Abstract: According to principles of the disclosure, the level of engagement by a user in watching a program is determined based on data received from a personal computing device that is coupled to the user while they are viewing the audio/video program as it is displayed. The personal computing device contains a number of user biological function sensors which are able to measure and receive one or more biological functions that are personal to the user while they view the audio/video program. The changes in a particular biological function, such as heart rate, breathing, movement and other activities are compared to the type of content in the program being viewed and a correlation carried out in order to determine the level of engagement of the user has with the program.

Abstract: A set top box is disclosed that delivers content from a television service provider to a user, the content being developed by a third party service provider. The set top box includes a receiver for onboarding an application to the set top box from a cloud store over a network. The application is onboarded to the cloud store from the third party service provider in response to the application being developed directly by the third party service provider using an interface provided by the television service provider in the cloud store. The set top box also includes an interface for transmitting a request from the user for content through the application to a television of the user over the network. Then, in response to receiving the request from the set top box, the receiver receives from the television service provider to the set top box content requested by the user.

Abstract: A technique is described for generating a unified list (e.g., a list ribbon) of programs from a variety and disparate channels, the list for display on an over-the-top (OTT) client device. As an example, the unified list can be generated from OTT live channels and from over-the-air OTA and/or Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) live channels. Further, the unified list can include OTT recordings on the cloud and OTA/ATSC recordings on the local hard drive connected to an OTA local DVR. Thus, the OTT device Client obtains the list from the DVR backend, instead of going to the local OTA client box for the local recordings.

Abstract: Automated processes, computing systems, computing devices and other aspects of a data processing system provide improved reliability in delivering digital media content over the Internet or a similar wide area network without sacrificing data security. Content is initially placed into a secure format (e.g., secure hypertext transport protocol (HTTPS) via transport control protocol (TCP) or the like). Prior to transmission on the network, the secure data packets are encapsulated within connectionless frames, such as user datagram protocol (UDP) frames. The client device that receives the encapsulated packets extracts the underlying secure content from the connectionless frames for further processing. The encapsulation into connectionless data frames permits client and server devices to establish effective streaming sessions while preserving the security of the underlying data.

Abstract: Various embodiments provide media based on a detected language being spoken. In one embodiment, the system electronically detects which language of a plurality of languages is being spoken by a user, such during a conversation or while giving a voice command to the television. Based on which language of a plurality of languages is being spoken by the user, the system electronically presents media to the user that is in the detected language. For example, the media may be television channels and/or programs that are in the detected language and/or a program guide, such as a pop-up menu, including such media that are in the detected language.

Abstract: A robust, computationally-efficient and secure system is described for streaming content from a server to a client device via the Internet or another digital network. Various aspects relate to automated processes, systems and devices for securing a media stream with efficient yet effective digital cryptography. In particular, content may be transmitted in transport stream (TS) format in which all packets are encrypted (e.g., using a cipher block chain), in which control packets are exempted from encryption (e.g., using an electronic codebook), or in any other manner.

Abstract: A system includes a processor and a memory. The memory stores instructions executable by the processor to receive first and second media units with respective first and second time stamps that are assigned based on a first clock cycle time and a data transmission rate, and to assign an adjusted time stamp to the second media unit based on the first clock cycle time, a second clock cycle time, the first time stamp, and the data transmission rate.

Abstract: Various embodiments of apparatus, systems (e.g., a gateway device) and/or methods are described for internet managing bandwidth and data usage. A category is assigned for each respective connected device in a stored list of the connected devices based on a function of each respective connected device. A priority list of the connected devices is created with regard to bandwidth use based on the category of the respective connected device. Bandwidth is provided to the connected devices based on the priority list. Also, a data reserve being less than a total recurring data cap is created. In response to determining a predefined data threshold has been met during a recurring period, non-critical functions of the connected devices are disabled for a remainder of the recurring period based on the priority list while allowing data communications with critical functions for the remainder of the recurring period.

Abstract: Embodiments are related to processing of one or more input audio feeds for generation of a target audio stream that includes at least one object of interest to a listener. In some embodiments, the target audio stream may exclusively or primarily include the sound of the object of interest to the listener, without including other persons. This allows a listener to focus on an object of his or her interest and not necessarily have to listen to the performances of other objects in the input audio feed. Some embodiments contemplate multiple audio feeds and/or with multiple objects of interest.

Abstract: System and methods for facilitating content watch parties may include a sync server having a server CPU, a host user device, a client user device, and a content provider. The content provider may first provide a first portion of the content independently to the host user device and the client user device. The content provider may second provide a second portion of the content to the host user device and the client user device. The first providing of the first portion of the content may occur separately of the second providing of the second portion of the content. The sync server may synchronize the second providing of the second portion of the content to the client user device to facilitate substantially simultaneously presentations of the second portion of the content by the host user device and the client user device.

Abstract: A media content storage and delivery system, and related operating methods are presented here. A disclosed method of delivering user-provided content that is linked to on-demand media content involves: causing playback of on-demand media content at a first presentation device; receiving uploaded media content, wherein uploading of the uploaded media content is initiated during playback of the on-demand media content at the first presentation device; and linking the uploaded media content with the on-demand media content. After performing the linking, the method causes playback of the on-demand media content at a second presentation device, and causes playback of the uploaded media content after playback of the on-demand media content at the second presentation device, or after pausing playback of the on-demand media content at the second presentation device.

