Abstract: A system and method for distributing content in a network architecture using a common intermediary mezzanine distribution format (CMZF). A media content asset may be processed for packaging in a CMZF container structure configured to carry each bitrate representation of the media content in a valid CMZF stream scheme, the media content encrypted in one or more encryption schemes. The CMZF formatted media content may be provided to an origin server for file-based distribution over a network which is of one of the following types; unmanaged network, managed network, or a combination thereof, and/or to a streaming network node for stream-based distribution over a over a network which is of one of the following types; unmanaged network, managed network, or a combination thereof. In one embodiment, the CMZF container structure may be based on an MPEG-TS format extended to facilitate carriage of ISOBMFF track and track metadata data objects in PES payload in additional elementary streams.

Abstract: A virtual in-venue experience is provided to a remote spectator receiving one or more sets of audio visual (AV) feeds of an event, a set of the feeds including a primary and one or more secondary AV feeds. The secondary AV feed(s) provides supplemental content to the main content provided by the primary AV feed, and includes peripheral field of view audio visual content for the set. The set of feeds may be captured from a respective location within the venue. The primary audio visual feed is displayed for view by the remote spectator, and in association with display of the primary feed, the secondary audio visual feed(s) is displayed in a peripheral field of view of the remote spectator. The secondary AV feed(s) provides the remote user with peripheral AV content at the respective location within the venue, thereby enhancing the in-venue experience for the remote spectator.

Abstract: A method executes at a server system with one or more processors and memory. The server receives demographic information for a plurality of household members. The demographic information includes at least age and gender. The server receives television viewing information for the household. The server identifies one or more television viewing sessions from the television viewing information and selects one of the television viewing sessions. The server identifies one or more television programs tuned during the selected televisions viewing session and accesses demographic skew data for at least a subset of the television programs tuned. The demographic skew data for a television program identifies fractions of viewers of the television program from predefined demographic segments. The server associates a household member with the television viewing session at least in part by correlating the demographic skew data of the television programs tuned with the demographic information of the first household member.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a media processor that includes a memory and a controller coupled to the memory. The controller can be programmed to receive media content from a set top box where the set top box is a separate device from the media processor and where the media content includes video content. The controller can also be programmed to receive supplemental content from a mobile communication device where the supplemental content is based on reading of a two dimensional bar code by the mobile communication device, and where the supplemental content comprises an image. The controller can further be programmed to generate augmented content by overlaying the supplemental content with the media content and to provide the augmented content to a display device for presentation.

Abstract: A method for generating and processing a broadcast signal according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: encoding broadcast data for one or more broadcast services; encoding first level signaling information including information describing properties of the one or more broadcast services; encoding second level signaling information including information for listing the one or more broadcast services; and generating a broadcast signal including the encoded broadcast data, the encoded first level signaling information and the encoded second level signaling information.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for enabling a viewer to watch television in the usual manner, while providing the viewer with an opportunity to indicate interest in products contextually associated with, but not necessarily displayed, in the television programs viewed, are described. Viewer interest might be indicated, for example, by launching a widget from an icon located on the TV video receiver using a handheld remote controller in communication with a set-top box during the program. The program being viewed may then be identified, for example, by the selected channel, the name of the program, the episode, and the time of the selection, or a combination of these indicators. The selections are transmitted by the set-top box to a remote search server, which returns information to the viewer on a portion of the TV video receiver concerning available products contextually related to the program being viewed at the time the widget was launched by the viewer, as well as purchase information.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and a device for providing proximity control in a satellite television media content distribution system comprising at least a primary receiver and a secondary receiver, whereby authorization to access the conditional access media content is given if the primary and secondary receivers are verified to be within a single household. The invention uses LNB control signaling, by the primary receiver, to cause the LNB to down-convert signals from pre-determined transponders onto a pre-determined frequency in the L-Band such that the secondary receiver may receive messages thus created through the primary receiver's controlling of the LNB.

Abstract: Technologies are generally described for distribution of video over time-varying channels. A video processing module may encode a stream of video frames into a number of groups-of-pictures (GOPs), each GOP including multiple sub-groups-of-pictures (sub-GOPs) that may each be relatively self-contained. The video processing module may divide the encoded video frames into different blocks, and may assign different priorities to the different blocks based on how important the individual blocks are to the reconstruction of a sub-GOP, a GOP, or the stream of encoded video frames, including alternative blocks that make each sub-GOP entirely self-contained for the purpose of decoding in the event of severe losses of blocks from previous sub-GOPs. The video processing module may then provide the blocks to a client device based on the priority of the blocks, the connection quality of the client device, and occurrence of previous losses, for example.

Abstract: A display processing apparatus includes a primary processing chip configured to receive a first ultra-high-definition video image and generate sub-branch primary image signals, and secondary processing chips coupled to the primary processing chip and to each other. Each of the secondary processing chips is configured to receive and process one of the sub-branch primary image signals to generate a first output image signal, receive and process an image section signal obtained from a second ultra-high-definition video image to generate a second output image signal.

