Abstract: An ad is placed in a movie, by analyzing inherent characteristics of the movie, analyzing viewed characteristics of the movie, analyzing viewer characteristics of a viewer of the movie, obtaining advertiser preferences for placement of the ad in the movie, determining costs of placing the ad in the movie based on the inherent characteristics of the movie, the viewed characteristics of the movie, the viewer characteristics and the advertiser preferences, and placing the ad in the movie in accordance with the inherent characteristics of the movie, the viewed characteristics of the movie, the viewer characteristics, the advertiser preferences and the determined costs.

Abstract: An electronic device with one or more processors, memory and a display obtains information that enables distribution of content between clients operating as peers in a peer-to-peer network. A first subset of the clients have first file format processing capabilities and a second subset of the clients have second file format processing capabilities. The peer-to-peer network enables access to a first set of file portions corresponding to the first file format and a second set of file portions corresponding to the second file format. The first set of file portions and the second set of file portions both include one or more shared file portions. The device provides, to one or more clients, information that enables the respective content to be shared over the peer-to-peer network that enables shared file portions be obtained either clients in the first subset of clients or clients in the second subset of clients.

Abstract: An ad in a movie can be a static ad having a position in the movie that cannot be moved, or a dynamic ad having a position in the movie that can be changed. When a viewer of the movie wishes to skip a portion of the movie containing the ad, the playback system determines whether the ad is static or dynamic. If the ad is static, then only the portion of the movie preceding the static ad can be skipped, that is, the ad is unskippable; this technique is referred to as “bounceback” since the end of the skip bounces back to the start of the static ad. If the ad is dynamic, then the ad is moved to after the end of the skip; this technique is referred to as “slipad” since the ad slips to later in the movie. When a movie has multiple ads, some can be static and some can be dynamic.

Abstract: An electronic device displays a first video stream on a display. While displaying the first video stream on the display, the device allocates, in accordance with a historical pattern of video stream switching of a particular user, available bandwidth for receiving data at the device at least between receiving the first video stream and preloading a second, non-displayed video stream. The device receives the first video stream and preloads the second, non-displayed video stream in accordance with the allocated available bandwidth. The device receives a request to display the second video stream on the display. In response to receiving the request to display the second video stream on the display, the device displays the preloaded second video stream on the display.

Abstract: Several ways are provided for a viewer of a movie to create a deep tag, that is, a bookmark for a segment of the movie. The deep tag can be associated with descriptive text and sent to an address provided by the viewer, either an e-mail address or an instant messaging address. Additionally, before the deep tag is created, it can be checked whether the content owner of the movie is known. If known, the content owner's rules, if any, regarding deep tagging are followed. If unknown, a set of registered content owners can be alerted of the presence of new content. When ownership of the new content is established, the already-created deep tags can be updated in accordance with the content owner's rules, if any, regarding deep tagging.

Abstract: An electronic device with one or more processors, memory and a display receives a first request to display a first video stream and, in response, displays the first video stream. After receiving the first request, the device preloads a second video stream that corresponds to live content, including caching a cached portion of the second video stream. While displaying the first video stream, the device receives a second request to display the second video stream. In response to receiving the second request, the device determines whether the second request meets recency criteria. When the second request meets recency criteria, the device starts to play the second video stream using the cached portion. When the second request does not meet the recency criteria, the device requests, from a content source for the second video stream, data corresponding to a portion of the second video stream other than the cached portion.

Abstract: A client device with one or more processors, memory, and a display displays a first video stream that corresponds to a first channel in a sequence. While displaying the first video stream and before receiving a request to display a second video stream corresponding to a second channel in the sequence, the client device preloads, from a remote content source, video content of one or more intervening channels. In response to receiving the request, the client device transitions from displaying the first video stream to displaying the second video stream: a portion of the first video stream is concurrently displayed with at least a portion of the preloaded video content of one or more intervening channels, and at least a portion of the preloaded video content of one or more intervening channels is displayed concurrently with at least a portion of the second video stream.

Abstract: Several ways are provided for a viewer of a movie to create a deep tag, that is, a bookmark for a segment of the movie. The deep tag can be associated with descriptive text and sent to an address provided by the viewer, either an e-mail address or an instant messaging address. Additionally, before the deep tag is created, it can be checked whether the content owner of the movie is known. If known, the content owner's rules, if any, regarding deep tagging are followed. If unknown, a set of registered content owners can be alerted of the presence of new content. When ownership of the new content is established, the already-created deep tags can be updated in accordance with the content owner's rules, if any, regarding deep tagging.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, described herein is a system and method for providing commercial (advertisement) detection in digital media environments. A media stream, for example, a video stream of television shows or movies, can be analyzed either in advance or in realtime, to determine commercial segments or blocks within the media stream, and to distinguish them from (non-commercial) content segments or blocks. In accordance with an embodiment, frame features, black spaces, cue points, or other segment or block information can be used to improve the accuracy and precision with which commercials are identified. Particular commercials can be identified, together with information as to the location of those commercials within the media stream. In accordance with an embodiment, the media streams can be used within an on-demand cloud-based media environment, which allows a user to select within a plurality of media channels, or to locate or skip particular commercials.

