Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a system or method that collects or otherwise accesses information indicating connection patterns such as IP addresses being utilized by communication devices for communication services over a time period, where the communication devices use a same credential of a single account for accessing the communication services. Hubs can be identified according to groups of the communication devices that exhibit a particular sharing pattern such as having used the one or more common IP addresses. A prediction or estimation that the single account is engaging in sharing activity can be made based on an analysis of the hubs, such as based on a number of the hubs. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed are a ToF module and an object recognition device using the ToF module. The ToF module according to the present invention is a time of flight (ToF) module for measuring distance and depth information in a ToF manner, and comprises: a light transmitting unit for outputting light to an object; and a light receiving unit for receiving light reflected from the object, wherein the light transmitting unit comprises: a light source including a package of a plurality emitters; an emitter driving unit for selectively driving at least one emitter of the plurality of emitters; and a drive control unit for primarily controlling the driving of the plurality of emitters and, in accordance with the reflected light received by the light receiving unit, secondarily selecting at least one emitter of the plurality of emitters and controlling the driving thereof.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided herein for including supplemental content with segments based on the complexity of the segment. This may be accomplished by a system receiving complexity information related to a media asset and user information related to a viewer to determine if one or more segments of the media asset is complex for the user. If the system receives a trick play command, from the user, during a segment categorized as complex, the system can use the complexity information and user information to generate supplemental content, facilitating better user understanding of the complex segment.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described herein for controlling access from a first content platform to content items available on a second content platform to which a user will temporarily have access in the near future. The first content platform identifies a period of time during which the user will have access to the second content platform and determines an access duration of the period of time. The first content platform retrieves a plurality of content identifiers of content items that will be available on the second content platform during the period of time. Upon receiving selection of a content identifier, the first content platform determines a duration of the content item corresponding to the selected content identifier and generates for display the content item. The first content platform then reduces the access duration by an amount of time equal to the duration of the content item.

Abstract: A request from a user to view a video content item may be received, the requesting user being associated with a set of preferences and a context. A group of similar users may be identified based the set of preferences or the context. A number of promotional video items corresponding to the video content item may be identified. A first subset of the number of promotional video items may be determined based on the set of preferences or the context of the user. A watch time difference may be determined for each promotional video item in the first subset. A second subset may be determined based on the watch time difference associated with each promotional video items. An activity rate associated with the promotional video items in the second subset is determined. A promotional video item of the second subset that satisfies a criterion is provided to the user.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method and system for presenting a set of control functions via an interface of a peripheral control device (PCD). A control function can include a command associated with one or more media contexts of a host media device. The method decodes a payload, from the host media device, with an encoded context identifier, where the context identifier indicates a primary media context active on the host media device. The method determines one or more control functions corresponding to the context identifier, and changes the set of control functions on the interface of the PCD to include the one or more control functions that can command the primary media context.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to reducing or preventing ad fatigue in a user by determining the preference of a user to an ad, in particular user preference for parameters such as video track, audio track, dialogue or tone. The disclosure also relates to the provision of a timer that prevents an ad being shown repeatedly within a predetermined time frame.

Abstract: A light shaping optic may include a substrate. The light shaping optic may include a structure disposed on the substrate, wherein the structure is configured to receive one or more input beams of light with a uniform intensity field and less than a threshold total intensity, and wherein the structure is configured to shape the one or more input beams of light to form one or more output beams of light with a non-uniform intensity field and less than the threshold total intensity.

Abstract: The object of the present disclosure is to provide a method and apparatus for providing video streams. The method for providing video streams according to the present disclosure includes: providing a list of identity information of other users to the user equipment; providing video streams to the user equipment according to the identity information selected by the user equipment. The technology according to the present disclosure may raise the user's interest and attention in video-watching, and thereby improving the user's video-watching experience and satisfaction.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed for affiliate interrupt detection. An example method disclosed herein includes determining whether a first time period of a first audio signal corresponds to a first affiliate interrupt period based on whether (1) a first type of watermark is detected in the first time period of the first audio signal, and (2) a second type of watermark is detected in the first audio signal outside the first time period but not in the first time period of the first audio signal, and determining whether the first time period of the first audio signal corresponds to the first affiliate interrupt period when watermarks are not detected in the first time period of the first audio signal based on comparison of first signatures with second signatures representing a corresponding first time period of a reference audio signal.

Abstract: An example apparatus includes a distance matrix generator to determine a number of remapping combinations corresponding to a first and a second household demographic model, generate (a) a first age-based household demographic model and a second age-based household demographic model and (b) a third age-based household demographic model and a fourth age-based household demographic model, generate a first distance matrix corresponding to the first and the third age-based household demographic model, and generate a second distance matrix corresponding to the second and the fourth age-based household demographic model; a distance matrix identifier to determine a first and a second reassignment distance; and a person identification assigner to assign a person identification number of a first person corresponding to the first household to a second person corresponding to the second household based on the first distance matrix or the second distance matrix.

