Abstract: Methods and systems are described for a media guidance application that manages user access to content provided by a plurality of content providers. In particular, the media guidance application may automatically manage and recommend content providers which a user should request access to.

Abstract: Some of the various features described herein include providing an enhanced view of content. Some content may be cropped or edited for general transmission, and a primary- or second-screen device may be used to receive and view additional views or portions of content that may otherwise be unavailable. For example, if a cropped portion of content is delivered to a device, a different device may be used to view at least a portion of the content that was removed during the cropping process. Another aspect may include providing a higher-resolution version of content to a second-screen device.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for optimizing selection of television advertising inventory. In one embodiment, a method may include receiving a set of available ad inventory from a traffic system server, where the set of available ad inventory is received from a hardware component in communication with the traffic system server. The method may include identifying a futuremost ad in the ad inventory representing an end of the first future time period, receiving a traffic system schedule indicative of planned television programming and historical television programming by the traffic system server, and determining that a correlation between a previous traffic system schedule portion selected from the historical television programming and the planned television programming meets an inventory prediction threshold.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for improving channel browsing experience for users by presenting an automatically appearing and automatically scrolling program guide are described. The methods and apparatus are well suited for use with remote control devices with limited numbers of input buttons, e.g., under five buttons, but can be used with remote controls with more buttons. The program guide can be used to allow access to a grid guide to users of hospital remotes or other remotes with limited input keys, e.g., an up down arrow and/or a power button. The method in some embodiments uses time spent on a channel in combination with user selection of an input key to determine an action to be taken, e.g., enter or display the program grid guide and/or select a channel and/or corresponding program being displayed in the grid guide.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus that addresses and resolves the issues currently affecting the ability to offer Enhanced TV, in particular, those issues concerning timing and synchronization, interaction with other modules in the STB, and distribution.

Abstract: In one aspect, an example method includes (i) accessing, by a computing system, data associated with a program schedule for a media program; (ii) based on the accessed data, selecting, by the computing system, a social media (SM) content item, wherein the SM content item was published by a SM user, and wherein the SM user is associated with a first SM account; and (iii) responsive to selecting the SM content item, causing, by the computing system, a SM platform to request the SM user to authorize a link between the first SM account and a second SM account.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for customizing the display of interactive television overlays. A condition related to the display of an overlay on top of video for a television channel may be defined for each of a plurality of television channels. A default set of information types for an interactive television overlay (e.g., a FLIP overlay, a BROWSE overlay, etc.) may be defined for the plurality of television channels. When the overlay is displayed on top of video for a given television channel of the plurality of television channels, the overlay may include information of the default set of information types. One or more television channels of the plurality of television channels may be identified as channels for which the default set of information types does not apply (e.g., channels for which the overlay is not displayed or for which a custom set of information types is defined).

Abstract: An information processing device includes a display recording list receiver that receives display information for displaying a list of one or more content items from a server through a first connection made based on a first communication mode. Moreover, the information processing device includes: a P2P connection implementation unit that establishes, between a receiving device and the information processing device, a second connection made based on a second communication mode for performing communication between the receiving device and information processing device without passing via the server; a recorded program selector that selects a content item out of the one or more content items based on the display information; and a recorded program receiver that receives the selected content item from the receiving device through the second connection.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, or method wirelessly sends an audio component of a multimedia channel to one or more wireless computing devices while a visual component of the multimedia channel is playing on a video monitor. The audio component may be packetized into data packets and broadcast via a network such that the data packets can be received and played by the wireless computing devices in synchronization with the visual component playing on the video monitor. A channel listing may inform the wireless computing devices what channels are available. A visual content that is not the visual component of the multimedia channel may be displayed on the wireless computing device while an audio component of the multimedia channel is streamed to the wireless computing device.

Abstract: The video receiving apparatus is capable of transmitting and receiving data via a communications network. The video receiving apparatus includes a video extractor, a controller, a calibration executor, and an input unit to which a video signal is input. The video extractor extracts a partial video, which is to be used for video recognition processing, from the video signal. The controller controls the following operations: That is, the controller transmits, to a video recognition apparatus, either the partial video or content recognition information formed from the partial video, thereby requesting the video recognition apparatus to perform the video recognition processing. The controller acquires a result of the video recognition processing from the video recognition apparatus, and acquires the additional information based on the video recognition processing from an additional-information delivering apparatus.

Abstract: A method for transmitting and receiving data of a sink device by using HDMI is disclosed. A method for transmitting and receiving data of a sink device by using HDMI comprises receiving video data through at least one channel of HDMI from a source device; generating an error counter value by performing CED (Character Error Detection) on the received video data; in case the error counter value exceeds a threshold value, transmitting to the source device a CEC message requesting resolution change of the video data; and receiving video data with a resolution changed according to the CEC message from the source device.

