Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080256575 | PROGRAM GUIDE DATA MANAGEMENT FOR MEDIA CONTENT ACCESS SYSTEMS AND METHODS - An exemplary system includes a data loader and a data slicer. The data loader is configured to receive and process raw program guide data, and to store the processed program guide data in a data store, the processing including generating a unique program identifier for each program represented in the raw program guide data. The data slicer is configured to generate a program guide data configuration from the processed program guide data, the program guide data configuration including program guide data organized into a plurality of data structures based on categories of the program guide data. The plurality of data structures includes at least one channel data structure, at least one schedule data structure, at least one detailed program information data structure, and indices for use as references between different ones of the data structures. | 10-16-2008 |
20090019488 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING PERSONAL CONTENT RECOMMENDATIONS - A system and method for providing personal content recommendations comprising a receiver to receive and collect one or more user commands at one or more modules, a processor to generate, at the one or more modules, one or more personalized recommendations based on the one or more user commands, and a transmitter to transmit the one or more personalized recommendations to be displayed at a display device in response to receiving one or more user inputs to display the one or more personalized recommendations. | 01-15-2009 |
20090150808 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PROVIDING ONE OR MORE TOPIC SPECIFIC PORTALS - A methods and systems are provided for presenting one or more topic specific portals. A portal may present various content relating to a common topic. The content may be episodes of a television show, movies, products, games, songs, images, and general information about the topic. The topic may be the television show, a movie studio, an actor, a company, or a particular genre or theme. A service provider may deliver the portal in an interactive programming guide sent to the set top boxes of its subscribers. The portal may be interactive such that subscribers may order or watch the content presented on the portal. A content provider may create or edit the portals and send the portals to the service provider. The delivery of the portal to the service provider by the content provider may be through an application programming interface. | 06-11-2009 |
20090158340 | INDICATING PROGRAM POPULARITY - Data is transmitted from content processing devices to a server, the data relating to a number of times that each of one or more media programs have been accessed within a given time period. The data is aggregated to obtain an aggregate number of times that each of the one or more media programs has been accessed within the given time period. An indication of popularity for each of the one or more media programs may be determined from the data. | 06-18-2009 |
20090265636 | System and Method for Selling Preference-Based Virtual Objects - A system and method for selling preference-based virtual objects comprising receiving one or more user commands from an input device, transmitting, to at least one server, the one or more user commands to identify one or more preference-based virtual objects based on the one or more user commands, receiving the one or more preference-based virtual objects in response to the identification of the one or more preference-based virtual objects, and outputting, to a display device, the one or more preference-based virtual objects in response to receiving one or more user inputs to display the one or more preference-based virtual objects to the display device. | 10-22-2009 |
20100138515 | APPLICATION LAUNCHER SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND APPARATUSES - An exemplary method includes detecting a request to launch an application on a device, accessing metadata associated with the application over a network, using the metadata to determine whether sufficient resources are available to launch the application on the device, and performing at least one action based on said determination. The at least one action may include launching the application on the device when sufficient resources are available or blocking a launch of the application on the device when sufficient resources are not available. In certain embodiments, the method is performed by the device. In certain embodiments, the device includes a set-top box configured to access a media service over the network. Corresponding methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer-readable media are also disclosed. | 06-03-2010 |
20100162313 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CREATING A CHAPTER MENU FOR A VIDEO PROGRAM - An approach is provided for the real-time creation of a menu of chapters for navigating a video program. The chaptering process creates at a dynamic chapter navigation menu that enables a user to precisely navigate within a video program by recursively creating chaptering points of finer temporal granularity for selecting a desired point within the video program. | 06-24-2010 |
20100162324 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CREATING A MEDIA PLAYLIST - An approach is provided for the creation of a media playlist for managing and scheduling content from a variety of media sources including broadcast and online sources. The playlist creation process facilitates efficient resolution of media scheduling conflicts by automatically identifying conflicts and generating alternate playlists to overcome them. The approach also enables a user to share the media playlist seamlessly with other devices and users. | 06-24-2010 |
20100169755 | METHODS, SYSTEMS, AND APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING WIDGETS - An exemplary computing system may receive input identifying a first data source. The computing system may also provide a widget template and receive a request to associate the first data source with the widget template. The computing system may create a map that associates the first data source with the widget template. The computing system may provide a widget that displays, based on the map and the widget template, data from the data source. Corresponding methods, apparatus, and computer-readable media are also disclosed. | 07-01-2010 |
