Abstract: Systems and methods for obtaining key frames of video content items being viewed by first users and publishing the key frames of the video content items to second users are provided. In general, either prior to playback of a video content item by a first user or during playback of the video content item by the first user, key frame information providing, referencing, or identifying key frames of the video content item is obtained. Each key frame is representative of a segment of the video content item. The key frame information for the video content item is then published such that each key frame is presented to one or more second users while the first user views the corresponding segment of the video content item.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments provide for optimizing operation of a radio program operated by a host process. Aspects include analyzing the contextual information received from the plurality of client devices participating in the radio program and enabling enable the host process to manage the participation of the plurality of client devices based at least in part on the contextual information.

Abstract: Distributed trick play resolution in a distributed video viewing group network includes determining trick play preferences for each of a plurality of peer nodes in the distributed video viewing group network with respect to a video item. Conflicting trick play preferences between the peer nodes is determined based on one or more of a group consisting of: user rankings, user voting, trick play ranking, and owner resolution. The determined conflicting trick play preferences are resolved.

Abstract: A method and system for constructing and presenting a consumption profile, a rating profile, or both a consumption profile and a rating profile for a media item are provided. In general, consumption of a media item by a number of first users is tracked. Thereafter, before and/or during playback of the media item by a second user, a consumption profile for the media item is constructed and presented to the second user. In addition to or as an alternative to tracking consumption of the media item by the first users, ratings for the media item may be obtained from all or a subset of the first users. Thereafter, before and/or during playback of the media item by the second user, a rating profile for the media item is constructed and presented to the second user.

Abstract: A caching proxy server for a hybrid peer-to-peer (P2P) photosharing system is provided. In general, the proxy server includes cache storing a number of previously requested digital images, a metadata database storing metadata including a number of keywords associated with each of the digital images stored in the cache, and a metadata usage table storing a number of “hits” for each of the keywords. When the used storage space in the cache reaches a predetermined limit, the proxy server examines the metadata usage table to determine a popularity of each of the keywords and removes digital images tagged with one or more of the least popular keywords until the used storage space in the cache decreases to a desirable level. As such, the proxy server ensures that digital images tagged with the most popular keywords remain in the proxy cache and are therefore available for subsequent requests.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for redirecting client-side storage operations to one or more remote storage devices. An HTTP message generated by a web server includes one or more client-side storage operations. Based on defined criteria, the client-side storage operations are replaced with remote storage instructions to generate a modified HTTP message. The modified HTTP message is sent towards the client device. A user agent on the client device receives the HTTP message and executes the remote storage instructions. The storage operations are implemented on the remote storage devices rather than on the client.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for accessing information describing content residing on agent devices. The system includes a central node and agent devices communicatively coupled by a network. The central node obtains content information describing content stored at the agent devices and optionally the locations of the agent devices from the agent devices. The content information and optionally the locations of the agent devices are stored in a database associated with the central node. The central node enables requesting nodes such as the agent devices to access the database. For example, the agent devices may communicate with the central node to obtain the content information for a known agent device or to query the database to find agent devices having content information and optionally locations that satisfy specified criteria. Alternatively, the central node may provide alerts to the agent devices when other agent devices matching specified criteria are available.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for pairing agents and service providers. A registration request is received to pair an agent and a service provider. A directory service is queried that stores at least one of i) third party service providers and information describing each third party service provider's service and ii) agents and information associated with each agent. A response is sent that describes an available pairing between an agent and a service provider.

