Abstract: Systems and techniques for delivering custom created content to users. As programming content is delivered to a user, the content selected for delivery is continuously monitored. When a point is reached in the delivered content appropriate for delivery of custom created content such as an advertisement, stored user information is examined and analyzed to identify content to which the user is likely to be receptive. Customized content is constructed based on the identification, by collecting and organizing media objects, and the constructed content is placed in the content being delivered.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer readable-media for selecting a multimedia presentation to accompany text. The method for selecting a multimedia presentation to accompany text comprises analyzing a body of text, selecting a multimedia presentation based on the body of text, and playing the selected multimedia presentation at an appropriate time simultaneous with presenting portions of the body of text. In one embodiment, the audio track comprises music, sound effects, silence, one or more ambient effect (such as dimming lights), and any combination thereof. In another embodiment, the audio track is based on content of the text, language, an associated still illustration or video clip, meta-data or a user profile. In yet another embodiment, an appropriate volume is determined for playing the selected audio track and that volume is used to adjust how loudly the selected audio track is played. Multiple multimedia presentations can be played back collaboratively and simultaneously.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer readable-media for adaptive content rendition, the method comprising receiving media content for playback to a user, adapting the media content for playback on a first device in the user's first location, receiving a notification when the user changes to a second location, adapting the media content for playback on a second device in the second location, and transitioning media content playback from the first device to second device. One aspect conserves energy by optionally turning off the first device after transitioning to the second device. Another aspect includes playback devices that are “dumb devices” which receive media content already prepared for playback, “smart devices” which receive media content in a less than ready form and prepare the media content for playback, or hybrid smart and dumb devices. A single device may be substituted by a plurality of devices.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer readable-media for contextual adaptive advertising. The method for contextual adaptive advertising comprises tracking user behavior across multiple modalities or devices, storing one or more representations of user behavior in a log as descriptors, normalizing the descriptors, merging the normalized descriptors into a unified click or interactive stream, and generating a behavioral model by analyzing the click or interactive stream.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer readable-media for recommending media content, the method comprising generating a playlist representing one or more media segments, receiving comments describing the one or more media segments, transmitting the playlist and received comments to one or more viewers, and charging a fee for displaying the media segment represented by the playlist. In one aspect, the fee charged is paid in full or in part by one or more of a recommending party, a third party, one or more viewer, and an advertiser in exchange for inserting advertising content in one or more of the playlist and the comments. Referral credit can be granted recursively when the viewer recommends the playlist to a second viewer and a second fee is charged. In one aspect, received comments are generated based on one or more of media segment metadata, text or audio comments from a recommending party, and previously generated comments describing the media segment.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer-readable media for transmedia video bookmarks, the method comprising receiving a first place marker and a second place marker for a segment of video media, extracting metadata from the video media between the first and second place markers, normalizing the extracted metadata, storing the normalized metadata, first place marker, and second place marker as a video bookmark, and retrieving the media represented by the video bookmark upon request from a user. One aspect further aggregates video bookmarks from multiple sources and refines the first place marker and second place marker based on the aggregated video bookmarks. Metadata can be extracted by analyzing text or audio annotations. Another aspect of normalizing the extracted metadata includes generating a video thumbnail representing the video media between the first place marker and the second place marker. Multiple video bookmarks may be searchable by metadata or by the video thumbnail visually.

Abstract: A computer readable medium stores a program in an ingress capable network device of a network for routing signals through the network. The computer readable includes a receiving code segment for receiving an original signal, which has an embedded destination service address. The computer readable medium also includes a querying code segment for querying a database server to obtain an internal routing address corresponding to the embedded destination service address, and a routing code segment for routing at least a portion of the original signal through the network to an egress capable network device according to the internal routing address. The routed portion of the original signal includes at least the embedded destination service address, which enables the egress capable network device to restore the embedded destination service address and to forward the routed portion of the original signal from the network.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer readable-media for rich media annotation, the method comprising receiving a first recorded media content, receiving at least one audio annotation about the first recorded media, extracting metadata from the at least one of audio annotation, and associating all or part of the metadata with the first recorded media content. Additional data elements may also be associated with the first recorded media content. Where the audio annotation is a telephone conversation, the recorded media content may be captured via the telephone. The recorded media content, audio annotations, and/or metadata may be stored in a central repository which may be modifiable. Speech characteristics such as prosody may be analyzed to extract additional metadata. In one aspect, a specially trained grammar identifies and recognizes metadata.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer readable-media for temporally adaptive media playback. The method for adaptive media playback includes estimating or determining an amount of time between a first event and a second event, selecting media content to fill the estimated amount of time between the first event and the second event, and playing the selected media content possibly at a reasonably different speed to fit the time interval. One embodiment includes events that are destination-based or temporal-based. Another embodiment includes adding, removing, speeding up, or slowing down selected media content in order to fit the estimated amount of time between the first event and the second event or to modify the selected media content to adjust to an updated estimated amount of time. Another embodiment bases selected media content on a user or group profile.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer readable-media for contextual adaptive advertising. The method for contextual adaptive advertising comprises analyzing a video program, selecting at least one advertisement related to the video program and based on a viewer profile, and displaying the at least one advertisement simultaneously with the video program. One aspect of the method includes advertisements that are one or more of audio, text, images, or video and are displayed in a different modality, in a different location, or on a different device. Contextual adaptive advertisements may be displayed in a partially transparent manner over the video program. Contextual adaptive advertisements may be streamed, stored in advance, or a combination of both. The space and time for advertisements may also be auctioned to interested parties based on a number of parameters.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer readable-media for adaptive media playback based on destination. The method for adaptive media playback comprises determining one or more destinations, collecting media content that is relevant to or describes the one or more destinations, assembling the media content into a program, and outputting the program. In various embodiments, media content may be advertising, consumer-generated, based on real-time events, based on a schedule, or assembled to fit within an estimated available time. Media content may be assembled using an adaptation engine that selects a plurality of media segments that fit in the estimated available time, orders the plurality of media segments, alters at least one of the plurality of media segments to fit the estimated available time, if necessary, and creates a playlist of selected media content containing the plurality of media segments.

