Abstract: An exemplary method includes a web services provider system detecting an input command provided by a user during a scheduling session and representative of a request for a local digital video recording (“DVR”) system to record a media program during a presentation time period that is subsequent to the scheduling session. During the scheduling session and in response to the input command, the web services provider system identifies a maximum number of media programs other than the media program and that are already scheduled to be concurrently recorded by the local DVR system at any given time during the presentation time period, determines whether the maximum number equals a maximum recording limitation of the local DVR system, and performs, based on the determination whether the maximum number equals the maximum recording limitation of the local DVR system, a predetermined action with respect to the media program.

Abstract: A device may determine media content to be prescheduled for recording without receiving a request to record the media content and based on a quantity of users expected to record the media content. The device may determine a digital video recorder (DVR) device, for which the media content is to be prescheduled for recording, without receiving a user request to record the media content using the DVR device. The device may provide an instruction to cause the DVR device to record the media content.

Abstract: An exemplary method includes a web services provider system detecting an input command provided by a user during a scheduling session and representative of a request for a local digital video recording (“DVR”) system to record a media program during a presentation time period that is subsequent to the scheduling session. During the scheduling session and in response to the input command, the web services provider system identifies a maximum number of media programs other than the media program and that are already scheduled to be concurrently recorded by the local DVR system at any given time during the presentation time period, determines whether the maximum number equals a maximum recording limitation of the local DVR system, and performs, based on the determination whether the maximum number equals the maximum recording limitation of the local DVR system, a predetermined action with respect to the media program.

Abstract: A device may determine media content to be prescheduled for recording without receiving a request to record the media content and based on a quantity of users expected to record the media content. The device may determine a digital video recorder (DVR) device, for which the media content is to be prescheduled for recording, without receiving a user request to record the media content using the DVR device. The device may provide an instruction to cause the DVR device to record the media content.

Abstract: An exemplary multi-axis television navigation system defines television navigation axes according to attributes of television programs. In one implementation, if a television program has an attribute defining an axis, then the exemplary system links a predefined database query associated with the axis to metadata for the television program. When launched, the predefined query returns a sequence of navigable television programs having the attribute that defines the axis.

Abstract: In an implementation of control-based content pricing, a content server distributes media content to a client device in response to a request from the client device to receive the media content. A valuation application allocates a cost to the client device when the media content is distributed to the client device. The content server receives a view control input from the client device that indicates how the media content is to be rendered and the valuation application adjusts the cost according to the view control input and how the media content is to be rendered.

Abstract: In an implementation of control-based content pricing, a content server distributes media content to a client device in response to a request from the client device to receive the media content. A valuation application allocates a cost to the client device when the media content is distributed to the client device. The content server receives a view control input from the client device that indicates how the media content is to be rendered and the valuation application adjusts the cost according to the view control input and how the media content is to be rendered.

Abstract: A synchronized media experience is described. A media server identifies a group of two or more remote media entertainment systems through which user-controlled play of media content may be presented. The server generates and transmits one or more synchronization commands to the remote media entertainment systems to synchronize presentation of a particular media content through the two or more remote media entertainment systems. A control command entered by a user of one of the remote media entertainment systems may be communicated to each of the two or more remote media entertainment systems to enable synchronized, user controlled presentation of the particular media content.

Abstract: An exemplary global listings format (GLF) is metadata for electronically transferring multimedia programming content and electronic program guide information. The GLF metadata specifies a self-referential data structure having a self-consistency mechanism comprising interlocking and crosslocking data elements. The self-consistency mechanism ensures completeness and validity of transferred programming data. In one implementation, the exemplary GLF is expressed in an extensible markup language (XML) schema definition (XSD) specification.

Abstract: Gesture-based character input is described. A user inputs a character by selecting keys on a keypad device via a gesture representing the shape of the character. The sequence of keys selected by the user is interpreted to represent a specific character.

Abstract: A synchronized media experience is described. A media server identifies a group of two or more remote media entertainment systems through which user-controlled play of media content may be presented. The server generates and transmits one or more synchronization commands to the remote media entertainment systems to synchronize presentation of a particular media content through the two or more remote media entertainment systems. A control command entered by a user of one of the remote media entertainment systems may be communicated to each of the two or more remote media entertainment systems to enable synchronized, user controlled presentation of the particular media content.

Abstract: A synchronized media experience is described. A media server identifies a group of two or more remote media entertainment systems through which user-controlled play of media content may be presented. The server generates and transmits one or more synchronization commands to the remote media entertainment systems to synchronize presentation of a particular media content through the two or more remote media entertainment systems. A control command entered by a user of one of the remote media entertainment systems may be communicated to each of the two or more remote media entertainment systems to enable synchronized, user controlled presentation of the particular media content.

Abstract: A MediaDescription data structure that includes both descriptive metadata, such as EPG information, about a multimedia content item and instructions for acquiring the content item is assigned to each multimedia content item in a multimedia system. A MediaDescription data structure is transferable as a token for representing the content item. The acquisition information may also include information about presenting the content item in different view contexts, as well as information about relationships to other pieces of content, and information about how each different version of the content item is to be acquired and displayed. MediaDescription data structure tokens can be used to facilitate digital video recording (DVR) processes, Internet content rendering processes, multimedia search processes, search results aggregating processes, video-on-demand (VOD) processes, pay-per-view processes, and program guide rendering processes.

Abstract: Strategies are described for creating a resource item list, for transferring the resource item list from one user to another user or to another destination, and for retrieving resource items from an operations center based on resource descriptors specified in the resource item list. The resource item list can include a number of attributes which are used to identify matching resource items in a content store of the operations center. A schema defines the contents and organization of entries in the resource item list. The use of resource item lists helps users discover and consume resource items of interest extracted from a larger pool of resource items.

Abstract: Phone-based remote media system interaction is described. A content distribution system provides a telephone-based voice menu system that enables a caller to select a media system control command. The content distribution system then causes the media system control command to be executed in association with a remote media system associated with, or specified by, the caller.

Abstract: A request for content associated with a particular channel is received from a client device. A system identifies service information data associated with the channel. The system then determines how content associated with the channel will be provided to the client device. Instructions are sent to the client device that notify the client device how to access content associated with the channel.

Abstract: Raw media metadata can be packaged as dense media metadata via a compression operation. In a described implementation, metadata for a media item is defined with a media item entry that references instances of property values in one or more property tables.

Abstract: Gesture-based character input is described. A user inputs a character by selecting keys on a keypad device via a gesture representing the shape of the character. The sequence of keys selected by the user is interpreted to represent a specific character.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer program products for managing and prioritizing record events. A priority manager includes an event list that lists scheduled record events. Each event in the event list has a priority that is different from the other events in the event list. If some of the events conflict, such as when a tuning resource is lost and unavailable, then those events with the highest priority in the event list are recorded. A user can assign priority to events when they are scheduled or at a later time. This enables event conflicts to be resolved by the user when the events are initially scheduled. When an event conflict arises later, the conflict is resolved by the priority manager according to the relative priority of the events in the event list.

Abstract: Predictive phonetic data search is described. In an embodiment, a search request to locate a term is received, where the term can be a word, a group of words, and/or any combination of characters and numbers. A numeric index is then searched to locate a number that matches a numerical equivalent of the term designated in the search request. The term is obtained from a term index that is mapped to the number in the numeric index that matches the numerical equivalent of the term, and the term is returned in response to the search request.