Abstract: Systems, methods and devices are provided for managing media content storage priority and retention in a single- or multi-user environment. Indications of previous user activity are received regarding multiple portions of content stored via one or more storage devices. The previous user activity may include previous user deletion selections and/or previous user viewing selections of one or more of the multiple portions of content. A retention priority may be assigned to portions of media content based on the previous user activity. Responsive to receiving an indication of low available storage space on the one or more storage devices, a quantity of storage space on the one or more storage devices to make available is determined based on the previous user activity. Deletion of one or more portions of currently stored content is initiated based on the determined quantity of storage space to make available.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for presenting media content capable of being dynamically adapted. One method involves analyzing content of a media program to identify a replaceable object at a spatial location within the content at a temporal location within the content, analyzing the spatial location of the content corresponding to the replaceable object within the content to identify one or more attributes of the replaceable object, identifying a substitute object based at least in part on the one or more attributes associated with the replaceable object, augmenting the temporal location of the content to include the substitute object at the spatial location within the content in lieu of the replaceable object, and providing the augmented version of the content to a media player for presentation.

Abstract: System and methods for facilitating content watch parties may include a sync server having a server CPU, a host user device, a client user device, and a content provider. The content provider may first provide a first portion of the content independently to the host user device and the client user device. The content provider may second provide a second portion of the content to the host user device and the client user device. The first providing of the first portion of the content may occur separately of the second providing of the second portion of the content. The sync server may synchronize the second providing of the second portion of the content to the client user device to facilitate substantially simultaneously presentations of the second portion of the content by the host user device and the client user device.

Abstract: Techniques are described for integrated sharing of media playback interactions (MPIs). Responsive to consumer interactions with media content during playback of a media file, embodiments can produce MPIs corresponding to the consumer's changes in the playback presentation of the content. The MPIs can be associated with the media file as one or more sharable embedded MPIs (EMPIs). A consumer can share the media file with its associated EMPIs. When the same or a different consumer subsequently accesses the content from the media file, embodiments permit playback of the content with selective access to the EMPIs. For example, a first consumer can share media content with its associated EMPIs, thereby permitting a second consumer control over which portions of the media content are played back with and without experiencing the first consumer's EMPIs.

Abstract: Systems and methods for synchronizing video generated by a camera with media content generated by a media source external to the camera. A calibration procedure is performed in which a time delay is determined that includes a camera delay associated with the camera. A display device displays a sequence of images comprising a first image displayed for a first time period and a second image displayed for a second time period. The camera captures a plurality of captured images capturing display of the sequence of images and a transmitter device coupled to the camera transmits the captured images to a hub. The hub determines a target image of the captured images corresponding to display of the second image. The time delay is determined based on a difference between a time associated with the target image and a time associated with the second image.

Abstract: A system includes a computer that is programmed to receive one or more media streams, each from a respective one of a one or more media capture devices, and to receive, from a client device, for each of the one or more media streams, state data including at least one of an active and a potential state of the media stream. The computer is further programmed to disconnect from the client device, and then, upon reconnecting to the client device, to provide at least one of the media streams and the state data to the client device.

Abstract: Methods and systems for establishing a media streaming connection between a client and a placeshifting device that are each communicating via a network using a standard and nonstandard port, including: in response to an initial denial of a request to receive streamed content by a client via a nonstandard port in communication with the placeshifting device, attempting another request by the client using a standard port in communication with a relay reverse proxy service of a relay backend server to the placeshifting device; establishing a first connection by the client between the relay reverse proxy service of the relay backend server and the client using the standard port to receive streamed content from the placeshifting device; and establishing a second connection between the relay reverse proxy service of the relay backend server and the placeshifting device using the nonstandard port to communicate streamed content streamed directly from the placeshifting device.

Abstract: Methods, Systems, and Apparatuses are described to implement voice search in media content for requesting media content of a video clip of a scene contained in the media content streamed to the client device; for capturing the voice request for the media content of the video clip to display at the client device wherein the streamed media content is a selected video streamed from a video source; for applying a NLP solution to convert the voice request to text for matching to a set of one or more words contained in at least close caption text of the selected video; for associating matched words to close caption text with a start index and an end index of the video clip contained in the selected video; and for streaming the video clip to the client device based on the start index and the end index associated with matched closed caption text.

Abstract: Systems and methods for establishing secure remote connections to media devices establish a secure shell (SSH) connection between two machines which are located in two different private networks, such as between a remote debugging computer and a receiving device. The receiving device has a persistent outbound connection with a message server. The remote debugging computer connects to a relay manager and obtains a relay instance IP address and port. The relay manager then forwards the relay instance IP address and port to the receiving device via the message server. After receiving the connection request from the message server, the receiving device connects to the relay instance IP and port and waits for the input data. The remote debugging computer performs an SSH handshake and the receiving device directly authenticates the SSH connection.