Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100242064 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING A DYNAMIC USER INTERFACE FOR A SETTOP BOX - Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for providing a dynamic user interface for a settop box, and more specifically, to systems and methods for providing a dynamic user interface for a settop box by utilizing one or more I-frames based on user inputs. In particular embodiments, the systems and methods receive one or more inputs from a user and generate I-frames based on the user's inputs. In various embodiments, the I-frames are sent to the user's settop box and are decoded to generate a signal for displaying images to the user. | 09-23-2010 |
20100242074 | VIDEO SHARING COMMUNITIES IN A CABLE SYSTEM - A social networking service defines a community group of cable system viewers as members, who share a common experience or interest based on viewing a common video. Various attributes define how the community group is created and how membership is defined. Members can invoke the service and join an active session thereby allowing them to view and potentially post content that is then displayed in a chat window. A software application downloaded to the set top box creates the chat window on the television screen. Content may comprise text and/or video clips identified by the member. Members can post messages by using their remote control or other device to provide text entry which is processed by the set top box application. Input is received by a social networking server which then distributes the content to the group members. | 09-23-2010 |
20100265397 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING DYNAMICALLY DETERMINED CLOSED CAPTION TRANSLATIONS FOR VOD CONTENT - Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for providing dynamically determined closed caption translations for video on demand (VOD) content. In particular embodiments, the systems and methods deliver a video program selected by a viewer from a VOD service over a unicast stream in a preferred language identified by the viewer. In addition, in particular embodiments, the systems and methods deliver the video program over the unicast stream along with a voice track in the viewer's preferred language. | 10-21-2010 |
20100333154 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING A MASHUP IN A CONTENT PROVIDER ENVIRONMENT - Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for providing a mashup in a content provider environment. In particular embodiments, the systems and methods provide a mashup that is customized based on a subscriber's preferences on what content to include in the mashup and on what format the content is presented. Furthermore, in various embodiments, the mashup is provided to the subscriber through a content provider's environment such as a video on demand (VOD) service. | 12-30-2010 |
20110035255 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SUPPORTING USER GENERATED ADVERTISING TRANSACTIONS IN A VIDEO SERVICE PROVIDER ENVIRONMENT - In one embodiment, a system stores video clips which a user can select and use to create an ad video. The user can download the video clip, edit it appropriate, and then upload the ad video to the system. The user can then place the ad with a cable service provider as part of an ad campaign. The system allows the user to view available advertising opportunities with one or more video service providers, such as a cable service provider, and then define attributes of an ad campaign defining how and when to stream the ad in various programs. The ad campaign can place the ad in on-demand programs or schedule (broadcast) programs. The user can also be provided with reports indicating in part when the ad was actually streamed, allowing the user evaluate the performance of the ad campaign. | 02-10-2011 |
20110039585 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROCESSING PURCHASE TRANSACTIONS BETWEEN MOBILE PHONES - In one embodiment, a transaction server facilitates a purchase transaction for goods or services between users at two mobile phones. The Purchaser initiates a request for a purchase transaction to a server, and is provided with a unique code (“purchasing nonce”) that is uniquely associated with the request. The user of the first mobile phone provides the purchasing nonce to the Seller, who enters that value into the selling mobile phone. The selling mobile phone initiates a request to join the transaction as identified by the purchasing nonce. After confirmation of the Purchaser that the Seller can join the transaction, the Seller can itemize the goods for sale, which are electronically presented to the Purchaser for approval. After all items are selected, the Purchaser approves the transaction, and the transaction server can then transfers funds. An electronic receipt is provided to the Purchaser's mobile phone for confirmation. | 02-17-2011 |
20110071896 | VIDEO OFFER BROKERAGE SYSTEM - A video brokerage system provides a subscriber of a cable system access to a program in response to the subscriber entering a coupon code, where the program would otherwise not be viewable, or a discount is provided for viewing the program. In one embodiment, a coupon system interacts with a computer system operated by a merchant, which distributes the coupon code to the subscriber when acting as a customer of the merchant. The subscriber then provides the coupon code to the cable service provider when selecting a video-on demand program, allowing the subscriber to either receive a discount on a pay-per-view movie, or accessing a program that otherwise would not be accessible. Various validations tests are defined in conjunction with the cable service provider processing the coupon code, including checking: an expiration date of the coupon code, rating qualifiers, content provider qualifiers, etc. | 03-24-2011 |
20110191811 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF MAPPING CUSTOMER PREMISE EQUIPMENT IN A VOD SYSTEM OF A CABLE SERVICE PROVIDER - A system, method, and web-based application platform enabling a television viewer to utilize an Internet device to request a Video-On-Demand (VOD) server to stream a selected video to the viewer's Set Top Box (STB). An Internet Protocol (IP) connection is established between the Internet device and an application executing at a web site, and an Internet device identifier is passed to the application. The application communicates with the VOD server to obtain a listing of available videos, and provides the listing to the Internet device. When the viewer selects a video, the application accesses an equipment-mapping table, which associates the Internet device identifier with an STB identifier. The application then sends the STB identifier and a request for the selected video to the VOD server, which delivers the video to the STB over a television delivery system. | 08-04-2011 |
