Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a system or method that determines, based on consumption data and location information, groups of access portals, where the consumption data and the location information correspond to a time period in which the access portals are used to access a service using an account. The groups can be adjusted according to an intended benefit unit for the service and a sharing structure can be determined including benefit unit partitions for the account based on the adjusting. Factors can be determined, based on the benefit unit partitions, that are indicative of account sharing, as well as weights for the factors by applying a learning model to the consumption data. An intervention strategy can be selected from a group of intervention strategies according to the factors and the weights for the factors. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a system or method that collects or otherwise accesses information indicating connection patterns such as IP addresses being utilized by communication devices for communication services over a time period, where the communication devices use a same credential of a single account for accessing the communication services. Hubs can be identified according to groups of the communication devices that exhibit a particular sharing pattern such as having used the one or more common IP addresses. A prediction or estimation that the single account is engaging in sharing activity can be made based on an analysis of the hubs, such as based on a number of the hubs. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a system or method that collects or otherwise accesses information indicating connection patterns such as IP addresses being utilized by communication devices for communication services over a time period, where the communication devices use a same credential of a single account for accessing the communication services. Hubs can be identified according to groups of the communication devices that exhibit a particular sharing pattern such as having used the one or more common IP addresses. A prediction or estimation that the single account is engaging in sharing activity can be made based on an analysis of the hubs, such as based on a number of the hubs. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is provided to generate digital audio signals, such as stereo signals, from a multimedia program. The program can be distributed directly through an electronic network, or indirectly by recording the program on a medium such as a DVD or CD. The multimedia program is normally compressed using a standard DVD, MPEG or similar compression protocol. In accordance with the invention, the program is decoded to generate a multimedia output signal and an audio output signal. The multimedia signals can be played immediately or at will on a suitable multimedia device. The audio output signal is compressed, using for instance MP3 or ATRAC3, and then transmitted to an external device for storage as a digital file. The digital file can then be replayed at will.