the archive writer to the archive container file to complete the singular multimedia file.
H04N 21/433 - Content storage operation, e.g. storage operation in response to a pause request or caching operations
H04L 67/1097 - Protocols in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
H04N 21/231 - Content storage operation, e.g. caching movies for short term storage, replicating data over plural servers or prioritizing data for deletion
H04N 21/2747 - Remote storage of video programs received via the downstream path, e.g. from the server
H04N 21/845 - Structuring of content, e.g. decomposing content into time segments
Described herein are techniques and mechanisms for providing a lean private copy of media content. According to various embodiments, a private copy of a media content item may be made specific to a user account. For example, to use a private copy of a media content item to present that media content item, a client machine may need to first perform operations such as account authentication, content licensing, and device-based DRM. The private copy of the media content item may be significantly deduplicated such that the actual size on disk of the private copy is small relative to the size of the uncompressed media content item. The private copy of the media content item may include reference information which maps the user account associated with the copy to data files associated with the recording.
H04N 21/433 - Content storage operation, e.g. storage operation in response to a pause request or caching operations
H04N 21/472 - End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification or for manipulating displayed content
H04N 21/437 - Interfacing the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. for transmitting client requests to a VOD server
H04N 21/258 - Client or end-user data management, e.g. managing client capabilities, user preferences or demographics or processing of multiple end-users preferences to derive collaborative data
H04N 21/254 - Management at additional data server, e.g. shopping server or rights management server
H04L 29/06 - Communication control; Communication processing characterised by a protocol
H04N 21/845 - Structuring of content, e.g. decomposing content into time segments
H04N 21/835 - Generation of protective data, e.g. certificates
Media content may be recommended based on feedback weightings. Input data describing the presentation of a media content items in association with content management accounts may be represented as data points. Each data point may identify feedback data for a media content item previously recommended for presentation in association with a content management account. The feedback data may identify a viewer reaction to the recommended media content item. A weighting factor based on the feedback data for the media content item presented in association with the content management account may be applied to produce a recommendation.
Mechanisms provide intermediate key frame animation during a media seek. A streaming server receives a seek request from a client device while the streaming server provides the client device with a media stream. The seek request is made when the media stream is playing at an initial location and the seek request includes a request to play the media stream from a seek location. In some embodiments, intermediate key frames before the seek location are identified. In other instances, intermediate key frames between the initial location and the seek location are identified. These intermediate key frames are provided to the client device for display before the media stream begins playing at the seek location.
H04N 21/472 - End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification or for manipulating displayed content
H04N 21/414 - Specialised client platforms, e.g. receiver in car or embedded in a mobile appliance
H04N 21/845 - Structuring of content, e.g. decomposing content into time segments
58.
Latency-based routing and load balancing in a network
Methods and systems for load balancing are described. A network node may replicate content. A lag time may be determined. A data structure may be generated that comprises the lag time.
G06F 16/27 - Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
59.
CHARACTER BASED SEARCH AND DISCOVERY OF MEDIA CONTENT
Mechanisms are provided for character-based and image-based media content search and discovery. Character images or entity images are mapped to corresponding media content. Selection of an image or a portion of an image may trigger or search for corresponding media content or begin playback of relevant media content. Character images or entity images need not correspond to a primary program character or object but may correspond to minor characters or tangential entities depicted periodically on particular programs.
H04N 21/482 - End-user interface for program selection
G06F 16/50 - Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor of still image data
G06F 16/583 - Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually using metadata automatically derived from the content
G06F 3/048 - Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
G11B 27/22 - Means responsive to presence or absence of recorded information signals
H04N 21/44 - Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing a video clip retrieved from local storage with an incoming video stream or rendering scenes according to MPEG-4 scene graphs
H04N 21/442 - Monitoring of processes or resources, e.g. detecting the failure of a recording device, monitoring the downstream bandwidth, the number of times a movie has been viewed or the storage space available from the internal hard disk
H04N 21/466 - Learning process for intelligent management, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies
H04N 21/472 - End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification or for manipulating displayed content
60.
In-stream controls for national video distribution
Systems and methods are described for delivering regional content for a lineup over a national network. A content provider may select a particular regional broadcast for inclusion in a regional service lineup. The content provider may be able to broadcast multiple, or even all, services nationally. At regional distribution centers, a multiplexer may select only those services that are desired for the region in response to in-stream signals. In some instances, a single region-specific version of a given service may be selected from multiple versions broadcasted nationally. The regional lineup, including the selected services, can then be multiplexed and transmitted to customers throughout the region.
