Abstract: A video-on-demand server, having a plurality of audiovisual assets stored in association therewith, and an application server module, are interconnected with a first group of consumer premises equipment associated with a first group of subscribers and a second group of consumer premises equipment associated with a second group of subscribers, different than the first group of subscribers, via a video content network. The application server module, the first group of consumer premises equipment, and the second group of consumer premises equipment are cooperatively configured to prepare a first video-on-demand catalog comprising a first group of the audiovisual assets and a second video-on-demand catalog comprising a second group of the audiovisual assets, different than the first group of the audiovisual assets.

Abstract: A first media server delivers content for broadcast via a first media channel, and a second media server delivers media content for broadcast via a second media channel. The first media server operates in a synchronized mode, under control of the second media server during some periods of time, and during other periods of time operates in an independent mode. When operating in the synchronized mode, content delivered by the first and second media servers can be synchronized, so that the timing of spot blocks played on the two servers generally coincides. When the first server operates in the independent mode, the timing of spot blocks and other content broadcast on the first media channel are not synchronized under control of the second media server.

Abstract: An advertisement system includes an advertising manager that receives a content-event indicator, which indicates playback of an advertisement for viewing on a first display screen at a media-playback device or indicates playback of recorded content that includes advertisements. The advertising manager can determine an optimal time offset as a duration of time before or after playback of an advertisement to the start of an event that is associated with the advertisement for viewing on a second display screen at a mobile device. For recorded content, an optimization schedule is determined that replaces and time-shifts advertisements during playback of the recorded content. The advertising manager can also determine a fulfillment criterion for a product or service based on latency constraints to indicate a duration of time within which fulfillment of the product or service is expected when offered as a second advertisement corresponding to a first advertisement.

Abstract: Advertisements included in a stored digital video program are identified and indexed. A user can time shift the advertisements to play out at a different time position in the program or not play the advertisement at all. A user may incur an advertisement debt for skipping or fast forwarding an advertisement. The advertisement debt can be offset by viewing ads, trading the debt with other users or by paying for the debt in another form.

Abstract: A method and system for data communication is provided and may include, at a communications terminal, displaying picture objects and/or video objects received from a media center via a communications network. The communications terminal may transmit direction of view information (DoV) of at least one eye of a user of the terminal with respect to the displayed objects from an eye tracker at the communications terminal. The DoV may be determined by detecting a position of a pupil based on light reflected off of the pupil. Subsequent picture objects and/or video objects may be displayed by the communications terminal based on user interests determined from the transmitted DoV information.

Abstract: A broadcast transmitter and a method of processing broadcast data in the broadcast transmitter are disclosed. The method includes the steps of performing RS encoding and CRC encoding on mobile service data to build RS frames belonging to an ensemble, wherein each of the RS frames are mapped into data groups, wherein each of the data groups comprises known data sequences and a portion of FIC data including information for rapid mobile service acquisition, wherein the information for rapid mobile service acquisition includes transport stream identification information for identifying a mobile broadcast carrying a mobile service that includes the mobile service data and C/N indication information for indicating whether the FIC data are applicable to a current transmission frame or a next transmission frame, multiplexing data in the data groups and main service data, and transmitting a transmission frame including the multiplexed data.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of using channel tuning data from a video asset viewing device connected to a network to measure video asset viewing at a second-by-second level during one or more user defined lead-in periods, and then correlating that with video asset viewing during a user defined target period, for the purpose of analyzing how viewing activity during the lead-in period(s) correlates with viewing activity during the target period, thus producing longitudinal viewing metrics; all while maintaining viewer anonymity. Additionally, viewing metrics can be categorized based on user defined demographic, geographic, and histogram groupings representing the percentage of video asset viewing with the result that the analyst is able to gain detailed insight into customer viewing behavior. The lead-in video asset may be any video asset or assets. The target may be any subsequent video asset. The metrics produced are useful to service providers, advertisers, and content producers.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a system and method for serving one or more advertisements during streaming of dynamic, adaptive and non-sequentially assembled video. The method includes reception of a set of preference data and a set of user authentication data. The method includes fetching of the one or more tagged videos. The method includes fragmentation of each tagged video into the one or more tagged fragments. The method includes segregation of one or more mapped fragments into one or more logical sets of mapped fragments. The method includes mining of semantic context information from each mapped fragment. The method includes clustering of the one or more logical sets of mapped fragments into one or more logical clusters. The method includes allocation and insertion of one or more advertisements in one or more advertisement slots. The method includes assembling of the one or more logical clusters of mapped fragments.

Abstract: A method includes receiving a request for media content at a residential gateway from a device coupled to the residential gateway and sending a media content request to a server based on the request. The method includes receiving a video data stream of the media content at the residential gateway. Data packets of the video data stream enable generation of the media content at a first resolution. A first subset of the data packets include tags that enable identification of particular data packets usable to generate the media content at a second resolution that is lower than the first resolution. The method also includes determining a display characteristic of a display device coupled to the device and sending the particular data packets to the device when the display characteristic indicates that the device is to receive the media content at the second resolution.

Abstract: Disclosed is a satellite payload device, including a plurality of sensors configured to detect images of a satellite, a video distribution and storage unit configured to collect, compress, store, and transmit the images, and a control computer configured to request a portion of the plurality of sensors from which to receive sensor data that is routed to the video distribution and storage unit.