20100319038 | ENHANCED SIMULTANEOUS RECORDING IN MULTI-ROOM DIGITAL VIDEO RECORDER - A computing device receives from a user, a request to simultaneously record two or more programs from a content server onto the computing device and initiates a streaming video session between the computing device and a video client. The computing device provides, to the video client, recording parameters for one of the programs and then receives, via the streaming video session, a video stream from the video client. The video stream includes the one of the programs from the content server based on the recording parameters that is then recorded by the computing device. | 12-16-2010 |
20110055022 | MEDIA CONTENT DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS AND METHODS - An exemplary method includes receiving end-user-provided media content with a first media content distribution platform subsystem, distributing the end-user-provided media content with the first media content distribution platform subsystem, receiving end-user-provided ratings of the distributed end-user-provided media content with the first media content distribution platform subsystem, selecting, by a platform linking subsystem, at least a subset of the end-user-provided media content based at least in part on the end-user-provided ratings, and distributing the selected at least a subset of the end-user-provided media content with a second media content distribution platform subsystem. In certain embodiments, the second media content distribution platform subsystem may comprise a subscriber television content distribution platform subsystem. In certain embodiments, the first media content distribution platform subsystem may comprise a World Wide Web media content distribution platform subsystem. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed. | 03-03-2011 |
20110061069 | VIDEO ON DEMAND (VOD) RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON USER VIEWING HISTORY - A system collects a user's television (TV) program viewing activity and uses the collected TV program viewing activity to make video on demand (VOD) recommendations to other users via a VOD recommendation service. The system receives an indication that the user wishes to turn on a VOD recommendation service and deletes previously collected TV program viewing activity for the user based on the received indication. The system collects the user's recent TV program viewing activity, which occurs subsequent to the received indication and the deletion of the previously collected TV program viewing activity, and uses the user's collected recent TV program activity to make other VOD program recommendations to the user via the VOD recommendation service. | 03-10-2011 |
20110078724 | TRANSACTIONAL ADVERTISING FOR TELEVISION - A method is performed by one or more devices within a closed distribution network to provide transactional advertisements. The method includes sending, over the closed distribution network, an advertisement for presentation by a video client, where the advertisement includes a transactional link; and receiving, over the closed distribution network, a notification from the video client that a user has selected the transactional link. The method also includes automatically establishing, based on the notification, a communication session between the video client and a server associated with the advertisement, where the communication session enables a transactional exchange between the user of the video client and the server associated with the advertisement. | 03-31-2011 |
20110138412 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PROVIDING ENHANCED CONTENT ASSOCIATED WITH A MEDIA CONTENT INSTANCE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE - An exemplary method includes presenting, by a media content delivery system, an advertisement for a media content instance that is accessible only at or after a scheduled release time, receiving, by the media content delivery system, a request input by a user to purchase access to the media content instance, and providing, by the media content delivery system in response to the received request, enhanced content associated with the media content instance for experiencing by the user before the scheduled release time. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed. | 06-09-2011 |
20110161882 | USER INTERFACE ENHANCEMENTS FOR MEDIA CONTENT ACCESS SYSTEMS AND METHODS - Exemplary user interface enhancements for media content access systems and methods are described herein. An exemplary method includes a media content access system launching a graphical user interface for display, the graphical user interface initially including a graphical representation of a channel guide comprising a grid matrix of channel icons representing a plurality of media content channels through which media content is accessible by the media content access system and a graphical representation of an advertisement displayed together with the channel guide in the graphical user interface, detecting a user navigation event within the channel guide displayed in the graphical user interface, and replacing, in response to the user navigation event, the graphical representation of the advertisement with a graphical representation of content specific to a media content channel within the plurality of media content channels. Corresponding user interfaces, systems, and methods are also disclosed. | 06-30-2011 |
20110162001 | TRIGGER-BASED TRANSACTIONAL ADVERTISING FOR TELEVISION - A method is performed by one or more devices within a closed distribution network to provide context-sensitive transactional advertisements. The method includes sending, to a video client, a trigger for initiating a context-specific transactional advertisement associated with a linear program segment and sending the linear program segment for presentation by the video client. The method also includes receiving, based on the trigger, a request from the video client for instructions for the context-specific transactional advertisement; determining, based on the request, contextual information for the linear program segment; and sending, to the video client and based on the contextual information, the instructions for the context-specific transactional advertisement. | 06-30-2011 |