H04N 21/236 - Assembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. transport stream, by combining a video stream with other content or additional data, e.g. inserting a URL [Uniform Resource Locator ] into a video stream, multiplexing software data into a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Insertion of stuffing bits into the multiplex stream, e.g. to obtain a constant bit-rate; Assembling of a packetised elementary stream
H04N 21/235 - Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
H04N 21/234 - Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing of video streams or manipulating MPEG-4 scene graphs
H04N 21/2365 - Multiplexing of several video streams
H04N 21/237 - Communication with additional data server
H04N 21/238 - Interfacing the downstream path of the transmission network, e.g. adapting the transmission rate of a video stream to network bandwidth; Processing of multiplex streams
H04N 21/2381 - Adapting the multiplex stream to a specific network, e.g. an IP [Internet Protocol] network
H04N 21/24 - Monitoring of processes or resources, e.g. monitoring of server load, available bandwidth or upstream requests
H04N 21/262 - Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission or generating play-lists
H04N 21/222 - Secondary servers, e.g. proxy server or cable television Head-end
H04N 21/2343 - Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing of video streams or manipulating MPEG-4 scene graphs involving reformatting operations of video signals for distribution or compliance with end-user requests or end-user device requirements
H04N 21/2668 - Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. by inserting targeted commercials into a video stream based on end-user profiles
H04N 21/6338 - Control signals issued by server directed to the network components or client directed to network
The invention relates to a method for packaging media and data for transmission over a broadband communications network link for display at a terminal destination. Features of the method included creating desired media segments for transmission to the terminal destination and for creating targeting information, for example in whole or in part in the form of metadata, for transmission to the terminal destination. Other features include packaging the created media segments and the created targeting information in a single package and unpacking the single package for display of the targeted media at the terminal destination. In another aspect, the invention can provide a method for unpacking media and data for display at a terminal destination implementing, at the terminal destination, receiving a single package containing media segments and instructions regarding handling of the media segments, quickly unpacking the media segments and the instructions from the single package and, based on the unpacked instructions, assembling one or more of the media segments for display at the terminal destination.
H04N 7/10 - Adaptations for transmission by electrical cable
H04N 21/2368 - Multiplexing of audio and video streams
H04H 20/28 - Arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information
H04N 21/45 - Management operations performed by the client for facilitating the reception of or the interaction with the content or administrating data related to the end-user or to the client device itself, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies
H04N 21/84 - Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors
H04N 21/845 - Structuring of content, e.g. decomposing content into time segments
H04N 21/235 - Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
H04N 21/2668 - Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. by inserting targeted commercials into a video stream based on end-user profiles
H04N 21/234 - Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing of video streams or manipulating MPEG-4 scene graphs
H04H 60/73 - Systems specially adapted for using specific information, e.g. geographical or meteorological information using meta-information
62.
Systems and methods for client-based addressable advertising
In accordance with the present invention, systems and methods that allow a television broadcast facility or a headend to insert in-band messages, where the inserted message allow receivers to switch to, insert, or otherwise show addressable advertisements to its viewers.
H04N 21/262 - Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission or generating play-lists
Provided are methods and systems for variable speed playback. In one aspect the disclosure provides for receiving content having a first playback speed, determining a second playback speed for at least a portion of the content based on a playback factor, associating the second playback speed with the portion of the content, and providing at least the portion of the content at the second playback speed to a display device.
G06F 15/16 - Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs
H04N 21/2387 - Stream processing in response to a playback request from an end-user, e.g. for trick-play
H04N 5/783 - Adaptations for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate
H04N 21/258 - Client or end-user data management, e.g. managing client capabilities, user preferences or demographics or processing of multiple end-users preferences to derive collaborative data
64.
Consumer choice for broadband application and content services
Novel tools and techniques might provide for implementing application, service, and/or content access control. Based at least in part on a consumer's choice of applications, services, content, and/or content providers—particular in exchange for a subsidy on content and/or network access fees provided to the consumer by chosen content providers—, a computing system may determine whether access to applications, services, and/or content not associated with the chosen content providers (“other content”) should be allowed or restricted. If restricted, the computing system might utilize various network access techniques and/or technologies to block the consumer's access to the other content, to allow access to the other content on a charge per access basis, or to allow access to the other content at reduced network access speeds. In some embodiments, an access provider (e.g., an Internet service provider, etc.) might perform both determination and implementation of content access and restriction.
A system and method for presenting video asset information to a viewer to assist the view in selecting a video asset for viewing is described. The video assets can be available from a plurality of different video asset sources, such as VOD (video on demand), PVR (personal video recorders) and broadcast (including over the air, cable, and satellite). Images from the video assets are displayed in a uniform manner, along with information about the video assets. The information includes data in a metadata category. The view can select one of the video assets for viewing, but also can navigate using metadata categories such as genre, actors, director etc. Moreover, the system and method includes an on-screen remote control that can be utilized in conjunction with a physical input device for navigation and viewing one or more video assets. This allows a much easier and natural navigating and selection process for viewers.
H04N 21/422 - Input-only peripherals, e.g. global positioning system [GPS]
H04N 21/431 - Generation of visual interfaces; Content or additional data rendering
H04N 21/45 - Management operations performed by the client for facilitating the reception of or the interaction with the content or administrating data related to the end-user or to the client device itself, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies
H04N 21/472 - End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification or for manipulating displayed content
Access devices may receive signals over a network and calculate a frequency spectrum of the received signals. An analyzer system may collect the frequency spectrum data from multiple access devices, and based on the collected data, detect, identify, and locate sources of anomalies in a communication network.
