Abstract: A system utilizing one or more auxiliary or scanning tuners provides real time information for providing programming guides. The one or more auxiliary tuner scans or tunes across the band of television signals to gather information relevant to metadata, programming guides, and or message alerts. For example, this information is converted to text, graphic, and or audio form for displaying or listening.

Abstract: Data searching performed by a server system. A query is received to search data stored in an organizing system in which data has been organized from a highest confidence quality tier to a lowest confidence quality tier. Data of the highest confidence quality tier of the organizing system is searched to satisfy the query, wherein searching the data of the highest confidence quality tier is performed before searching data of a lower confidence quality tier of the organizing system.

Abstract: A system for identification of video content in a video signal is provided via a sound track audio signal. The audio signal is processed with filtering, frequency translation, and or non linear transformations to extract voice signals from the sound track channel. The extracted voice signals are coupled to a speech recognition system to provide in text form, the words of the video content, which is later compared with a reference library of words or dialog from known video programs or movies. Other attributes of the video signal or transport stream may be combined with closed caption data or closed caption text for identification purposes. Example attributes include DVS/SAP information, time code information, histograms, and or rendered video or pictures.

Abstract: An input feature vector is computed from an input text record, the input feature vector comprising one or more features, each feature including a subsequence of characters and a frequency of occurrence of the associated subsequence. A input fingerprint is generated out of the input feature vector by choosing one or more features with non-zero frequencies and alphabetizing the features chosen. One or more input indices are generated by alphabetizing features in the input fingerprint and concatenating features occurring in subsequent locations of the input fingerprint. The input text record is matched against a target text record if (1) one or more of the input indices match a target index corresponding to the target text record and (2) the corresponding input fingerprint matches a target fingerprint corresponding to the target text record. The target text record is outputted as a search result if it matches the input text record.

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 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 used to inform the user of prizes being awarded for performance in the fantasy sports contest, including prizes being awarded for performing in an instant scoring opportunity based on real-time action in a related sports broadcast. The advertisements may be intelligently scheduled around certain events in a related sports broadcast to take advantage of user purchasing habits. 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. The advertisements may be targeted to the user's specific geographic location.

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: A computer-implemented system and method for embedding and authenticating ancillary information in digitally signed content are disclosed. The method and system include loading digital content containing a digitally signed executable into memory for execution, while checking for the integrity of a digital signature and the contents of the executable; and erasing any non-authenticated regions of the digital content by zeroing out or value-filling memory locations corresponding to the non-authenticated regions.

Abstract: Systems and methods for encoding regions of interest within video frames to reduce errors within the regions of interest in accordance with embodiments of the invention are described. One embodiment includes a processor configured by an encoder application, where the encoder application configures the processor to: identify at least one region of interest within a frame of video; assign at least one importance value to a plurality of regions within the frame, where a higher importance value is assigned to identified regions of interest; and apply a first error propagation reduction process to at least one region assigned a first importance value and a second error propagation reduction process to at least one region assigned a second importance value.

Abstract: Systems and methods for streaming video data via Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP) so that the bitrate of the streamed video adapts in response to measurements of network and decoder performance in accordance with embodiments of the invention are illustrated. In one embodiment of the invention, a system for streaming data includes a media server configured to stream video data having a first maximum bitrate utilizing RTP, a network client configured to connect to the media server wherein the network client is configured to measure network performance and video decoding performance and to send network and video decoder performance data to the network renderer utilizing the Real-time Transport Control Protocol (RTCP), wherein the network renderer is configured to stream video data having a second maximum bitrate in response to the network and video decoding performance data received from the network client.