20110197221 | AD SELECTION BASED ON PROMOTIONAL COUPON REDEMPTION - A cable service provider system provides a subscriber of a cable system access to a program in response to the subscriber entering a coupon code, where the program would otherwise not be viewable, or a discount is provided for viewing the program. The cable system can use the coupon code to then select an advertisement to stream with the program, where the ad is associated with a merchant distributing the coupons. The subscriber provides the coupon code to the cable service provider when selecting a video-on demand program, allowing the subscriber to either receive a discount on a pay-per-view movie, or accessing a program that otherwise would not be accessible. The coupon code can be associated with data identifying the merchant and purchasing history of the viewer, and an Ad Selection system uses that data to select an ad. | 08-11-2011 |
20110197227 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING ROAMING VIDEO WANTED LIST AND ROAMING VIDEO PREFERENCES - Various embodiments of the present invention relate to systems and methods for providing a roaming video wanted list and roaming video preferences. In particular embodiments, the systems and methods provide a first video service provider with a video wanted list and/or video preferences for a subscriber of a second video service provider so that the first video service provider can identify content available on the first video service provider's system that is listed on the subscriber's wanted list and/or is based on video preferences for the subscriber. | 08-11-2011 |
20110258706 | LICENSING RIGHTS FOR MEDIA CONTENT THAT FOLLOWS A SUBSCRIBER - Various embodiments of the present invention relate to systems, methods, and computer-readable medium providing licensing rights for media content that follows a subscriber so that the subscriber may experience the media content on various content distribution platforms. In particular embodiments, the systems, methods, and computer-readable medium transfer licensing rights for a user for particular media content that is associated with a first device on a first distribution platform so that the rights are associated with a second device on a second distribution platform. As a result, in various embodiments, the user is able to experience the particular media content with the use of the second device on the second distribution platform. | 10-20-2011 |
20110265126 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR GENERATING A FAVORITES LIST OF MOVIE TITLES - In one embodiment, a system is disclosed allowing a cable subscriber to identify a movie title that is available for viewing using a VOD service offered by a cable service provider to be included in a list of favorite movie titles, where the list is associated with the viewer. The viewer can be informed of a point in time when one or more movies on the viewer's favorite list will no longer be available for viewing using the VOD service. In another embodiment, the viewer can be informed of a point in time when one or more movies on the viewer's favorite list will be available for viewing using the VOD service. The viewer can request recommendation of similar movie titles relative to a title identified in the list of favorite movie titles. Various other functions can be indicated by the viewer when viewing the list. | 10-27-2011 |
20110296476 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING A SOCIAL MASHUP IN A CONTENT PROVIDER ENVIRONMENT - Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for providing a social mashup in a content provider environment. In particular embodiments, the systems and methods provide a mashup that may be published for viewing by a plurality of subscribers of the content provider and may allow for content to be posted by various subscribers. | 12-01-2011 |
20110304772 | SCREEN ZOOM FEATURE FOR CABLE SYSTEM SUBSCRIBERS - A screen zoom service provides the ability for a cable system subscriber to request a service which the cable service provider modifies a video data stream so as to replace a portion of the image with a zoomed image. The system uses a zoom level to indicate the level of magnification, a zoom region that defines which area of the image are to be zoomed, and a zoom region location parameter to indicate where the zoom region is to appear on the modified image. Thus, a user invoking the service can see portions of the unmodified video stream and a portion of it zoomed at the same time. The system provides the modified video stream on an indicated channel, and the set top box is informed as to which channel the modified video stream can be located. | 12-15-2011 |
20110307930 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR TRANSFERRING A PARTIALLY VIEWED VOD PROGRAM FROM A FIRST SERVICE LOCATION TO A SECOND SERVICE LOCATION - In one embodiment, a capability is disclosed for a user to pause a VOD program being viewed at a first video service provider (“VSP”), such as a cable service provider. The user then requests to resume viewing of the remaining portion of the VOD program using a separate display device, typically in another location using a different VSP. The streaming of the remaining portion can originate by a connection from the separate display device to the first VSP using a connection through the second VSP. Or, the streaming of the remaining video can occur by the second VSP streaming the remaining portion of the video. In the later case, the bookmark location must be communicated from the first VSP to the second VSP. Other embodiments allow transferring the remaining portion of the video program from the first VSP to the second VSP for streaming. | 12-15-2011 |
20110321083 | INTEGRATING AND PROCESSING EMBEDDED LINKS TO RELATED VIDEO CONTENT IN A VIDEO STREAM TO PROVIDE ADVERTISING INFORMATION - In one embodiment, a capability is disclosed for conveying a link to further information over a cable system to a consumer device, wherein the video link can be associated with an external video source. The information can be conveyed to the consume device in one embodiment by embedding the video link information within a stream of MPEG formatted video information using an EBIF application. The video link information can be a URL from which the external information, typically video information, can be received. Upon detecting the link, the consumer device opens up a display window on a television image, which is presented to the viewer in an overlaid manner in addition to the MPEG video information on a television display. Typically, after the external video is presented, the window is closed. | 12-29-2011 |
