Abstract: In one embodiment, a method selects a first reference block in a first reference frame and a second reference block in a second reference frame. The first reference block and the second reference block are used to predict a current block in a current frame. A first region is selected based on the first reference block, a second region is selected based the second reference block, and a third region is selected based on the current block. The method compares a characteristic of the first region to a characteristic of the third region and compares a characteristic of the second region to the characteristic of the third region to adaptively determine a first weight for the first reference block and a second weight for the second reference block. Then, a prediction block is calculated for the current block using the first weight and the second weight.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a method receives images of eyes of a user. The method computes a vertical resting position of the eyes and computes a horizontal resting position of the eyes based on an average horizontal position of both of the eyes. An image of the eyes of the user is received. Then, the method calculates when an offset for a direction and a magnitude of the eyes is within a region in a plurality of regions and determines a command for the region. A call for the command is generated to a device to cause the command to be performed on a user interface.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method receives a request from a user for one or more extensions to a first program. The first program is associated with a first bundle that indicates the first program starts at a first time and ends at a second time. A second program that starts before the first time or starts after the second time is selected. The second program is associated with a second bundle that indicates the second program ends at the first time or starts at the second time. The method generates an extension bundle that includes information for the one or more extensions and uses the extension bundle to record an extended program for the user that includes the first program and at least a portion of the one or more extensions from the second program.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method receives an image of video content for a video offered by a video delivery service. The method analyzes pixels in the image to determine color attributes of the pixels, the color attributes including a lightness attribute and a hue attribute. Lightness counts for the image based on the lightness attribute and hue group counts based on the hue attribute are generated for the pixels. The method selects a lightness classification from lightness classifications based on the lightness counts and selects a hue group from hue groups based on the hue group counts. The lightness classification and the hue group classification are sent to a client device to allow the client device to generate a color using the lightness classification, the hue group classification, and a saturation value, the color being applied to an interface on the client device that is displaying the image.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method receives a first chunk in a plurality of chunks from a video. The plurality of chunks are sent to a plurality of transcoding units for transcoding in parallel. The method transcodes the first chunk at a first transcoding unit to generate a first transcoded sub-bitstream. Then, first statistical information is received from one or more second chunks being transcoded by other transcoding units. The first statistical information from the one or more second chunks is compared to second statistical information from the first chunk and it is determined whether to perform a second transcoding process based on the comparing. When the second transcoding process is to be performed, the method performs the second transcoding process with the first chunk to generate a second transcoded bitstream and outputs the second transcoded bitstream. When the second transcoding process is not to be performed, the method outputs the first transcoded sub-bitstream.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a method generates combinations of ad campaign content and media program campaign content and ranks the combinations of ad campaign content and media program content. The ranking is based on ad campaign content being shown with the media program campaign content. The method selects one or more of the combinations of ad campaign content and media program campaign content based on the ranking. Then, display of the one or more of the combinations of ad campaign content and media program campaign content is caused where the one or more of the combinations of ad campaign content and media program campaign content include ad campaign content shown with media program campaign content in a same area of a display.

Abstract: A client establishes connections with a media server. The connections include a first connection for regular playback and one or more second connections for processing a channel change. Segments of a first video are received from the media server using the first connection in the plurality of connections. The first video is being played on a first channel in a plurality of channels. The client receives a request to change from the first channel to a second channel in the plurality of channels. A request for at least a portion of a segment of a second video being played on the second channel is sent to the media server. The request includes a channel change indicator. The client then receives the at least the portion of the segment of the second video using the one or more second connections with the media server.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method determines if a first flag for using a most probable mode (MPM) set for intra prediction is set. When the first flag indicates the MPM set is used, the method decodes a first index for the MPM, the first index indicating a first intra prediction mode in the MPM set. When the first flag does not indicate the MPM set is being used, the method determines if a second flag for using a near-MPM set is set. When the second flag indicates the near-MPM set is being used, the method decodes a second index for the near-MPM, the second index indicating a second intra prediction mode in the near-MPM set. When the second flag does not indicate the near-MPM is being used, the method decodes a third index for a non-MPM, the third index indicating a third intra prediction mode in the non-MPM set.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method defines a plurality of geographic primitives. A geographic primitive is defined by one or more location identifiers. A plurality of distribution areas are generated where a distribution area is defined by one or more of the geographic primitives. The method assigns one of the distribution areas to each of a plurality of pieces of media content. Then, the method stores the assigned one of the plurality of distribution areas for each of the plurality of pieces of media content in a database. One or more of the plurality of pieces of media content are published with the assigned one of the distribution areas. The assigned one of the distribution areas is usable to determine which media content in the one or more of the plurality of pieces of media content is available to users.