Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for obscuring a presence of a media object in a video after a user fulfills an interaction requirement with a related media object. The system detects, an interaction with a media object and determines characteristics of the interaction. The system correlates characteristic of the interaction with an exclusion window and stores a record that links the exclusion window, user, and attribute of the media object. The system detects that a second media object will be displayed during playback of a video and determines an attribute of the second media object. The system retrieves the record by matching the attribute of the first media object from the record to the attribute of the second media object. In response to determining the exclusion window applies to the second media object, the system obscures the second media object while playing back the video.

Abstract: A playback application is configured to dynamically generate topology for an interactive media title. The playback application obtains an initial topology and also collects various data associated with a user interacting with the feature. The playback application then modifies the initial topology, based on the collected data, to generate a dynamic topology tailored to the user. The dynamic topology describes the set of choices available to the user during playback as well as which options can be selected by the user when making a given choice. In addition, the playback application also selectively buffers different portions of the interactive media title, based on the collected data, in anticipation of the user selecting particular options for available choices.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for initiating a media content item group watch session with an identified contact. A user profile is identified, and a media content item is generated for output at a first computing device. A contact is identified based on the user profile and the media content item, and an invitation to join a media content item group session is generated based on the media content item and the identified contact. The invitation is transmitted to a second computing device associated with the contact, and an indication that the invitation has been accepted is received. The media content item group session is initiated between the first and second computing devices, and the media content item is received at the first and second computing devices.

Abstract: A method for facilitating the order of commercial products in connection with the display of media content, whereby a player comprises a media production component and an interactive e-commerce component embedded therein. The player with the e-commerce component can be virally copied and propagated from one web page to any number of other web pages. A method for presenting advertisements for commercial products in video productions, whereby the commercial product is placed in the video production as an element of the video production. A viewer is enabled to interact with the video production to select the product. Information is then displayed about the selected product; and the viewer is enabled to purchase the selected product.

Abstract: Disclosed are mechanisms for selecting a recommended item for a current item being viewed by a user account based on a view history of the user account with reduced bias. For a current item being viewed by the user account represented by a current node of a co-watch graph, embodiments can select a recommended item represented by an associated node in the co-watch graph likely being viewed by the user account, and determine a probability of the recommended item likely being viewed. The co-watch graph can be generated based on a view history of the user account. An edge between a first node and a second node of the co-watch graph can have a weight representing a number of co-occurrence times when the first item represented by the first node and the second item represented by the second node are viewed in sequence within a predetermined time interval.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to assign viewers to media meter data are disclosed. An apparatus includes processor circuitry to execute computer readable instructions to at least: identify a candidate household from a plurality of second households to associate with a first household based on an analysis of a first duration of time first media was presented by a first media presentation device and a second duration of time second media was presented by second media presentation devices; match different ones of first panelists of the first household with matching ones of second panelists of the candidate household; and impute respective portions of the first duration of time to the different ones of the first panelists based on portions of the second duration of time for which the matching ones of the second panelists of the candidate household were exposed to the second media.

Abstract: Mechanisms provide intermediate key frame animation during a media seek. A streaming server receives a seek request from a client device while the streaming server provides the client device with a media stream. The seek request is made when the media stream is playing at an initial location and the seek request includes a request to play the media stream from a seek location. In some embodiments, intermediate key frames before the seek location are identified. In other instances, intermediate key frames between the initial location and the seek location are identified. These intermediate key frames are provided to the client device for display before the media stream begins playing at the seek location.

Abstract: A video receiver apparatus, for receiving video from a video transmitter apparatus, comprises: a memory portion for memorizing receiver apparatus information of the video receiver apparatus; and a transmitter/receiver portion for receiving a request for obtaining the receiver apparatus information transmitted from the video transmitter apparatus, and also for transmitting the receiver apparatus information memorized in the memory portion responding to the obtaining request, and wherein, further within the memory portion is memorized history information, changing depending on alternation of the receiver apparatus information, and wherein the receiver portion is able to receive the history information, which the video transmitter apparatus holds therein, as well as, the obtaining request from the video transmitter, and when the received history information from the video transmitter apparatus and the history information, which the video transmitter apparatus holds therein, are inconsistent with each other, then

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to identify media sources are disclosed. Example apparatus disclosed herein include an exclusivity determiner, a unique asset identifier, and a signature matcher. The exclusivity determiner is to determine whether media is exclusive to a provider. The unique asset identifier is to associate a first signature of the media with the provider if the media is exclusive to the provider. The signature matcher is to identify the provider based on a second signature, the second signature matching the first signature, the second signature extracted from media presented at a media presentation location.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for operating a group watching session, in which a group watching session for presentation of a media content item is initiated at a first participant device and a second participant device; a segment of the media content item for which the presentation of the media content item is to be synchronized at the first participant device and the second participant device is identified; a viewing progress of the media content item at the first participant device is determined to be different from a viewing progress of the media content item at the second participant device; and in response to the determining, the viewing progress at the first and second participant devices is synchronized for the presentation of the identified segment.

