Abstract: The invention provides a system and method that transforms a set of still/motion media (i.e., a series of related or unrelated still frames, web-pages rendered as images, or video clips) or other multimedia, into a video stream that is suitable for delivery over a display medium, such as TV, cable TV, computer displays, wireless display devices, etc. The video data stream may be presented and displayed in real time or stored and later presented through a set-top box, for example. Because these media are transformed into coded video streams (e.g. MPEG-2, MPEG-4, etc.), a user can watch them on a display screen without the need to connect to the Internet through a service provider. The user may request and interact with the desired media through a simple telephone interface, for example. Moreover, several wireless and cable-based services can be developed on the top of this system.

Abstract: The purchase of entertainment content online via advertising credits is disclosed herein. One disclosed embodiment comprises providing an advertising content item to a user over a network, and awarding an amount of advertising viewing credit to the user based upon the advertising content item provided to the user. Next, a request is received from the user to view an entertainment content item. In response, the entertainment content item is provided to the user, and at least a portion of the advertising viewing credit is deducted in exchange for providing the entertainment content item.

Abstract: A system provides personalized media in video for presentation using a video decoder in a device such as a video recorder, hardware or software player, computer system, or television. The personalized media may be embedded or hidden in a video stream or provided separately. A video decoder determines profile and preference information associated with a viewer, group, or demographic and personalizes commercial content using the profile and preference information. The system includes personalized media by introducing, embedding, overlaying, etc., media on video during commercial breaks. Personalized media may be provided during normal viewing or may be provided when a skip forward or fast forward request is received. The system may also evaluate personalization mechanisms using neuro-response measurements.

Abstract: Systems, apparatus, methods and computer readable mediums for efficient and unconstrained information distribution and IP multicasting are provided. An exemplary method may include receiving, from a set top box, information indicative of criteria associated with targeted advertisement; and determining, at a set top box, whether the criteria corresponds to a characteristic of a household at which the criteria is received. The method may also include joining, from a set top box, a multicast group associated with the criteria in the event the criteria is determined to correspond to the characteristic of the household at which the criteria is received. The method may also include receiving, via multicast, at a set top box, the targeted advertisement associated with the criteria; and displaying, at a video display device, the targeted advertisement. The exemplary method may allow efficient and unconstrained information distribution leading to improved application quality and performance.

Abstract: Advertisements or other types of targeted information are delivered to a set-top box or other user interface device of signal distribution system. In one aspect of the invention, a detection server of the system detects at least one cue associated with a first media stream, and generates timing information from the detected cue. The timing information is signaled to the interface device. An advertisement server of the system generates a second media stream containing targeted information for delivery to the user interface device. The user interface device switches from the first stream to the second stream based on the timing information. The timing information may also be signaled by the detection server to the advertisement server, for use in controlling generation of the second stream.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a server having a controller to access multiple media content in response to a request to record the multiple media content from a first communication device, adjust a format of at least a portion of the multiple media content based at least in part on a user profile associated with the first communication device, and compile the adjusted multiple media content for delivery. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system and method of providing sequential video and contextual based content to an end user viewing video content in a video player on an end user computing device is provided. In one embodiment, the method comprises storing a plurality of videos in a memory, storing a plurality of advertisements in a memory, receiving a plurality of requests from a plurality of different clients and wherein each request includes information identifying a first video and each of the plurality of clients initiates its request from one of a plurality of web pages and wherein the plurality of web pages form part of a plurality of different web sites. In addition, the plurality of web pages may include program code configured to cause a video to be presented in the video player.

Abstract: Methods and systems for performing targeted advertising are described. In particular, ads are targeted to users based on TV viewing behaviors. This is achieved by linking TV viewing behaviors to anonymous digital identifiers, such as online browser keys or cookies.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatus for correlating metadata from a plurality of different sources. The methods and apparatus may use an order for the data sources. The metadata from each of the data sources may be divided or split into one or more chunks. The metadata from each of the chunks may be filtered and sorted, e.g., to ensure that the metadata relate to the same multimedia content. The metadata chunks from the first data source in the order and the second data source in the order may then be aligned to produce currently aligned metadata. The metadata data chunks from the next data source in the order may then be aligned with the currently aligned metadata to produce new currently aligned metadata. This process may be repeated until the metadata from all of the sources are aligned, thereby providing a set of correlated metadata.

