Abstract: An audience measurement system plays and records television program material on a client system's persistent storage device. Program guide objects are stored on the client system and indicate when television programs are broadcast. A client system stores a viewer's television viewing habits and behavior. Information such as what television programs a viewer watches and/or prefers, and when a viewer uses trickplay functions while watching a television program (such as: variable rate fast forward and rewind, frame step, index, pause, variable rate reverse play, variable rate play, and play) are stored on the client system which the client sends to a central server. The central server stores viewer information from all client systems such that the information obtained is anonymous. The aggregated information is used by the central server to compile statistical reports and make predictions.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for secure multimedia transfer provides an encrypted data transfer system that makes transferring multimedia content from a client to any incompatible system or to a system outside the location of the client very difficult.

Abstract: According to one aspect, a DVR sends a user's contact information over a network to a third party. Upon determining that a television program or advertisement contains a special tag that is associated with a third party, the DVR displays, to the user, a prompt that invites the DVR user to allow the DVR to send the user's contact information to the third party. If the user gives permission for the DVR to send the contact information to the third party, then the DVR sends the contact information to the third party (e.g., over the Internet).

Abstract: A communication system and a family of methods for remote access to personal television service are disclosed. According to this invention, a remote personal TV service center provides centralized program guide information. A user may access to the personal TV service center through a digital video recorder which is connected to the personal TV service center via telephone modem or a network server. A user may access to the personal TV service center through a remote computer terminal or a personal digital assistant which is connected to a computer network. The user selects program events and programs the digital video recorder by using a graphical user interface installed in the front panel of the digital video recorder in case of local programming, or using a similar GUI which is incorporated into the Web pages presented to remote users by a Web server in case of remote programming. The media stream stored in one digital video recorder may be transferred to another digital video recorder.

Abstract: A method for generating and maintaining hierarchical tags with community-based ratings is provided. Tags for media streams are organized into a hierarchical format. Users may select tags from the hierarchical tag database that describes a particular multimedia content. If the user is unable to locate a desired tag, the user may submit a new tag. Upon submission of the new tag, a librarian approves the tag before storing and placing the tag in the hierarchical tag database. Users are also able to rate the quality of the association between the tag and the multimedia content. If a tag is rated low, the tag may be removed from the hierarchical tag database. If the tag is rated highly, display of the tag in a list of tags becomes more prominent.

Abstract: A digital video recorder (DVR) system with an integrated DVD recording device accepts TV input streams in a multitude of forms. Analog TV streams are converted to an MPEG formatted stream for internal transfer and manipulation, while pre-formatted MPEG streams are extracted from the digital TV signal and presented in a similar format. Indexes within the MPEG stream are determined and saved at predefined intervals and are stored on a hard disk along with the MPEG program material and used to create navigation packets when writing to a DVD inserted in an integrated DVD player/recorder. When a program is requested for display from the hard disk or the integrated DVD player/recorder, the program material are extracted from the appropriate source and reassembled into an MPEG stream which is sent to a decoder. The decoder converts the MPEG stream into TV output signals and delivers the TV output signals to a TV monitor.

Abstract: Techniques for shared DVR programming via a web page enable using a DVR widget in a web page and DVR environment on a network to view DVR content from a publisher's DVR usage data and based on the viewed DVR content from the publisher's DVR, record or schedule to record particular content on the viewer's DVR.

Abstract: A portable device includes solid-state memory, an Ethernet and/or wireless network connection, and an HDMI. The portable device receives content guide data from a first server and displays a content guide on a display. In response to a user's selection of a content item, the portable device requests the content item over the Internet from a second server. The portable device receives the content item, stores the content item in solid-state memory, generates display signals that represent the content item, and sends the display signals to a display. The second server may match the content item with relevant advertisements based on keywords associated with the content item and the advertisements. The second server may send selected advertisement URLs to the portable device. Using the URLs, the portable device may obtain the advertisements over the Internet and cause the display to display the advertisements in conjunction with the content item.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for secure multimedia transfer provides an encrypted data transfer system that makes transferring multimedia content from a client to any incompatible system or to a system outside the location of the client very difficult.

Abstract: A closed caption tagging system provides a mechanism for inserting tags into an audio or video television broadcast stream prior to or at the time of transmission. The tags contain command and control information that the receiver translates and acts upon. The receiver receives the broadcast stream and detects and processes the tags within the broadcast stream which is stored on a storage device that resides on the receiver. Program material from the broadcast stream is played back to the viewer from the storage device. Tags indicate the start and end points of a program segment. Program segments such as commercials are automatically replaced by the receiver with new program segments that are selected based on various criteria.

Abstract: Techniques described herein enable parents to establish a child-protective “kids zone” on a DVR. According to one technique, a DVR receives, from a parent, identities of DVD content items that the parent does not want children to view. The DVR maps the identities to a kids zone. During times that the DVR is set to operate in the kids zone operational mode, the DVR prevents itself from presenting any content from DVDs that are associated with the identities. At other times, during which the DVR is not set to operate in the kids zone operational mode, the DVR may allow itself to present DVD content that are associated with the identities.