A system and method for stitching separately encoded MPEG video fragments, each representing a different rectangular area of the screen together into one single full-screen MPEG encoded video fragment.
H04N 19/30 - Methods or arrangements for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals using hierarchical techniques, e.g. scalability
H04N 19/114 - Adapting the group of pictures [GOP] structure, e.g. number of B-frames between two anchor frames
H04N 19/174 - Methods or arrangements for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals using adaptive coding characterised by the coding unit, i.e. the structural portion or semantic portion of the video signal being the object or the subject of the adaptive coding the unit being an image region, e.g. an object the region being a slice, e.g. a line of blocks or a group of blocks
H04N 19/40 - Methods or arrangements for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals using video transcoding, i.e. partial or full decoding of a coded input stream followed by re-encoding of the decoded output stream
H04N 19/176 - Methods or arrangements for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals using adaptive coding characterised by the coding unit, i.e. the structural portion or semantic portion of the video signal being the object or the subject of the adaptive coding the unit being an image region, e.g. an object the region being a block, e.g. a macroblock
68.
Systems and methods for client-based addressable advertising
In accordance with the present invention, systems and methods that allow a television broadcast facility or a headend to insert in-band messages, where the inserted message allow receivers to switch to, insert, or otherwise show addressable advertisements to its viewers.
H04N 21/262 - Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission or generating play-lists
Methods, apparatuses, and software are disclosed for sending only a first video component (e.g., data comprising one of a left or right component) of content to a plurality of client devices. Further aspects provide for sending, responsive to a request from one of the plurality of client devices, both the first video component and a second video component (e.g., data comprising both of the left and right components) to one or more of the plurality of client devices.
H04N 21/258 - Client or end-user data management, e.g. managing client capabilities, user preferences or demographics or processing of multiple end-users preferences to derive collaborative data
H04N 21/2343 - Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing of video streams or manipulating MPEG-4 scene graphs involving reformatting operations of video signals for distribution or compliance with end-user requests or end-user device requirements
H04N 21/239 - Interfacing the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. prioritizing client requests
H04N 21/437 - Interfacing the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. for transmitting client requests to a VOD server
Content may be received at an edge location in one format, but delivered to a terminal on an access network in another format. The received content may be transcoded at the edge location. The transcoded content may be stored, or immediately delivered. The transcoded content may be fragmented prior to storage. Multiple copies of the transcoded content may be maintained in multiple formats. These formats may be aligned with one another such that delivery of the content can include delivering portions of the content in one format and other portions of the content in another format.
G06F 15/16 - Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs
H04N 21/2343 - Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing of video streams or manipulating MPEG-4 scene graphs involving reformatting operations of video signals for distribution or compliance with end-user requests or end-user device requirements
H04N 21/24 - Monitoring of processes or resources, e.g. monitoring of server load, available bandwidth or upstream requests
H04N 21/258 - Client or end-user data management, e.g. managing client capabilities, user preferences or demographics or processing of multiple end-users preferences to derive collaborative data
H04N 21/61 - Network physical structure; Signal processing
H04N 21/845 - Structuring of content, e.g. decomposing content into time segments
71.
Systems and methods for reconfiguring buttons of a remote control device
Aspects of the disclosure relate to a remote control which may include one or more buttons configured to provide input to the remote control upon being activated, a transmitter for transmitting data, a receiver for receiving data, a processor and memory storing computer executable instructions that, when executed, cause the two-way remote control to perform a method for configuring repeat transmission behavior of one or more of the buttons of the two-way remote control. Further, the receiver may be configured to receive data from a device configured to be controlled by the remote control and the data may include instructions for configuring the repeat transmission behavior of the one or more buttons of the two-way remote control. Additionally, the two-way remote control may configure the repeat transmission behavior of the one or more buttons of the two-way remote control based on the data received from the device.
H04B 1/20 - Circuits for coupling gramophone pick-up, recorder output, or microphone to receiver
G06F 3/023 - Arrangements for converting discrete items of information into a coded form, e.g. arrangements for interpreting keyboard generated codes as alphanumeric codes, operand codes or instruction codes
G06F 3/038 - Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
G08C 17/02 - Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link using a radio link
G08C 23/04 - Non-electric signal transmission systems, e.g. optical systems using light waves, e.g. infrared
H04L 12/28 - Data switching networks characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks]
H04N 21/422 - Input-only peripherals, e.g. global positioning system [GPS]
A system and method for improving media delivery and display. By utilizing a memory buffer in a DVR or similar device, and broadcasting linear content at a rate other than 1×, services like video on demand or regular broadcasters can be more versatile. For example, viewers can start over without launching a separate VOD session. If part of the linear content requested is not in the buffer, a switched multicast stream can be sent with the proper section of content. Other receivers on the network may also receive the stream and buffer the content if the content is related to what a viewer is viewing.
