Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method for incorporating advertising breaks across one or more broadcast networks. The system and method involve gathering information from several different data files, analyzing the same, making real-time logic decisions and exporting a new data file that can be imported into a traffic system of the type used to manage the placement of advertisements/commercials in television programs including normalized break windows, break counts, inventory allocations and break sequences.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, article of manufacture, and a memory structure for allocating and committing votes in a variety of voting paradigms is described. In one embodiment, the method describes a system applicable in a plurality of time zones and comprises determining if an allocation of at least a portion of N1 votes among one or more candidates is received from a first user via a first device during a first period, accepting and storing the allocation of votes, only if the allocation is received during the first period, receiving a user command committing the stored allocation of the N1 votes among the plurality of candidates, determining if the command is received during a second period, and committing the stored first user allocation of N1 votes among the one or more candidates only if the command is received during the second period.

Abstract: Systems and methods for video editing and playback are provided. In one implementation, a selected portion of a timeline for navigating media content can be repositioned and resized by user input actions received along various axes relative to the timeline. In another implementation, a plurality of signals associated with media content can be intelligently weighted based on user group historical attributes to identify portions of interest in the media content. In a further implementation, an experience map for media content is provided in which a representative signature for the content includes visual signal intensity representations and social interest concentrations over the length of the content. In another implementation, a subset of filters is determined for recommendation to a user based on one or more attributes associated with at least one of media content, the user, a group of users, or a user device.

Abstract: A video pushing method, a video pushing apparatus, and a video pushing system that recommend video to a user more precisely are described. An identity of a terminal device is received. User information associated with the identity is acquired where the user information includes personal information of a user and a viewing history of the user. Video content is selected according to the user information, and the selected video content is pushed to a smart television. The smart television plays video according to the video content. Further, a current user may be automatically identified according to an identity of a terminal device. Video content is selected for the user according to the user information, and the video content is pushed to a smart television and played. In this way, video content can be recommended to the user more precisely.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a system for delivering broadcast channels by way of edge routers using multicast virtual private networks, sharing a same multicast state for the broadcast channels and sharing a same multicast delivery tree for the broadcast channels. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention achieves wireless delivery of media streams to portable devices for providing media information related to a show or attraction for the purposes of captioning, language translation, and assistive listening. As a person moves about a venue, the device receives infrared or radio signals from transmitters at venue locations. The device decodes each signal as venue location, event time, or device trigger for presentation on the device. The device memory contains audio, text, graphics and device playback may contain one or many of these stored contents. The stored content is synchronized with the user's location, time of travel, time of day, time of a show, or an event in a show and may be in one or many languages. Presentation of stored content on the device may also be altered by user preference, stored logic constraints, automatic learning of user behavior, or user interaction with other devices.

Abstract: A display apparatus includes: a display; a data processor configured to process content data to be displayed as a content image on the display; a user input interface configured to receive biometric information about a user; a communication interface configured to communicate with an external apparatus; and a controller configured to identify the user based on the biometric information received through the user input interface, and control, if it is determined that the identified user is also a user of an external apparatus, the content data to be displayed as the content image on one of the display apparatus and the external apparatus in which a user interest is relatively high.

Abstract: Provided are a remote control processing method, device and system. The method comprises: a mobile terminal acquires the address of an STB which is unable to directly communicate with the mobile terminal; and the mobile terminal sends control information for controlling the STB to a push server, wherein the control information comprises the address, the push server forwards the control information to the STB according to the address, and the STB executes control processing according to the forwarded control information, so that the problem that the mobile terminal is unable to control the STB if the mobile terminal fails to directly communicate with the STB in the related arts is solved, and the effect that the mobile terminal can control the STB even the mobile terminal is unable to directly communicate with the STB is achieved.

Abstract: A digital broadcast receiver includes: a receiver that receives a broadcast signal of a physical channel in digital broadcasting; a current position detector that detects a current position; a current region determiner that determines, as a current region, a region to which the current position belongs; a receivability determiner that controls the receiver to determine whether the broadcast signal of the physical channel can be received; a storage unit that stores receivable area information indicating a receivable area where the broadcast signal of the physical channel can be received; and an updating unit that, when the receivability determiner determines that the broadcast signal can be received, obtains, out of the stored receivable area information, receivable area information for the current region indicating a receivable area in the current region, and performs an update process to update the receivable area information for the current region based on the current position.

Abstract: A method includes receiving a request, associated with a user profile, for an integrated video guide for a video service. The integrated video guide is time based, and the video service includes broadcast video content and video service selected video content. The video service selected video content is provided via unicast or multicast. The method includes identifying basic video channels that are provided to all subscribers of the video service, and identifying user selected channels that are provided based on the user profile. Broadcast channels that are included in the user selected channels are identified. Online channels that are included in the user selected channels are also identified. The method also includes presenting the basic video channels, the broadcast channels, and the online channels in a same manner in the integrated video guide.

