Abstract: A method of controlling delivery of video programs from video distribution equipment to video receiver devices includes receiving messages at the video distribution equipment from a mobile terminal operated by a user. The messages contain user defined identifiers that are associated with equipment identifiers of different ones of the video receiver devices. The user defined identifiers are stored associated with the equipment identifiers in a subscriber account. Delivery of video programs from the video distribution equipment to the video receiver devices is controlled in response to commands received from the mobile terminal which request delivery of identified video programs to identified ones of the user defined identifiers. Related video distribution equipment and mobile terminals are disclosed.

Abstract: In a method for delivering targeted television advertisements based on online behavior, IP addresses indicating online access devices and IP addresses indicating television set-top boxes are electronically associated for a multitude of users. Using user profile information derived from online activity from one of the online access IP addresses, a television advertisement is selected, such as by using behavioral targeting or demographic information, and automatically directed to the set-top box indicated by the set-top IP address associated with that online access IP address. Preferably neither the user profile information nor the electronic association of online access and set-top box IP addresses includes personally identifiable information.

Abstract: A system for automatically managing the delivery of media assets allocates the media assets to delivery slots of a media delivery servers so that consumers will receive the media assets when they consume digital media programming at times that correspond to the delivery slots. An example is the automated allocation of sponsored videos to television programs airing on a particular afternoon. The system includes data stores and a campaign manager system. The campaign manager system will automatically allocate digital media assets to delivery slots in a campaign to generate scheduling files that media servers will use to present the allocated media assets to consumers during the assigned delivery slots via media consumption devices.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to methods and systems for searching for media content across multiple sources. A multi-source content system can connect various media content sources (e.g., internet streaming platforms, local or cloud storage, OTA networks, cable network, satellite network, public library databases, etc.) to a gateway. When a user searches for media content, the gateway can detect the search and perform a query across the various media content sources to locate the media content. The multi-source content system can prioritize the search results according to free content, local storage devices, gateway content services or bandwidth management metrics, and present the search results to the user. The multi-source content system can aggregate multiple media content sources and devices connected to a gateway to retrieve media content.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for transmitting from a server to a client, encoded media data corresponding to a projection of a wide view of a scene, the method comprising: Encapsulating the encoded data into tracks, Wherein information is provided for signaling that the client needs to parse other encoded data to display at least the encoded data encapsulated in a given track.

Abstract: Techniques where a computing device such as a smart phone can be leveraged to facilitate ratings data capture through a set top box (“STB”) associated with a content subscription service such as satellite television are described. In an exemplary embodiment, STB channel data can be communicated to the computing device via a personal area network (“PAN”) connection such as Bluetooth. The computing device in turn can forward the STB channel data to a remote server over a wide area network (“WAN”).

Abstract: A method includes receiving, at a media device, media content from a media content server. A portion of the media content includes a first item concurrently depicted with a second item. The method includes receiving an input indicating a selection of the second item within the media content. The method includes, in response to the input, sending an identification request for information corresponding to the second item to an identification server in response to the input. The identification request includes data relating to a depiction of the second item. The method also includes receiving the information from the identification server in response to the identification request. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A computer-implemented includes streaming a first segment of multimedia data to a buffer on a first computing device at a first bitrate, wherein the first segment includes a first set of video frames encoded at a first resolution. The computer-implemented method further includes streaming a second segment of the multimedia data to the buffer on the first computing device at a second bitrate, wherein the second segment includes a second set of video frames encoded at a second resolution. The computer-implemented method further includes determining that a first predetermined threshold is reached. The computer-implemented method further includes streaming, in response to determining that the first predetermined threshold is reached, a third segment of multimedia data to the buffer on the first computing device, wherein the third segment includes a first set of pixels that are logically related to the second set of video frames of the second segment.

Abstract: A method may include serially joining different video clips from videos of different historical competitions to form a composite video competition, the different video clips comprising an indeterminate subset of clips drawn from a larger pool of clips, wherein each clip from a historical competition has an associated partial result contribution to a final result of the historical competition further include presenting a result during the composite video competition, the result comprising a linked combination of the partial result contributions from the different video clips.

Abstract: A first client device is associated with a first user hosting a shared playback session. While a first media content item from the shared playback session is being presented on a set of presentation devices, the first client device communicates with a set of observer devices for the shared playback session. The first client device receives a request to modify playback of the shared playback session from a second client device, the second client device being one observer device of the set of observer devices. In response to the request to modify playback of the shared playback session, the first client device determines an action to take with respect to the shared playback session. In response to determining the action to take with respect to the shared playback session, the first client device sends a command for the action to each of the set of presentation devices.

