Abstract: The present invention is related to a system and method of caching data employing probabilistic predictive techniques. The system and method has particular application to multimedia systems for providing local storage of a subset of available viewing selections by assigning a value to a selection and retaining selections in the cache depending on the value and size of the selection. The value assigned to an item can represent the time-dependent likelihood that a user will review an item at some time in the future. An initial value of an item can be based on the user's viewing habits, the user's viewing habit over particular time segment (e.g., early morning, late morning, early afternoon, late afternoon, primetime, late night) and/or viewing habits of a group of user's during a particular time segment.

Abstract: The subject disclosure pertains to a multi-tasking interference system. A gatekeeper receives primary and secondary inputs, and a quantifier ascertains attention values associated with primary inputs and interruption values associated with secondary inputs. Attention values are ascertained based on attributes associated with primary inputs such as type or genre of media presentation, temporal location within media presentation, or a likelihood of impending commercials. Based on a comparison between attention values and interruption values the gatekeeper determines whether, when, and how to interrupt the primary input with the secondary input and accordingly thereafter interrupts the primary input with the secondary input based on the foregoing assessment.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to an enhanced system and methodology of navigating video sources to determine video content to potentially view. Available video sources, such as individual television channels, not currently being viewed are monitored and analyzed, such as to determine if an advertisement is currently being presented. As a result of the content analysis and user preferences, the user is provided with a recommended subset of video sources to potentially view. User preferences can be explicitly indicated or inferred, such as based on a user's historical viewing habits. In addition, user preferences can be set for individual users or collective users, such as a combined mother and son “user.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to an enhanced user media viewing experience in a shared viewing environment. A content sharing system is provided in which one digital video recording device controls the presentation of the same video content and optionally the acquiring of that video content on disparately located digital video recording devices. Various communications devices (e.g., VOIP devices, web cameras, instant messaging, etc.) are used to facilitate interactions between viewers at the disparately located locations. User-generated commentary, whether live via the communication devices or pre-recorded, is presented while a viewer is viewing a particular piece of video content and can be synchronized to be presented at a particular time in the video.

Abstract: The claimed subject matter relates to architectures for providing and accessing a service that facilitates an enhanced travel experience. The architectures can determine a location of a subscribing mobile device, match a profile relating to the device with available guides for a site in proximity to the location, and transmit a notification to the device of the availability of the guide(s). The architecture can also provide incentives to third-parties for authoring guides or content for guides as well as tools and/or templates to assist in guide creation. In addition, the architecture can receive requests from the device for guides as well as facilitate the output of the guide on the subscribing device.

Abstract: The claimed subject matter relates to an architecture that can establish a tailored and/or personalized content channel. The content channel can be interfaced with one or more devices, and can be configured to serve particular content or types of content as well as to filter particular content or types of content. The content can be selected or filtered based upon a wide variety of factors that can be expressly specified, or in some cases intelligently inferred. In addition, the architecture can provide detailed analysis of content and summarize various content consumption habits or histories.

Abstract: The claimed subject matter relates to an architecture that can obtain biometric data from a user as the user interacts with a device. Based upon the obtained biometric data, the architecture can determine an identity of the user and automatically apply settings associated with that particular user to the device. The settings can relate to a physical configuration of the device (or aspects, features, and/or peripherals of the device), as well as to a data set employed by the device (or components of the device). As such, a user of the device can benefit from enhanced efficiency, utility, and/or convenience.

Abstract: A content recommendation system and methodology is provided in which various demographic information and viewing information is obtained from multiple viewers and recommendations of video content to view are provided to a viewer based on the viewer's demographic profile and the viewing preferences of other viewers with the same or similar demographic profile. The recommendations are a result of data mining the aggregated viewing information. Other feedback, such as real-time statistics or likes/dislikes, can also be provided for presentation to the viewer.

Abstract: The claimed subject matter relates to a first architecture that can create an intensity map based upon intensity scores, and to a second architecture that can provide intensity scores and can request and receive the intensity map. Intensity scores can relate to an approval or a level of satisfaction of a current location of a user and can be conveniently provided, in some cases with a single keystroke (e.g., 0-9 from a conventional cell phone keypad) by, say, mobile device users. Numerous intensity scores can be received and aggregated to produce an intensity map of a given area or region. Portions of the intensity map can be provided to requesting devices, potentially filtered based upon a variety of criteria. As a result, the intensity map can provide in substantially real-time a visual indication of locations or entities that might be interesting to explore.

Abstract: The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or method that effectuates selective viewing of multimedia audio and/or visual content. The disclosed system can include a component that obtains multimedia audio or visual content from a broadcast server, categorizes the multimedia audio or visual content, and associates index tags to categorized multimedia audio or visual content. The index tags are utilized to provide a facility to search or summarize the categorized multimedia audio or visual content, wherein the resultant searches and summarizations can be displayed on a display associated with the component.