20120047529 | TELEVISION AND SOCIAL NETWORK INTERWORKING SYSTEM AND METHOD - An integrated television delivery and social networking system for improving service to a user. A television delivery system delivers television programs and advertisements to the user, and a social network website enables the user to post social updates for the user's friends and to receive social updates from the friends. An interworking unit interworks between the television delivery system and the social network website. The interworking unit obtains information from the television delivery system or the social network website and automatically provides the information from one to the other. The system may automatically post to the website, an indication of what television program the user is watching; may display to the user how many of his friends liked the television program or advertisement the user is watching; and may use user interests in the user's social network profile to select targeted television advertisements to present to the user. | 02-23-2012 |
20120060183 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INTERACTIVE TV ADVERTISING - A system and method for providing interactive television advertising. When a viewer with interactive capability is identified, the system invites the viewer to create an advertisement. When the viewer accepts, the system displays advertisement parameters on the viewer's television or other connected computing device such as a smartphone. The viewer uses a remote control mechanism to select parameters and send them to an interactive advertising unit in a television delivery system. The interactive advertising unit creates the interactive advertisement in accordance with the selected advertisement parameters. The system then shows the interactive advertisement to the viewer during the next commercial break. | 03-08-2012 |
20120072946 | CUSTOMIZED BARKER CHANNELS FOR VIEWERS OF A CABLE SYSTEM - A barker management system provides customized barker channels to a viewer, where the barker management system may be integrated into a VOD service. In one embodiment, the headend is informed when the viewer requests the VOD service and is further informed of a set top box (“STB”) identifier. The headend ascertains a rating of a barker channel, and may create a playlist of trailers having a compatible rating and streams the trailers on the barker channel to the SIB. The STB is informed which channel to use, and generates a display with the barker channel presented in one window of the display, while the VOD menu selections are presented in another window of the display. The selection of trailers in the barker channel can be based on ratings, content, or other criteria. The headend can statically or dynamically generate various customized barker channels for viewers. | 03-22-2012 |
20120096499 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR FACILITATING VIDEO-ON-DEMAND CATALOG SEARCH AND CONTENT DISTRIBUTION - A system and method of video-on-demand (VOD) content search and distribution via an Internet Protocol (IP) network. A user sends a scan of a bar-coded identifier placed on a packaging or advertising material for a movie or other audio-visual program. Using the received barcode scan, the cable operator's VOD system checks the availability of the requested title under the VOD service. If the title is available, the system allows the user to instantaneously purchase and/or bookmark the title via a mobile device. If the title is currently unavailable “on demand”, the VOD system may send a notification to the user when the title becomes available. The bar code scan-based methodology enables the user to request desired titles even when the user is unaware of the titles available in a cable operator's VOD catalog. The IP network-based communication affords users substantially universal and instantaneous access to the desired VOD content with increased mobility and flexibility. | 04-19-2012 |
20120098925 | PANORAMIC VIDEO WITH VIRTUAL PANNING CAPABILITY - A plurality of cameras may be strategically placed around a venue for generating broadcast video streams which are processed by a broadcaster so as to produce a panning effect. A first video from one camera is streamed to one or more viewers. To create a panning effect, video from an adjacent, second, camera stream is used to interpolate video frames. The panning effect can be accomplished by interpolating frames for a certain number of time periods from a frame of the first camera and video frame of the second camera. The video from the first camera, the interpolated frames, and the video from the second camera is then selected and streamed to a viewer as a video stream, providing the panning effect. Multiple interpolation streams can be generated to handle panning from any camera to another camera. Panning requests may originate from the viewer or from the broadcaster. | 04-26-2012 |
20120159538 | TARGETED ADVERTISING BASED ON USER AUTHENTICATION, DEMOGRAPHICS AND USER SELECTION - Methods of delivering a time shifted video program include obtaining an individualized advertisement preference for a viewer of the time shifted video program, selecting an advertisement from among a plurality of available advertisements based on the individualized advertisement preference, inserting the selected advertisement into the time shifted video program, and delivering the time shifted video program including the selected advertisement to the viewer. Related systems are also disclosed. | 06-21-2012 |
20120174149 | PROVIDING ADVERTISING CONTENT TO A USER - Advertising content is provided to a user. A set top box that is located in a first environment receives a first signal from a user device located in the first environment, wherein the first signal is encoded with commerce-related information. The set top box conveys the commerce-related information via a digital communication network to a server system located in a second environment. The server system utilizes the commerce-related information to select advertising information pertaining to the commerce-related information, and then communicates the advertising information to a device from which the user of the user device located in the first environment can access the advertising information. | 07-05-2012 |
20120174151 | PROVIDING ADVERTISING CONTENT TO A USER - A user equipment (UE) includes a location sensing mechanism, a memory for storing identity of a plurality of location co-ordinates visited by a user of the user equipment, a processor for determining preferences corresponding to the user based on the stored locations and a transceiver for communicating the preferences. | 07-05-2012 |
20120185890 | SYNCHRONIZED VIDEO PRESENTATION - A video control device is disclosed. The video control device includes a communication interface for receiving user inputs and for communicating data to users, a memory for storing information communicated with the users and a plurality of video programs and a processor for processing the inputs received by the communication interface and for streaming video to the users via the communication interface. The communication interface receives a code from a user and from at least one of a plurality of invitees that received the code from the user. The processor streams a video program corresponding to the code simultaneously to the user and to invitees submitting the code and disables navigation functions of user controls for the invitees submitting the code. | 07-19-2012 |
