Abstract: Notification controls regarding television viewing are disclosed. According to certain embodiments, a notification condition can be created and by one or more components of a notification system. Actions regarding viewing of television content are then monitored and compared with the notification condition. Once the notification condition is satisfied, a notification is sent, which can be in real time or near-real time, as the television is being watched. Notification conditions may be satisfied with any of a variety of triggers, and the notifications can be sent in a variety of forms to any of a variety of devices. The notification system can redirect a television to a predetermined television channel and/or request authorization to access certain content. Notification controls can be created, viewed, and/or managed using any of a variety of devices.

Abstract: Media content is downloaded from a remote source. A request is received from a client device for sideloading of the media content. Sideloading of the media content to the client device is begun when the downloading has begun and the request has been received.

Abstract: A customized content selection and delivery system is operable to create a customized content channel package for a subscriber and customized content channel package to a customer premises over a content delivery network. A multi-level analysis based on measured content consumption metrics is performed to select content provider channels for the customized content channel package.

Abstract: A system and method for generating and distributing overlay streams in real time over an overlay stream distribution channel that overlays events of a video stream distributed in a separate video channel. Overlay streams are distributed to subscriber recipient components via a unicast channel in order to enhance user viewing. A publisher subscriber component and caching techniques a low latency, high availability unicasting based real time overlay distribution system for a large numbers of concurrent overlay recipients.

Abstract: A method for assessing viewer interest in content and advertisements may include receiving an indication regarding a content playback mode change (e.g., a change from a skip or fast-forward mode to a pause or rewind mode) occurring during playing of a media content segment such as a television program or movie. The method then proceeds to associate the playback mode change with a sub-segment of the television program, such as an advertisement or commercial, and a level of interest of a user in the advertisement or commercial is determined based on the associated content playback mode change. An item, such as an advertisement or promotional offer can be selected to be presented to the user based on the determined level of interest of the user in the advertisement or commercial. Systems for assessing viewer interest in content and advertisements include devices and components configured to perform or enable such methods.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for serving targeted advertising to a user via a user device are described including receiving content provided by a content provider, rendering the provided content, viewing a commercial, wherein the commercial was spliced into the content based on a default commercial selection algorithm at a commercial break, determining if the user wants to rate the commercial, accepting the user's rating of the commercial if the user wants to rate the commercial and communicating the user's rating of the commercial to the content provider.

Abstract: Methods and systems to evaluate the ambient light in a local viewing environment where video content is being displayed, and to make adjustments to the ambient light, video display device, and/or video content to cause the perception of the color and brightness of the video content to the viewer to be true to what the video content producer intended the viewer to perceive.

Abstract: An information manager includes a network interface, a user interface, and a controller. The network interface establishes a connection with at least one content provider server through a network. The user interface receives an input signal selecting an icon for display. The controller controls output of the selected icon for display along with an image corresponding to the selected icon. The selected icon corresponds to the content provider and is displayed with one or more other icons that correspond to additional content providers, and the image is based on information received through the network interface from the content provider.

Abstract: Generally, this disclosure provides systems, devices, methods and computer readable media for the use of digital TV (DTV) bandwidth for web cache pre-loading. A system may include a receiver module configured to receive a digital television (DTV) signal. The system may also include a data extraction module configured to extract the web cache data from the DTV signal, wherein the web cache data is encoded within the spectral bandwidth of the DTV signal. The system may further include a network interface configured to transmit the extracted web cache data to a device that includes a web cache pre-loading service.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, receiving a message transmitted from a web server application operating in a mobile device and inserting an identifier of a gateway device into the message to produce a modified message. The modified message includes a request to invoke a software application in the mobile device. The modified message is forwarded to a remote server to allow the server to establish communications with a media processor based on the identifier of the gateway device. The media processor invokes the software application in the mobile device based on an address supplied by the web server application allowing the mobile device to execute the software application and to establish media communication services with the media processor responsive to executing the software application. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: An image communication apparatus has a function of outputting a shot image obtained by imaging an object, a function of displaying at least the shot image, a function of generating a captured image by capturing a displayed image, a function of encoding an image and decoding an encoded image, a function of writing the encoded shot image in a memory and reading out a recorded image stored in the memory, and a function of communicating with another apparatus through a network. The image communication apparatus switches the mode of video to be transmitted to the other apparatus by controlling these functions based on a control event.