Abstract: Technology is described for personalizing a product placement in content. The method may include identifying a dynamic location in the content available for the product placement. A user profile may also be identified. The product placement may be selected based on the dynamic location identified in the content and the user profile. The product placement for the dynamic location identified in the content may then be provided.

Abstract: A scalable and cost-effective solution for implementing a cache in a data processing environment. A sliding window comprises a number of past time slots. For each time slot, a number of request for a data item is counted. A mean request rate for the data item is computed over the sliding window. If the mean request rate is superior to a threshold, the data item is added to cache, or the data item is removed from cache otherwise.

Abstract: An advertising system is described. An advertising system includes a storage module to store video advertising content. The advertising system also includes a server coupled with the storage module. The server to deliver a continuous feed of video advertising content to an interactive device and to adapt the video advertising content responsive to input received from the interactive device.

Abstract: A method of personalizing commercial content to be presented to a media consumer, comprising, creating a personal profile of a media consumer, the personal profile reflects real time interaction of said media consumer with media content received from a media provider and presenting a personalized commercial content to the media consumer according to the personal profile.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for supporting targeted advertising and/or other targeted applications in set top boxes which use data and/or applications, e.g., EBIF (Enhanced TV Binary Interchange Format) applications, are described. Application level targeting is supported in which an application running on different STBs presents different application behavior and/or presents different visual sub-elements depending on the content of a subscriber profile on the particular individual STB. In the case of addressability at the Application Layer an EBIF application can target different viewers by checking private User Preference Items at runtime. Addressability at the signaling/platform level is also supported allowing targeting of a specific application or a sub-element within an application to a specific target group. In this scenario the particular applications/sub-elements are loaded on the set-tops that belong to a target group, e.g.

Abstract: The system for providing targeting augmented contents includes: an augmented metadata generation apparatus that generates augmented metadata designating specific space and time of broadcast contents as an augmented area; a broadcast content providing apparatus that transmits the augmented metadata to a first broadcast terminal apparatus and transmits the augmented metadata and the broadcast contents to a second broadcast terminal apparatus; a first broadcast terminal apparatus that transmits augmented contents displayed in the augmented area in which the augmented metadata are designated to the augmented content providing apparatus; an augmented content providing apparatus that transmits the augmented contents to a second broadcast terminal apparatus; and a second broadcast terminal apparatus that receives the broadcast contents and the augmented metadata from the broadcast content providing apparatus and receives the augmented contents from the augmented content providing apparatus based on the augmented met

Abstract: A method comprises retrieving a profile of a given user, the given user having a given-user device; delivering a content item to the given-user device; receiving one or more user-specified tags associated with the content item; identifying one or more buddies of the user as indicated in the profile; and delivering the one or more tags to the one or more buddies.

Abstract: A method and system for managing display of personalized advertisements in a user interface (UI) of an on-screen interactive program guide (IPG). The method comprises determining whether a user group of a current primary user matches with at least one of targeted user groups, selectively adding advertisement asset images corresponding to the matched user group into an advertisement bouquet, calculating a number of impressions of each of the advertisement asset images to display to the current primary user on a given day, calculating an advertisement sequence for each of the advertisement asset images to display to the current primary user on the given day, optimizing performance for delivery and display of the advertisement asset images and displaying the advertisement asset images during at least one of organizing, navigating, gifting, downloading and buffering at least one of AV and multimedia contents.

Abstract: Systems and methods for displaying a selectable advertisement when a received video signal includes a background advertisement are discussed herein. In one embodiment, a video signal is received. This video signal may, for example, be a live broadcast of a sporting event such as baseball. The received video signal is then analyzed to determine whether it includes a background advertisement. A background advertisement might be an advertisement located at the baseball stadium that is visible in the live broadcast. If a background advertisement is detected, interactive features associated with the background advertisement may be identified and used to generate a selectable advertisement. In response to a user selection of the selectable advertisement, a function may be performed to trigger the interactive feature. For example, if the background advertisement is for media content available for purchase, the interactive feature may consist of purchasing and downloading the advertised content.