G06F 15/177 - Initialisation or configuration control
H04N 21/61 - Network physical structure; Signal processing
H04N 5/765 - Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
H04N 5/782 - Television signal recording using magnetic recording on tape
H04N 5/783 - Adaptations for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate
H04N 21/433 - Content storage operation, e.g. storage operation in response to a pause request or caching operations
H04N 21/44 - Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing a video clip retrieved from local storage with an incoming video stream or rendering scenes according to MPEG-4 scene graphs
H04N 21/472 - End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification or for manipulating displayed content
H04N 21/6373 - Control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components for rate control
H04L 65/4061 - Push-to services, e.g. push-to-talk or push-to-video
A system and method for presenting video asset information to a viewer to assist the view in selecting a video asset for viewing. The video assets can be available from a plurality of different video asset sources, such as VOD (video on demand), PVR (personal video recorders) and broadcast (including over the air, cable, and satellite). Images from the video assets are displayed in a uniform manner, along with information about the video assets. The information includes data in a metadata category. The view can select one of the video assets for viewing, but also can navigate using metadata categories such as genre, actors, director etc. This allows a much easier and natural navigating and selection process for viewers.
H04H 60/72 - Systems specially adapted for using specific information, e.g. geographical or meteorological information using electronic programme guides [EPG]
H04H 60/73 - Systems specially adapted for using specific information, e.g. geographical or meteorological information using meta-information
H04N 5/775 - Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
H04N 7/16 - Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems
H04N 7/173 - Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal
H04N 21/2747 - Remote storage of video programs received via the downstream path, e.g. from the server
H04N 21/431 - Generation of visual interfaces; Content or additional data rendering
H04N 21/443 - OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
H04N 21/462 - Content or additional data management e.g. creating a master electronic program guide from data received from the Internet and a Head-end or controlling the complexity of a video stream by scaling the resolution or bit-rate based on the client capabi
H04N 21/472 - End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification or for manipulating displayed content
Systems and procedures for transforming video into a condensed visual representation. An example procedure may include receiving video comprised of a plurality of frames. For each frame, the example procedure may create a first representation, reduced in one dimension, wherein a visual property of each pixel of the first representation is assigned by aggregating a visual property of the pixels of the frame having the same position in the unreduced dimension. The example procedure may further form a condensed visual representation including the first representations aligned along the reduced dimension according to an order of the frames in the video.
H04N 5/783 - Adaptations for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate
H04N 21/432 - Content retrieval operation from a local storage medium, e.g. hard-disk
H04N 21/44 - Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing a video clip retrieved from local storage with an incoming video stream or rendering scenes according to MPEG-4 scene graphs
75.
Systems and methods for enhanced information visualization
In accordance with the present invention, an information management application that provides users with the ability to create and customize matrix displays of information relating to a particular product or service for navigation by other users is provided.
A media device and methods that identify playback states reachable from a current content playback state and identify a reachable state that is likely to occur, are disclosed. A memory associated with the media device may receive frames that enable a smooth transition between the playback state and the reachable state. The media device may receive frames that correspond to points in the content that are separated by an amount of time that is proportional to the playback rate of the likely state. The frames may be frames corresponding to an image that may be played back at the playback rate of the likely state.
Transaction activity of a cache maintaining content may be monitored to determine periods of transaction activity below a first threshold amount of transactions. A period of anticipated transaction activity above a second threshold amount of transactions may be determined. A period of anticipated transaction activity below the first threshold may be selected based upon the monitored periods of transaction activity below the first threshold and the determined period of anticipated transaction activity above the second threshold. Content then may be evicted from the cache during the selected period of anticipated transaction activity.
H04L 67/5682 - Policies or rules for updating, deleting or replacing the stored data
H04N 21/231 - Content storage operation, e.g. caching movies for short term storage, replicating data over plural servers or prioritizing data for deletion
H04N 21/222 - Secondary servers, e.g. proxy server or cable television Head-end
H04L 67/289 - Intermediate processing functionally located close to the data consumer application, e.g. in same machine, in same home or in same sub-network
H04L 67/568 - Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
Systems and methods for consuming content. A computing device may receive data. The computing device may determine an inference. The computing device may manage content. The computing device may manage content based on the inference.
G06F 15/173 - Interprocessor communication using an interconnection network, e.g. matrix, shuffle, pyramid, star or snowflake
H04N 21/258 - Client or end-user data management, e.g. managing client capabilities, user preferences or demographics or processing of multiple end-users preferences to derive collaborative data
H04N 21/442 - Monitoring of processes or resources, e.g. detecting the failure of a recording device, monitoring the downstream bandwidth, the number of times a movie has been viewed or the storage space available from the internal hard disk
H04N 21/482 - End-user interface for program selection
One or more computing devices may be configured to identify information corresponding to a program change request associated with a multi-program data transmission. The information may comprise at least a link to a desired program within the multi-program data transmission. The one or more computing devices may communicate the link to the desired program to a client device over a specified time period. After the time period, the one or more computing devices may communicate the desired program to the client device using a single program data transmission. The single program data transmission may be derived from the multi-program data transmission.