Abstract: Systems and methods for representing video and audio media files as workflows are disclosed. In some cases, the systems and methods combine segments of the media files into larger compilations in the workflows, and using the workflows to individually optimize both the viewing experience for and the advertising presented to viewers based upon the circumstances of each viewer and parameters described with the workflow.

Abstract: Object selection reward data, including rewards for viewer selection of objects of interest in presented media content of a video stream may be electronically communicated to the user automatically when the user electronically selects the object of interest as it is shown in the screen. Provided is improved functionality to activate an image in the video stream into an object that then can be selectable or become a part of an application running on a receiving device such as a set-top box or other media device. The received video may or may not be taken over by the application running on the set-top box. The video scaling can be preserved, and a part of the application. Alternatively, the whole of the visible video screen may not be a part of the application.

Abstract: Various embodiments of a system includes receiving a request to display a content and employing an antenna system to receive content data that is representative of the content. The antenna system includes a first antenna, a second antenna, and a third antenna. The system further utilizing at least three arrangements to collect the content, wherein a first arrangement includes receiving the content data broadcasted over the air to extract the content from the content data, a second arrangement includes establishing a wireless communication connection with a network node device operated by a first telecommunication service provider to collect the content data from a server, and a third arrangement includes connecting to a hot-spot having a connection to a second network node device operated by a second telecommunication service provider to collect the content data from the server. The system further transfers the content to the display component, which is collected utilizing the three arrangements.

Abstract: A system for navigating, exploring, and controlling immersive content and immersive advertisements provided on one or more OTT television applications using connected digital media players and/or user computing devices is presented. Immersive content and immersive advertisements are content and advertisements that can be viewed in 360 degrees so as to change the point of view and view the same content or advertisement from different angles. The user is enabled to control the playback, navigation, and exploration of the 360-degree immersive content and immersive advertisements using a digital trackpad in a downloadable 360-degree media player that can be applied as a separate application integration on a user's smartphone or other device or that can be integrated into the OTT mobile application. Other connected streaming devices can also integrate the 360-degree media player to allow for 360 degree exploration and viewing of the immersive content and immersive advertisements.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed to estimate an audience population. An example apparatus includes at least one memory; instructions in the apparatus; and processor circuitry to execute the instructions to: determine whether respective ones of respondents are associated with a characteristic; detect unique instances of the respective ones of the respondents; in response to the respective ones of the respondents being associated with the characteristic, increase a sample capture count by one; in response to detecting the unique instances of the respective ones of the respondents exhibiting the characteristic, increase a unique capture count by one; determine a seed population estimate based on the unique capture count; and determine a population estimate having the characteristic based on the sample capture count, the unique capture count, the seed population estimate, and a number of available samples.

Abstract: In one aspect, a method includes receiving a first request for first supplemental content for use by a content-presentation device in performing a first content-modification operation, receiving a second request for second supplemental content for use by a tuner device in performing a second content-modification operation. The method also includes determining that the content-presentation device is connected to the tuner device, and based at least in part on the first and second requests, determining that the first and second requests are associated with the same modifiable content-segment, and, in response to the determinations, using one or more parameters as a basis to select for performance an action from a set of actions including a first action that facilitates performance of the first content-modification operation and a second action that facilitates performance of the second content-modification operation.

Abstract: System and methods are described to determining a recommendation for a user based on changes in objects detected on a network-connected surface. The system receives, from the network-connected surface, a plurality of object identifiers for a plurality of physically inanimate objects of different types detected on the network-connected surface, wherein the object identifiers indicate a positioning of each object; determines, based on the object identifiers, a first arrangement of the plurality of physically inanimate objects; detects one or more changes in the plurality of object identifiers, wherein the one or more changes correspond to one or more changes in positioning from the first arrangement; in response to detecting the one or more changes, determines a second arrangement of the plurality of physically inanimate objects; and generates a content recommendation based on the second arrangement.

Abstract: One variation of a method includes: rendering a home screen of an ad stream viewed on a display of a streaming device accessed by a user, the home screen including an image player located in a first subregion of the home screen and a set of icons selectable by the user, each icon corresponding to a video advertisement loaded within the image player; in response to detecting a first user input proximal a first icon, reconfiguring the image player to a second subregion of the home screen and triggering playback of a first video advertisement within the image player; and, during playback of the first video advertisement, in response to receiving a second user input proximal the first icon, reconfiguring the image player to a third subregion of the home screen, activating an audio stream corresponding to the first video advertisement, and continuing playback of the first video advertisement.

Abstract: The invention is relates to systems and methods for high dynamic range (HDR) image capture and video processing in mobile devices. Aspects of the invention include a mobile device, such as a smartphone or digital mobile camera, including at least two image sensors fixed in a co-planar arrangement to a substrate and an optical splitting system configured to reflect at least about 90% of incident light received through an aperture of the mobile device onto the co-planar image sensors, to thereby capture a HDR image. In some embodiments, greater than about 95% of the incident light received through the aperture of the device is reflected onto the image sensors.