Abstract: An electronic device with one or more processors, memory and a display obtains a file header for a file corresponding to a plurality of clusters, where the file header includes a cluster index. The device receives a request to seek to a respective position within the file and, in response to receiving the request: identifies a cluster of the plurality of clusters that includes content that corresponds to the respective position based on the cluster index; obtains a cluster header associated with the cluster based on information retrieved from the cluster index, where the cluster header includes a content index; and after obtaining the cluster header, identifies respective content within the cluster corresponding to the respective position based on the content index. The device provides at least a portion of content corresponding to the file to a presentation device for presentation to a user, starting with the respective content.

Abstract: A computer system generates a first decompressed media stream based on a first compressed media stream. While providing the first decompressed media stream to a presentation device, the computer system receives a content-transition indication for providing a second decompressed media stream to the presentation device instead of the first decompressed media stream. The content-transition indication corresponds to a request to display the second decompressed media stream starting at a respective point within a predefined portion of the second decompressed media stream. The computer system receives a second compressed media stream corresponding to the second decompressed media stream.

Abstract: An electronic device with one or more processors, memory, and a display displays a first video stream on the display and plays first audio content that corresponds to the first video stream. While displaying the first video stream and playing the first audio content, the electronic device receives a request to display a second video stream on the display. In response, the electronic device displays a visual transition from display of the first video stream to display of the second video stream; plays second audio content that corresponds to the second video stream; and increases an amplitude of the second audio content while decreasing an amplitude of the first audio content, in accordance with progress of the visual transition.

Abstract: A media sharing system is able to deliver media content, including video, audio, photographs and graphics, to a wide variety of devices, using a file format appropriate to the delivery device and using a delivery method appropriate to the delivery device.

Abstract: An ad in a movie can be a static ad having a position in the movie that cannot be moved, or a dynamic ad having a position in the movie that can be changed. When a viewer of the movie wishes to skip a portion of the movie containing the ad, the playback system determines whether the ad is static or dynamic. If the ad is static, then only the portion of the movie preceding the static ad can be skipped, that is, the ad is unskippable; this technique is referred to as “bounceback” since the end of the skip bounces back to the start of the static ad. If the ad is dynamic, then the ad is moved to after the end of the skip; this technique is referred to as “slipad” since the ad slips to later in the movie. When a movie has multiple ads, some can be static and some can be dynamic.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, described herein is a system and method for providing commercial (advertisement) detection in digital media environments. A media stream, for example, a video stream of television shows or movies, can be analyzed either in advance or in realtime, to determine commercial segments or blocks within the media stream, and to distinguish them from (non-commercial) content segments or blocks. In accordance with an embodiment, frame features, black spaces, cue points, or other segment or block information can be used to improve the accuracy and precision with which commercials are identified. Particular commercials can be identified, together with information as to the location of those commercials within the media stream. In accordance with an embodiment, the media streams can be used within an on-demand cloud-based media environment, which allows a user to select within a plurality of media channels, or to locate or skip particular commercials.

Abstract: An ad in a movie can be a static ad having a position in the movie that cannot be moved, or a dynamic ad having a position in the movie that can be changed. When a viewer of the movie wishes to skip a portion of the movie containing the ad, the playback system determines whether the ad is static or dynamic. If the ad is static, then only the portion of the movie preceding the static ad can be skipped, that is, the ad is unskippable; this technique is referred to as “bounceback” since the end of the skip bounces back to the start of the static ad. If the ad is dynamic, then the ad is moved to after the end of the skip; this technique is referred to as “slipad” since the ad slips to later in the movie. When a movie has multiple ads, some can be static and some can be dynamic.

Abstract: An electronic device displays a first video stream on a display. While displaying the first video stream on the display, the device allocates, in accordance with a historical pattern of video stream switching of a particular user, available bandwidth for receiving data at the device at least between receiving the first video stream and preloading a second, non-displayed video stream. The device receives the first video stream and preloads the second, non-displayed video stream in accordance with the allocated available bandwidth. The device receives a request to display the second video stream on the display. In response to receiving the request to display the second video stream on the display, the device displays the preloaded second video stream on the display.

Abstract: An electronic device with one or more processors, memory, and a touchscreen plays a first media item in a full-screen mode on the touchscreen. In response to detecting a contact on the touchscreen, the first media item shrinks into a region of the touchscreen and continues to play in the region, while a new media item is displayed outside of the region. In response to detecting movement of the contact, the shrunken first media item moves away from the region and the new media item moves into the region.

Abstract: A client device with one or more processors, memory, and a display displays a first video stream that corresponds to a first channel in a sequence. While displaying the first video stream and before receiving a request to display a second video stream corresponding to a second channel in the sequence, the client device preloads, from a remote content source, video content of one or more intervening channels. In response to receiving the request, the client device transitions from displaying the first video stream to displaying the second video stream: a portion of the first video stream is concurrently displayed with at least a portion of the preloaded video content of one or more intervening channels, and at least a portion of the preloaded video content of one or more intervening channels is displayed concurrently with at least a portion of the second video stream.

Abstract: An electronic device with one or more processors, memory, and a display displays a first video stream on the display and plays first audio content that corresponds to the first video stream. While displaying the first video stream and playing the first audio content, the electronic device receives a request to display a second video stream on the display. In response, the electronic device displays a visual transition from display of the first video stream to display of the second video stream; plays second audio content that corresponds to the second video stream; and increases an amplitude of the second audio content while decreasing an amplitude of the first audio content, in accordance with progress of the visual transition.