H04N 21/2668 - Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. by inserting targeted commercials into a video stream based on end-user profiles
H04N 21/858 - Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object or by creating a hotspot
H04N 21/434 - Disassembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. demultiplexing audio and video streams or extraction of additional data from a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Extraction or processing of SI; Disassembling of packetised elementary stream
H04N 21/438 - Interfacing the downstream path of the transmission network originating from a server, e.g. retrieving MPEG packets from an IP network
H04N 21/4385 - Multiplex stream processing, e.g. multiplex stream decrypting
H04N 21/845 - Structuring of content, e.g. decomposing content into time segments
Systems and methods for push-based dynamic bandwidth allocation deliver addressable, advertising content in a digital network. Bandwidth is allocated on a push basis in response to receiving a trigger from a content distribution stream. The trigger contains data indicating an addressable break. A portion of bandwidth is then allocated to an addressable content stream based on the data of the trigger. The addressable content stream is then streamed to a receiver during the addressable break and the receiver is tuned from the broadcast stream to the addressable content stream for the duration of the addressable break. The additional bandwidth is de-allocated at the end of the addressable break.
H04N 21/478 - Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification or shopping application
H04N 21/43 - Processing of content or additional data, e.g. demultiplexing additional data from a digital video stream; Elementary client operations, e.g. monitoring of home network or synchronizing decoder's clock; Client middleware
H04H 20/10 - Arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution
A media recording element having capabilities to facilitate recording media for subsequent playback. The recording element further including features associated with limited operations of a hard drive of other similarly mechanical memory under certain operating conditions so as to limit power consumption and/or memory degradation.
G11B 19/02 - Control of operating function, e.g. switching from recording to reproducing
H04N 5/85 - Television signal recording using optical recording on discs or drums
H04N 9/804 - Transformation of the television signal for recording, e.g. modulation, frequency changing; Inverse transformation for playback involving pulse code modulation of the colour picture signal components
G11B 19/04 - Arrangements for preventing, inhibiting, or warning against, double recording on the same blank, or against other recording or reproducing malfunctions
Methods and system for providing content are disclosed. One method can comprise receiving a request for data at a first time, wherein the data comprises a first time duration, determining a buffer size based upon the first time duration, and determining a playback window based upon the determined buffer size and the first time. The method can also comprise synchronizing presentation of content on a plurality of devices.
H04N 7/173 - Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal
H04N 21/41 - Structure of client; Structure of client peripherals
H04N 21/234 - Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing of video streams or manipulating MPEG-4 scene graphs
H04N 21/2343 - Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing of video streams or manipulating MPEG-4 scene graphs involving reformatting operations of video signals for distribution or compliance with end-user requests or end-user device requirements
H04N 21/236 - Assembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. transport stream, by combining a video stream with other content or additional data, e.g. inserting a URL [Uniform Resource Locator ] into a video stream, multiplexing software data into a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Insertion of stuffing bits into the multiplex stream, e.g. to obtain a constant bit-rate; Assembling of a packetised elementary stream
H04N 21/242 - Synchronization processes, e.g. processing of PCR [Program Clock References]
H04N 21/845 - Structuring of content, e.g. decomposing content into time segments
H04N 21/24 - Monitoring of processes or resources, e.g. monitoring of server load, available bandwidth or upstream requests
H04N 21/43 - Processing of content or additional data, e.g. demultiplexing additional data from a digital video stream; Elementary client operations, e.g. monitoring of home network or synchronizing decoder's clock; Client middleware
H04N 21/472 - End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification or for manipulating displayed content
Methods, systems, computer readable media, and apparatuses for providing enhanced content are presented. Data including a first program, a first caption stream associated with the first program, and a second caption stream associated with the first program may be received. The second caption stream may be extracted from the data, and a second program may be encoded with the second caption stream. The first program may be transmitted with the first caption stream including first captions and may include first content configured to be played back at a first speed. In response to receiving an instruction to change play back speed, the second program may be transmitted with the second caption stream. The second program may include the first content configured to be played back at a second speed different from the first speed, and the second caption stream may include second captions different from the first captions.
H04L 29/08 - Transmission control procedure, e.g. data link level control procedure
G11B 27/30 - Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel by using information detectable on the record carrier by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording on the same track as the main recording
H04N 21/2343 - Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing of video streams or manipulating MPEG-4 scene graphs involving reformatting operations of video signals for distribution or compliance with end-user requests or end-user device requirements
H04N 21/235 - Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
H04N 21/2387 - Stream processing in response to a playback request from an end-user, e.g. for trick-play
H04N 9/87 - Regeneration of colour television signals
H04N 21/43 - Processing of content or additional data, e.g. demultiplexing additional data from a digital video stream; Elementary client operations, e.g. monitoring of home network or synchronizing decoder's clock; Client middleware
H04N 21/242 - Synchronization processes, e.g. processing of PCR [Program Clock References]
H04N 21/24 - Monitoring of processes or resources, e.g. monitoring of server load, available bandwidth or upstream requests
Provided are methods and systems for variable speed playback. In one aspect the disclosure provides for receiving content having a first playback speed, determining a second playback speed for at least a portion of the content based on a playback factor, associating the second playback speed with the portion of the content, and providing at least the portion of the content at the second playback speed to a display device.