Abstract: Flat panel video display can wirelessly broadcast its identity for discovery to users of handheld devices (e.g., smartphones) interested in obtaining recorded data associated with video programming displaying on the flat panel video display. Data can also include text, audio, and identifying information needed to access related data from a remote server. An application can be downloaded and activated on smartphones that will enable it to see a list of available (discoverable) flat panel displays that allow wireless access to recorded video data associated with programming being displayed (or previously displayed and stored in a queue) on a flat panel. A flat panel of interest can be selected by the smartphone and it can access additional data (either directly from the flat panel or from a remote server once the data has been identified) and/or engage in an interactive session in association with the displayed programming or data.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus can provide channel scanning. In various examples, a channel scanning module can instruct scanning of multiple channels within a wideband frequency range by assigning channels to demodulators to attempt to lock onto a signal at the assigned channel. In other examples, a channel scanning module can instruct scanning for downstream channels by assigning channels to multiple narrowband tuners and multiple demodulators to attempt to lock onto a signal on the assigned channel.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for providing a widget service. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for providing a widget service for a receiving device using a Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG)-2 layer, the method comprising the steps of: receiving MPEG broadcast data; loading a widget general information table (WGIT) stored in program specific information (PSI) of the MPEG broadcast data; loading the information indicated by a widget information table (WIT) of the WGIT; and generating a widget using the information indicated by the WIT.

Abstract: A variety of media devices may stream and present content such as movies, music, audiobooks, and so forth. During streaming, data transfer rates may temporarily drop below that needed to maintain presentation. Described herein are techniques and systems for repeating presentation of previously received video frames. This repeated presentation allows for presentation of the content to continue uninterrupted, while providing time for the data transfer rate to regain a level capable of maintaining the presentation.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses can operate to convert static multicast stream to dynamic multicast streams. Systems can include a static to dynamic converter operating to receive static multicast streams and to convert the static multicast streams into dynamic multicast streams. The dynamic multicast streams are then provided to a network edge component operable to provide multicast downstream service identifier forwarding enabled video streams to one or more media gateways enabled to receive such video streams.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for implementing adaptive video stream testing are presented. In particular, installation of a digital rights management (DRM) client is validated. Furthermore, a decrypted video stream at a particular bitrate is received in response to validating a DRM client. Data throttling is implemented to simulate one or more network speeds for the decrypted video stream. Additionally, video playback time is measured for a codec at the one or more network speeds and it is determined whether the video playback time for the codec exceeds a predetermined threshold value. A test report is generated that lists the codec and the video playback time for the codec at the one or more network speeds.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and media for detecting a presentation of media content on a display device are provided. In accordance with some implementations, methods for detecting a presentation of media content on a display device are provided, the methods comprising: detecting, using a light sensor, light levels in the light sensor's surroundings; generating a signal representing the light levels; detecting, using a hardware processor, at least one variation in light levels indicative of a presentation of a video scene based on the signal; detecting at least one variation in light levels indicative of a scene change subsequent to the video scene based on the signal; and determining that media content is being presented on a display device in response to detecting the variation in light levels indicative of the presentation of the video scene and the variation in light levels indicative of the scene change.

Abstract: An example system includes: storing, in a data object, data corresponding to electronic communication, where the data object has an object element associated therewith, and the object element initially resides on a first area of a portal; recognizing movement of the object element from the first location to a second location on the portal, where the second location is different from the first location; detecting that the object element has been moved to the second location; in response to the detecting, triggering execution of a function to obtain the data from the data object; and generating a display of the electronic communication based on the data, where the display is rendered over at least part of the second location.

Abstract: A device is disclosed that includes an interface component configured to generate a user interface for playing and requesting videos and a reception component configured to receive a subset of videos from a set of videos in accordance with a video streaming session having a preset duration of time and play the subset of videos for the preset duration of time via the user interface. The device further includes a request component configured to request an increase to the preset duration of time of the video streaming session by a segment of time after reception of a video included in the subset of videos, wherein in response to the request, the reception component is configured to receive the subset of videos for an amount of time including the preset duration of time plus the segment of time and play the subset of videos for the amount of time.