20120194736 | Methods and Apparatus for Interactive Media - A user can become involved in an Event presented to the user by a media stream. Suitable motion and location cameras and other sensors capture characteristics information on objects, environments, and people in the Event, and that information enables a virtual representation of the user to become a player in the media stream of the Event. Views are generated that include images or representations of one or more real objects in a real space and representations of viewers and that enable the viewers to interact with other images or representations of the objects. To put it another way, a viewer can interact with a TV broadcast of a sporting event, such as a baseball game, an automobile race, etc. | 08-02-2012 |
20120201519 | GENERATING MONTAGES OF VIDEO SEGMENTS RESPONSIVE TO VIEWING PREFERENCES ASSOCIATED WITH A VIDEO TERMINAL - Methods, video terminals, and systems are disclosed for generating a montage of video segments for display by a video terminal. At least one video viewing preference associated with the video terminal is identified. Metadata associated with video segments in at least one video file is searched to identify video segments that correspond to the identified at least one video viewing preference. A montage of the identified video segments is generated for display by the video terminal. | 08-09-2012 |
20120210340 | WEB TO VIDEO-ON-DEMAND SYSTEM, AUTHENTICATION ENGINE AND METHOD FOR USING SAME - A system, an authentication engine and a method are described herein for authenticating an end user and associating their set-top box with a third party web based application to stream a third party video to the set-top box. In one example, the end user may utilize a client device (e.g., computer, laptop computer, smart phone) to access via the internet the third party video provider which lists a number of videos that the end user could watch on their television. The end user would select one of the videos to watch and then their cable provider would stream the video to the end-user's set-top box to be displayed on their television. To enable this service, the authentication system authenticates the end user and associates their set-top box with the third party video provider's web based application. | 08-16-2012 |
20120210374 | Video-On-Demand (VOD)-Augmented eBook - A system and method for providing an environmentally enhanced experience to a user reading an electronic book (eBook) on an eBook reader in proximity to a television. An application program in the eBook reader causes the eBook reader to send an indication to a Video On Demand (VOD) television delivery system identifying a page of the eBook displayed on the eBook reader. The VOD television delivery system accesses an eVODBook package that defines start, stop | 08-16-2012 |
20120260282 | CONTROLLING DELIVERY OF VIDEO PROGRAMS USING USER DEFINED IDENTIFIERS FOR VIDEO RECEIVER DEVICES - A method of controlling delivery of video programs from video distribution equipment to video receiver devices includes receiving messages at the video distribution equipment from a mobile terminal operated by a user. The messages contain user defined identifiers that are associated with equipment identifiers of different ones of the video receiver devices. The user defined identifiers are stored associated with the equipment identifiers in a subscriber account. Delivery of video programs from the video distribution equipment to the video receiver devices is controlled in response to commands received from the mobile terminal which request delivery of identified video programs to identified ones of the user defined identifiers. Related video distribution equipment and mobile terminals are disclosed. | 10-11-2012 |
20120266200 | System and Method Providing Remote Video-On-Demand (VOD) - A system and method enabling a user to view on a computing device, a catalog of Video On Demand (VOD) content available on a remote (guest) VOD system, to purchase an available piece of VOD content on the user's account in his Home VOD System, and to play the purchased piece of VOD content through a Guest Set Top Box (STB). A pairing process associates the computing device with the Guest STB, and a VOD Back Office stores this pairing. The VOD Back Office then builds a custom catalog of VOD content available to the user through the Guest STB and sends the catalog to the computing device. When the VOD Back Office receives a request from the computing device to view selected VOD content, the VOD Back Office sends an instruction to a Guest Headend Hub to set up a session with the Guest STB. The Hub force tunes the Guest STB and streams the selected VOD content to the Guest STB for display on a Guest television. | 10-18-2012 |
20120272261 | LOCATION BASED USER AWARE VIDEO ON DEMAND SESSIONS - A cable backend and a method are described herein for enabling a user with a location-aware mobile device to have at least partial control of a closest cable device (e.g., set top box, cable application) associated with a closest television. The closest cable device does not need to be associated with the user's home television but instead can be any cable device that is associated with a television located for instance at a stranger's house, an airport, a bar, or wherever. | 10-25-2012 |
20120297412 | Video-On-Demand (VOD) Catalog Search via Image Recognition - A Video On Demand (VOD) system having a VOD catalog that lists VOD movies available for a user to purchase, a database for storing a plurality of reference images associated with the VOD movies in the VOD catalog, and an image processing and lookup system (IPLS) for searching the plurality of reference images in the database utilizing automated image recognition. A user takes a photograph of a movie poster or DVD box cover and sends the image to the IPLS. The IPLS determines whether the user image matches a stored reference image. If so, the IPLS sends an indication to the user that the movie associated with the matching image is available in the VOD catalog. When the received image does not match any image in the database, the IPLS sends an indication to the user that there are no movies in the VOD catalog matching the user image. | 11-22-2012 |
20130067052 | USER ADAPTIVE HTTP STREAM MANAGER AND METHOD FOR USING SAME - A stream manager and a method are described herein for creating an adaptive stream manifest file (e.g., HTTP adaptive stream manifest file) associated with original content where the original content is subsequently modified while being streamed based on input from a user of a user device. The user device is configured to request, receive and playback the original content and the modified content associated with the adaptive stream manifest file. | 03-14-2013 |
