Abstract: In various arrangements, a television receiver system for successive initialization of television channel recording is presented. The system may include a control processor, configured to determine a plurality of television channels are configured to begin recording at a same time. The control processor may transmit a first request for recording of a first television channel of the plurality of television channels. The system may include a tuning management processor, configured to configure a first recording of the first television channel in response to the first request. The tuning management processor may also transmit an acknowledgement to the control processor following the first recording of the first television channel being configured. The control processor may, in response to receiving the acknowledgement, transmit, to the tuning management processor, a second request for recording of a second television channel of the plurality of television channels.

Abstract: Systems and methods that enable satellite television subscribers to bookmark and annotate sections of recorded media content, and also to share and access bookmarks with and created by others.

Abstract: An apparatus for adaptive-rate shifting of streaming content, includes an agent controller module configured to simultaneously request at least portions of a plurality of streamlets. The agent controller module is farther configured to continuously monitor streamlet requests and subsequent responses, and accordingly request higher or lower quality streamlets. A staging module is configured to stage the streamlets and arrange the streamlets for playback on a content player. A system, includes a data communications network, a content server coupled to the data communications network and having a content module configured to process content and generate a plurality of high and low quality streams, and the apparatus.

Abstract: Systems, devices and methods are provided to support multiple audio tracks in an adaptive media stream. Segments of the adaptive stream are encoded so that the player is able to locate and request a specific one of the available audio tracks using byte range requests or the like. Audio content can be removed from video segments, or at least moved to the end of the segments so that a byte range request obtains just the video content when the default audio is not desired. The audio content can be obtained from a separate audio segment. Indeed, multiple audio tracks can be packaged into a common audio segment so that byte range requests can obtain just the particular audio track desired.

Abstract: Systems and methods of generating device commands based upon hand gesture commands are disclosed. An exemplary embodiment generates image information from a series of captured images, generates commands based upon hand gestures made by a user that emulate device commands generated by a remote control device, identifies a hand gesture made by the user from the received image information, determines a hand gesture command based upon the identified hand gesture, compares the determined hand gesture command with the plurality of predefined hand gesture commands to identify a corresponding matching hand gesture command from the plurality of predefined hand gesture commands, generates an emulated remote control device command based upon the identified matching hand gesture command, and controls the media device based upon the generated emulated remote control device command.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided that allow a user to register for selective notifications of one or more events that may occur on a channel in a media stream. When a registered event occurs, the system and method generates an event notification, which is delivered to the remotely-located media player. In response to the event notification, the media player can be automatically enabled and/or switched to the appropriate channel. Alternatively, the system and method may notify the user of the event, and give the user the option of enabling and/or switching the media player to the channel corresponding to the event. The system and method can be implemented to facilitate monitoring for a variety of different types. In each of these various types the user is able to select the events for which monitoring and notification will be provided.

Abstract: A media transfer method includes displaying, on a display device, a program guide including a plurality of items corresponding to media content; determining which of the plurality items are moveable items; displaying, on an integrated virtual environment device, an image identifying the moveable items; and transferring at least one of the moveable items to the integrated virtual environment device in response to a selection made via the integrated virtual environment device.

Abstract: A method of archiving audio/video content is presented. In the method, a plurality of audio/video content streams is received. Each of the received audio/video content streams is indexed according to time. Each of the indexed audio/video content streams is transferred to a data storage system for storage. A request for a portion of one of the stored audio/video content streams associated with a time period is received. The requested portion of the one of the stored audio/video content streams is retrieved from the data storage system. The requested portion of the one of the stored audio/video content streams is transferred.

Abstract: Various audiovisual presentation arrangements are described. In some embodiments, a headset is configured to output audio to a user. A television receiver may be configured to output a plurality of video feeds for simultaneous presentation by a display device. Each video feed of the plurality of video feeds may be displayed in a different display region of the display device. The television receiver may receive a command indicative of a video feed of the plurality of videos feeds that the user is viewing on the display device. Based on the command, the television receiver may output, to the headset, an audio feed that corresponds to the video feed the user is viewing.

Abstract: A method for determining a program of interest to a user and setting a timer to automatically record the program of interest. The method can interpret user inputs and watching habits, such as whether or not a user is present, to determine if a program being displayed for a user is a program of interest to the user. Once a program of interest is identified, a timer is set to record the next scheduled broadcast of the program of interest for the user. The user can then be notified, either before or after the timer is activated, that the automatic timer was set to record the program, and the user given the option of whether or not to keep the timer or recording.

Abstract: Data associated with a user is collected from one or more remote sites. A first set of media data is received from a media content source. Metadata related to the media data is stored. An association is made between the data associated with the user and the metadata. In a computing device that includes a processor and a memory, the first set of media data is modified based at least in part on the association between the data associated with the user and the metadata.

