Abstract: A multimedia content selection system includes at least one processor executing instructions for performing operations. The operations include receiving a playback request from a playback unit, including a content identifier, providing, to the playback unit, a manifest with at least a set of content segment identifiers based on the content identifier, each content segment identifier identifying a content segment associated with a content stream, receiving a content stream request comprising one of the content segment identifiers, and selecting a segment for playback from the content segment associated with the received content segment identifier, determined using a set of content selection rules.

Abstract: Techniques for adaptive validation and remediation are described. In some embodiments, the method includes determining, for a plurality of media service accounts, corresponding fraud suspicion values based on a model. The method also includes identifying a plurality of suspected accounts based on the corresponding fraud suspicion values. The method additionally includes identifying one or more suspected devices and predicting a likelihood of account takeover from each of the one or more suspected devices. The method further includes detecting a triggering event from a device of the one or more suspected devices associated with an account. The method additionally includes executing a validation and/or remediation procedure based on a trigger sensitivity value associated with the triggering event, a respective likelihood of account takeover from the device associated with the account, a respective device risk value associated with the device, and a respective fraud suspicion value associated with the account.

Abstract: Techniques for cloud user interface (UI) rendering in a virtual set top system is performed by a UI engine on a server or a cloud platform. The method includes receiving a request for a UI, where the request includes a state associated with the UI and the request. The method further includes identifying, based at least in part on the first state, UI element(s) and/or interactions associated with the UI. The method also includes determining whether or not UI object(s) corresponding to the UI element(s) and/or the interactions exist in a cache. The method additionally includes generating the UI using the UI object(s) upon finding the UI object(s) in the cache. The method further includes rendering the UI upon not finding the UI object(s) in the cache, including rendering the UI element(s) and/or the interaction(s) as the UI object(s) and storing the UI object(s) in the cache.

Abstract: In some implementations, a device includes one or more processors and a non-transitory memory. In some implementations, a method includes obtaining a request to perform a user interface operation at a client device while the client device is playing a media content item in a buffered content presentation mode. In some implementations, the method includes identifying a first image that represents a current playback position of the media content item at the client device. In some implementations, the method includes identifying a second image that represents a user interface element associated with the user interface operation. In some implementations, the method includes generating a first video frame that corresponds to the user interface operation by blending the first image with the second image. In some implementations, the method includes triggering the client device to present the first video frame in a real-time content presentation mode.

Abstract: Techniques for rapid video on demand (VOD) media content breach response are described. In some embodiments, during content preparation, a server generates an encrypted media content item by generating a first encrypted portion using a first key derived from a first seed that is of a first type and generating a second encrypted portion using a second key derived from a second seed that is of a second type. In some embodiments, the server classifies the first portion in a first category (e.g., a prioritized category) and the second portion in a second category (e.g., a non-prioritized category). During a breach response, the server repairs the encrypted media content item by re-encrypting portions in the first category, e.g., re-encrypting the first encrypted portion using a replacement key derived from a replacement seed that is of the first type, and updating encryption metadata.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for managing presentation of stream portions are disclosed. The systems and methods may involve receiving a first list of stream portions; determining a first set of high-priority stream portions; retrieving at least one portion of the first set of high-priority stream portions; storing the retrieved portion of the first set of high-priority stream portions; receiving a second list of stream portions; determining a second set of high-priority stream portions; determining whether any stream portions in the stored portion of the first set of high-priority stream portions are not in the second set of high-priority stream portions; deleting from the memory any stream portions in the stored portion of the first set of high-priority stream portions that are not in the second set of high-priority stream portions; and determining whether any stream portions in the second set of high-priority stream portions are not stored in memory.

Abstract: A method of selectively decrypting encrypted data may include selecting a plurality of encrypted data bits between and including a first encrypted data bit and a last encrypted data bit; for each encrypted data bit from the plurality of encrypted data bits: determining a corresponding encrypted block and a block number that contains the encrypted data bit, determining a corresponding counter for the determined block number, determining a bit position of the encrypted data bit within the determined encrypted block, selecting a counter bit at the bit position within the counter, encrypting the counter, and executing an XOR operation between the encrypted data bit and the corresponding encrypted counter bit.

Abstract: Techniques for allocating bandwidth for low latency content and buffered content are described. In accordance with various embodiments, a bandwidth allocation method is performed at a device (e.g., a server) with one or more processors and a non-transitory memory. The server determines available bandwidth for delivering content to a client device in a stream, where the stream includes low latency content and buffered content. The server further identifies characteristics of the low latency content. The server then allocates a first portion of the available bandwidth to the low latency content and a second portion of the available bandwidth to the buffered content based on the characteristics of the low latency content.

Abstract: Techniques for detection over-the-top piracy are described. In some embodiments, a piracy detection method is performed at a server by a piracy detector. The piracy detector obtains records associated with requests for access from a plurality of client devices. The piracy detector further distributes the records to a plurality of nodes according to distribution keys extracted from the records, where each of the plurality of nodes receives a respective set of records associated with a respective distribution key and generates a set of respective watch session records based on the respective set of records. The piracy detector also generates watch session records associated with the distribution keys by aggregating the respective watch session records from the plurality of nodes. The piracy detector additionally identifies one or more pirated client devices among the plurality of client devices based on clusters established from the watch session records.