20130091249 | HTTP ADAPTIVE STREAMING SERVER WITH AUTOMATIC RATE SHAPING - An adaptive streaming server and a method are described herein for determining if a congestion level within a network exceeds a predetermined threshold and when this occurs then one or more lower bit rate segments of a content stream will be transmitted to a client. | 04-11-2013 |
20130091521 | ADAPTIVE ADS WITH ADVERTISING MARKERS - A streaming server and a method are described herein for providing a content stream with advertisements embedded therein through a network (e.g., IP network, CDN network, wireless network) to a client (e.g., personal computer, a mobile phone, a tablet, or a HTTP capable television). | 04-11-2013 |
20130151684 | UPnP/DLNA WITH RADA HIVE - A system, a controller, and methods are described herein for enabling a user of a user device while located in a visited local area network (e.g., their friend's local area network) to remotely access a device which is located within a home local area network (e.g., their household local area network). | 06-13-2013 |
20130159388 | VIRTUALIZATION IN ADAPTIVE STREAM CREATION AND DELIVERY - An adaptive streaming server, a method, and a system are described herein that create a content stream to be delivered to one or more clients by segmenting the content into data structures which are stored in random access memory (volatile storage) rather than segmenting the content into segment files which are stored on a disk or database (non-volatile storage). | 06-20-2013 |
20130212614 | LOCATION BASED USER AWARE VIDEO ON DEMAND SESSIONS - A system and a method are described herein for enabling a user with a location-aware mobile device to have at least partial control of a closest set top box associated with a closest television. The closest set top box does not need to be associated with the user's home television but instead can be any set top box that is associated with a television located for instance at a stranger's house, an airport, a bar, or wherever. | 08-15-2013 |
20130227625 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR MANAGING NETWORK RESOURCES USED BY MULTIMEDIA STREAMS IN A VIRTUAL PIPE - Some embodiments are directed to a method performed by a pipe control node for managing network resources that are used to transport network traffic. The method includes allocating network resources to a virtual pipe for transporting a plurality of multimedia streams through the network. Utilization of the network resources by the plurality of multimedia streams transported through the virtual pipe is monitored relative to the network resources allocated to the virtual pipe. The network resources that are used by the plurality of multimedia streams transported through the virtual pipe are managed in response to the monitored utilization. Some other embodiments are directed to a corresponding pipe control node that manages network resources which are used to transport network traffic. | 08-29-2013 |
20130262693 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR SEGMENTING, DISTRIBUTING, AND RESEGMENTING ADAPTIVE RATE CONTENT STREAMS - Methods by a content distribution system and related adaptive streaming segmenter nodes and adaptive streaming re-segmenter nodes are disclosed. An adaptive streaming re-segmenter node includes at least one network interface that receive a series of segmented files for each of a first plurality of content streams having different coding bit rates of a same source media content. Circuitry combines the series of segmented files to generate a second plurality of content streams having different coding bit rates. The circuitry selects among a plurality of distribution container formats responsive to a streaming protocol used by one of the user equipment nodes, and selects among the second plurality of content streams responsive to available resources at the user equipment node. The circuitry also communicates the selected one of the second plurality of content streams toward the user equipment node using the selected distribution container format. | 10-03-2013 |
20140040258 | CONTENT ASSOCIATION BASED ON TRIGGERING PARAMETERS AND ASSOCIATED TRIGGERING CONDITIONS - Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for associating content are disclosed. First content, such as video content or audio content, may be associated with second content, such as text, images, audio content, or video content, using content association data. The content association data may include triggering information that specifies one or more triggering parameters and one or more associated triggering conditions. Upon satisfaction of at least one of the triggering condition(s) associated with a corresponding at least one triggering parameter, the second content associated with the at least one triggering parameter may be presented to a user, for example, during playback of the first content. Further, one or more identifiers determined to be associated with a geographical location associated with a user device may be used to identify related content for presentation to a user of the user device. In addition, content may be identified and presented to a user based on one or more user interactions with other content. | 02-06-2014 |
20140068076 | REGULATING CONTENT STREAMS FROM A WEIGHTED FAIR QUEUING SCHEDULER USING WEIGHTS DEFINED FOR USER EQUIPMENT NODES - Apparatuses and methods control communication of content streams through a content distribution network. A data repository is accessed to retrieve information which identifies a group of user equipment nodes that are registered with one of a plurality of subscriber accounts and which further identifies weight values that are associated with the group of the user equipment nodes. Communication bit rates that are provided by a weighted fair queuing scheduler node to individual ones of a group of the content streams within bandwidth allocated to a virtual pipe for carrying the group of the content streams through the content distribution network to the group of the user equipment nodes, are regulated responsive to the weight values associated with the group of the user equipment nodes. Weighted fair queuing scheduling can thereby be provided at a virtual pipe level and, furthermore, at a user equipment node level. | 03-06-2014 |