Abstract: A vehicle entertainment system including a server storing media files, and smart monitors. The system includes a server disposed in the vehicle to store media files; smart monitors disposed in the vehicle to present media selections to passengers corresponding to the media files stored by the server and receive an input from a passenger for playing one of the selections; seat boxes disposed in the vehicle, each seat box including network-attached storage and storing a subset of the media files stored by the server in said network-attached storage. Program logic executed by each smart monitor in which after a smart monitor receives an input from a passenger for one of the selections, performs tasks including: determining if a media file corresponding to the passenger's input is available from a first source, and if available, requesting streaming of the media file from the first source that may be networked attached storage.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for selectively caching (and de-caching) video content in network so as to reduce content transformation requirements and also cache storage requirements. In one embodiment, a content caching controller associated with a content server differentiates content requests based on content attributes such as the requested codec format (e.g., MPEG or Windows Media), resolution, bitrate, and/or encryption type or security environment. If the content requested by a user is not available with the requested attribute(s), the content server transfers to content to the user by first transforming it. The content server also speculatively caches the transformed content locally, so that a future request for the same content with the same attributes can be filled by transferring without the intermediate transformation step. The controller allows the network operator to optimize use of available storage and transcoding resources.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for determining the efficacy of an advertisement are described herein. A computing device may receive an advertisement from an advertisement server. The computing device may determine advertisement information associated with the presentation of the advertisement. The advertisement information may be sent to the advertisement server.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed toward systems and methods for providing an enhanced live video presentation to one or more viewers of a live video stream. In particular, the systems and methods described herein involve detecting a live video stream at an event and, based on received information about the event, generating a video enhancement overlay for the live video stream. In addition, the systems and methods involve providing, for display to one or more viewers, an enhanced live video presentation that includes the live video stream and the video enhancement overlay including information about the event. In this way, systems and methods described herein facilitate an enhanced user experience for broadcasters and viewers of live video content.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for centralized content, media and data delivery and access within a premises such as, e.g., a residence. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a remotely manageable premises device that acts as a centralized client networking platform, providing gateway services such as network management as well as traditional content and high-speed data delivery functions. The device also acts as the shared internet connection for all devices in the premises via a cable modem, sharing personal and DVR content such as video, music and photos (and any associated metadata) throughout the premises, and providing both a wired and wireless network in the home. Telephony services utilizing e.g., embedded multimedia terminal adapter (eMTA) and/or Wi-Fi architectures may also be provided via the device. The device can also provide a trusted domain for content or data, as well as allowing a subscriber total mobility in the home.

Abstract: A method for generating a rating of entertainment content is provided. The method includes receiving data from a monitoring device associated with a spectator, the monitoring device communicatively coupled to the computing system, wherein the data obtained by the monitoring device includes a physical expression of the spectator viewing the entertainment content, analyzing the physical expression of the spectator to obtain (i) an eyesight direction of the spectator, and (ii) a facial expression of the spectator, during a scene of the entertainment content, determining an emotional reaction of the spectator to the scene of the entertainment content based on the analyzing of the physical expression of the spectator, calculating an emotional ranking of the scene of the entertainment content based on the emotional reaction of the spectator to the scene, and providing the overall ranking of the entertainment content in view of an aggregate of emotional reactions of the spectator.

Abstract: Ingress noise from subscriber equipment is mitigated or prevented from reaching a cable television (CATV) network. All upstream signals including ingress noise are initially transmitted to the CATV network whenever their instantaneous power exceeds a threshold which typically distinguishes ingress noise from a valid upstream signal. Whenever the instantaneous power is below the threshold, ingress noise is blocked from reaching the CATV network. A gas tube surge protection device is included to resist component destruction and malfunction arising from lightning strikes and other high voltage, high current surges.

Abstract: A channel content playback method based on a hybrid network system which may avoid idleness of a digital video broadcasting (DVB) network and a hybrid set top box that may implement the method. The method includes accessing, by the hybrid set top box, an electronic program guide (EPG) system, acquiring, from the EPG system, a channel list of channel content, receiving, based on channel selection performed by a user according to the channel list, target channel content through a DVB network channel, acquiring a first uniform resource locator (URL) from the EPG system according to a rewind operation of the user, and acquiring, according to the first URL, the rewound target channel content from a content delivery network (CDN) system located in an Internet Protocol (IP) network.

Abstract: A video content providing apparatus is provided, the video content apparatus including: an output portion comprising output circuitry configured to transmit a content signal for displaying an image to a relay connected to an image processing apparatus to provide the content signal to the image processing apparatus; and at least one processor configured to receive video formation information about a first video format supported by the image processing apparatus from among a plurality of video formats from the relay, and if it is determined that the relay does not support the first video format, to output the content signal corresponding to a second video format different from the first video format and supportable by the relay from among the plurality of video formats.

Abstract: There is provided a system and method for storing tags in video for carriage in real-time. The system comprising a content creator and a television network, the content creating configured to retrieve a video from a memory for delivery to the television network, generate an ID3 tag for the video, the ID3 tag including information about the video, insert the ID3 tag into a vertical ancillary data (VANC) space of the video, and transmit the video including the ID3 tag to the television network. The television network configured to receive the video including the ID3 tag from the content creator and transmit the video including the ID3 tag to a display device.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a plurality of packetizers, a buffer, and an interface. The plurality of packetizers includes a first packetizer and a second packetizer. Each of the plurality of packetizers is configured to receive media content from a corresponding media source. The buffer is coupled to the plurality of packetizers and is configured to concurrently receive first content from the first packetizers and second content from the second packetizers. The interface is configured to provide the first content from the buffer to a display device and to provide the second content from the buffer to the display device responsive to a media selection request received from the display device.