G06F 15/16 - Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs
H04N 21/2387 - Stream processing in response to a playback request from an end-user, e.g. for trick-play
H04N 5/783 - Adaptations for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate
H04N 21/258 - Client or end-user data management, e.g. managing client capabilities, user preferences or demographics or processing of multiple end-users preferences to derive collaborative data
The invention relates to a method for packaging media and data for transmission over a broadband communications network link for display at a terminal destination. Features of the method included creating desired media segments for transmission to the terminal destination and for creating targeting information, for example in whole or in part in the form of metadata, for transmission to the terminal destination. Other features include packaging the created media segments and the created targeting information in a single package and unpacking the single package for display of the targeted media at the terminal destination. In another aspect, the invention can provide a method for unpacking media and data for display at a terminal destination implementing, at the terminal destination, receiving a single package containing media segments and instructions regarding handling of the media segments, quickly unpacking the media segments and the instructions from the single package and, based on the unpacked instructions, assembling one or more of the media segments for display at the terminal destination.
H04N 7/10 - Adaptations for transmission by electrical cable
H04N 21/2368 - Multiplexing of audio and video streams
H04H 20/28 - Arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information
H04N 21/45 - Management operations performed by the client for facilitating the reception of or the interaction with the content or administrating data related to the end-user or to the client device itself, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies
H04N 21/84 - Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors
H04N 21/845 - Structuring of content, e.g. decomposing content into time segments
H04N 21/235 - Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
H04N 21/2668 - Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. by inserting targeted commercials into a video stream based on end-user profiles
H04N 21/234 - Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing of video streams or manipulating MPEG-4 scene graphs
H04H 60/73 - Systems specially adapted for using specific information, e.g. geographical or meteorological information using meta-information
86.
Methods and systems for managing power consumption of the network devices
Methods and systems for managing power consumption of network devices are disclosed. An example method can comprise detecting a triggering condition and reducing functionality of a network device based on detecting the triggering condition. The method can comprise detecting, at the network device, a user device, restoring functionality of the network device in response to detecting the user device, and transmitting information to the user device after restoring functionality of the network device.
H04W 4/80 - Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
A media device and methods that identify playback states reachable from a current content playback state and identify a reachable state that is likely to occur, are disclosed. A memory associated with the media device may receive frames that enable a smooth transition between the playback state and the reachable state. The media device may receive frames that correspond to points in the content that are separated by an amount of time that is proportional to the playback rate of the likely state. The frames may be frames corresponding to an image that may be played back at the playback rate of the likely state.
One or more computing devices may be configured to identify information corresponding to a program change request associated with a multi-program data transmission. The information may comprise at least a link to a desired program within the multi-program data transmission. The one or more computing devices may communicate the link to the desired program to a client device over a specified time period. After the time period, the one or more computing devices may communicate the desired program to the client device using a single program data transmission. The single program data transmission may be derived from the multi-program data transmission.
H04N 21/2668 - Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. by inserting targeted commercials into a video stream based on end-user profiles
H04N 21/858 - Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object or by creating a hotspot
H04N 21/434 - Disassembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. demultiplexing audio and video streams or extraction of additional data from a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Extraction or processing of SI; Disassembling of packetised elementary stream
H04N 21/438 - Interfacing the downstream path of the transmission network originating from a server, e.g. retrieving MPEG packets from an IP network
H04N 21/4385 - Multiplex stream processing, e.g. multiplex stream decrypting
H04N 21/845 - Structuring of content, e.g. decomposing content into time segments
Transaction activity of a cache maintaining content may be monitored to determine periods of transaction activity below a first threshold amount of transactions. A period of anticipated transaction activity above a second threshold amount of transactions may be determined. A period of anticipated transaction activity below the first threshold may be selected based upon the monitored periods of transaction activity below the first threshold and the determined period of anticipated transaction activity above the second threshold. Content then may be evicted from the cache during the selected period of anticipated transaction activity.
H04N 21/231 - Content storage operation, e.g. caching movies for short term storage, replicating data over plural servers or prioritizing data for deletion
H04N 21/222 - Secondary servers, e.g. proxy server or cable television Head-end
H04L 29/08 - Transmission control procedure, e.g. data link level control procedure
A system and method for stitching separately encoded MPEG video fragments, each representing a different rectangular area of the screen together into one single full-screen MPEG encoded video fragment.
H04N 19/11 - Selection of coding mode or of prediction mode among a plurality of spatial predictive coding modes
H04N 19/15 - Data rate or code amount at the encoder output by monitoring actual compressed data size at the memory before deciding storage at the transmission buffer
H04N 19/152 - Data rate or code amount at the encoder output by measuring the fullness of the transmission buffer
H04N 19/30 - Methods or arrangements for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals using hierarchical techniques, e.g. scalability
H04N 19/114 - Adapting the group of pictures [GOP] structure, e.g. number of B-frames between two anchor frames
H04N 19/174 - Methods or arrangements for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals using adaptive coding characterised by the coding unit, i.e. the structural portion or semantic portion of the video signal being the object or the subject of the adaptive coding the unit being an image region, e.g. an object the region being a slice, e.g. a line of blocks or a group of blocks
H04N 19/40 - Methods or arrangements for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals using video transcoding, i.e. partial or full decoding of a coded input stream followed by re-encoding of the decoded output stream
H04N 19/176 - Methods or arrangements for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals using adaptive coding characterised by the coding unit, i.e. the structural portion or semantic portion of the video signal being the object or the subject of the adaptive coding the unit being an image region, e.g. an object the region being a block, e.g. a macroblock
Speech recognition may be improved by generating and using a topic specific language model. A topic specific language model may be created by performing an initial pass on an audio signal using a generic or basis language model. A speech recognition device may then determine topics relating to the audio signal based on the words identified in the initial pass and retrieve a corpus of text relating to those topics. Using the retrieved corpus of text, the speech recognition device may create a topic specific language model. In one example, the speech recognition device may adapt or otherwise modify the generic language model based on the retrieved corpus of text.
