Abstract: A media appliance comprising: video apparatus for outputting signals to a screen; a control device allowing a user to control the output of signals from the video apparatus to the screen, thereby selecting a viewing activity; a network interface for accessing a packet-based network; a memory storing a communication client application; and processing apparatus, coupled to the memory, network interface and video apparatus, and arranged to execute the communication client application; wherein the client application is configured so as when executed to allow the user to conduct bidirectional communications with other users via the packet-based network, and output notifications to the user of incoming communication events received from other users over the packet-based network; and wherein the client application is further configured to defer one or more of said notifications of incoming communication events received during said viewing activity, determine a delineation in the viewing activity, and automatically o

Abstract: The fantasy sports contest application of the present invention alerts the user of necessary roster changes before an upcoming fantasy sports competition. The fantasy sports contest application may evaluate the user's team roster before an upcoming fantasy sports competition to ensure that all roster spots on the team roster are filled with athletes available for real-life competitions. The fantasy sports contest application may also identify roster changes and roster transactions that may be beneficial to a user's fantasy sports contest team roster. The fantasy sports contest application may recommend roster changes and roster transactions to the user by evaluating the performance of athletes using performance criteria. The performance criteria can be based on the past performance of athletes, either overall, or for certain situations. The performance criteria may be predefined by the system, user-editable, or any suitable combination thereof.

Abstract: The present embodiments provide methods and apparatuses for use in navigating through content. Some embodiments provide methods for use in navigating through content that receive an initial first directional control command, activate a seek mode upon receipt of the initial first directional control command comprising advancing over a first amount of content in a first direction from a first point in the content to a second point in the content, receive an initial second directional control command following the receipt of the initial first directional command, and activate a search mode upon receipt of the initial second directional control command, comprising advancing back over a second amount of the first amount of the content where the second amount is less than the first amount of the content.

Abstract: Systems and methods for integrating graphic animation technologies with fantasy sports contest applications are provided. This invention enables a fantasy sports contest application to depict plays in various sporting events using graphic animation. The fantasy sports contest application may combine graphical representation of real-life elements such as, for example, player facial features, with default elements such as, for example, a generic player body, to create realistic graphic video. The fantasy sports contest application may provide links to animated videos for depicting plays on contest screens in which information associated with the plays may be displayed. The fantasy sports contest application may play the animated video for a user in response to the user selecting such a link. In some embodiment of the present invention, the fantasy sports contest application may also customize animated video based on user-supplied setup information.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing multimedia highlight segments featuring real-life action related to fantasy sports competition. Links to highlight segments are provided in conjunction with fantasy sports contest information. A Highlight Center is provided with links to compilations of highlight segments featuring the best action culled from a pool of highlight segments. The user may be alerted of newly available highlight segments affecting fantasy scoring while the user watches a fantasy sports related television broadcast.

Abstract: A first portion of programming aired prior to a first time is obtained via a unicast session with a server, the first portion including previously aired programming. When the programming data being sent via the unicast session catches up to a multicast broadcast of the programming, the unicast session is terminated and a switch is made to obtaining a remaining portion of the programming from a different source other than the server. This different source can be, for example, a local storage device or a multicast broadcast of the programming.

Abstract: Television tuner emulation techniques are described. In an implementation, a television tuner is emulated through execution of software on a processing system by a computing device, the emulated television tuner includes functionality to obtain television content over an Internet Protocol (IP) based network. The functionality of the emulated television tuner is exposed to one or more applications that are executed by the computing device such that the application is not aware that the television tuner is emulated through execution of the software.

Abstract: Described is a technology by which personalization data is used to select and order video highlight clips for a personalized highlight reel that a user may play to view, such as part of a narrative arranged for that user. The narrative may include introductory content, transition content and/or ending content. The narrative may include advertising content and/or ending content. The narrative may be rearranged in response to an event.

Abstract: Media content search results ranked by popularity is described. In embodiment(s), a search request for television media content can be initiated by a viewer, and television media content that is relevant to the search request can be identified. The relevant television media content can then be ranked based on a popularity rating and the relevant television media content can be displayed in an ordered list that is ordered by popularity rankings.

Abstract: Systems and methods are presented for presenting advertisements to users of a fantasy sports contest application. Advertisements are displayed in conjunction with fantasy sports contest information and may be interactive in nature. The advertisements may be selected according to a user profile. The user profile may include information on the user's demonstrated interests, which may be determined using the user's preferences in the fantasy contest, prior television viewing habits, and other suitable information.