Abstract: A communication system and a family of methods for remote access to personal television service are disclosed. A remote personal TV service center provides centralized program guide information. A user may access the personal TV service center through a digital video recorder which is connected to the personal TV service center via telephone modem or a network server. A user may access the personal TV service center through a remote computer terminal or a personal digital assistant which is connected to a computer network. The user selects program events and programs the digital video recorder by using a graphical user interface installed in the front panel of the digital video recorder, or using a similar GUI incorporated into the Web pages presented to remote users by a Web server. The media stream stored in one digital video recorder may be transferred to another digital video recorder.

Abstract: Techniques for real-time DVR usage and reporting enable using instant message protocol in a DVR environment to obtain real-time DVR usage data and to report data reflecting such usage in real-time. An example of DVR usage data comprises data reflecting that a viewer is viewing a video program which is R-rated. Another example of DVR usage data comprises a viewer entering a password, such as a kids zone password, to exit kids zone operational mode.

Abstract: A method for enhancing digital video recorder television advertising viewership provides a method wherein the first or last number of seconds of a commercial break are carefully authored to provide a “teaser” to entice the viewer to watch multiple commercials during the commercial break instead of skipping the commercial break using the fast forward or jump functions of the DVR. A bookending function displays an advertisement before and/or after a program that has been recorded on the DVR's storage device is played to the viewer. The viewer selects a recorded program from the DVR's storage device to playback. Before the program is played back, an advertisement is retrieved from the storage device and is displayed before the program is run. Another advertisement is retrieved and then played after the program is over.

Abstract: A portable device includes solid-state memory, an Ethernet and/or wireless network connection, and an HDMI. The portable device receives content guide data from a first server and displays a content guide on a display. In response to a user's selection of a content item, the portable device requests the content item over the Internet from a second server. The portable device receives the content item, stores the content item in solid-state memory, generates display signals that represent the content item, and sends the display signals to a display. The second server may match the content item with relevant advertisements based on keywords associated with the content item and the advertisements. The second server may send selected advertisement URLs to the portable device. Using the URLs, the portable device may obtain the advertisements over the Internet and cause the display to display the advertisements in conjunction with the content item.

Abstract: A method for interpreting messages, user-defined alert conditions, voice commands and performing an action in response is described. A method for annotating media content is described. A method for presenting additional content associated with media content identified based on a fingerprint is described. A method for identifying that an advertisement portion of media content is being played based on a fingerprint derived from the media content is described. A method of one media device recording particular media content automatically in response to another media device recording the particular media content is described. A method of concurrently playing media content on multiple devices is described. A method of publishing information associated with recording of media content is described. A method of deriving fingerprints by media devices that meet an idleness criteria is described. A method of loading, modifying, and displaying a high definition frame from a frame buffer is described.

Abstract: A system allows a user to select multimedia content items from sources that include, but are not limited to, any of: Internet, network, or local. Selected multimedia content items may be stored in user specific caches residing in at least one cloud based storage device. Multimedia content items may be transcoded while or after being retrieved from a source and then stored in a user specific cache. Multimedia content items may be selected by a user from the user's specific cache and streamed to a user device.

Abstract: A digital video recorder (DVR) system processes digital streams and associates stream information with segments of video and audio components. Segments of video and audio components from memory are sent to one or more decoders essentially simultaneously with the storing of the segments of video and audio components from the memory on one or more storage devices. The decoder converts the video and audio components into output signals.

Abstract: A communication system and a family of methods for remote access to personal television service are disclosed. According to this invention, a remote personal TV service center provides centralized program guide information. A user may access to the personal TV service center through a digital video recorder which is connected to the personal TV service center via telephone modem or a network server. A user may access to the personal TV service center through a remote computer terminal or a personal digital assistant which is connected to a computer network. The user selects program events and programs the digital video recorder by using a graphical user interface installed in the front panel of the digital video recorder in case of local programming, or using a similar GUI which is incorporated into the Web pages presented to remote users by a Web server in case of remote programming. The media stream stored in one digital video recorder may be transferred to another digital video recorder.

Abstract: A method for enhancing digital video recorder television advertising viewership provides a method wherein the first or last number of seconds of a commercial break are carefully authored to provide a “teaser” to entice the viewer to watch multiple commercials during the commercial break instead of skipping the commercial break using the fast forward or jump functions of the DVR. A bookending function displays an advertisement before and/or after a program that has been recorded on the DVR's storage device is played to the viewer. The viewer selects a recorded program from the DVR's storage device to playback. Before the program is played back, an advertisement is retrieved from the storage device and is displayed before the program is run. Another advertisement is retrieved and then played after the program is over.