20110211678 | VIDEO MESSAGING SYSTEM - Systems and methods provide a video messaging service for transmitting video messages between network terminals over a network. After a caller's video-messaging terminal receives a notification that a receiver failed to respond to a communication request, the caller's video-messaging terminal may enable the caller to record a video message and store it for viewing on-demand by a receiver's video-messaging terminal. After recording, the caller's video-messaging terminal transmits a stored message notification terminal to a network server which, in turn, transmits a stored message notification, including an identifier of the caller's video-messaging terminal, to the receiver. Based on the identifier, the receiver's video-messaging terminal may request access to the video message from the callers video-messaging terminal. In response to the request, the caller's video-messaging terminal retrieves the video message from storage and provides it to the receiver's video-messaging terminal over the network. | 09-01-2011 |
20110247037 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PROVIDING ENHANCED CONTENT BY WAY OF A VIRTUAL CHANNEL - Exemplary methods and systems for providing enhanced content by way of a virtual channel are disclosed herein. An exemplary method includes a service provider subsystem providing a virtual channel, associating the virtual channel with a content provider, receiving enhanced content to be provided by way of the virtual channel from the content provider, associating one or more selectable triggers with the virtual channel, and providing a user with access to the enhanced content in response to a selection by the user of one of the one or more selectable triggers. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed. | 10-06-2011 |
20110314503 | RESOURCE DATA CONFIGURATION FOR MEDIA CONTENT ACCESS SYSTEMS AND METHODS - In one of many possible implementations, a system includes a content delivery subsystem providing online resource data and programming data associated with media content. The system further includes a content processing subsystem configured to communicate with the content delivery subsystem via a network. The content processing subsystem is configured to receive the programming data and to generate a program guide user interface including at least a subset of the programming data. The content processing subsystem is configured to access and utilize the online resource data to generate the program guide user interface when the online resource data is accessible via the network. The content processing subsystem is further configured to maintain and utilize offline resource data instead of the online resource data to generate the program guide user interface when the online resource data is inaccessible via the network. | 12-22-2011 |
20110314504 | RETRIEVING SERVICE PROVIDER INFORMATION AND CHANNEL MAP VIA INTERNET PROTOCOL CONNECTIONS - A digital television (DTV) receiver retrieves, from a memory, a standardized hostname and a standardized filename for a web-based service for providing a channel map associated with service providers. The DTV receiver adds, to the standardized hostname, a name for a particular service provider and sends, to a data server, a request for channel map information, where the request is based on the standardized hostname, the name for the particular service provider, and the standardized filename. The DTV receiver receivers, from the data server, a channel map file based on the standardized filename and extracts information from the channel map file to present to a user. | 12-22-2011 |
20120005041 | MOBILE CONTENT DISTRIBUTION WITH DIGITAL RIGHTS MANAGEMENT - A server distributes, to a mobile device, a catalog of available digital content and receives, from the mobile device, a request to download multiple digital content files based on the catalog. The server sends, to the mobile device, the multiple digital content files, where the each of the multiple digital content files includes access restrictions to prevent unauthorized rendering. The server receives, from the mobile device, a request to render one of the multiple digital content files on the mobile device and determines whether rendering of the one of the multiple digital content files on the mobile device is authorized. The server sends, to the mobile device, information to enable rendering of the one of the multiple digital content files if the mobile device is authorized and applies charges, to a user account associated with the mobile device, based on the sending the information to enable the rendering. | 01-05-2012 |
20120005245 | UNIVERSAL FILE NAMING FOR PERSONAL MEDIA OVER CONTENT DELIVERY NETWORKS - A device receives, from a content provider device, a personal media file with a custom name and generates a universal file name for the file based on a digital fingerprint extracted from the file. The device associates the universal file name with the custom name and determines that the universal file name is associated with a previously-stored file, where the previously-stored file and the file with the custom name have an identical digital fingerprint. The device discards the file with the custom name, and associates the custom name with the universal file name for later retrieval. | 01-05-2012 |
20120011145 | MANAGEMENT OF USER INTERFACE ELEMENTS - An exemplary system includes an element server in a video hub office configured to provide a media signal to a content processing device located at a customer premises and at least one computing device remote from the video hub office and the customer premises. The computing device comprises a first data store that includes a plurality of presentation elements, a second data store that includes information concerning associations of the presentation elements with a chunk that is a logical grouping of the presentation elements, and an element management subsystem that provides the presentation elements associated with the chunk to the element server in the video hub office, the element server configured to cache the presentation elements for use by the element server in fulfilling a request from the content processing device, wherein the computing device provides a user interface that presents information about the presentation elements associated with the chunk. | 01-12-2012 |