20140365613 | DEFRAGMENTATION OF ADAPTIVE STREAMING SEGMENT FILES IN A CONTENT DELIVERY NETWORK - An edge node, a parent node, and a method in a Content Delivery Network (CDN) configured to utilize adaptive streaming to deliver a piece of electronic content to requesting clients. The content includes a plurality of segment files referenced by an associated manifest document, and the nodes are configured to defragment an incomplete piece of content and ensure that a copy stored in each node contain all segment files referenced by the manifest document. Each node analyzes the manifest document and the segment files stored in its cache memory to determine whether any segment files referenced by the manifest document are absent from the memory. If so, the node pulls the absent segment files from another node in the CDN to complete the piece of content. The defragmentation may be performed during a period of minimum network usage to minimize network impact and within a popularity time window to ensure timely storage of the defragmented content in each node. | 12-11-2014 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100169347 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR COMMUNICATING SEGMENTS OF MEDIA CONTENT - Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems, methods, and apparatus for tagging a segment of media content. In various embodiments, a beginning location and an ending location indicating the segment are recorded and are used to retrieve the segment from the media content. Various embodiments provide systems and methods for communicating the segment with a user. In various embodiments, the user requests the segment and the position of the segment in the media content and the storage location of the media content are used to extract the segment from the media content. In addition, various embodiments provide systems and methods for providing a license to the user to observe the segment. In various embodiments, a request for the license includes a player identifier and a user identifier that are used to verified the player is associated with the user and the user has rights to observe the segment. | 07-01-2010 |
20100169942 | SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND APPARATUS FOR TAGGING SEGMENTS OF MEDIA CONTENT - Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems, methods, and apparatus for tagging a segment of media content. In various embodiments, a beginning location and an ending location indicating the segment are recorded and are used to retrieve the segment from the media content. Various embodiments provide systems and methods for communicating the segment with a user. In various embodiments, the user requests the segment and the position of the segment in the media content and the storage location of the media content are used to extract the segment from the media content. In addition, various embodiments provide systems and methods for providing a license to the user to observe the segment. In various embodiments, a request for the license includes a player identifier and a user identifier that are used to verified the player is associated with the user and the user has rights to observe the segment. | 07-01-2010 |
20100169977 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING A LICENSE FOR MEDIA CONTENT OVER A NETWORK - Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems, methods, and apparatus for tagging a segment of media content. In various embodiments, a beginning location and an ending location indicating the segment are recorded and are used to retrieve the segment from the media content. Various embodiments provide systems and methods for communicating the segment with a user. In various embodiments, the user requests the segment and the position of the segment in the media content and the storage location of the media content are used to extract the segment from the media content. In addition, various embodiments provide systems and methods for providing a license to the user to observe the segment. In various embodiments, a request for the license includes a player identifier and a user identifier that are used to verified the player is associated with the user and the user has rights to observe the segment. | 07-01-2010 |
20130104161 | Method and apparatus for interaction with hyperlinks in a television broadcast - Various embodiments of the present invention relate to systems, methods, and computer-readable medium providing licensing rights for media content that follows a subscriber so that the subscriber may experience the media content on various content distribution platforms. In particular embodiments, the systems, methods, and computer-readable medium transfer licensing rights for a user for particular media content that is associated with a first device on a first distribution platform so that the rights are associated with a second device on a second distribution platform. As a result, in various embodiments, the user is able to experience the particular media content with the use of the second device on the second distribution platform. | 04-25-2013 |
20130346568 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR MANAGING NETWORK RESOURCES USED BY MULTIMEDIA STREAMS IN A VIRTUAL PIPE - Some embodiments are directed to a method performed by a pipe control node for managing network resources that are used to transport network traffic. The method includes allocating network resources to a virtual pipe for transporting a plurality of multimedia streams through the network. Utilization of the network resources by the plurality of multimedia streams transported through the virtual pipe is monitored relative to the network resources allocated to the virtual pipe. The network resources that are used by the plurality of multimedia streams transported through the virtual pipe are managed in response to the monitored utilization. Some other embodiments are directed to a corresponding pipe control node that manages network resources which are used to transport network traffic. | 12-26-2013 |
20140040952 | CONTROLLING DELIVERY OF VIDEO PROGRAMS USING USER DEFINED IDENTIFIERS FOR VIDEO RECEIVER DEVICES - A method of controlling delivery of video programs from video distribution equipment to video receiver devices includes receiving messages at the video distribution equipment from a mobile terminal operated by a user. The messages contain user defined identifiers that are associated with equipment identifiers of different ones of the video receiver devices. The user defined identifiers are stored associated with the equipment identifiers in a subscriber account. Delivery of video programs from the video distribution equipment to the video receiver devices is controlled in response to commands received from the mobile terminal which request delivery of identified video programs to identified ones of the user defined identifiers. Related video distribution equipment and mobile terminals are disclosed. | 02-06-2014 |
20140086235 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING SETUP OF CALLS THROUGH COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS - A method by at least one network node is disclosed for controlling setup of calls through a communication system. Information is received for a call request that comprises a network address of an origination device of the call request and a virtual identifier associated with a destination device to which the incoming call is directed. A user call profile is retrieved from among a plurality of user call profiles in a user call profile repository using the virtual identifier to identify the user call profile. The user call profile includes a plurality of rules defined by the user for controlling setup of calls to the destination device. Setup of a call path between the origination device and the destination device is controlled responsive to the user call profile. | 03-27-2014 |