Abstract: Provided are: an information providing system, an information providing method and a computer program, which are able to detect a position on a screen of a display specified by each of multiple users who view the screen, and to provide each user with information according to the position.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for enabling IP service subscribers to share media contents with other IP service subscribers or Internet users in either a secured or open fashion are disclosed. In one embodiment, the present invention enables the sharing of home movies, pictures, and other media contents, where media could be stored media or media created in real-time. Namely, the present method allows IP service subscribers to effectively create their own TV station, e.g., complete with stored or live content programming and content scheduling. In turn, the method allows a viewing subscriber to select and view a shared media program created by another subscriber.

Abstract: One system herein is operable to determine effectiveness of asset insertion in VOD content. The VOD content is selected by a user through a CPE. The system is operable to analyze upstream internet traffic through a cable television network, to identify household identifications from the upstream internet traffic, and to detect an internet website selected by the user from the upstream internet traffic based on the user's household identification. The system is also operable to couple to a VOD asset insertion system of a headend in the cable television network to detect an asset inserted into the VOD content selected by the CPE, to associate the internet website with the inserted asset, to determine a period of time between insertion of the asset and the selection of the internet website by the user, and to determine an effectiveness of the asset based on the determined period of time.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving a broadcast signal. The method for receiving a broadcast signal comprises: generating a broadcast stream including at least one program; generating first program table information that represents the broadcast stream; receiving non-real time (NRT) service schedule information; generating second program table information that represents the NRT service, in accordance with the received NRT service schedule information; configuring a stream including the broadcast stream, the 1st program table information and the second program table information; and transmitting the stream.

Abstract: In some embodiments, the present invention is directed to a computer system which includes: a specifically programmed server, where the server includes a plurality of modules configured to perform at least: electronically and periodically obtaining, over a computer network, media data from a plurality of computer systems of media data sources, where the media data is associated with a plurality of media airings of a plurality creatives; electronically and periodically obtaining web tracking transaction data from a computer system of a web tracking electronic source; where the web tracking transaction data including web tracking metrics for web originated activities; where web originated activities include web orders placed in response to the offer associated with the creative; for each web order record in the transactional web data: attributing, by the specifically programmed server, a particular web order to a particular media airing; and displaying a real time updatable web attribution report.

Abstract: A system and a method are disclosed for presenting an interactive video ad in a mobile web browser that does not support embedded video playback in the browser. The interactive video ad comprises an overlay of transparent frame and visible elements, wherein the visible elements include instructions on performing a gesture to interact with the video ad. The system generates an HTML underlay, which is a web page with embedded link to continue playback of the interactive video ad and one or more interactivity options. The HTML underlay is displayed when the gesture is performed. Interactions with the video ad can be selected from the one or more options presented by the HTML underlay.

Abstract: A viewer fovea tracking generator is configured to analyze image data corresponding to a viewing of the video program via an A/V player by at least one viewer, and to generate fovea tracking data corresponding to the at least one viewer. A network interface configured to transmit the fovea tracking data to the video source via a network. The video program is fovea encoded by the video source in accordance with the fovea tracking data.

Abstract: Video character-based content targeting is described. In one or more embodiments, users make selections of characters in video content in conjunction with playback of the video content. For example, a user is prompted during playback of video content to select a character in the video content that the user likes. An indication is received of selections made by the user of one or more characters, each of which is associated with information that describes a degree to which the character exhibits a plurality of personality attributes. Once received, the user's selections of the one or more characters from the video content are analyzed. In particular, the selections are analyzed to ascertain a degree to which the user identifies with the plurality of personality attributes. The degree to which the user is determined to identify with the plurality of personality attributes is then used to control communication of content to the user.

Abstract: A system and method for intelligent content searching is disclosed herein. The system saves all searches executed by the user and periodically re-executes one or more of the previously saved searches and display the subsequent search results to the user at an appropriate time without any user intervention. In one aspect, the system periodically re-executes one or more of the previously saved searches upon the occurrence of a trigger event, which may be trending events, news events, type of menus and/or screens accessed, new content being added on one or more service providers, a boot event, passage of time since last search, etc. In this way, users do not need to set alert or follow any search topic.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to monitor, verify, and rate the performance of airings of commercials are disclosed. An example method includes analyzing received advertisement detection information associated with the advertisement, the advertisement detection information detected from a presentation of the advertisement; identifying a buy order corresponding to the presentation of the advertisement based on the advertisement detection information; determining a purchased ratings value from the buy order; comparing the purchased ratings value of the buy order to received ratings information corresponding to the presentation of the advertisement to determine whether the advertisement was presented as indicated in the buy order; and generating a performance monitoring report using the buy order and the advertisement detection information to indicate whether the ratings information is less than the purchased ratings value.