20120023194 | APPLICATION LAUNCHER SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND APPARATUSES - An exemplary method includes detecting a request to launch an application on a device, accessing metadata associated with the application over a network, using the metadata to determine whether sufficient resources are available to launch the application on the device, and performing at least one action based on said determination. The at least one action may include launching the application on the device when sufficient resources are available or blocking a launch of the application on the device when sufficient resources are not available. In certain embodiments, the method is performed by the device. In certain embodiments, the device includes a set-top box configured to access a media service over the network. Corresponding methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer-readable media are also disclosed. | 01-26-2012 |
20120079526 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING CROSS-SYSTEM SEARCHES - An approach is provided for perform search across multiple systems via a set-top box. A search request is received via an interactive service guide of a set-top box. A widget-based search of one or more applications is initiated via the set-top box. A search result for the one or more applications is received, and presented via the interactive service guide. | 03-29-2012 |
20120124612 | VIDEO STREAMING ENTITLEMENT DETERMINED BASED ON THE LOCATION OF THE VIEWER - Users of portable devices may stream video content to the portable device based on an entitlement determination that includes determining the location of the portable device. A device may receive a request to authenticate the portable device to receive the streaming video content and determine whether the portable device is in a geographic location corresponding to a customer premise of an account associated with the portable device. The video content may be streamed when the portable device is in the geographic location corresponding to the customer premise. | 05-17-2012 |
20120124613 | CONTENT ENTITLEMENT DETERMINATIONS FOR PLAYBACK OF VIDEO STREAMS ON PORTABLE DEVICES - Video content is streamed to portable devices based on an entitlement determination that includes determining the location of the portable device. Channel listings available for the portable device may be filtered based on the determined entitlements. A device may determine an indication of a location of the portable device and determine entitlements defining which of the plurality of video content items are permitted to be viewed by the portable device, where the entitlements are determined based at least on the indication of the location of the portable device. The device may further transmit, to the portable device, a listing of the plurality of video content items, filtered based on those of the plurality of video content items that are permitted to be viewed by the portable device, as determined by the entitlements. | 05-17-2012 |
20120124618 | VIRTUAL INSERTION OF ADVERTISEMENTS - A device includes a communication interface and one or more processors. The communication interface may receive a playlist that lists segments of a content stream in an order the segments are to be recombined, receive advertisement information that describes an advertisement, receive a breakpoint, and send a revised playlist to a remote server. The one or more processors may generate the revised playlist based on the playlist, the advertisement information, and the breakpoint. The revised playlist may include references to the segments and the advertisements. | 05-17-2012 |
20120159533 | EMERGENCY ALERTS DURING PLAYBACK OF VIDEO STREAMS ON PORTABLE DEVICES - Video content that is streamed to portable devices may be interrupted based on an emergency alert system (EAS) broadcast. In one implementation, first video content may be streamed over an Internet Protocol (IP) network to a portable device and an indication of a location of the portable device may be determined. Whether the location of the portable device is in a geographic region covered by an EAS broadcast may also be determined. When the portable device is determined to be in the geographic region covered by the EAS broadcast, a notification may be transmitted to the portable device, where the notification instructs the portable device to interrupt the first video content with video content corresponding to the EAS broadcast. The video content corresponding to the EAS broadcast may be streamed to the portable device. | 06-21-2012 |
20120174150 | CONTENT BLACKOUT DETERMINATIONS FOR PLAYBACK OF VIDEO STREAMS ON PORTABLE DEVICES - Content, such as audio or video content, is streamed to portable devices based on an entitlement determination that includes determining the location of the portable device and whether the content is subject to blackout restrictions. In one implementation, requests may be received for content that is to be streamed to a portable device and a location of the portable device may be determined. Entitlements may be determined, where the entitlements define whether the content is permitted to be viewed by the portable device, where the entitlements are determined based at least on the indication of the location of the portable device and based on blackout restrictions applicable to the content. The content may be selectively streamed to the portable device based on the applicable blackout restrictions. | 07-05-2012 |