Abstract: A television broadcast receiving device includes a program selecting unit that accepts the selection of one of programs in a program list; an extracting unit that extracts a keyword related to the accepted program from the program information; a site information obtaining unit that obtains names and address information of web sites and a rule for generating acquisition objective information for obtaining information of a webpage related to a keyword extracted from one of one or plural web sites; a site name display controller that displays the obtained names of one or plural web sites on a display device; a site name selecting unit that accepts the selection of a name of one web site among the displayed names of the one or plural web sites; and a generating unit that generates acquisition objective information in accordance with the rule.

Abstract: The disclosure is related to combining a plurality of video streams, and to providing a variety of video advertisements using a video stream combination procedure. Particularly, the video stream combination procedure according to the present embodiment may include extracting a plurality of encoded video data included in a plurality of video streams, and creating a single combined video stream by considering each extracted encoded video data as slice group data. Furthermore, an advertisement stream may be included in the single combined video stream, by using such video stream combination procedure.

Abstract: This disclosure describes a mechanism for associating a message to a specific point in time relative to the start of media content (such as video). Social messages employing these techniques can be associated to specific points in time within the particular content. For example, social messages can be associated with an opening scene that sparks social commentary and later for other arbitrary points in the media timeline. This example becomes even more relevant when a piece of media is replayed at a later time.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a server having a controller to receive a call request from a set top box that is remote from the server where the call request identifies a telephone number that is presented from video content presented by the set top box where the telephone number is detected based on a combination of image pattern recognition and speech recognition and where the telephone number is associated with a marketing entity, establish a voice communication with a first telephone device associated with the set top box, and establish the voice communication with a second telephone device associated with the telephone number and the marketing entity if the first telephone device accepts the voice communication. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system and method for providing or presenting secondary or embedded streams includes a primary stream generator, a secondary stream generator and a user interface engine. The primary stream generator generates the primary stream for the user and is coupled to a content source to extract data and coupled to provide the primary stream. The secondary stream generator generates a secondary stream for the user, is coupled to the content source to retrieve data and is coupled to provide the secondary stream. The user interface engine produces a user interface including a primary stream of content with an embedded secondary stream. The user interface engine is coupled to receive the primary stream from the primary stream generator and the secondary stream from the secondary stream generator. The present disclosure also includes a method for generating a user interface with an embedded stream.

Abstract: An apparatus, method, system and computer-readable medium are disclosed for, in one aspect, determining when a trigger, such as an application trigger, should be generated. In some embodiments, the application trigger may be generated when a frame included in a feed (e.g., a content feed) matches a specified or indicated frame. In some embodiments, a comparison between the feed and the specified or indicated frame may be based on one or more tolerances or thresholds. In some embodiments, the feed may be split and content (e.g., video) obtained via the split may be combined (e.g., multiplexed) with a trigger. The combined content and trigger may be transmitted to one or more devices, such as one or more user devices.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide systems, methods, and apparatuses for delivering an advertiser's ad content to a user regardless of the channel or media format being accessed by the user. Ads may be delivered within the media stream, in an ancillary stream, or from other sources.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and products block objectionable content and substitute alternative content. A preferred tag is retrieved from memory. An alternative tag, associated with alternative content, is also retrieved from the memory. When the preferred tag matches the alternative tag, then the alternative content is substituted for the objectionable content.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for identifying, distributing, and/or utilizing data regarding audience qualities within an advertisement management system. In one embodiment, the methods and apparatus of the present invention provide a technique for classifying data collected about an audience, and creating and grouping qualifiers to those classifications. Methods and apparatus for managing an advertising inventory via a management system, and using the aforementioned audience data, are also disclosed. The inventory is defined in one variant by predicted secondary content insertion opportunities and a particular audience of the primary content associated with the insertion opportunity. Subscriber privacy and anonymity is also optionally maintained via e.g., hashing or encrypting data relating to the CPE and/or subscriber, thus ensuring that audience data is not traceable to a specific user account.

Abstract: A system and method in a television system for providing commerce (or advertising) information associated with a user-selected object in a television program, substantially as shown in and/or described in connection with at least one of the figures, as set forth more completely in the claims.

