Abstract: A system and method are provided for dynamically adjusting advertisement (“ad”) time for a multicast channel. In one embodiment, a variable ad insertion function operates to receive one or more multicasts of media content from a core distribution network, insert ad timeslots into the media content, and optionally perform late-binding of ads to the ad timeslots. The media content including the inserted ad timeslots and late-binded ads, if any, is then multicast to associated client devices over a feeder network using corresponding multicast channels. For each multicast channel, insertion of ad timeslots into the associated media content is dynamically controlled based on the number of users currently consuming or predicted to consume the multicast channel, the number of client devices receiving or predicted to receive the multicast channel, or both.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for measuring trust. A device is encountered. A trust score for the device is calculated and compared to a threshold. The threshold may be a minimum trust score associated with the function. If the calculated trust score equals or exceeds the threshold, then the function is executed. If the calculated trust score is less than the threshold, then the function is denied.

Abstract: A method and system for minimizing data streams of the same program on a shared medium is provided. A user device receives a first data stream of a program and effects display of the program based on the first data stream to a display device. The user device halts display of the program and provides an advertisement to a viewer. A second data stream of the program being provided over the same medium to a second viewer that was initiated after the first data stream is provided to the user device. The user device buffers the second data stream, and after the advertisement is finished, provides the program to the viewer based on the second data stream.

Abstract: A caching proxy server for a hybrid peer-to-peer (P2P) photosharing system is provided. In general, the proxy server includes cache storing a number of previously requested digital images, a metadata database storing metadata including a number of keywords associated with each of the digital images stored in the cache, and a metadata usage table storing a number of “hits” for each of the keywords. When the used storage space in the cache reaches a predetermined limit, the proxy server examines the metadata usage table to determine a popularity of each of the keywords and removes digital images tagged with one or more of the least popular keywords until the used storage space in the cache decreases to a desirable level. As such, the proxy server ensures that digital images tagged with the most popular keywords remain in the proxy cache and are therefore available for subsequent requests.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for initiating and establishing a local chat session. In general, a first network device determines whether to initiate a local chat session with a second network device based either directly or indirectly on a profile for the second network device. The profile includes content information describing content stored by the second network device. In one embodiment, the first network device obtains an identifier of the second network device via a local wireless connection and requests the profile for the second network device from a central node maintaining a database storing profiles for a number of network devices including the first and second network devices. After receiving the profile for the second network device from the central node, the first network device determines whether to initiate the local chat session with the second network device based on the profile for the second network device.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for accessing information describing content residing on agent devices. The system includes a central node and agent devices communicatively coupled by a network. The central node obtains content information describing content stored at the agent devices and optionally the locations of the agent devices from the agent devices. The content information and optionally the locations of the agent devices are stored in a database associated with the central node. The central node enables requesting nodes such as the agent devices to access the database. For example, the agent devices may communicate with the central node to obtain the content information for a known agent device or to query the database to find agent devices having content information and optionally locations that satisfy specified criteria. Alternatively, the central node may provide alerts to the agent devices when other agent devices matching specified criteria are available.

Abstract: Syndication feeds for peer computer devices. In one aspect, a request is received at a server for a syndicated feed from a peer on a peer-to-peer network. It is determined whether the peer is currently online or offline; if online, the requested feed is pulled from the peer and served to the requestor, and if offline, the requested feed is retrieved from a cache of the server and served to the requestor. In one embodiment, an online/offline indicator is inserted in a feed by the server to indicate to the user the online or offline status.

Abstract: A direct memory-to-memory to streaming protocol driver for a media content playback system is provided. In one embodiment, the direct memory-to-memory to streaming protocol driver is a Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA). In general, the RDMA to streaming protocol driver utilizes an RDMA-enabled network interface to obtain media content from a remote content distribution server. In order to emulate a streaming protocol layer of a network stack such as, for example, the User Datagram Protocol (UDP), the RDMA to streaming protocol driver encapsulates the media content according to the streaming protocol to provide streaming media content. The streaming media content is then provided to an associated streaming protocol-based playback function.

Abstract: A narrowcast advertising system includes a centralized late binding application (LBA) that communicates with one or more respective LBA device components on destination devices associated with a given consumer. The LBA application receives a plurality of advertisements in accordance with ad contracts negotiated between a consumer and an advertising entity. Selected ads are distributed to the respective destination devices for integration with accessible content. Confirmation indications are received by the LBA application from the destination devices so that contract fulfillment records can be updated in accordance with the various options a consumer has for satisfying the negotiated contract.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for pairing agents and service providers. A registration request is received to pair an agent and a service provider. A directory service is queried that stores at least one of i) third party service providers and information describing each third party service provider's service and ii) agents and information associated with each agent. A response is sent that describes an available pairing between an agent and a service provider.