Systems and procedures for transforming video into a condensed visual representation. An example procedure may include receiving video comprised of a plurality of frames. For each frame, the example procedure may create a first representation, reduced in one dimension, wherein a visual property of each pixel of the first representation is assigned by aggregating a visual property of the pixels of the frame having the same position in the unreduced dimension. The example procedure may further form a condensed visual representation including the first representations aligned along the reduced dimension according to an order of the frames in the video.
H04N 5/783 - Adaptations for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate
H04N 21/432 - Content retrieval operation from a local storage medium, e.g. hard-disk
H04N 21/44 - Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing a video clip retrieved from local storage with an incoming video stream or rendering scenes according to MPEG-4 scene graphs
93.
Application based reconfiguring of remote control transmission rate behavior
Aspects of the disclosure relate to a remote control which may include one or more buttons configured to provide input to the remote control upon being activated, a transmitter for transmitting data, a receiver for receiving data, a processor and memory storing computer executable instructions that, when executed, cause the two-way remote control to perform a method for configuring repeat transmission behavior of one or more of the buttons of the two-way remote control. Further, the receiver may be configured to receive data from a device configured to be controlled by the remote control and the data may include instructions for configuring the repeat transmission behavior of the one or more buttons of the two-way remote control. Additionally, the two-way remote control may configure the repeat transmission behavior of the one or more buttons of the two-way remote control based on the data received from the device.
H04B 1/20 - Circuits for coupling gramophone pick-up, recorder output, or microphone to receiver
G06F 3/023 - Arrangements for converting discrete items of information into a coded form, e.g. arrangements for interpreting keyboard generated codes as alphanumeric codes, operand codes or instruction codes
G06F 3/038 - Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
G08C 17/02 - Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link using a radio link
G08C 23/04 - Non-electric signal transmission systems, e.g. optical systems using light waves, e.g. infrared
H04L 12/28 - Data switching networks characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks]
H04N 21/422 - Input-only peripherals, e.g. global positioning system [GPS]
Methods, systems, computer readable media, and apparatuses for providing enhanced content are presented. Data including a first program, a first caption stream associated with the first program, and a second caption stream associated with the first program may be received. The second caption stream may be extracted from the data, and a second program may be encoded with the second caption stream. The first program may be transmitted with the first caption stream including first captions and may include first content configured to be played back at a first speed. In response to receiving an instruction to change play back speed, the second program may be transmitted with the second caption stream. The second program may include the first content configured to be played back at a second speed different from the first speed, and the second caption stream may include second captions different from the first captions.
H04N 7/167 - Systems rendering the television signal unintelligible and subsequently intelligible
H04N 21/2343 - Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing of video streams or manipulating MPEG-4 scene graphs involving reformatting operations of video signals for distribution or compliance with end-user requests or end-user device requirements
H04N 21/235 - Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
H04N 21/2387 - Stream processing in response to a playback request from an end-user, e.g. for trick-play
G11B 27/30 - Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel by using information detectable on the record carrier by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording on the same track as the main recording
H04N 9/87 - Regeneration of colour television signals
G06F 15/16 - Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs
G06F 13/00 - Interconnection of, or transfer of information or other signals between, memories, input/output devices or central processing units
Novel tools and techniques are provided for scene aware searching. A system may include a media player configured to play a video stream, a database, and a server configured to host an artificial intelligence (AI) engine. The server may further include a processor and a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising a set of instructions that, when executable by the processor to receive, from the media device, a search query from a user. The AI engine may further be configured to obtain the video stream associated with the search query, identify one or more objects in the video stream, derive contextual data associated with the one or more objects, identify one or more matches based on the contextual data, and determine a result of the search query.
H04N 21/84 - Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors
H04N 21/482 - End-user interface for program selection
G06F 16/783 - Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually using metadata automatically derived from the content
H04N 21/439 - Processing of audio elementary streams
H04N 21/44 - Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing a video clip retrieved from local storage with an incoming video stream or rendering scenes according to MPEG-4 scene graphs
Advertisements are often presented in the context of a media content viewing experience. Advertisement presentation may be intrusive or subtle. In many instances, users may be interested in particular advertisements but may not want to disrupt a media content viewing experience by launching an advertisement window, opening an advertisement application, or otherwise being redirected to another piece of content. Consequently, mechanisms are provided to allow a user to identify advertisements or save advertisement interests for presentation at a later time. Saved advertisement interests can be used to inform future advertisement and/or content suggestions, and the user can be presented with selected advertisements within an application or through external mechanisms.