Abstract: Disclosed are techniques for dynamic allocation of multimedia server resources among multimedia transmission services of a service provider based on predicted resource usage by each multimedia transmission service. A predictive usage model of the utilization of server resources by one or more multimedia transmission services is generated for various combinations of operating characteristics, such as time of day, day of week, programming event or content, network status, and the like. The predictive usage model can be generated using past resource utilization characteristics of the multimedia transmission services from prior time periods having the same or similar characteristics. The service provider then can use the predictive usage model to more efficiently allocate multimedia server resources among the multimedia transmission services for upcoming time periods, which may be of fixed or variable duration.

Abstract: In a video delivery environment where a channel change in an audio/video receiver starts with a burst delivery of an audio/video stream to the receiver, characteristics of the audio/video stream are determined such as audio-video drift and burst characteristics in terms of duration of excess data delivery. At least one of these characteristics determines an offset to add to an initialization of a decoder clock, so that moving images are shown as early as possible after receipt of the channel change command, to be joined by lip synchronized audio before burst end.

Abstract: The present invention refers to an apparatus for providing at least one joint outgoing IP data stream, the apparatus comprises: (a) at least one receiver adapted to receive a stream of digital TV data, the stream simultaneously containing digital data of a plurality of TV channels, (b) at least one transceiver adapted to receive a downlink stream of IP data and to transmit an uplink stream of IP data via a satellite link, (c) at least one processing unit adapted to convert the digital TV data received from the receiver into a first outgoing IP data stream and to convert the IP data received from the transceiver into a second outgoing IP data stream, and (d) at least one switching unit adapted to combine the first outgoing IP data stream and the second outgoing IP data stream in at least one joint outgoing IP data stream.

Abstract: A digital broadcast receiver and a control method thereof are provided. The digital broadcast receiver includes a reception unit for receiving a broadcast signal in which mobile service data and main service data are multiplexed, an extractor for extracting transmission parameter channel signaling information and fast information channel signaling information from a data group in the received mobile service data, an acquirer for acquiring a program table describing virtual channel information and a service of an ensemble by using the extracted fast information channel signaling information, the ensemble being a virtual channel group of the received mobile service data, a detector for detecting a descriptor defining Internet access information corresponding to the mobile service data by using the acquired program table, and a controller for controlling the Internet access information of the detected descriptor and the mobile service data to be displayed.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for generating and delivering selected primary content and contextually-related, targeted secondary content to users of a network. In an exemplary embodiment, the network comprises a packet-switched data (e.g., IP) network such as the Internet, and the primary content comprises video or media clips that are user-selectable via a network site or web page. The primary content carries with it descriptive metadata that is accessed by a distribution server and forwarded to a secondary content source. The secondary content source (or its proxy) utilizes the metadata to identify and return contextually-related secondary content such as advertising links. This secondary content is then presented to the user in conjunction with the primary content, such as in a common display window and in a seamless fashion, thereby avoiding distractions to the user associated with generating ancillary windows or other display mechanisms, and providing the user with highly relevant secondary content choices.

Abstract: A receiving apparatus is provided. The receiving apparatus includes: a receiver configured to receive an input signal including a transmission frame which includes a bootstrap, a preamble, and a payload; a bootstrap detector configured to detect the bootstrap based on a correlation between the input signal and a reference signal which is pre-stored; and a signal processor configured to signal-process the preamble based on the detected bootstrap and signal-process the payload based on the signal-processed preamble, and the bootstrap detector is configured to determine the correlation by quantizing at least one of the input signal and the reference signal and then multiplexing the input signal and the reference signal at least one of which is quantized. Accordingly, an area occupied by hardware and cost can be reduced and loss of performance can be minimized.

Abstract: A client device is operated by obtaining a list of contacts, wherein the list of contacts includes contact information of authorized users, recording media content, defining a selected recipient of the media content, and transmitting the media content and contact information of the selected recipient to a media repository system to enable the media repository system to compare an identification of a user requesting access to the media content from the media repository system with the contact information of the selected recipient and to enable a communication device of the user to access the media content from the media repository system responsive to a determination that the contact information of the selected recipient matches the identification of the user. The media content includes audio, video, and/or image content.

Abstract: Described herein are methods and systems for automatically selecting television channels for display on one or more televisions based on the viewing preferences of the viewers. The viewers can enter their viewing preferences in a database through a user interface that a controller can access. The controller can receive, for a premises (e.g., a sports bar), a list of viewers. Based on the viewing preferences of the list of viewers, the controller can determine a single or a ranked list of television channels for display on the televisions. If there are multiple televisions, the controller can assign each of the televisions a television channel from the ranked list based on the ranking. The controller can send an instruction to the STB controlling the television(s) to set the assigned television channel to the assigned television.

Abstract: According to one configuration, to test an encoder resource, a user controls operation of both a mobile communication device and a corresponding video management device. For example, the user inputs a command to a test control application executing on the mobile communication device to test encoding of content by the encoder resource. In response to receiving the input command to test a target encoder resource, the test control application on the mobile communication device transmits video information from the mobile communication device to in the video management device. The video management device processes the video information received from the mobile communication device. Using the video information, the video management device derives and outputs a corresponding coded video stream to the encoder resource under test. As its name suggests, the encoder resource encodes the received video stream and transmits it over an assigned channel in a shared communication link.

Abstract: Example embodiments relate to generation of dynamic content interfaces based on device capabilities and user entitlements. Multiple devices associated with a user account may each request a content interface. Generation of the content interfaces may be based on capability information of the devices and a tier entitlement associated with the user account. A service included in both the content interfaces may be assigned a same virtual channel in each of the content interfaces.