Abstract: The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or method that asynchronously disseminates multimedia content to disparate clients. The disclosed system can include a component that receives multimedia content supplied by a multimedia publisher, encrypts or applies a time sensitive lock to the received multimedia content, disseminates the encrypted or locked multimedia content to the disparate clients, and a time subsequent, generates and distributes to the disparate clients a counterpart to the time sensitive lock necessary to unlock and play the disseminated and encrypted or locked multimedia content on the clients.

Abstract: The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or method that manages media content. The disclosed system includes a component that synchronizes with a multimedia player that is in communication with the component. The component upon synchronization automatically determines an amount of storage space available on the handheld device and based at least in part on this available space, the component substitutes a first media presentation persisted on the storage space with a second media presentation retrieved from a media storage farm.

Abstract: The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or method that effectuates and facilitates search of multimedia content. The disclosed system can include components that extract closed captioned information from video content, index the extracted information against frames of corresponding video content, and utilize associated metadata, tags, and indexes to search through the extracted information and respond to a submitted query with identified video content.

Abstract: The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or method that manages storage media associated with a plurality of disparate devices. The disclosed system can include a network of disparate devices wherein each device in the network can be associated with storage media. Additionally, the disclosed system can also include a component that identifies each device in the network, associates a likelihood that the device will periodically leave or rejoin the network, and utilizes the associated likelihood to construct a logical redundant pile of inexpensive disks comprising the storage media associated with the disparate devices.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a system and method of caching data employing probabilistic predictive techniques. The system and method provides local storage of a subset of available viewing selections by assigning a value to a selection and retaining selections in the cache depending on the value and size of the selection. The value assigned to an item can represent the time-dependent likelihood that a user will review an item at some time in the future. An initial value of an item can be based on the user's viewing habits, the user's viewing habit over particular time segment and/or viewing habits of a group of user's during a particular time segment. A value assigned to a selection dynamically changes according to a set of cache retention policies, where the value can be time-dependent functions that decay based on the class of the item, as determined by inference about the class or via a label associated with the item.

Abstract: A spectator experience corresponding to an occurrence of one or more games or events is generated based on each associated occurrence. The occurrence of a game or event varies in response to contributions and/or interactions of one or more participants of the game or event. The spectator experience enables users thereof to observe an augmented version of the game or event, such as by implementing enhanced viewpoint controls and/or other spectator related effects. In a particular aspect, the spectator experience can provide an indication of the spectator' presence, which is made available to the spectators and/or to the participants of the game.

Abstract: A system and method of caching multimedia data employing probabilistic predictive techniques is provided for facilitating local storage of a subset of available viewing selections by assigning a value to a selection and retaining selections in the cache depending on the value and size of the selection. The value assigned to an item can represent the time-dependent likelihood that a user (or group of users) will review an item at some time in the future, current viewing habits as well as habits over a particular time segment. A value assigned to a selection dynamically changes according to a set of cache retention policies, where the value can be time-dependent functions that decay based on the class of the item, for example. A selections value may also change based on changes in viewing habits, time segments or a user's modification of the cache retention policies.

Abstract: The present invention is related to caching data by employing probabilistic predictive techniques. The invention has particular application to multimedia systems for providing local storage of a subset of available viewing selections by assigning a value to a selection and retaining selections in the cache depending on the value and size of the selection. The value assigned to an item can represent the time-dependent likelihood that a user will review an item at some time in the future. An initial value of an item can be based on the user's viewing habits, the user's or a group of user's viewing habit over particular time segment. A value assigned to a selection dynamically changes according to a set of cache retention policies. A selection's value may be reduced based upon age, changes on a user's viewing habits, changes in time segments or a user's modification of the cache retention policies.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed which enable a user to locate target data from a temporal broadcast of data. The system includes a transportable identifier that represents the target data. The identifier further includes metadata that provides sufficient information about the broadcast of the target data such that the target data can be acquired when broadcast. The transportable identifier further may be sent to one or more other users to enable such users to locate the broadcast of the target data. As a result, one or more users may employ identifiers to locate the broadcast of the target data and, in turn, monitor and/or store the target data from the temporal broadcast.

Abstract: The present invention provides a unique system and method for facilitating browsing, sorting, clustering, and filtering any number of media objects grouped together in a quick and easy manner. In particular, the invention involves annotating the media objects, which have been clustered, sorted, and/or filtered en masse rather than individually, with metadata. The media objects may be selected by a user and annotated with a plurality of metadata as desired by a user in order to optimize utilization of the media objects. The media objects may also be combined and/or mixed in any number of ways to create new media objects. Media objects may include an audio component, a visual component, a portion thereof, and/or any combination thereof.