Multiple scheduling producers such as content management systems, advertisement systems, and emergency broadcast systems can independently send scheduling events to scheduling consumers such as streaming servers, guide generators, and playlogs. The scheduling consumers maintain state machines with persistent storage to process scheduling events from scheduling producers and output media channel playlists, channel guides, and/or content. Scheduling producers can contribute independently to define a channel playout while information at scheduling consumers remains synchronized.
H04N 21/262 - Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission or generating play-lists
H04N 7/16 - Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems
H04N 5/782 - Television signal recording using magnetic recording on tape
G06Q 30/02 - Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
H04N 21/458 - Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules
H04N 5/765 - Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
H04N 9/82 - Transformation of the television signal for recording, e.g. modulation, frequency changing; Inverse transformation for playback the individual colour picture signal components being recorded simultaneously only
Systems and methods are described for delivering regional content for a lineup over a national network. A content provider may select a particular regional broadcast for inclusion in a regional service lineup. The content provider may be able to broadcast multiple, or even all, services nationally. At regional distribution centers, a multiplexer may select only those services that are desired for the region in response to in-stream signals. In some instances, a single region-specific version of a given service may be selected from multiple versions broadcasted nationally. The regional lineup, including the selected services, can then be multiplexed and transmitted to customers throughout the region.
H04N 7/10 - Adaptations for transmission by electrical cable
H04N 21/236 - Assembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. transport stream, by combining a video stream with other content or additional data, e.g. inserting a URL [Uniform Resource Locator ] into a video stream, multiplexing software data into a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Insertion of stuffing bits into the multiplex stream, e.g. to obtain a constant bit-rate; Assembling of a packetised elementary stream
H04N 21/235 - Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
H04N 21/234 - Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing of video streams or manipulating MPEG-4 scene graphs
H04N 21/2365 - Multiplexing of several video streams
H04N 21/237 - Communication with additional data server
H04N 21/238 - Interfacing the downstream path of the transmission network, e.g. adapting the transmission rate of a video stream to network bandwidth; Processing of multiplex streams
H04N 21/2381 - Adapting the multiplex stream to a specific network, e.g. an IP [Internet Protocol] network
H04N 21/24 - Monitoring of processes or resources, e.g. monitoring of server load, available bandwidth or upstream requests
H04N 21/262 - Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission or generating play-lists
H04N 21/222 - Secondary servers, e.g. proxy server or cable television Head-end
H04N 21/2343 - Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing of video streams or manipulating MPEG-4 scene graphs involving reformatting operations of video signals for distribution or compliance with end-user requests or end-user device requirements
H04N 21/2668 - Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. by inserting targeted commercials into a video stream based on end-user profiles
H04N 21/6338 - Control signals issued by server directed to the network components or client directed to network
Methods and apparatuses to deliver at least a portion of an advertisement to a viewer at normal playback speeds after receiving a command from the viewer to fast-forward through an advertisement faster than normal playback speeds are described. In one example, a portion of the advertisement may be delivered to be played at normal playback speeds, and the remaining portion may be delivered to be played at a playback speed that is faster than the specified playback speed so that the combination of the portions delivered at normal and faster playback speeds is delivered to the user at the specified playback speed. In another example, at least a portion of the first advertisement may be delivered at normal playback speeds, and one or more other advertisements may be delivered to the viewer simultaneously with the first advertisement with the audio information muted based on the specified playback speed.
H04N 21/6587 - Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands or viewpoint selection
H04N 21/2387 - Stream processing in response to a playback request from an end-user, e.g. for trick-play
H04N 7/173 - Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal
H04N 21/432 - Content retrieval operation from a local storage medium, e.g. hard-disk
H04N 21/433 - Content storage operation, e.g. storage operation in response to a pause request or caching operations
H04N 21/44 - Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing a video clip retrieved from local storage with an incoming video stream or rendering scenes according to MPEG-4 scene graphs
H04N 21/482 - End-user interface for program selection
H04N 21/472 - End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification or for manipulating displayed content
H04N 21/431 - Generation of visual interfaces; Content or additional data rendering
H04N 5/272 - Means for inserting a foreground image in a background image, i.e. inlay, outlay
In general, certain embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods and/or systems for implementing a program guide, which comprises sending a first request and receiving a first response associated with a current or future program guide information. The current or future program guide information includes a first plurality of channel identifiers and a plurality of time slots that correspond to current or future time slots, and is displayed at a client device. A second request is sent, which indicates a requested time period that has already occurred and not displayed on the client device, and corresponds to navigation to a previous time slot. A second response is received, which is associated with past program guide information. The past program guide information includes a second plurality of channel identifiers and on-demand program information, and is displayed at the client device.
H04N 21/262 - Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission or generating play-lists
H04N 21/472 - End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification or for manipulating displayed content
H04N 21/482 - End-user interface for program selection
patents