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a method receives sub-bitstreams from a multi-pass transcoding process of a video. A target quality is received based on a characteristic of transcoding of the video. Then, the method generates a combination of sub-bitstream chunks from the sub-bitstreams for the video. A set of exchange rates is calculated where each exchange rate defines how much bitrate will be reduced in relation to quality if an anchor sub-bitstream chunk from the combination of sub-bitstream chunks is replaced with another sub-bitstream chunk from other sub-bitstreams. Then method iteratively exchanges one of the anchor sub-bitstream chunks in the combination of sub-bitstream chunks with another sub-bitstream chunk based on the exchange rate of the anchor sub-bitstream chunk in the combination of sub-bitstream chunks until the quality measurement of the combination meets the target quality. Then, the combination of sub-bitstream chunks is recorded as a transcoded bitstream.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method uses a notification of a programming event to determine an entity of a media program and an availability pair. The availability pair identifies an entitlement and a location combination for viewing the media program. the method queries a database using the entity and the availability pair in a query to determine a first set of user profiles associated with the entity and a second set of user profiles associated with the availability pair. The first list of user profiles and the second list of user profiles are analyzed to select at least the portion of the first set of user profiles and the second set of user profiles. Then, the method performs an action for the at least the portion of the first set of user profiles and the second set of user profiles based on an occurrence of the programming event.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method defines a plurality of geographic primitives that are defined by one or more location identifiers. A plurality of distribution areas are generated where a distribution area is defined by one or more of the geographic primitives. The method assigns one of the plurality of distribution areas to each of a plurality of pieces of media content. A request is received from a client device that is associated with a location identifier. The method performs a reverse lookup query to a database using a geo-mapping service to retrieve a set of distribution areas that include a geographical primitive associated with the location identifier and selects one or more pieces of media content from the plurality of pieces of media content. Information for at least a portion of the one or more pieces of media content is then provided to the client device.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a method receives a request from a client including first status information. The status information was included in a first instance of a media presentation description for a first set of segments of a stream of a media presentation and identified a break from the stream of the media presentation for insertion of supplemental content. The method uses the first status information to identify supplemental content for the client. A second instance of the media presentation description is sent for at least a portion of the supplemental content. The second instance of the media presentation description includes second status information that reverts the client back to the stream of the media presentation after insertion of the supplemental content.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a method trains a first prediction network to predict similarity between images in videos. The training uses boundaries detected in the videos to train the prediction network to predict images in a same scene to have similar feature descriptors. The first prediction network generates feature descriptors that describe library images from videos in a video library offered to users of a video delivery service. A search image is received and the prediction network predicts one or more library images for one or more videos that are predicted to be similar to the received image. The one or more library images for the one or more videos are provided as a search result.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method plays, a media program in a media player operating in a first mode on an interface. A change in a condition is detected for the media player. Then, the method switches from the first mode to a second mode based on the change in the condition. The second mode restricts movement of the media player. The media player is moved from a first position to a second position upon switching to the second mode and the media player continues to play the media program in the second position.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system detects objects in an image and generates attention regions that are positioned in the image based on first positions of the objects in the image. Focus points for the objects are generated for the attention regions at one or more second positions. Focus boxes are generated using the second positions of the focus points. Then, the system generates information for a motion effect using content of the image based on a number of the focus boxes and third positions of the focus boxes.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes sending videos to users that use a video delivery service. The videos include shows that have episodes released sequentially. The method records historical records of video views for the video based on the sending of the videos to the users. For a show, a show-specific model is determined to predict future video views by performing: determining historical records of video views for different episodes of the show; training the show-specific model with the historical records, wherein the show-specific model models a decay curve with a regularizing term to regularize a decay speed; using the show-specific model to predict future video views for a future time range for episodes of the show; and outputting the future video views to an ad system configured to sell ads for the show.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method receives spherical content for video and generates face images from the spherical content to represent an image in the video. A two dimensional sheet for the face images is generated. A size of the face images is reduced and a pixel frame around each of the plurality of face images is added on the sheet. Also, a plurality of gaps are added on the sheet in between edges of the face images that are neighboring. The method then adds gap content in the plurality of gaps where the gap content is based on content in an area proximate to the plurality of gaps. The method encodes the face images, the pixel frame, and gap content on the sheet and sends the encoded sheet to a decoder. The face images are decoded for placement on an object structure to display the spherical content.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a method may calculates a latest seekable point for a live edge of a media program and determines a current playback position of the media program. The latest seekable point for the live edge corresponds to a latest time in the media program that can be played within a threshold. The method selects among a first range, a second range, and a third range based on the current playback position and the latest seekable point. A first feature is enabled when the first range is selected, a second feature is enabled when the second range is selected, and whichever of the first feature or the second feature that is currently enabled is not changed to continue displaying whichever of the first feature and the second feature that is currently enabled when the third range is selected.