Abstract: A message propagation scheme for a distributed virtual world is provided. In general, each of a number of peer servers hosts a cell of the virtual world, where the cell is also referred to herein as a virtual space. A peer server issues an advertisement/subscription (ad/sub) message, or message flow path setup message, identifying message types produced by the virtual objects in the virtual space hosted by the peer server and message types consumed by the virtual objects in the virtual space hosted by the peer server. Based on the ad/sub message, for each message type produced, message flow paths from the peer server to other peer servers hosting virtual objects that are consumers of the message type are identified. Likewise, for each message type consumed, message paths from other peer servers hosting virtual objects that are producers of the message type to the peer server are identified.

Abstract: Methods of providing print fulfillment for digital images may include saving an image selection property in digital memory, saving a batching property in digital memory, and saving digital images and associated image data in digital memory. A group of the digital images that satisfy the image selection property saved in digital memory may be selected, and it may be determined if the batching property saved in digital memory is satisfied for the group of the digital images having associated image data that satisfy the image selection property. If the batching property is satisfied, a print fulfillment order may be transmitted over a digital network requesting prints of the group of the digital images. Related systems and computer program products are also discussed.

Abstract: A first user's trust level with regard to a second user can be determined by providing questions to the second user, with the questions based on a previously-collected knowledge base including information about the first user. The information about the first user may be partitioned into levels of trust, and the second user's responses to the questions may be evaluated to determine which level of trust the second user is entitled to. The knowledge base may be assembled by prompting the first user for information and/or by scanning or otherwise collecting already-existing data about the first user. The knowledge base and/or trust assessment may be distributed across a network, and in some embodiments the knowledge base or parts thereof is distributed to other users according to the trust level of those users.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for dynamically adjusting advertisement (“ad”) time for a multicast channel. In one embodiment, a variable ad insertion function operates to receive one or more multicasts of media content from a core distribution network, insert ad timeslots into the media content, and optionally perform late-binding of ads to the ad timeslots. The media content including the inserted ad timeslots and late-binded ads, if any, is then multicast to associated client devices over a feeder network using corresponding multicast channels. For each multicast channel, insertion of ad timeslots into the associated media content is dynamically controlled based on the number of users currently consuming or predicted to consume the multicast channel, the number of client devices receiving or predicted to receive the multicast channel, or both.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for measuring trust. A device is encountered. A trust score for the device is calculated and compared to a threshold. The threshold may be a minimum trust score associated with the function. If the calculated trust score equals or exceeds the threshold, then the function is executed. If the calculated trust score is less than the threshold, then the function is denied.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for accessing and managing information, or metadata, describing content residing on a number of agent devices. In general, the system includes a central node and a number of agent devices communicatively coupled by a network. In operation, the central node communicates with the agent devices to obtain content information describing content stored at the agent devices and optionally the locations of the agent devices from the agent devices. The content information and optionally the locations of the agent devices are stored in a database associated with the central node. Thereafter, the central node enables requesting nodes such as the agent devices to access the database. In addition or alternatively, the central node may provide automatic alerts to the agent devices when other agent devices matching specified criteria are available.

Abstract: A content management system for managing content stored by a number of networked Personal Video Recorders (PVRs) associated with a user community is provided. More specifically, the storage space of each of the personal video recorders is physically or logically partitioned into a personal space and a community space. The content management system manages the community spaces of the PVRs such that content relevant to the user community is stored in the collective community space of the PVRs and available to the user community.

Abstract: A system and method for client-side watermarking of digital content using hybrid Intra-Frames (I-Frames) are provided. In general, a content source provides a compressed video stream and a hybrid I-Frame stream to a client device via a network. The hybrid I-Frame stream includes a number of low-loss I-Frames corresponding to select ones of the I-Frames in the compressed video stream to be used for client-side watermarking. The client device watermarks the I-Frames in the hybrid I-Frame stream, optionally compresses the watermarked I-Frames, and replaces the select ones of the I-Frames in the compressed video stream with the watermarked and optionally compressed I-Frames to provide a watermarked version of the compressed video stream.

Abstract: A system and method for providing personal broadcast channels are provided. In one embodiment, one or more users interact with a local broadcast agent hosted by a local server to define profiles for a number of personal broadcast channels. The profiles include information identifying types of content to be broadcast on the personal broadcast channels and optionally formats for the personal broadcast channels. Based on the profiles for the personal broadcast channels, the local broadcast agent generates a request for content types desired for the personal broadcast channels and provides the request to a content distribution agent hosted by a master server. Based on content provided to the local server in response to the request and the profiles of the personal broadcast channels, the local broadcast agent generates the local broadcast channels.

Abstract: A method and system for minimizing data streams of the same program on a shared medium is provided. A user device receives a first data stream of a program and effects display of the program based on the first data stream to a display device. The user device halts display of the program and provides an advertisement to a viewer. A second data stream of the program being provided over the same medium to a second viewer that was initiated after the first data stream is provided to the user device. The user device buffers the second data stream, and after the advertisement is finished, provides the program to the viewer based on the second data stream.