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.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for indicating whether a scene in a media asset corresponds to a scene for which a scene change was previously requested. A media player client monitors scene sequences in a media asset to anticipate whether the user will initiate a scene change request based on historical scene change data. In response to detecting a scene sequence for which the user is expected to request a scene change, the media player client determines whether a scene change is necessary and outputs an indication of whether a scene change is recommended.

Abstract: Intelligently downloading content to user devices is described herein. According to an embodiment, a user request for content is received. In response to the request, a low quality version of the content is downloaded and played to the user. Then, a higher quality version of the content is downloaded (this may occur during or after the download or playback of the low quality version of the content). Playback of the low quality version is discontinued. Then, playback of the higher quality version begins at the point where playback of the low quality version was discontinued. In some embodiments, the low quality version and the higher quality version of the requested content (among all the versions of the requested content) are identified via crowdsourcing.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a channel device includes a memory, an interface, and a processor. The memory stores a watch list. The watch list includes n predetermined number of channels, wherein n is an integer and the predetermined number of channels are ranked from one to n. The interface is configured to receive program information for a first channel, wherein the first channel is a channel of a watch list. The processor is further configured to determine a change from a previous channel to a current channel. The processor dynamically updates the watch list to include the previous channel, wherein the previous channel is ranked as one. The processor removes the channel ranked as n from the watch list.

Abstract: Provided are an electronic device for removing an advertisement thumbnail from a display screen for providing a list of sports and an operating method of the electronic device that may retrieve an image thumbnail extracted from a game video being broadcast live, determine whether the image thumbnail is a game thumbnail or an advertisement thumbnail using a pre-trained deep learning model, and display the game thumbnail on a display screen when the image thumbnail is the game thumbnail and remove the advertisement thumbnail on the display screen when the image thumbnail is the advertisement thumbnail.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to identify and triage digital ad ratings data quality issues includes processor circuitry to generate an aggregate factor score based on aggregate data from a first impression data point, the first impression data point including the aggregate data and duration data corresponding to a duration of time; determine a duration factor score based on the duration data from the first impression data point; determine a final weight score for the first impression data point using a normalized aggregate factor score and a normalized duration factor score for the first impression data point, the normalized aggregate factor score corresponding to aggregate factor scores of a second impression data point, the normalized duration factor score corresponding to duration factor scores of the second impression data point; and when the final weight score does not satisfy a threshold score.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to correct for deterioration of a demographic model to associate demographic information with media impression information are disclosed. An example method includes estimating first and second ages of audience members based on demographic information; estimating a third age of an audience member who is not included in the audience members; applying a window function to the second ages to determine a distribution of ages based on the third age; multiplying window values by the first ages to determine corrected first age components; dividing a total of the corrected first age components by a sum of the window values to determine an estimated age of the audience member at a first time; and determining the corrected age of the audience member at a second time based on the estimated age of the audience member at the first time and a time difference between the first and second times.

Abstract: Systems and methods create new viewership estimates to drive linear ad schedule optimizations. The systems use machine learning techniques to predict granular-level television viewership metrics for any consumer segment measurable at a national level. The systems provide capabilities beyond merely estimating and forecasting television viewership for age- and gender-based demographic segments. The systems accurately estimate viewership for any consumer segment, including behavioral, demographic, and other segmentation techniques and provide reliable viewership predictions. The systems model viewership by training an ensemble of machine learning models using historical consumer segments data and TV viewership data.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for a media guidance application (e.g., implemented on a user device) that explains sports terminology to a user accessing content that corresponds to a sporting event. The media guidance application may detect terms used in the content, determine the terms are unique to the sport, and display definitions and explanations alongside the terms.