Abstract: TDMA communications between a host device and a number of clients on a communications channel are dynamically adapted to allocate or de-allocate time slots in response to changes in the number of active clients. The system initially operates in a startup mode in which the host device transmits a startup message on the communications channel and assigns a timeslot in a TDMA cycle in response to connection requests received from each of the requesting clients. After exiting the startup mode, the system operates in a normal mode in which the host device initiates the TDMA cycle by transmitting a polling message on the communications channel that indicates a number of timeslots occurring within that particular TDMA cycle. The host changes the number of timeslots indicated in the polling message to responsively adapt duration of the TDMA cycle as the number of clients communicating via the communications channel changes.

Abstract: Systems, methods, devices, non-transitory computer-readable mediums, and apparatuses are presented for detecting and positioning sound in a home automation system. Indications of sounds and timestamps may be received from various home automation devices. Using the received indications, a sound magnitude for the sound and whether the sound originated inside or outside of the structure can be determined. The sound magnitude may be compared to an inside sound threshold level if the sound was determined to originate inside the structure or compared to an outside sound threshold level if the sound was determined to originate outside the structure. Sound information corresponding to the sound may be logged if the sound was determined to originate inside and the sound magnitude exceeds the inside sound threshold level or the sound was determined to originate outside and the sound magnitude exceeds the outside sound threshold level.

Abstract: Various arrangements for presenting an electronic programming guide are detailed. An indication of a first television channel for tuning may be received by a television receiver. The first television channel may be transmitted as part of a first transponder stream. Based on an inadequate downlink signal being received for the first television channel, it may be determined that the first television channel cannot be received and output. A plurality of unavailable television channels may be identified due to the plurality of unavailable television channels being transmitted as part of the first transponder stream. An electronic programming guide may be output to a display device that indicates the plurality of unavailable television channels and the first television channel are each unavailable.

Abstract: Systems and methods securely provide media content from a media server to a media client via a network. The media content is segmented to create multiple media segments that are each identified in a playlist, and at least one of the media segments is encrypted using a cryptographic key. The cryptographic key is also identified in the playlist, and the playlist is provided from the media server to the media client via the network. The various media segments and cryptographic keys may then be requested from and provided by the media server using hypertext transport protocol (HTTP) or similar constructs to allow the media client to receive and decrypt the various segments of the media content.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a plurality of automated monitoring and control system modules (automated monitoring and control system module) are individually connected to respective receiving devices via the audio and video output ports of each respective receiving device. Each automated monitoring and control system module may be configured to receive a testing program from a centralized monitoring system for the receiving device based on identification data of the receiving device and execute the received testing program for the receiving device. Each automated monitoring and control system module is connected to the centralized monitoring system over a local area network (LAN) or the Internet in order to send testing results, diagnostic data and captured video and audio data for further processing by the centralized monitoring system.

Abstract: A media device for content-based highlight handling of television programming may be provided. Criteria of interest corresponding to user input may be processed. Idle tuner(s) not being used to receive any television channels for presentation or recording may be identified. A television channel identified based at least in part on the criteria of interest may be tuned to with an idle tuner. Content received at the media device may be processed. Update data associated with a subject matter of the content may be received separately from the television channel. A portion of the content that corresponds to the criteria may be identified based at least in part on the criteria of interest and the update data. A portion of a television program may be recorded and/or marked. The portion of the television program may correspond to the portion of the content identified based at least in part on the criteria.

Abstract: A solar powered satellite system is provided. A power control system, for example, of the solar powered satellite system may include, but is not limited to, a first interface configured to receive a power signal from the satellite receiver, a voltage converter electrically coupled to the first interface, the voltage converter configured to reduce a voltage of the power signal received from the satellite receiver to a predetermined voltage, a second interface configured to receive a power signal from the solar panel assembly, a third interface configured to be coupled to at least one power consumer of a satellite dish, and a source selection circuit electrically coupled to the voltage converter, the solar panel assembly and the third interface, the source selection circuit configured to output a selected power signal based upon a comparison between the predetermined voltage and a voltage of the power signal from the solar panel assembly.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program for displaying video and accompanying text data on a display are provided. The method includes receiving media content that includes video and determining whether text data associated with the video is to be presented on the display alongside the video. If associated text data is not to be presented, then the video content is output as normal, with the video content occupying a first area of the display (such as the entire display). If associated text data is to be presented, then the video output is automatically resized such that the video occupies a smaller area of the display, and the associated text data is automatically displayed alongside the video. By allowing for dynamic resizing it is possible to display subtitles or closed captions alongside portions of video content without obscuring the video.

Abstract: A method of communicating control information in a satellite broadcast communication system is presented. In the method, at least one copy of a control message set is transmitted from a control system by way of a satellite to a broadcast receiver. The control message set includes at least one control message. At least one copy of each of the control messages of the control message set is received at the broadcast receiver. A feedback message is transmitted from the broadcast receiver by way of a terrestrial communication link to the control system. The feedback message includes an indication that all of control messages of the control message set were received at the broadcast receiver. The feedback message is received at the control system. In response to receiving the feedback message, transmission of subsequent copies of the control message set is terminated at the control system.