Abstract: A method, apparatus and article of manufacture for providing supplemental video content for third party websites is disclosed. In one embodiment, coded instructions are transmitted from a content enhancement server to a host server, for incorporation into the webpage source code. The host server is controlled by a first entity and the content enhancement server is controlled by a second entity commercially distinct from the first entity. Keywords are generated by execution of the coded instructions in the webpage received in the client computer from the host server, and the keywords are sent to a content enhancement server, which generates supplemental substantive video content information for transmission to the client.
Abstract: To address the requirements described above, a method, apparatus, article of manufacture, and a memory structure for providing advertisements with a media program transmitted to a user computer. The method permits the user to provide survey responses in exchange for viewing a media program with fewer advertisement, and permits the user to manage the survey responses.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 30, 2009
Date of Patent:
August 7, 2012
Assignee:
Hulu, LLC
Inventors:
Robert Masao Wong, Richard Waiven Tom, Eugene Chuan-Huai Wei, Jason Alan Kilar
Abstract: A method, apparatus, system, article of manufacture, and computer readable storage medium provide media content. A web page context for a web page is determined and stored in a database. One or more media content files are analyzed to extract information that is stored in the database. The information is compared to the web page context. A matching media content file is determined from the one of the one or more media content files that matches the web page context based on the comparison. The matching media content file is then provided (e.g., to an internet portal web site).
Abstract: A method and apparatus for encoding a source media program is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises the steps of transcoding the source media program to produce a constant video quality transcoded version of the media program, determining if a portion of constant video quality version of the transcoded media program fails to satisfy a constraint, if the portion of the transcoded media program fails to satisfy the constraint, adjusting at least one transcoding parameter of a set of transcoding parameters, transcoding the portion of the source media program according to the adjusted at least one transcoding parameter to produce a constant bit rate version of the portion of the transcoded media program, and substituting the constant bit rate version of the portion of the transcoded media program for the constant video quality portion of the transcoded media program.
Abstract: A method, apparatus, article of manufacture for generating a media program database having a plurality of media programs is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method is comprises the steps of receiving first media program metadata from a first source, searching the Internet to find second media program metadata from a second source distinct from the first source, determining if the first media program metadata and the second media program metadata are associated with the same media program, merging the first media program metadata and the second media program metadata if the first media program metadata and the second media program metadata are associated with the same media program, and storing the merged first media program metadata and second media program metadata in the media program database.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 31, 2008
Date of Patent:
May 22, 2012
Assignee:
Hulu LLC
Inventors:
Zhibing Wang, Yizhe Tang, Qian Chang, Ting-hao Yang
Abstract: A method, apparatus, article of manufacture for providing list of a plurality of media programs responsive to a user search query is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises the steps of accepting an general search query from a user computer, identifying a synonym for the general search query, identifying a category for the general search query according to the identified synonym, performing a categorical search of a media program database using the identified synonym and the identified category to obtain a search result, and transmitting the search result to the user computer for presentation on a display communicatively coupled to the user computer.
Abstract: A method, apparatus, article of manufacture, and a memory structure for presenting an advertisement for playback in conjunction with a streamed media program are described. The method permits the user to control advertising breaks and in particular, the timing of advertising breaks associated with the media program.
Type:
Application
Filed:
September 27, 2011
Publication date:
May 3, 2012
Applicant:
HULU LLC
Inventors:
JASON A. KILAR, JEAN-PAUL COLACO, RICHARD W. TOM, JESSICA P. IVY
Abstract: A method, apparatus, article of manufacture, and a memory structure for providing advertisements with a media program transmitted to a user device are described. The method permits the user to control the presentation of advertisements.
Type:
Application
Filed:
September 27, 2011
Publication date:
May 3, 2012
Applicant:
HULU LLC
Inventors:
JASON A. KILAR, BRIAN SOEBEKTI, THOMAS C. TATE, WING CHIT MAK, RICHARD W. TOM, ERIC I. FENG, HUA ZHENG, JEAN-PAUL COLACO, XIN JIN
Abstract: A method, apparatus, article of manufacture, and a memory structure for providing advertisements with a media program transmitted to a user device are described. The method permits the user to manage the provision of user information such as surveys and advertisement feedback to the media program provider to improve the advertising experience.
Type:
Application
Filed:
September 27, 2011
Publication date:
May 3, 2012
Applicant:
HULU LLC
Inventors:
JASON A. KILAR, JESSICA P. IVY, WING CHIT MAK, RICHARD W. TOM, ROBERT M. WONG, BRYON E. SCHAFER, HUA ZHENG, JEAN-PAUL COLACO, BRIAN SOEBEKTI
Abstract: A method, apparatus, article of manufacture, and a memory structure for providing advertisements with a media program transmitted to a user device are described. The method permits the user to interrupt the playback of the advertisement and continue with the playback of the media program with no further advertisements, or to interrupt the playback of the advertisement to substitute a different version of the advertisement.
Type:
Application
Filed:
September 27, 2011
Publication date:
May 3, 2012
Applicant:
HULU LLC
Inventors:
JASON A. KILAR, JESSICA P. IVY, WING CHIT MAK, RICHARD W. TOM, ROBERT M. WONG, BRYON E. SCHAFER, HUA ZHENG, JEAN-PAUL COLACO, BRIAN SOEBEKTI
Abstract: A method, apparatus, article of manufacture, and a memory structure for providing advertisements with a media program transmitted to a user device are described. The method permits the user to control the presentation of advertisements to select prefacing advertisements in lieu of more time consuming or more numerous intervening advertisements presented during the media program.