Abstract: Methods and systems for providing requested media items with supplemental media items customized for requesting users are described herein. A processing device receives a request of a first user for a first media item of a second user. The processing device determines that the first media item of the second user corresponds to a plurality of second media items of the second user. A set of rules is identified on how to select a second media item, from the plurality of second media items, to be integrated with the first media item of the second user, the set of rules being provided by the second user and comprising one or more conditions pertaining to the first user. The second media item is selected from the plurality of second media items based on the identified set of rules.

Abstract: Disclosed are various systems and methods for fault tolerant video packaging and transmission. A video packager may receive one or more video content transmissions from a transcoder, and may identify deficient segments, packets, or other portions of the video content transmission. The video packager may also maintain or have access to a default video output that is free of the identified deficiencies. For example, the default video output can include one or more segments of video data comprising a blank or solid color frame, or a still image. The deficient data may be determined based on validation parameters. If the validation parameters are satisfied, the received data is packaged and transmitted. Otherwise, the default video output is packaged to replace deficient portions, and transmitted instead of the received video content.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed to identify user presence to a meter. An example apparatus includes memory, instructions, and at least one hardware processor to execute the instructions to at least: obtain presence information from a configuration device, the configuration device separate from the apparatus, the presence information indicating that user is present at the apparatus; verify the presence information matches user information, the user information stored in a memory of the apparatus; cause a confirmation prompt to be displayed on the configuration device, the confirmation prompt to indicate the presence information was obtained by the apparatus; and store the presence information in memory.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system provides substantially synchronized streaming. The system comprises at least one server, in communication with a user profile database, and operable to communicate, over a network, with client devices connected to the Internet; and provide a media stream to the client devices such that the media stream is displayed, in a substantially synchronized manner, on display screens of the client devices.

Abstract: Examples of the systems and methods described herein relate to reducing latency issues associated with playing online digital video on client devices. An example method includes: determining a likelihood that a user will trigger presentment of video content within a portion of digital content, and when the likelihood is determined to exceed a threshold, obtaining a video tag that identifies the video content or caching a portion of the video content prior to presentment of the video content.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described to selectively stream content based on parental control ratings. A particular frame of a live broadcast of a media asset that is to be transmitted to a first device is identified, and it is determined whether the particular frame of the media asset depicts content associated with a parental control rating. In response to such determination, the particular frame and metadata associated with the particular frame that indicates that the particular frame depicts content associated with the parental control rating may be transmitted to the first device, where the transmittal of the metadata causes the first device to perform an action related to display of the particular frame based on comparing the parental control rating with a local parental control setting.

Abstract: Dynamic transcoding can be used to provide supplemental content, selected to be played during breaks in a stream of primary content, that has the same format as the primary content. It can be desirable to provide supplemental content that is personalized. This may include additional content or advertising that may be of interest or relevance to a viewer. In many instances, the supplemental content will come from a different source and thus can be in a different format. Approaches in accordance with various embodiments can take advantage of dynamic transcoding of the supplemental content to provide properly formatted supplemental content through the same stream as the primary content. A custom manifest can be provided to the media player that points to the transcoded supplemental content. At an appropriate break in the playback, the media player can use the manifest to obtain the formatted supplemental content.

Abstract: Systems and methods for improving displays of media assets are disclosed herein. In an embodiment, a system receives a plurality of text comments from a plurality of devices to which a media asset was transmitted. The system analyzes the comments to identify text strings within the text comments. The system generates interactable elements from the text strings in the text comments, such that an interaction with the text string causes display of identifiers of media assets corresponding to the text string.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for processing a video call on a smart television and a smart television. In the method, a first call interface displayed in a full screen is switched to a second call interface displayed in a floating layer, and a call window on the second call interface is configured not to be able to obtain a focus; and when a user operates a frontend page, the call window on the second call interface will not be selected, however, all buttons or options of the frontend page located underlying the second call interface can be selected by the user.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to determine demographic classifications for census level impression counts and unique audience sizes are disclosed. In an example, the apparatus includes media tag format circuitry to generate a reformatted media tag corresponding to an impression request. The example apparatus also includes model execution circuitry to execute a machine learning model based on the reformatted media tag to generate outputs, the outputs including at least a value representative of a probability of an occurrence of a demographic classification. The example apparatus further includes audience counting circuitry to assign an identification of ones of audience members in a group to the demographic classification based at least on the outputs.