Abstract: A computerized system for targeted ad insertion receives a program content stream and detects images in the content stream. The system recognizes at least one visual object within the images and matches the recognized visual object to an advertisement that correlates with the recognized visual object. The system may then select an advertisement that advertises, correlates to, is directed to or is otherwise relevant to products or services falling under the theme, topic, category of interest and/or relevant viewer demographic and inserts an identifier of the matched advertisement at an insertion point into the program content stream. This enables playback of the matched advertisement during playback of the program content stream at a time that correlates to the insertion point into the program content stream of the identifier of the matched advertisement.

Abstract: Novel techniques are described for usage tracking for shared dockless personal transport vehicles (PTVs) over one or more communications networks. Features encourage desired interactions between consumers and PTVs, such as by encouraging consumers to park the PTVs in a desirable condition and in desirable locations. For example, embodiments obtain location data from at least one sensor (e.g., a camera of a smart phone) indicating a parked location of a PTV of a fleet of shared PTVs. A set of parked location attributes is computed in accordance with the obtained location data, and an arbitration determination is computed indicating whether the set of parked location attributes meets a stored set of acceptance criteria. In accordance with a favorable computed arbitration determination, embodiments can output lock control data for a vehicle lock of the PTV (e.g., to lock the PTV in its parked location).

Abstract: Devices, systems, and processes for testing capacitors are disclosed. A system includes a digital signal processor configured to execute non-transient computer executable instructions for testing a device over at least three operating modes. The operating modes may include a start-up mode, during which the digital signal processor is configured to control initial charging of the device to a desired initial condition, a charge mode, during which the digital signal processor is configured to control replenishment of electrical energy in the device, and a test mode, during which the digital signal processor is configured to control testing of the device in accordance with at least one testing protocol. The device may include an energy capture circuit configured to capture recovered energy arising during a first test cycle and to provide the recovered energy to the device for use during a second test cycle.

Abstract: Disclosed are antenna devices, system, and method for packaging and configuring an antenna system into a first configuration and a second configuration. The antenna system may include one or more swivel plates coupling components of the antenna such that they are configured for rotation about one or more axis. Locking apparatuses for each swivel plate may be provided for locking the antenna system into a desired configuration or state. The antenna system may be configured into a first configuration and/or a first state for use and into a second configuration and/or second state for shipping, packaging and storage.

Abstract: Systems and methods for a chatbot communication framework, which solves the problems of hacker chatbots, identity theft, transmission of corrupt data and related technological issues by providing an integrated framework for communication between chatbots that otherwise use various different unique standards and rules and authentication procedures. This improves the operation of chatbot computing systems by increasing speed and efficiency of electronic communication between such systems and increasing security of such systems by preventing identity theft and transmission of corrupt data.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed toward locally generating a replacement spot beam signal to be combined with other orbital television signals, where the replacement spot beam signal is generated from locally received over-the-air television signals. Over-the-air television signals are received at a user's premises via an over-the-air antenna and orbital signals are received at the user's premises via a satellite antenna. The orbital signals include a spot beam signal and other orbital signals. The spot beam signal is specifically generated for the geographical area associated with the over-the-air television signals. One or more available local channels are extracted from the over-the-air television signals and are converted into the replacement spot beam signal that is a satellite-compatible signal. The replacement spot beam, instead of the original spot beam signal, is then combined with the other orbital signals and provided to a content receiver.

Abstract: Various arrangements of a local cloud system for providing television services are presented. A facility cloud host system may have a content service provider interface that is used to receive live television channel streams from a television content service provider. The local cloud system may have a transcoder that transcodes the live television channels into a format to be transmitted locally to client devices. The local cloud system may have a property management system interface through which temporary user information is imported for accounts linked to the client devices. The local cloud system may provide digital video recorder (DVR) services for the accounts mapped to the client devices.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods are provided for use in interpreting, converting, generating, embedding, presenting, storing and otherwise using mini-banner content. For at least one embodiment, a mini-banner content system may include a secondary content system element which executes non-transient computer executable instructions to configure: a content interpreter to interpret secondary content, identify aspect information, and output the aspect information; a content converter, which when receiving aspect information at least one of retrieves a first element corresponding to the aspect information and/or generates a second element corresponding to the aspect information, and generates a mini-banner content element based upon results of the retrieving operation and/or the generating operation.

Abstract: The various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to devices, systems and methods for providing media content.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described to provide voice search in an elastic cloud environment communicating with a set-top box (STB) by receiving by a voice cloud search server pulse-code modulation (PCM) audio packets transmitted from the STB; sending the PCM audio packets to a natural language processing (NLP) service for converting to text; sending the text sets to an elastic voice cloud search server for querying an electronic program guide (EPG) service, channel and program data associated with the text set wherein the EPG service to at least return identified channel and program data; in response to an identified return of channel and television program data, sending sets of text to a third-party search service for performing an independent search for related data and returning search results of video and image content which is then stripped of dynamic scripts to return to the STB.