20140109119 | LOCATION BASED USER AWARE VIDEO ON DEMAND SESSIONS - A system and a method are described herein for enabling a user with a location-aware mobile device to have at least partial control of a closest set top box associated with a closest television. The closest set top box does not need to be associated with the user's home television but instead can be any set top box that is associated with a television located for instance at a stranger's house, an airport, a bar, or wherever. | 04-17-2014 |
20140123159 | Providing Content On Demand - A method of providing content on demand is provided. Content corresponding to multiple video assets having multiple content owners is received. Content metadata definitions that are associated with the video assets is received. The content metadata definitions including billing data corresponding to an access fee for accessing ones of the video assets. The video assets are encrypted and the encrypted video assets are published. Metadata corresponding to each of the video assets is published. The metadata includes payment delivery data corresponding to the access fee for accessing respective ones of the video assets. | 05-01-2014 |
20140244732 | VIRTUALIZATION IN ADAPTIVE STREAM CREATION AND DELIVERY - An adaptive streaming server, a method, and a system are described herein that create a content stream to be delivered to one or more clients by segmenting the content into data structures which are stored in random access memory (volatile storage) rather than segmenting the content into segment files which are stored on a disk or database (non-volatile storage). | 08-28-2014 |
20140280764 | BANDWIDTH MANAGEMENT FOR OVER-THE-TOP ADAPTIVE STREAMING - A method, Over-The-Top (OTT) content provider server, Content Delivery Network (CDN) Redirector server, and CDN delivery server for managing bandwidth while delivering electronic content utilizing OTT adaptive streaming to a plurality of client devices at a customer premises. The OTT content provider server receives client device priorities from a customer and stores in a customer profile, a device weighting for each of the plurality of client devices. The OTT content provider server also stores an indication of an available bandwidth of a premises connection at the customer premises. When each client device requests OTT content, a delivery server in a CDN allocates a bitrate for the requesting client device based on the available bandwidth for the premises connection and the device weighting of the requesting client device, and delivers the requested OTT content to the requesting client device at the allocated bitrate. | 09-18-2014 |
20140285531 | SYSTEM, METHOD, AND DEVICE FOR ADJUSTING DISPLAY LUMINANCE - A system, method, and device for adjusting display luminance based upon luminance control information associated with content being presented on a display associated with a computing device. A luminance module in the computing device determines luminance control information for the content. The luminance control information is used to control a luminance of a display. The luminance control information corresponds to brightness values of the content. A display driver adjusts a luminance of the display during presentation of the content based upon control signals received from the luminance module. The luminance module uses the luminance control information to generate the control signals. | 09-25-2014 |
20140304362 | METHODS, APPARATUS, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCTS FOR COMMUNICATING CONTENT FILES BASED ON DESTINATION PRIORITY - A method for communicating content files based on destination priority includes processing a content file to determine a plurality of destination sites to which the content file is to be transmitted, assigning priority levels to the plurality of destination sites, allocating a plurality of bandwidth portions on a communication link to the plurality of destination sites, respectively, based on the priority levels assigned to the plurality of destination sites, and transmitting the content file to the plurality of destination sites using the plurality of bandwidth portions allocated to the plurality of destination on the communication link, respectively. | 10-09-2014 |
20140337901 | NETWORK PERSONAL VIDEO RECORDER SYSTEM, METHOD AND ASSOCIATED SUBSCRIBER DEVICE - A network personal video recorder (NPVR) system, method and associated subscriber device. In one method operating at an NPVR element, a request for recording a program asset may be received from a first subscriber. Responsive thereto, the NPVR element verifies whether the requested program asset is available in an external content system associated with the NPVR element. The requested program asset is recorded in a content database if there is no equivalent copy of the program asset available in the associated external content system or in the NPVR system for another subscriber. | 11-13-2014 |
20140337905 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DELIVERING EXTENDED MEDIA CONTENT - A system and method for identifying and delivering extended media content. An extended content system receives requests to record or play identified broadcast content. The extended content system automatically obtains or preserves extended media content related to the identified broadcast content. In some instances, the system informs a subscriber that extended media content is available. If requested by the subscriber, the extended content system obtains the identified broadcast content and extended media content and provides the same to the subscriber in either a Set-Top-Box format or an Over-The-Top format. | 11-13-2014 |
20140337909 | NETWORK PERSONAL VIDEO RECORDER SYSTEM, METHOD AND ASSOCIATED SUBSCRIBER DEVICE - A network personal video recorder (NPVR) system, method and associated subscriber device. In one method operating on an NPVR element, a request for playing back a program asset is received from a first subscriber. If the program asset is determined to be in an associated content system, the method includes performing retrieving the program asset's location information from the associated content system, retrieving external media content from at least one of a local media campaign management system and a national media campaign management system wherein the external media content was included in a broadcast transmission of the program asset, building a playlist including the program asset and inserting the external media content into the playlist at appropriate insertion points, and transmitting the playlist including the program asset and the inserted external media content to the first subscriber. | 11-13-2014 |
