Abstract: A representation of a user's personality may be provided within one or more virtual environments. The personality of the user may be determined based on interactions within the one or more virtual environments. As such, the personality of the user may be determined organically without relying on declared information. A visible representation of the personality of the user may be provided to the user and/or other users within the one or more virtual environments.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for providing interactive audience participation at live entertainment events. The method includes use of an interactive device that presents a promotional message and includes a user interface, broadcasting audio programming to the audience member through the interactive device, querying the audience members, wherein answers to the querying may be entered by the audience member via the user interface of the interactive device, transmitting the answers to a central processor, storing the answers as audience data, processing the audience data into results, storing the results of the processing of the audience data and broadcasting the results of the processing of the audience data.

Abstract: A system and method are described that allow TV viewers to play a game wherein a bidder submitting a lowest unique bid wins an auction article or its cash equivalent.

Abstract: An ergonomic folding remote control with keyboard is disclosed. The folding remote control with keyboard has an ergonomic angled typing surface and thicker forward section along with a lay flat design. The remote controller may be conveniently held in one hand of a user when in the folded or closed position and conveniently rested on a support surface when in the opened position and used as a keyboard.

Abstract: A content distribution system is described. The content distribution system includes a show account database and a plurality of credit cards stored in the show account database. The content distribution system also has a linking module associating a viewer entering the call-in number with a credit card number in the show account database. The system has a charge module that charges a credit card account corresponding to the credit card number associated with a viewer entering the call-in number. The system also has an interactive recognition system that provides a qualifying question for the viewer to answer before a call of the viewer is connected to a studio.

Abstract: The present invention allows users to quickly develop web pages, or offers, to meet their advertisers' individual needs; mange the offers and inventory; and prioritize the order in which the offers are displayed. Functions included in the invention allow the user to internally monitor performance of marketing campaigns. The invention also has the ability to automatically prioritize which offers are to be displayed to users and in what order they will appear based upon the number of orders outstanding from an advertiser, the revenue generated from each conversion, the conversion rate of each offer, and a manual factor inserted based upon the business priority. The current invention allows the user to effectively and efficiently run a business where the user is required to set up offers for individual advertisers and maintain an effective balance of priority based upon business concerns, revenue, inventory of offer and conversion rates.

Abstract: A content distribution system is described. The content distribution system includes a show account database and a plurality of credit cards stored in the show account database. The content distribution system also has a linking module associating a viewer entering the call-in number with a credit card number in the show account database. The system has a charge module that charges a credit card account corresponding to the credit card number associated with a viewer entering the call-in number. The system also has an interactive recognition system that provides a qualifying question for the viewer to answer before a call of the viewer is connected to a studio.

Abstract: The disclosed technology proceeds by placing an indicator on an object in a live action or pre-recorded video. The indicator may be placed on the object throughout a segment of the video manually, or with the aid of a computer-aided tracking program, sensor (e.g. satellite navigation system), or the like. The indicator is selectable. An example of such is where a user of a video receiving device uses a remote control to toggle through indicators displayed on screen and selects an indicator to receive more information on a person displayed on screen.

Abstract: An image processing system for use in development and playback of interactive video. In a development mode of operation, pixel or video objects are selected in a frame by way of a development graphical user interface. The system automatically tracks the selected pixel objects in the preceding and succeeding video frames by determining range limits for various color variables of the selected pixel object to compensate for the effects in lighting changes and decompression effects. The system automatically locates pixel objects within the calculated range limits in the preceding and succeeding video frames and generates a pixel object file which identifies the coordinates of the selected pixel object in each frame. The pixel object file is linked to a data object file which links the selected pixel objects to data objects. The pixel object file and data object file, collectively “linked video files,” are created during a development mode of operation.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for associating the color of an object with an event. In one or more embodiments, the invention takes a streaming or static media and associates an active, dynamic, or static object with an event by its given color. The event may be, for instance the retrieval of a document at a specified URL in a web browser or the retrieval of other information in non-web browser implementations. In one embodiment, the invention defines the color by its mathematical properties. For instance, one embodiment uses the RGB standard which separates the red, green, and blue properties of the color as numerical values. Another embodiment also uses the HSV characteristics of the color, which define hue, saturation, and value as components of color. Another embodiment uses both RGB and HSV characteristics.

Abstract: A bonus round for a slot game. A player can select random elements in order to win prizes, different elements may have different award amounts. A player is offered an opportunity to receive a hint, and if the player accepts a hint then the player is provided a clue of which random element(s) to select or avoid to obtain a greater award.

Abstract: A server computer provides to a client computer a web page permitting an internet user to enter an internet identity to be secured. The server receives an input indicating that an internet user has entered an identity and requested that the identity be secured on a plurality of web sites. The internet identity is registered on the plurality of web sites and the registration is verified to said internet user.

Abstract: A repository, distribution, and discovery system for collecting users' online identifiers and relationships, and allowing them to be retrieved and/or updated through a central access point by the users, third parties, and other users. An identity graph in the form of links to the user's public profiles can be ported to any web page or web service. Links back to the user's public profile on the repository are ported to the user's profile pages. The system includes analytics and statistics relating to users' behaviors throughout the web and normalization of actions and data across the social web space. The links inherent in the repository system enhances the level of the user's profiles in search engine listings.

Abstract: An interactive voice and data response system that directs input to a voice, text, and web-capable software-based router, which is able to intelligently respond to the input by drawing on a combination of human agents, advanced speech recognition and expert systems, connected to the router via a TCP/IP network. The digitized input is broken down into components so that the customer interaction is managed as a series of small tasks rather than one ongoing conversation. The router manages the interactions and keeps pace with a real-time conversation. The system utilizes both speech recognition and human intelligence for purposes of interpreting customer utterance or customer text. The system may use more than one human agent, or both human agents and speech recognition software, to interpret simultaneously the same component for error-checking and interpretation accuracy.

Abstract: According to some embodiments, systems and methods are provided to display contextual advertising information to a user via a communication network.

Abstract: A method and apparatus provide interactive participation at live entertainment events. Enjoyment for a plurality of participants is enhanced. Participants employ wireless interactive devices that present a promotional message and include user input and output interfaces. Participants are queried, and enter wagers via the user input interface. The wagers are transmitted to a central processor, stored as participant data, and processed into results. A visual display or the user output interface announces the results to the participants.