Abstract: A portion of audio content of a multimedia program, such as a television program, is captured from a network. An audio fingerprint is generated based on the portion of audio content, and the audio fingerprint is matched to one of multiple theme song fingerprints stored in a database. An expected theme song time offset associated with the matched theme song fingerprint is retrieved from the database. It is determined whether the program is running on-schedule, based on the time the portion of audio content occurred, a scheduled start time of the program, and/or the expected theme song time offset. If it is determined that the program is running off-schedule, an adjusted start time and/or an adjusted end time of the program are calculated. The program is recorded by a recorder based on the adjusted start time and/or the adjusted end time.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for generating or providing any of various types of modifications purposely made to generally known signals, waveforms, conditions, functions, etc. The modifications are sensed, read, detected or interpreted to provide a content control command indicative of the difference between the original signal, waveform, condition, functions, etc., and the modified signal, waveform, condition, function, etc. The content control command may be used to provide content control for a content control system, which in turn may provide control of a selected compliant device.

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 are disclosed that include a common application platform including a set of shared services that can be utilized by applications executing on top the application platform. One embodiment of the invention includes a user device including a processor configured by an operating system, where the processor is further configured by an application platform including a natively implemented virtual. machine configured to execute non-natively implemented applications; a services container, including at least one natively implemented service configured for utilization by an application executing within the virtual machine, wherein the at least one natively implemented service is a shared service that can be utilized by a plurality of different applications; and at least one handler configured to handle communication via at least one socket between an application executing within the virtual machine and the at least one natively implemented service in the services container.

Abstract: Systems and methods for encoding source media in Matroska container files for adaptive bitrate streaming utilizing Hypertext Transfer Potocol (HTTP) in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. One embodiment of the invention includes a processor configured via a source encoding application to ingest at least one multimedia file containing a source video.

Abstract: An integrated circuit or system receives a bit pattern from a metadata, IPG, and or EPG signal. This bit pattern is then coupled to a circuit to provide a content control command to a recorder or to a processing circuit to generate a content control signal. In particular the bit pattern may be utilized in a manner to program, enable, or disable the generated control signal. Furthermore this content control signal provides resistance to a circumvention device. For example, the circumvention device is unable to remove sufficiently the content control signal, and content control is maintained.

Abstract: In certain flat screen TV sets, such as LCD monitors, geometric errors can be induced in a video signal by positive going pulses. That is, a shift in a display is provided when one or more positive going pulse is added to the video signal following one or more sync pulse. To illustrate, AGC pulses, generally used for content control and or copy protection in the last lines of an active video field, cause a shift (horizontal displacement) in the picture for these last lines in the active field. Alternatively, turning off or attenuating such positive going pulses in the last lines of the active field, eliminates or reduces the picture shift.

Abstract: A method and a system are provided for generating a representative sub-signature of a particular cluster of signatures. In one example, the system reads a sub-signature of a signature of the particular cluster. The system calculates a first factor for the sub-signature. The first factor is based on how many signatures contain the sub-signature. The signatures are in the particular cluster. The system calculates a second factor for the sub-signature. The second factor is based on how many signatures in other clusters contain the sub-signature. These other signatures in other clusters are not in the particular cluster. The system calculates an effectiveness score for the sub-signature. The effectiveness score is based on at least the first factor and the second factor. The system then determines one or more representative sub-signatures for the particular cluster. The one or more sub-signatures are based on one or more effectiveness scores calculated by the system.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described for providing editing tools that allow a user to manipulate media provided by a media content source. Media editing tools may include content analysis tools capable of extracting information from the media content itself, and may include segment identification and editing tools. Editing tools may be created by a user, and stored or shared with other users. Users may be able to specify and customize a set of storage space requirements that impose constraints on the type, quantity and content of stored assets. Automatic storage management tools provide tools with which stored and to-be-stored assets may be transformed in order to maintain satisfaction of storage preferences and requirements.

Abstract: Frequencies from a set of audio source files are extracted and measured across the set to determine a range of each of the frequencies. Stable frequencies of the frequencies are detected based on each range and used to create a stable frequency family. An unknown recording is mapped to the stable frequency family to form an audio fingerprint.