Abstract: A method is performed by one or more devices within a closed distribution network to provide context-sensitive transactional advertisements. The method includes sending, to a video client, a trigger for initiating a context-specific transactional advertisement associated with a linear program segment and sending the linear program segment for presentation by the video client. The method also includes receiving, based on the trigger, a request from the video client for instructions for the context-specific transactional advertisement; determining, based on the request, contextual information for the linear program segment; and sending, to the video client and based on the contextual information, the instructions for the context-specific transactional advertisement.

Abstract: A system for generating an optimized video including in-stream events for video content and advertising content selected at the time of playback. The system includes a manifest generating module configured to retrieve video content from a content repository for listing in a content manifest in response to a received request from a mobile device, the content manifest including at least one advertisement insertion point. The system further includes an advertising event correlation module configured to retrieve one or more advertisements based on a correlation between advertisement properties and playback properties and an advertisement serving module configured to provide the retrieved one or more advertisement for insertion into the at least one advertisement event insertion point.

Abstract: A method of selecting a factor for estimating characteristics of viewers who view a same content is disclosed. This method includes: storing a multi-layered hierarchal list of attribute words expressing viewer attributes, each of which is a candidate of the factor; extracting the attribute words from the same content; generating a first vector indicative of frequencies with which the attribute words occur in the same content; for a successively-selected one of the attribute words, successively generating a second vector indicative of frequencies with which the attribute words occur in ones of sets of learned-text information which contain the successively-selected attribute word; calculating a similarity score between the vectors on a per-attribute-word basis; and selecting one of the attribute words as the factor, which is associated with subordinate attribute words on a lower layer, based on a dispersion level of the similarity scores calculated for the subordinate attribute words.

Abstract: A system and method for providing supervised learning to associate profiles in video audiences is provided. The method includes: receiving data providing an association of consumer profiles and video decoders to households within a network; recording zapping events (patterns) created by consumers; and associating zapping patterns of consumers with households. The step of associating further includes: collecting external data and converting a format of the external data into an internal format; converting zapping logs into different data models that can be used to provide set top box signatures; providing the set top box signatures; using the set top box signatures with a list of set top boxes and profiles to provide an association rule; and applying the association rule to the set top box signatures to determine a list of profiles of the consumer profiles associated with a specific set top box of the set top boxes.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a server having a memory coupled to a processor. The processor can be operable to receive a request for promotional information responsive to a media processor detecting a promotional tag in a media program stream and transmit to the media processor promotional information associated with a promotion responsive to a determination that a promotional offer is available. The processor can also be operable to receive from the media processor a request for redeemable material associated with the promotion and store the redeemable material in a portion of a database associated with a user of the media processor. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system and method for providing information of selectable objects in a television program in an information stream independent of the television program as shown in and/or described in connection with at least one of the figures, as set forth more completely in the claims.

Abstract: A method for displaying interactive advertisements on a television having a controller connected thereto and configured for receiving input from a viewer of the television is disclosed. The controller has a receiver operable to receive advertisements and a processor operable to modify the advertisements. The method generally comprises requesting action by the viewer of the television, modifying an advertisement based on the action of the viewer, and displaying the modified advertisement on the television.

Abstract: A method of substituting a primary content (110) being transmitted on a primary channel (100) with a secondary content (220) corresponding to a content being transmitted on a secondary channel (200), characterized by substituting the secondary content in response to a highlight occurring in the content transmitted on the secondary channel (210-3), said secondary content (220) being a summary of the content already transmitted on the secondary channel. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the program being transmitted on the secondary channel (200) corresponds to a live event.

Abstract: A method of providing recommendations related to a service is disclosed and includes receiving data from a device associated with a service subscriber, the data identifying an individual. The method also includes creating a personalization profile associated with the service subscriber. The personalization profile is populated with information included in a profile of the identified individual. The method further includes providing at least one recommendation based on the personalization profile of the service subscriber.