Abstract: Techniques for reducing piracy of media content are described. In some embodiments, a collusion resistant method is performed at a device, where the device receives a first request for a base copy of a media content item. In response, the device determines a first transformation based on a statistical performance criterion and a viewing performance criterion. The device further generates a first copy of the media content item by replicating and applying a first transformation to the base copy, where the first copy of the media content item satisfies the viewing performance criterion, and the first copy of the media content item is statistically different from the base copy or other copies in accordance with the statistical performance criterion. The device then causes transmission of the first copy of the media content item in combination with a first watermark for the base copy of the media content item.

Abstract: Techniques for secure fast channel change in live content streaming are described. In some embodiments, during content preparation, a packager and/or an encoder encrypts media content items at both the service level (e.g., by encrypting a first portion of the plurality of segments with a service level access key unique to a service) and the channel level (e.g., by encrypting a second portion of the plurality of segments with a channel level access key unique to a channel associated with the service). On the receiving end, a client device (e.g., a media player) requests a service level access key prior to content acquisition. As such, a client can join any channel on a segment protected with the service level key without waiting for a license for that channel first, and the channel license can be acquired in parallel with the content acquisition during channel switching.

Abstract: A method for identifying a logo within at least one image includes identifying an area containing the logo within the at least one image, extracting logo features from the area by analyzing image gradient vectors associated with the at least one image, and using a machine learning model to identify the logo from the extracted logo features, wherein the machine learning model is trained to identify at least one target logo based on a received image data containing the logo features.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a stored copy request indicating data and including a request identifier, scheduling publication of the data to an object store, and sending a subscription request indicating the data and the request identifier to the object store. In another embodiment, a method includes receiving a publication request indicating data to be copied, wherein the publication request is a recording request indicating a channel and a timespan, receiving one or more subscription requests for the data, receiving the data, and generating a copy of the data for each subscription request.

Abstract: In some implementations, a device includes one or more processors and a non-transitory memory. In some implementations, a method includes determining that a video frame to be presented at a client device includes a portion that corresponds to a particular playback position within a video content item. In some implementations, the method includes obtaining audio data that corresponds to the particular playback position within the video content item. In some implementations, the method includes transmitting the audio data to the client device separate from the video frame.

Abstract: A method of splitting a data stream into a set of data segments may include receiving the data stream, wherein the data stream may include data packets; selecting a segment time period and a time domain; subdividing the time domain into a set of time blocks, each one of the set of time blocks having a duration of the segment time period; identifying a set of starting data packets corresponding to the set of time blocks; identifying a set of finishing data packets corresponding to the set of starting data packets; identifying a last one of the set of finishing data packets being a last data packet of a last one of the set of time blocks; and identifying the set of data segments based on the corresponding set of starting data packets and the corresponding set of finishing data packets.

Abstract: Techniques for rendering user interface (UI) in a virtual set top system using a pooling of UI rendering engines is performed at a device (e.g., a server or a cloud computing platform). The pooling method includes receiving multiple requests for UIs from multiple client devices, where the multiple requests include states of the UIs. The method further includes dividing the multiple requests into a plurality of groups based at least in part on the states of the UIs, where a respective group of the plurality of groups corresponds to requests for a set of UIs from a respective set of client devices. The method additionally includes assigning a pool of UI engines in a virtual machine (VM) to render the set of UIs for the respective set of client devices based on one or more of characteristics of the set of UIs and characteristics of the respective group.

Abstract: Techniques for a smartphone-based conditional access (CA) system are described. In some embodiments, a headend in the CA system obtains a security profile associated with a pair of receiving devices used by a user, e.g., a first device (e.g., a smartphone) and a second device (e.g., a set-top-box or a TV). The headend dynamically regulates user access to requested media content during each entitlement period by assigning and distributing separate keys to the first and second device based on the security profile. The headend also uses the distributed keys to protect the media content before broadcasting. On the receiving end, one receiving device receives the media content and determines whether it is decryptable by the device. If decryptable, the receiving device (e.g., the set-top-box/TV) decrypts the media content using the keys assigned by the headend. Otherwise, the receiving device forwards the media content to the pairing device for decryption.

Abstract: A method of authenticating data received from a user device by a service provider may include receiving user credentials from the user device via a secure communication channel; upon verifying the user credentials, providing to the user device via the secure channel a permission token, where the permission token includes at least a shared secret, where a data within the permission token is not observable to the user device and a shared secret data outside the data of the permission token, the shared secret data observable to the user device; and receiving a request from the user device via a non secure communication channel, where the request may include at least the permission token and a hash digest formed using at least a portion of the shared secret data.

Abstract: Techniques for providing multimedia content in a virtual set top system are described. In some embodiments, a stream switchover method for UI rendering is performed at a device (e.g., a server) with one or more processors and a non-transitory memory. The server distributes a first stream that includes a plurality of frames. The server receives a request for a user interface (UI) from a client. In response to receiving the request, the server generates a second stream by locating an encoder to encode the plurality of frames into the second stream based on the first stream, instructing the encoder to accelerate encoding of the plurality of frames and facilitating blending of the UI into the second stream with the plurality of frames. The server then switches the client from the first stream to the second stream.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for video content security and for detecting and preventing unauthorized playback. According to an exemplary method, a device performing a video playback can acquire a set of video frames from a decoder during the video playback, and generate, based on the set of video frames, a first video identifier. The first video identifier can be sent to a server. In response to the server determining that the first video identifier matches a second video identifier stored in the server, the device can receive a list of authorized playback sources associated with the second video identifier. The device can determine whether a source of the video playback is included in the list of authorized playback sources, and control the video playback based on the determination.