Type:
Application
Filed:
September 27, 2011
Publication date:
May 3, 2012
Applicant:
HULU LLC
Inventors:
JASON A. KILAR, RICHARD W. TOM, ERIC I. FENG, HUA ZHENG, JEAN-PAUL COLACO, XIN JIN
Abstract: A method and apparatus for recommending a media program of a set of media programs to a user of a set of users is disclosed. The method and apparatus computes a measure wij of the implied similarity of a first media program (i) and a second media program (j) that corrects for the popularity of the media programs, thus resulting in a more accurate indication of the relatedness of the media programs.
Type:
Application
Filed:
December 21, 2010
Publication date:
April 19, 2012
Applicant:
HULU LLC
Inventors:
Xuan Wei, Hang Li, Hua Zheng, Ting-hao Yang, Richard W. Tom
Abstract: A processing workflow method, system, and computer program product provide the ability; to recommend alternative programming during playback of a source media program. A media program player plays the source media program to a first viewer and provides information regarding the first viewer to a recommendation engine. The recommendation engine calculates and sends the media player a list of recommended media program candidates (including identifications of the candidates) based on the information. Prior to reaching an advertising break in the source media program, the media player transmits a request (including the identifications) for an advertisement to an advertising server and in response, receives an advertisement that is played to the first viewer during the advertising break.
Type:
Application
Filed:
March 29, 2011
Publication date:
April 19, 2012
Applicant:
HULU LLC
Inventors:
Eugene Chuan-Huai Wei, Peter E. Sargent, Hua Zheng, Chaitanya Laxminarayan, Wing Chit Mak
Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product provide the ability to recommend, to a first viewer, alternative programming during playback of a first media program. The first media program is played. A second media program of potential interest to the user is identified. During an advertising break, an interface is presented to the user that identifies the second media program. An indication of interest in the second media program is received from the user. If the indication indicates that the user is interested in the second media program, a reference to the second media program is saved as a viewer recommendation for later playback. If not interested, additional input may be received from the user indicating why the user is not interested.
Type:
Application
Filed:
March 29, 2011
Publication date:
April 19, 2012
Applicant:
HULU LLC
Inventors:
Eugene Chuan-Huai Wei, Peter E. Sargent, Hua Zheng
Abstract: A method, system, apparatus, and computer program product provide the ability to bookmark a media program for subsequent viewing. A first interface is displayed and identifies a first media program. Via the first interface, a user requests that the first media program be recorded as a bookmark in a list of maintained bookmarks. The list of bookmarks is displayed. A user selects one of the bookmarks from the list and in response, the first media program is displayed to the first viewer.
Type:
Application
Filed:
March 29, 2011
Publication date:
April 19, 2012
Applicant:
HULU LLC
Inventors:
Eugene Chuan-Huai Wei, Peter E. Sargent, Hua Zheng
Abstract: A method, apparatus, article of manufacture, and a memory structure for providing advertisements with a media program transmitted to a user device are described. The method permits the user to save advertisements for later viewing.
Type:
Application
Filed:
September 27, 2011
Publication date:
March 22, 2012
Applicant:
HULU LLC
Inventors:
JASON A. KILAR, JEAN-PAUL COLACO, RICHARD W. TOM, JESSICA P. IVY
Abstract: A method, apparatus, article of manufacture, and a memory structure for providing advertisements with a media program transmitted to a user device are described. The method permits the user to access, define, edit, and control a playlist of advertisements that may be played with selected media programs, a playlist of media programs, or all media programs played to the user.
Type:
Application
Filed:
September 27, 2011
Publication date:
March 22, 2012
Applicant:
HULU LLC
Inventors:
JASON A. KILAR, JEAN-PAUL COLACO, RICHARD W. TOM, JESSICA P. IVY
Abstract: A method and apparatus for sharing viewing information is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving an designation of a second user from the first user; and transmitting the first user viewing information to the designated second user. The shared viewing information may comprise the identity of a currently viewed media program, a list of scheduled media program viewings, or the media program itself.
Type:
Application
Filed:
September 7, 2010
Publication date:
March 8, 2012
Applicant:
HULU LLC
Inventors:
Eric I. Feng, Hua Zheng, Xin Jin, Zhibing Wang
Abstract: A computer-implemented method, apparatus, system, article of manufacture, and computer readable storage medium provide the ability to stream media content to multiple users. A first stream of/for the media content is streamed from a first location in the media content to a first user. A request is received from the first user to seek to a seek location (e.g., forward or backward) in the media content. A second location in the media content compatible with the seek location is determined. The second location is based on a second stream being streamed to one or more second users. The second stream is then streamed to the first user and the second user.
Abstract: A method and apparatus for adaptively receiving media streams of different bit rates is disclosed. Data describing the variability of the bit rate of different versions of a media program is transmitted to the media player, and used by the media player to select the appropriate version for reception over the communication channel.
Type:
Application
Filed:
September 8, 2010
Publication date:
March 8, 2012
Applicant:
HULU LLC
Inventors:
Alexander V. Gutarin, Baptiste Coudurier