Abstract: A message propagation scheme for a distributed virtual world is provided. In general, each of a number of peer servers hosts a cell of the virtual world, where the cell is also referred to herein as a virtual space. A peer server issues an advertisement/subscription (ad/sub) message, or message flow path setup message, identifying message types produced by the virtual objects in the virtual space hosted by the peer server and message types consumed by the virtual objects in the virtual space hosted by the peer server. Based on the ad/sub message, for each message type produced, message flow paths from the peer server to other peer servers hosting virtual objects that are consumers of the message type are identified. Likewise, for each message type consumed, message paths from other peer servers hosting virtual objects that are producers of the message type to the peer server are identified.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for dynamically adjusting advertisement (“ad”) time for a multicast channel. In one embodiment, a variable ad insertion function operates to receive one or more multicasts of media content from a core distribution network, insert ad timeslots into the media content, and optionally perform late-binding of ads to the ad timeslots. The media content including the inserted ad timeslots and late-binded ads, if any, is then multicast to associated client devices over a feeder network using corresponding multicast channels. For each multicast channel, insertion of ad timeslots into the associated media content is dynamically controlled based on the number of users currently consuming or predicted to consume the multicast channel, the number of client devices receiving or predicted to receive the multicast channel, or both.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for redirecting client-side storage operations to one or more remote storage devices. An HTTP message generated by a web server includes one or more client-side storage operations. Based on defined criteria, the client-side storage operations are replaced with remote storage instructions to generate a modified HTTP message. The modified HTTP message is sent towards the client device. A user agent on the client device receives the HTTP message and executes the remote storage instructions. The storage operations are implemented on the remote storage devices rather than on the client.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for measuring trust. A device is encountered. A trust score for the device is calculated and compared to a threshold. The threshold may be a minimum trust score associated with the function. If the calculated trust score equals or exceeds the threshold, then the function is executed. If the calculated trust score is less than the threshold, then the function is denied.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments provide for optimizing operation of a radio program operated by a host process. Aspects include analyzing the contextual information received from the plurality of client devices participating in the radio program and enabling at least one feature on the host process based at least in part on the contextual information.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for accessing and managing information, or metadata, describing content residing on a number of agent devices. In general, the system includes a central node and a number of agent devices communicatively coupled by a network. In operation, the central node communicates with the agent devices to obtain content information describing content stored at the agent devices and optionally the locations of the agent devices from the agent devices. The content information and optionally the locations of the agent devices are stored in a database associated with the central node. Thereafter, the central node enables requesting nodes such as the agent devices to access the database. In addition or alternatively, the central node may provide automatic alerts to the agent devices when other agent devices matching specified criteria are available.

Abstract: A content management system for managing content stored by a number of networked Personal Video Recorders (PVRs) associated with a user community is provided. More specifically, the storage space of each of the personal video recorders is physically or logically partitioned into a personal space and a community space. The content management system manages the community spaces of the PVRs such that content relevant to the user community is stored in the collective community space of the PVRs and available to the user community.

Abstract: A system and method for providing personal broadcast channels are provided. In one embodiment, one or more users interact with a local broadcast agent hosted by a local server to define profiles for a number of personal broadcast channels. The profiles include information identifying types of content to be broadcast on the personal broadcast channels and optionally formats for the personal broadcast channels. Based on the profiles for the personal broadcast channels, the local broadcast agent generates a request for content types desired for the personal broadcast channels and provides the request to a content distribution agent hosted by a master server. Based on content provided to the local server in response to the request and the profiles of the personal broadcast channels, the local broadcast agent generates the local broadcast channels.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a communication interface and a controller associated with the communication interface where the controller is further configured to determine an affinity between a first device and at least one other device and create, based at least in part upon the determined affinity, one or more pre-provision packages. These pre-provision packages include data likely to be shared in the event that a content sharing session is ultimately entered into. The one or more pre-provision packages are then provided for storage upon at least one of the first device and the at least one other device. Then, when a request from the first device to engage in a content sharing session with the at least one other device is received, access to the one or more pre-provision packages is provided to at least one of the first device and the at least one other device.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for granting digital content access rights to shared content based on the existence of a voice session, such as a mobile telecommunications voice call, between users. In general, in the preferred embodiment, a voice session is established between a first user and a second user via associated devices. Either automatically upon establishment of the voice session or upon request by the first user, access rights to content shared by the first user are granted to the second user. The content shared by the first user may be content hosted by the device of the first user, another device associated with the first user, a third-party service, or the like. The access rights granted to the second user allow access to the content shared by the first user while the voice session between the first and second users is active.

Abstract: Systems and methods relating to location-based applications, such as widgets, are disclosed. In general, in one embodiment, location-based application service obtains a current location of a mobile device and determines whether the current location of the mobile device is associated with one of a plurality of non-adjacent geographic locations associated with an establishment. An application identifier associated with the plurality of non-adjacent geographic locations associated with the establishment is provided based on the determination, where the application identifier at least one of identifies an application for the mobile device to activate and references a remote source for the mobile device to obtain the application.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for obtaining and presenting information to a user playing a media item identifying playback positions of a number of other users also playing the media item. In one embodiment, a first user begins playback of a media item. Information identifying playback positions of a number of second users also playing the media item is obtained from a playback information broker and presented to the first user. The first user may then provide user input identifying a desired action to take with respect to one or more of the second users. In response, the desired action is effected.