Abstract: Systems and methods are operable to manage timers that control recording of media content. An exemplary embodiment compares a retrieved stale timer criteria with a retrieved timer attribute; determines whether the timer is stale based on the comparison of the retrieved timer attribute and the stale timer criteria, wherein the timer is determined to be stale when the media content event identified by the timer will not be recorded because the media content event identified by the timer is not scheduled to be broadcast at a future date; and then automatically deletes the timer in response to determining that the timer is stale.

Abstract: A coupling device for use in a hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC) network may be configured to detect a control message and determine from the message a period for which a cable modem downstream is to be transmitting a desired transmission, disable an upstream path through it when there is only noise incident on the upstream path, and enable the upstream path during the period when a desired transmission from a cable modem downstream of the coupling device is incident on the upstream path. The coupling device may be a trunk amplifier, a distribution amplifier, or a splitter. The coupling device may comprise a single upstream interface coupled to a plurality of downstream interfaces. The enabling and/or disabling may be in response to a signal strength indicated by the SSI being below a threshold.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to adaptively gather audience information data are disclosed. The disclosed methods and apparatus monitor system factor(s) and select one or more sensors from a plurality of sensors positioned to gather audience measurement data based on the monitored factor(s). Thus, the disclosed methods and apparatus adapt to the conditions they face by selecting an amount and/or type of audience measurement data they gather.

Abstract: The illustrative embodiments described herein provide systems and methods for conducting transactions with a customer using text messages. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a first text message from a mobile communication device associated with a customer. The first text message includes a request from the customer to receive one or more text messages from a vendor. The method also includes adding the customer to a set of consenting customers in a customer database in response to receiving the first text message. The set of consenting customer including customers that consent to receiving text messages from the vendor. The method also includes sending a second text message to the mobile communication device. The second text message is associated with a service offered by the vendor.

Abstract: In accordance with some implementations of the disclosed subject matter, mechanisms for presenting recommended media content items are provided. In some implementations, a method for providing media guidance is provided, the method comprising: receiving a request for supplemental content relating to a program being presented by a media device; causing a content interface to be presented on a mobile device; identifying the program that is being presented on a media device; determining keywords associated with the program, wherein each of the keywords is associated with a particular portion of the program; obtaining and storing supplemental content items corresponding to the program based on the keywords; causing the content interface to present a first supplemental content item; receiving state information associated with the mobile device that indicates a subsequent visit to the content interface; and causing the content interface to present a second supplemental content item based on the state information.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and device for transmitting media data in a digital broadcasting system for allocating media data to a superframe, and transmitting a superframe in which a time length of media data corresponds to a time length of the superframe.

Abstract: Video recognition processing on video signals input from an outside is performed. Hence, video reception device which is configured to transmit and receive data through communication network includes input unit, video extraction unit, video recognition region setting unit, control unit and additional information display control unit. The video recognition region setting unit detects superimposing information superimposed on a partial video, and sets a video recognition region or video recognition candidate regions to the partial video based on a detection result. The additional information display control unit generates content recognition information in the video recognition region or in the video recognition candidate regions of the partial video. The control unit performs control of requesting video recognition device to perform video recognition processing on this content recognition information.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments include a method for providing viewing notifications for a set-top box that includes the steps of: storing usage information associated with a media content received by the set-top box, the usage information containing a length of time that the media content was displayed; determining, using a processor, whether a viewing notification is to be sent to a particular user based on user preferences and the usage information; responsive to a determination that the viewing notification is to be sent to the particular user, retrieving a notification identifier associated with the particular user and sending the viewing notification regarding the usage information; receiving a response to the viewing notification from the particular user, wherein the response includes a partial command that is interpreted based on the viewing notification as a requested command to be performed by the set-top box; and performing, using the processor, the requested command.

Abstract: An interactive video/multimedia application (IVM application) may specify one or more media assets for playback. The IVM application may define the rendering, composition, and interactivity of one or more the assets, such as video. Video multimedia application data (IVMA data may) be used to define the behavior of the IVM application. The IVMA data may be embodied as a standalone file in a text or binary, compressed format. Alternatively, the IVMA data may be embedded within other media content. A video asset used in the IVM application may include embedded, content-aware metadata that is tightly coupled to the asset. The IVM application may reference the content-aware metadata embedded within the asset to define the rendering and composition of application display elements and user-interactivity features. The interactive video/multimedia application (defined by the video and multimedia application data) may be presented to a viewer in a player application.