Abstract: Command packets for a personal video recorder that provides for a transport stream (TS) that contains data and also includes a transport packet (TP)/TS formatted command packets. The TP/TS formatted command packet may be communicated between any number of devices, including multiple chips, multiple boards, and multiple processors. A decoder is able to decode the TP/TS formatted command packet and to perform the appropriate operation on data portions of the TS. When a TS is provided to a device not having the capability to perform the proper decoding of the TP/TS formatted command packet, that particular packet may be deemed as being unidentified (or unknown) adaptation field data. Alternatively, the packet may be identified as being corrupted data and/or irrelevant data.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for downloading content within a video-on-demand system is provided herein. During operation a Video Home Office (VHO) will cache a subset of the Video Service Office (VSO) content. When a user requests content that is not stored on the VHO, the VHO will request that content from another VHO or the VSO. In order to reduce the additional network load imposed during item forwarding while attempting to balance the total load on all the links interconnecting the VSO and VHOs, recorded traffic history metrics are used to predict their future or current traffic. A VHO or VSO is chosen for fetching the content that will result in the lowest predicted traffic on the interconnecting links.

Abstract: A method is described for selecting and caching a video advertisement to be presented on a client device. The method may include determining customer interests for an individual customer, selecting a video advertisement based upon the customer's interests and providing the video advertisement to a client device so that the video advertisement may be cached on the client device and may be available to display to a customer when a customer selects video content to play on the client device.

Abstract: Cell phones and other devices are used to complement enjoyment of television or other video media, through use of corresponding software applications (“widgets”). A great variety of related features and arrangements are particularly detailed.

Abstract: A set-top box with enhanced content and system and method for use of the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, a wireless transceiver is located within a housing, which also interconnectively includes a television input, television output, a processor, and memory. The set-top box may establish a pairing with a proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device having a display. Content, such as the Internet, movies, music, or games, for example, may be imported from the programmable device and reformatted at the set-top box for display on a television via the television output, thereby creating an experience on the television parallel to the experience on the programmable device. Virtual remote control functionality may then be provided by a spoken sequence of words.

Abstract: Links are provided in association with video content that reference and allow navigation to additional content related to the video content. Links may be embedded in the video content metadata or sent separately and synchronized with the video content via time stamps. Selection of the links allows a user to view the additional content or to view the video content item along with the additional content to provide a richer and deeper personalized viewing experience. The video content may be analyzed to determine whether additional content may be available. If additional content is identified, the video content item may include the additional content or the video content may receive links to the additional content. Additional content that is relevant to the user based on the user's viewing history, viewing patterns, viewing behavior, demographic profile, etc. may be identified for association with a given video content item.

Abstract: A method is presented for notifying a user of a broadcast communication channel problem. At a broadcast distribution facility, a problem involving a first broadcast communication channel from the broadcast distribution facility to a broadcast communication receiver associated with the user is detected. A cause of the problem is ascertained at the facility. The broadcast distribution facility then relays an indication of the cause of the problem to the receiver over a second broadcast communication channel from the facility to the receiver. The receiver informs the user of the cause of the problem.

Abstract: Guide acquisition method and apparatus for receiving a satellite broadcast stream containing guide data, encapsulating said broadcast stream containing guide data in a network communication protocol, assigning a multicast address to said broadcast stream containing guide data, transmitting said broadcast stream containing guide data, receiving a request for said guide data wherein said request comprises a satellite network identifier and transmitting a said multicast address in response to said request.

Abstract: A set top/back box and system and method for providing a remote control device are disclosed. In one embodiment, one or more wireless transceivers are located within a housing, which also interconnectively includes television input/output, a processor, and memory. The set top/back box may establish a pairing with a programmable device, such as a proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device having a touch screen display, whereby formatted parallel audiovisual experience instructions, including virtual buttons, may be transmitted to the programmable device for display on the touch screen display to create an experience parallel to the experience on the television. The set top/back box receives and processes virtual remote control functionality input instructions from the programmable device to control amenities associated with the set top/back box.