Abstract: A proxy service is described for linking a device with a remote server via a mobile application. Accordingly, a portable computer such as a smart phone can execute a mobile application that creates a proxy service through which data can be wirelessly communicated from the device to the portable computer via a personal area network (PAN) and wirelessly communicated from the portable computer to the remote server via a wide area network (WAN). The remote server can also send data to the device via the proxy service in the reverse direction.

Abstract: In a method for delivering targeted television advertisements based on online behavior, IP addresses indicating online access devices and IP addresses indicating television set-top boxes are electronically associated for a multitude of users. Using user profile information derived from online activity from one of the online access IP addresses, a television advertisement is selected, such as by using behavioral targeting or demographic information, and automatically directed to the set-top box indicated by the set-top IP address associated with that online access IP address. Preferably neither the user profile information nor the electronic association of online access and set-top box IP addresses includes personally identifiable information.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a method receives a history of videos that were viewed on a video delivery system as a first sentence in a sequential order and a target video as a second sentence as input to a prediction network. The prediction network analyzes representations for the history of videos and a representation of the target video. The prediction network generates a session representation based on bidirectionally analyzing a sequence of the first representations and the second representation. The method uses the session representation to determine whether to recommend the target video.

Abstract: A method for dynamic content filtering includes accessing, by a processing unit, a media content that includes several content portions. The method further includes determining a rating tag associated with each content portion from the media content, and a user profile of a user requesting the media content to be rendered. The user profile contains a permission level for the user. The method further includes filtering the content portions from the media content based on the permission level, wherein, in response to the rating tag of a particular content portion exceeding the permission level in the user profile, filtering out the particular content portion. The method further includes rendering content portions that were not filtered out.

Abstract: Embodiments are related to faster provisioning of targeted advertisements at a set-top box (STB) via an Internet Protocol (IP) connection between the STB and a remote server. The disclosed IP-based advertisement distribution system enables targeted advertisements to be pulled from the remote server efficiently, causing the advertisements to be made available within a short time frame (e.g., less than one day from the time when the advertisements are available). The disclosed methods enables a STB to determine whether to retain existing targeted advertisements, discard them, or provision newly-available advertisements. The targeted advertisements can depend on various factors such as demographic information of an owner of the STB, lifestyle information of the owner of the STB, etc.

Abstract: In general, various aspects of the present invention provide methods, apparatuses, systems, computing devices, computing entities, and/or the like for identifying and documenting certain subject matter found in media content, as well as selectively redacting the subject matter found in media content. In accordance with various aspects, a method is provided that comprises: obtaining first metadata for media content, the metadata identifying a context and a portion of content for an individual; identifying, based on the context, a certain subject matter for the media content; determining that a particular item associated with the subject matter is present in the portion of content associated with the individual; generating second metadata to document the particular item present in the portion of content; and using the second metadata to selectively redacting the item from the portion of content associated with the individual upon request to do so with respect to the individual.

Abstract: A video recommendation method is provided, including: inputting a video to a first feature extraction network, performing feature extraction on at least one consecutive video frame in the video, and outputting a video feature of the video; inputting user data of a user to a second feature extraction network, performing feature extraction on the discrete user data, and outputting a user feature of the user; performing feature fusion based on the video feature and the user feature, and obtaining a recommendation probability of recommending the video to the user; and determining, according to the recommendation probability, whether to recommend the video to the user.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for recommending and dynamically scheduling content. A time when a request to consume a content item is likely to be received is identified and an identifier of the content item is displayed on a device. Prior to the identified time, an option to consume, at the identified time, the content item is also displayed on the device. In response to the option being selected, the device stops displaying the identifier of the content item until the identified time.

Abstract: An example method can comprise receiving content for presentation at a user device. The content can comprise a plurality of sections, and each section can comprise a video portion and an audio portion. The user device can also receive content metadata regarding one or more features of the content, where the features of the content comprise one or more candidate sections of the content for modification. The user device can apply one or more rules to the received content based on the content metadata to modify one or more of the audio portion and the video portion of at least one section of the content, creating modified content, and can cause presentation of the modified content on a display device.

Abstract: A device, method and system for changing content of live broadcast media is provided. The device associated with a given location, and analyzes live broadcast media to determine presence of one or more of a person of interest (POI) and an event of interest (EOI), the live broadcast media being provided at one or more display screens at the given location, the live broadcast media originating external to the given location. The device analyzes one or more images captured by one or more cameras located at the given location to determine whether one or more of the POI and the EOI meets a condition for causing harm to one or more persons indicated in the one or more images. The device, responsive to the POI or the EOI meeting the condition, changes content of the live broadcast media.