Abstract: A method for location-based communicating includes identifying a service provider based on information received from a requesting party at a networked communications apparatus. The method also includes determining whether a plurality of predefined service areas have been defined for the identified service provider. When the plurality of the at least one predefined service areas have been defined for the service provider, determinations are made as whether the requesting party is in one of the predefined service areas. When the requesting party is in a predefined service areas, information specified for a service location for the predefined service area is forwarded to the requesting party.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer readable-media for contextual adaptive advertising. The method for personalized hold comprises collecting a set of data elements about a user, generating a user profile based on the set of data elements, selecting media content from one or more content repositories based on the user profile, and delivering selected media content to a device for playback to the user during noncommunicative gaps. One aspect provides further for recording a playback order of delivered media content in order to avoid playing the same media content back to back.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium for predicting the fault-proneness of code units (files, modules, packages, and the like) of large-scale, long-lived software systems. The method collects information about the code units and the development process from previous releases, and formats this information for input to an analysis stage. The tool then performs a statistical regression analysis on the collected data, and formulates a model to predict fault counts for code units of the current and future releases. Finally, the method computes an expected fault count for each code unit in the current release by applying the formulated model to data from the current release. The expected fault counts are used to rank the release units in descending order of fault-proneness so that debugging efforts and resources can be optimized.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer readable-media for providing an automatic synthetically generated voice describing media content, the method comprising receiving one or more pieces of metadata for a primary media content, selecting at least one piece of metadata for output, and outputting the at least one piece of metadata as synthetically generated speech with the primary media content. Other aspects of the invention involve alternative output, output speech simultaneously with the primary media content, output speech during gaps in the primary media content, translate metadata in foreign language, tailor voice, accent, and language to match the metadata and/or primary media content. A user may control output via a user interface or output may be customized based on preferences in a user profile.

Abstract: Reducing connection overhead in a communications network includes reusing at least one cached communication channel connecting a source and a destination. The at least one cached communication channel is cached for a variable duration.

Abstract: A method for using broadband network resources includes providing simultaneous access to an asynchronous transfer mode switched virtual circuit for a plurality of sessions. The access for each session is provided based on an internet protocol session request being received at a service gateway for the sessions. The method also includes tearing down the asynchronous transfer mode switched virtual circuit when all of the sessions are terminated.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer readable-media for answering a communication notification. The method for answering a communication notification comprises receiving a notification of communication from a user, converting information related to the notification to speech, outputting the information as speech to the user, and receiving from the user an instruction to accept or ignore the incoming communication associated with the notification. In one embodiment, information related to the notification comprises one or more of a telephone number, an area code, a geographic origin of the request, caller id, a voice message, address book information, a text message, an email, a subject line, an importance level, a photograph, a video clip, metadata, an IP address, or a domain name. Another embodiment involves notification assigned an importance level and repeat attempts at notification if it is of high importance.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and tangible computer readable-media for detecting synthetic speaker verification. The method comprises receiving a plurality of speech samples of the same word or phrase for verification, comparing each of the plurality of speech samples to each other, denying verification if the plurality of speech samples demonstrate little variance over time or are the same, and verifying the plurality of speech samples if the plurality of speech samples demonstrates sufficient variance over time. One embodiment further adds that each of the plurality of speech samples is collected at different times or in different contexts. In other embodiments, variance is based on a pre-determined threshold or the threshold for variance is adjusted based on a need for authentication certainty. In another embodiment, if the initial comparison is inconclusive, additional speech samples are received.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of distributing a non-live content stream in a network. The method comprises transmitting an initial meta-file in response to receiving a request for a non-live content stream. The initial meta-file comprises information, and the information identifies a division of the content stream, identifies a multicast source server and a unicast source server. The method also comprises transmitting at least a first portion of the non-live content stream using the multicast source server and at least a second portion of the non-live content stream using the unicast source server. Also, the invention relates to a system comprising a multicast source server adapted to transmit at least a first portion of the non-live content stream in response to transmission of an initial meta-file. The initial meta-file is transmitted in response to receiving a request for a non-live content stream.