Abstract: A media guidance application is provided by which users can view program listings associated with programming that the user may access using other user equipment devices. The media guidance application, implemented on, for example, a remote system, may determine through communications with television equipment whether or not the television equipment is authorized to provide a particular package of television programming to be viewed by the user. For example, an online program guide application may determine whether or not television equipment allows a user to view particular channels and, based on that determination, proceed to determine what packages of programming the user subscribes to. A customized program guide may then be displayed based on what programming the user subscribes to on various systems.

Abstract: A method for displaying an interactive program guide, a user device for an interactive program guide, a method and device for providing a consolidated data guide information listing. A receiver is configured to receive individual data guide information from at least two information sources. A controller is configured to combine the received individual data guide information to form a consolidated data guide information listing and to output the consolidated data guide information listing. A displayer is configured to generate a display of at least a portion of the consolidated data guide information listing output to the controller.

Abstract: A system for extracting and monitoring media tags within video content includes at least one server in communication with a plurality of content sources, the server receiving video content from the content sources, a recorder saving the video content, a detector receiving at least one frame of the video content, the detector detecting one or more unknown text within the frame and creating one or more images, each image associated with one of the one or more unknown text, the detector generating metadata associated with the one or more unknown text appearing in the frame, and an optical character recognition engine scanning the one or more images and converting the one or more images into one or more known text. The server further determines that the one or more known text is a media tag.

Abstract: A commercial television-interfacing dongle and system and method for use of the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, a wireless transceiver is located within a housing, which also interconnectively includes a television input, television output, a processor, memory, a control interface, and a universal serial bus (USB) interface. The control interface and the USB interface connect to the commercial television. The commercial television interfacing dongle may establish a pairing with a proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device having a display and receive and process virtual remote control functionality input instructions from the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device. Following receipt and processing of the virtual remote control functionality input instructions, the commercial television-interfacing dongle sends a command to the commercial television via a commercial television control protocol.

Abstract: A method of combining an interactive user interface for generating a blended output that includes the interactive user interface and one or more supplemental images. At a client device remote from a server, a video stream that contains an interactive user interface is received from the server using a first data communications channel configured to communicate video content, and a command that relates to an interactive user interface is transmitted to the server. In response to the transmitting, an updated user interface is received from the server using the first data communications channel, and one or more supplemental images for supplementing the interactive user interface are received using a second data communications channel different from the first data communications channel. The updated user interface and the one or more supplemental images are blended to generate a blended output, which is transmitted toward the display device for display thereon.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may operate, for example, according to a method for identifying subsets of blogs from a collection of blogs according to a relevance of each subset of blogs to one of a plurality of media programs deliverable to a plurality of subscriber devices, determining for each subset of blogs one or more trends, detecting a subscriber device from the plurality of subscriber devices, selecting a media program from the plurality of media programs, selecting one of the subsets of blogs that is relevant to the media program, and supplying the subscriber device the selected subset of blogs with the one or more trends determined for the select subset of blogs. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Media content, based on a predetermined set of constraints, from a content provider is delivered to a local cache of a user device before viewing the media. A client asset manager process resides in the user device, an asset list at the content provider site, and the media assets are located at a remote site.

Abstract: The present disclosure presents an improved system and method for tracking and tagging objects of interest in a broadcast, including expert indications of desirable and undesirable locations on golf course terrain.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a method for receiving one or more wireless digital television signals, wherein each of the one or more wireless digital television signals comprise a plurality of data segments for presenting media content, buffering the plurality of data segments of each of the one or more wireless digital television signals to generate one or more buffered data segments to cause a presentation delay of the media content, and detecting a missing data segment in the one or more buffered data segments. The method can further include transmitting a first request to a cellular communication system to provide the missing data segment, and receiving from the cellular communication system the missing data segment prior to an expiration of the presentation delay to continue a presentation of the media content without interruption. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A method for mapping signaling information to announcement information and a broadcast receiver are disclosed herein.

Abstract: A system for receiving satellite signals for display on a monitor. A system in accordance with the present invention comprises an antenna, a server receiver, coupled to the antenna, and at least one client receiver, coupled to the server receiver, wherein the server receiver maintains a list of satellite video signals to be recorded by the server receiver, the satellite video signals including network recorded data and metadata associated with the network recorded data, and wherein the list can be accessed by the server receiver and the at least one client receiver.