Abstract: Systems and methods for managing media mosaics are described. One embodiment provides a media mosaic management method in a media device. The method generates a mosaic filter based on a program selected from a first media mosaic. The mosaic filter is used to identify related programs for presentation in a second, customized media mosaic.

Abstract: A system for facilitating configuration of an audio system tests the existing audio system configuration by playing reference audio clips of various different genres of programming, the audio of which is received by a microphone of a remote control device or other handheld mobile device at various different listening points in the room. The system then compares the audio signal representing audio of the reference audio clip received at the microphone to a reference audio signal representing the reference audio clip and determines other audio characteristics. The system then determines, based on the comparison and other characteristics of the room (e.g., furniture layout, room construction materials, wall treatments and current speaker positioning) suggested changes to a configuration of the audio system to increase audio quality of the audio system for playing audio associated with the various different genres of programming.

Abstract: A device includes test transmitter having a hot test prong configured for electrical coupling the test transmitter with a hot line of an electrical circuit and signal generator, coupled to the hot test prong, configured to generate a ping signal on the hot line. The hot test prong is configured for insertion into a hot receptable of the electrical outlet. The ping signal is received over the hot line from a test transmitter coupled to the electrical circuit. The device includes a neutral receive prong configured for electrical coupling with a neutral line and a ground receive prong configured for electrical coupling with a ground line. The device may detect presence of the ping signal at the neutral receive prong when a reversed polarity wiring configuration exists and at the ground receive prong when a bootleg ground configuration exists.

Abstract: First and second speech data can be received from respective first and second devices. The first and second speech data can be determined to be from a same dialog. A link can be generated based on the dialog.

Abstract: Embodiments are related to processing of a source video stream for generation of a target video stream that includes an object of interest to a viewer. In some embodiments, the target video stream may exclusively or primarily include the performance of the object of interest to the viewer, without including other persons in that video. This allows a viewer to focus on an object of his or her interest and not necessarily have to view the performances of other objects in the source video stream.

Abstract: Systems and methods for noise cancelation in a listening area include functionality that activates a microphone of the remote control device of a home entertainment system or a microphone of another mobile device to collect a baseline white noise profile of a user's media content listening area, such as the user's family room, living room or other TV viewing space. This baseline white noise profile may be used by the user's set-top box (STB) or other receiving device to generate the corresponding noise canceling audio signal to create a noise-canceling effect and a more immersive and enjoyable listening experience for the user. A plurality of audio data samples from which to select, each representing a different baseline profile of ambient white noise associated with the media content listening area, may be generated and used for different devices that generate white noise.

Abstract: Systems, and methods are described to provide voice search in an elastic cloud environment communicating with a set-top box (STB) by receiving by a voice cloud search server pulse-code modulation (PCM) audio packets transmitted from the STB; sending the PCM audio packets to a natural language processing (NLP) service for converting to text; sending the text sets to an elastic voice cloud search server for querying an electronic program guide (EPG) service, channel and program data associated with the text sets wherein the EPG service to at least return identified channel and program data; in response to an identified return of channel and television program data, sending sets of text to a search service for performing an elastic search for related data from a plurality of different search sources and returning search results and error codes to a requester.

Abstract: An Internet Layer end-to-end security connection (an Internet protocol (IP) encrypted tunnel) is established between a television receiving device and each player device on a home local area network (LAN) as part of the initial pairing process between each player device and the television receiving device. Traffic between the television receiving device and the player device is communicated via IP on the LAN, such that data between the two devices is securely encrypted at the Internet Layer, thus reducing potential security issues related to managing security and encryption at the application layer. This results in a secure virtual private network (VPN) between each player device and the television receiving device.

Abstract: Conversation support systems and methods are operable to assist a user to more fully participate in an ongoing conversation. An exemplary embodiment receives a conversation map comprising a serially arranged plurality of conversation segments of audio information each associated with one of a plurality of conversation participants, and that includes dialogue of the ongoing conversation being spoken by the associated conversation participant; determining subject matter of a current portion of the ongoing conversation based on the dialogue; selects conversation support information that pertains to the current conversation subject; and generating a conversation queue that includes information that corresponds to the selected conversation support information, wherein the conversation queue is communicated from the conversational support system to at least one conversation queue output device that presents the conversation support information to the user.

Abstract: Novel techniques are described for automated transition classification for binge watching of content. For example, a number of frame images is extracted from a candidate segment time window of content. The frame images can automatically be classified by a trained machine learning model into segment and non-segment classifications, and the classification results can be represented by a two-dimensional (2D) image. The 2D image can be run through a multi-level convolutional conversion to output a set of output images, and a serialized representation of the output images can be run through a trained computational neural network to generate a transition array, from which a candidate transition time can be derived (indicating a precise time at which the content transitions to the classified segment).