Abstract: A system or method selects among multiple tuners to tune a particular channel. A request is received to tune a first channel. In response to this request, a first tuner is assigned to tune the first channel. A request is received to tune a second channel. If the program tuned by the first tuner is not being recorded, the first tuner is assigned to tune the second channel. If the program tuned by the first tuner is being recorded, the second tuner is assigned to tune the second channel.

Abstract: In accordance with one or more aspects, a request to run an application is received. The application has an associated tune manifest that identifies one or more resources that the application may use. The tune manifest is compared to a device resource record, and a check is made, based at least in part on the comparing, whether the one or more resources identified in the tune manifest can be satisfied by the device. If the one or more resources identified in the tune manifest can be satisfied by the device, then the application is run; otherwise, a notification of a conflict between the application and the device is presented. Additionally, when the application exits, a device tune state that identifies a content source to which the device was tuned prior to running the application can be retrieved and the device restored to this device tune state.

Abstract: The fantasy sports contest application of the present invention alerts the user of necessary roster changes before an upcoming fantasy sports competition. The fantasy sports contest application may evaluate the user's team roster before an upcoming fantasy sports competition to ensure that all roster spots on the team roster are filled with athletes available for real-life competitions. The fantasy sports contest application may also identify roster changes and roster transactions that may be beneficial to a user's fantasy sports contest team roster. The fantasy sports contest application may recommend roster changes and roster transactions to the user by evaluating the performance of athletes using performance criteria. The performance criteria can be based on the past performance of athletes, either overall, or for certain situations. The performance criteria may be predefined by the system, user-editable, or any suitable combination thereof.

Abstract: Systems and methods for converting interactive multimedia content authored for distribution via a physical medium for electronic distribution are disclosed. One embodiment of the invention includes building an object model of interactive multimedia content authored for distribution via a physical medium using a content authoring system, automatically authoring a user interface based upon the object model using the content authoring system, and packing the transcoded multimedia content into at least one container.

Abstract: Techniques are described to provide content access. In an implementation, a determination is made at a client that a high-definition channel has content that matches content provided by a standard-definition channel. Access is provided to the content via the high-definition channel and access is restricted to the content via the standard-definition channel up the client is capable of outputting the content and high definition.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing multimedia highlight segments featuring real-life action related to fantasy sports competition. Links to highlight segments are provided in conjunction with fantasy sports contest information. A Highlight Center is provided with links to compilations of highlight segments featuring the best action culled from a pool of highlight segments. The user may be alerted of newly available highlight segments affecting fantasy scoring while the user watches a fantasy sports related television broadcast.

Abstract: Media content search results ranked by popularity is described. In embodiment(s), a search request for television media content can be initiated by a viewer, and television media content that is relevant to the search request can be identified. The relevant television media content can then be ranked based on a popularity rating and the relevant television media content can be displayed in an ordered list that is ordered by popularity rankings.

Abstract: A method for providing configurable access to media in a media-on-demand system also can include delivering the media to a first client device in a format compatible with the first client device; interrupting the delivery of the media; recording a bookmark specifying a position in the media where the interruption occurred; and resuming delivery of the media to a second client device, the resumed delivery beginning at a position in the media specified by the recorded bookmark. The method further can include identifying device properties for each of the first and second client devices; delivering the media to the first client device in a format compatible with the identified device properties for the first client device; and, delivering the media to the second client device in a format compatible with the identified device properties for the second client device.

Abstract: A media asset recommendation service is described. In embodiments, friends of a user are identified in a social graph that is associated with the user, and interactions with media assets by the friends of the user are compiled. Friend interaction data for each of the media assets can be determined from the media assets, the social graph, and the interactions with the media assets by the friends of the user. When a selection of one of the media assets is received from the user via a user device, the friend interaction data that is associated with the media asset selected by the user is communicated to the user device.

Abstract: Example apparatus and methods transform a non-metric latent space produced by a matrix factorization process to a higher dimension metric space by applying an order preserving transformation to the latent space. The transformation preserves the order of the results of an inner product operation defined for the latent space. The higher dimension metric space may be queried for the results to different requests. Example apparatus and methods may assign every user i a vector ui in a latent space, and may assign every item j a vector vj in the latent space. The dot product ui·vj represents the score between the user i and the item j. The score represents the strength of the relationship between the user i and the item j. Example apparatus and methods may then apply ranking methodologies (e.g., LSH, K-D trees) to problems including recommendation, targeting, matchmaking, or item to item.