20140344879 | WEIGHTED INGEST POLICY MANAGEMENT IN A CONTENT DISTRIBUTION NETWORK - An ingestion controller, system, and method for managing ingestion of electronic content in a Content Distribution Network (CDN). The content is received from one or more content sources (CSs) through an inbound content pipe having a maximum bandwidth capacity. A database stores bandwidth weightings assigned to each CS by a network Policy Management System (PMS). The bandwidth weighting assigned to each CS corresponds to a fraction of the maximum bandwidth capacity of the inbound content pipe. An input buffer receives the content from the CSs in one or more input buffer queues associated with the CSs. A content retrieval mechanism retrieves the content from the input queues at an upload rate for each CS based at least on each CS's assigned bandwidth weighting, thereby causing a flow control mechanism to control the upload bitrate of each CS in proportion to the bandwidth weightings. | 11-20-2014 |
20140351386 | HTTP ADAPTIVE STREAMING SERVER WITH AUTOMATIC RATE SHAPING - An adaptive streaming server and a method are described herein for determining if a congestion level within a network exceeds a predetermined threshold and when this occurs then one or more lower bit rate segments of a content stream will be transmitted to a client. | 11-27-2014 |
20140373036 | HYBRID VIDEO RECOGNITION SYSTEM BASED ON AUDIO AND SUBTITLE DATA - A system and method where a second screen app on a user device “listens” to audio clues from a video playback unit that is currently playing an audio-visual content. The audio clues include background audio and human speech content. The background audio is converted into Locality Sensitive Hashtag (LSH) values. The human speech content is converted into an array of text data. The LSH values are used by a server to find a ballpark estimate of where in the audio-visual content the captured background audio is from. This ballpark estimate identifies a specific video segment. The server then matches dialog text array with pre-stored subtitle information (for the identified video segment) to provide a more accurate estimate of the current play-through location within that video segment. A timer-based correction provides additional accuracy. The combination of LSH-based and subtitle-based searches provides fast and accurate estimates of an audio-visual program's play-through location. | 12-18-2014 |
20150058902 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DELIVERING EXTENDED MEDIA CONTENT - A system and method for identifying and delivering extended media content. An extended content system receives requests to record or play identified broadcast content. The extended content system automatically obtains or preserves extended media content related to the identified broadcast content. In some instances, the system informs a subscriber that extended media content is available. If requested by the subscriber, the extended content system obtains the identified broadcast content and extended media content and provides the same to the subscriber in either a Set-Top-Box format or an Over-The-Top format. | 02-26-2015 |
20150074232 | STREAMING POLICY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD - A streaming policy management system and method wherein bandwidth may be allocated based on external device information received from a streaming client device connected to one or more external audio/video (A/V) devices. When a streaming network back office receives a request from the streaming client device for delivery of a particular content, wherein the request includes external device information of one or more external A/V devices connected to the streaming client device, a bandwidth is determined for streaming the particular content to the streaming client device and a request may be made to a content delivery network to create a distribution pipe having the bandwidth to accommodate the delivery of the particular content. A manifest file is provided to the streaming client device that includes one or more pointers that point to content segments of the particular content. | 03-12-2015 |
20150085875 | ADAPTIVE VIDEO WHITE SPOT LEARNING AND USER BANDWIDTH DELIVERY CONTROL SYSTEM - A system and method that utilize a learning system to maintain a set of geographical locations indicating an area where network data coverage is poor. When it is determined that a client device is moving towards such an area, the client is forced or instructed to switch to a lower delivery bitrate for video segments in order to force the client's Adaptive Bit Rate (ABR) playback buffer to fill itself with enough low-quality video segments to enable the client to cross the area without video playback interruption. Thus, the client mobile device may be preemptively forced to choose the lowest bitrate specified in a manifest file for the delivered video segments as the bitrate for downloading video segments when approaching the poor coverage area. Hence, the client device can maintain a minimum level of Quality of Service (QoS) when moving through network areas with poor data coverage. | 03-26-2015 |
20150089023 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING ADJACENT CHANNELS IN AN ADAPTIVE STREAMING ENVIRONMENT - A system and method for managing adjacent channels in an adaptive streaming environment. One or more adjacent channels may be defined for a client device relative to a current streaming channel, wherein the client device is configured to pre-fetch metadata and initialization information for the defined adjacent channels based on bandwidth conditions, buffer conditions, etc. When a channel is changed, the client device is operative to use the pre-fetched data to quickly obtain encoded media content for rendering. | 03-26-2015 |
20150089072 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING ADJACENT CHANNELS IN AN ADAPTIVE STREAMING ENVIRONMENT - A system and method for managing adjacent channels in an adaptive streaming environment. One or more adjacent channels may be defined for a client device relative to a current streaming channel, wherein the client device is configured to pre-fetch metadata and initialization information for the defined adjacent channels based on bandwidth conditions, buffer conditions, etc. When a channel is changed, the client device is operative to use the pre-fetched data to quickly obtain encoded media content for rendering. | 03-26-2015 |
20150089073 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR EFFECTUATING FAST CHANNEL CHANGE IN AN ADPATIVE STREAMING ENVIRONMENT - A system and method for effectuating fast channel changes in an adaptive streaming environment. When a new stream of media content is started, a client device is adapted for sending a request for transmission of media content encoded at a select bit rate. Upon receipt of the encoded media content, the client device is operative to decode and render the media content immediately regardless of a buffer state associated with the client device's video buffer. The client device is further operative to send a request for streaming media content encoded at higher bit rates upon expiration of a specific period of time. | 03-26-2015 |