Abstract: Program code on mobile computing devices and a server computer receive information about mobile computing devices within a defined area. The program code selects an announcement, from a database based on the information received, having audio that is in a language determined as being utilized within the defined area, wherein the language is assigned a first highest ranking, and wherein the first highest ranking indicates that the language is spoken by a majority of persons within the defined area. The program code selects a transcription of the audio from the database, wherein the transcription is in a language determined as being utilized within the defined area, and wherein the language is assigned a second highest ranking. The program code instructs a television within the defined area to output the audio, and to output the transcription of the audio on a display screen of the television.

Abstract: A system and method for providing information of selectable objects in an independent information stream as shown in and/or described in connection with at least one of the figures, as set forth more completely in the claims.

Abstract: A live performance is monitored by analyzing an input data stream comprising real-time updates related to the live performance. Different sets of excitement levels, excitement curves, alerts and teasers are generated based on the analysis and reported to a plurality of subscribers using any of a variety of mobile communication and/or computing devices.

Abstract: A system is adapted to manage the distribution of content to one or more cooperating media/substrates. The system receives data representative of environment conditions for one or more cooperating media/substrates adapted to display digital content. The media/substrates may be located in public spaces. The system compares the received data representative of environment conditions with selection criteria to identify content for distribution to the media/substrates. The selected content is distributed to the one or more cooperating media/substrates.

Abstract: Systems and methods of determining viewership information are provided. A method of determining viewership information includes determining viewership information from multicast routing table data associated with one or more edge routers of a media content delivery service. Each edge router of the one or more edge routers is adapted to transmit media content streams to multiple devices via a first network. The method also includes sending data related to the viewership information to a requesting device via a second network.

Abstract: A method includes detecting a substitution signal at a device and inserting an advertisement into a media stream in response to detecting the substitution signal. The advertisement is selected based on an advertising fee associated with insertion of the advertisement into the media stream. The advertising fee is a first fee when the advertisement is a local advertisement for a provider of a product or service and the advertisement is to be inserted at a first location in the media stream that follows a national advertisement for the product or service. The first fee is distinct from a second fee that is associated with insertion of the local advertisement at a second location in the media stream.

Abstract: A system for and method of automatic optimizing quantitative business objectives of sellers (advertisers) with synergistic pricing, promotions and advertisements, while simultaneously minimizing expenditure and discovery and optimizing allocation of advertising channels that optimize such objectives.

Abstract: In one embodiment, data from an electronic device is identified. The data may describe an electronic device (e.g. a hardware or software device) on which a document was created or modified, the subject matter of a document, the state of a document, or the like. Content relating to the electronic device is obtained based on the data. The content may be obtained in response to viewing, editing, printing, emailing or other accessing and/or processing of the document.

Abstract: Methods, systems and computer-readable media to provide custom video content via a custom content channel are disclosed. A method to display custom video content includes receiving a selection of a channel via a set top box (STB) device and determining whether the channel is a custom content channel. The method further includes accessing a play list associated with the custom content channel based on the determination. The play list identifies one or more video files stored at the STB device. The method also includes playing the one or more video files of the custom content channel to a display device coupled to the STB device.

Abstract: In a streaming video system with included video ad breaks, a pacing component allocates ads to particular ad breaks so as to pace the distribution of ads over a defined ad campaign period according to a pacing protocol using discrete time bins. A curve fitting algorithm may be used to provide increased or adjustable granularity of time bins used in the pacing protocol.

Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method that includes generating a data structure that links users based on social relationships and permits a first user to target content to other users that are linked to the first user via a social relationship.

Abstract: A method of providing multi-person media item recommendations comprises receiving media preference information for a plurality of users, and generating a composite media recommendation score for a plurality of media items for a specified group of at least two of the plurality of users using the media preference information for the two or more users for the plurality of media items. A media recommendation is provided for the specified group of at least two of the plurality of users based on the generated composite media recommendation scores for the plurality of media items for the specified at least two of the plurality of users.

Abstract: A compressed rendition of a video program is provided in a format suitable for electronic searching and retrieval. An electronic pictorial transcript representation of the video program is initially received. The video program has a video component and a second information-bearing media component associated therewith. The pictorial transcript representation includes a representative frame from each segment of the video component of the video program and a portion of the second media component associated with the segment. The electronic pictorial transcript is transformed into a hypertext format to form a hypertext pictorial transcript. The hypertext pictorial transcript is subsequently recorded in an electronic medium.