20120174159 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING A PERSONALIZED CONTENT CHANNEL - An approach is provided for selecting personalized content presented via a set-top box. Viewing data related to content experienced by a user is retrieved. Broadcast content is selected based on the viewing data from a plurality of programs that are designated to broadcast to a plurality of set-top boxes. A personalized programming channel is presented for the user using the selected broadcast content over a particular one of the set-top boxes associated with the user. | 07-05-2012 |
20130013698 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SHARING MEDIA CONTENT BETWEEN USERS - An exemplary system includes a first user device associated with a first user and a second user device associated with a second user. The first user device is configured to detect a request input by the first user to share media content being processed by the user device with the second user, generate an invite message including data configured to be utilized by the second user device to access the media content, and send the invite message to the second user device by way of a messaging service. The second user device is configured to receive the invite message from the first user device by way of the messaging service, determine that the invite message is associated with a media sharing service, and perform one or more operations to facilitate access to the media content by the second user. Corresponding methods, systems, and apparatus are also disclosed. | 01-10-2013 |
20130086601 | MESSAGE DELIVERY MECHANISM - A method may include receiving a video stream, wherein the video stream is divided into video segments, and wherein the video stream is being sent to a customer device and receiving a request to insert a message into the video stream. The method may further include determining a particular video segment after which to insert the message into the video stream; inserting the message into video stream after the particular video segment; and sending the video stream to the customer device, wherein the video stream includes the inserted message. | 04-04-2013 |
20130111515 | INTERACTIVE PROGRAM SYSTEM | 05-02-2013 |
20130283033 | TOKEN-BASED ENTITLEMENT VERIFICATION FOR STREAMING MEDIA DECRYPTION - A device sends an authentication request from the device to a session management server, and receives a token from the session management server if the device authenticates successfully. The device obtains a streaming media playlist file from a content delivery server, and sends the token to a key server for token validation. The device receives a decryption key from the key server if the token validates successfully, and requests a first streaming media segment file from the content delivery server based on the playlist file. The device receives the first streaming media segment file from the content delivery server; and decrypts the first streaming media segment file using the decryption key. | 10-24-2013 |
20140059585 | Resolution of Tuner Conflicts - Method, device, and storage medium to identify that a resource conflict exists pertaining to tuners of a device that tune to programs; notify a user that the resource conflict exists; receive a request to release a tuner; release the tuner in response to the request; determine whether a program offer is to be made; and provide the program offer in response to determining that the program offer is to be made. | 02-27-2014 |
20140068678 | INTEGRATED VIDEO CONTENT - A method includes receiving a request, associated with a user profile, for an integrated video guide for a video service. The integrated video guide is time based, and the video service includes broadcast video content and video service selected video content. The video service selected video content is provided via unicast or multicast. The method includes identifying basic video channels that are provided to all subscribers of the video service, and identifying user selected channels that are provided based on the user profile. Broadcast channels that are included in the user selected channels are identified. Online channels that are included in the user selected channels are also identified. The method also includes presenting the basic video channels, the broadcast channels, and the online channels in a same manner in the integrated video guide. | 03-06-2014 |
20140195668 | MONITORING SYSTEM - A server is configured to receive information regarding a plurality of issues associated with a plurality of client devices. The server is configured further to analyze the plurality of issues. The server is configured further to generate a plurality of parameters based on analyzing the plurality of issues; and send the plurality of parameters to the plurality of client devices. | 07-10-2014 |
20140258278 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR AN INFORMATION DIRECTORY PROVIDING AUDIOVISUAL CONTENT - Systems and methods provide an online directory service over a network. After receiving a request to view an online directory listing from a network-enabled user terminal, an online directory server may present to the user terminal a directory listing associated with an identifier of audiovisual content. In response to a selection by a user of the listing, the user terminal may provide the identifier associated with the selected directory listing to the directory server. Based on the identifier, the directory server may access the audiovisual content and provide it to the user terminal and may present it to the user in conjunction with the other information of the directory listing. | 09-11-2014 |
20140289814 | PERSONAL VIDEO CHANNELS - Systems and methods provide personal channels from a network-capable user terminal. A first user terminal may receive a request from a second user terminal for access to a personal channel created by a user and stored on the first user terminal in association with media content. In response to the request, the first user terminal may access the media content associated with the requested personal channel and provide the media content to the first user terminal over the network. A data center accessible by both the first and second user terminals may facilitate the access to the personal channel by storing information associated with the personal channel, including terminal identifiers and metadata, and providing a searchable catalog interface to identify personal channels to view. | 09-25-2014 |