Abstract: A system and method is provided for receiving and displaying voting data with respect to online hosted videos. Viewers vote on portions within various videos stored in an online video hosting website. Voting data can represent different types of votes, such as unipolar, bipolar, or categorical. The prior voting data, including that submitted by other viewers, can be displayed in a number of ways, such as gradations of color, or charts such as bar graphs. The voting data may be associated with demographic categories, such as a voter's age, sex, or political affiliation. Further, a video may be selectively played to display portions of most interest to given demographic categories, as indicated by voting patterns of those categories.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for generating an enhanced programming guide. Programming events are associated as packages of programming. The programming guide is generated as a programming grid of cells. The programming grid lists a wrapper associated with each package and each package's associated events. The wrapper surrounds all the cells in the programming grid that are associated with the events for each package.

Abstract: Automated media programming (AMP) systems and methods are provided. The systems and methods allow independent users to submit, edit, rate, and watch video content (preferably, although not necessarily, from other users) over a broadcast media channel or network. In one embodiment, among others, the AMP system employs a topic generator means for determining one or more topics that will be used for identifying one or more videos to be broadcast, an upload means for receiving uploads of one or more user videos relating to the determined topics, a prescreening means for allowing users to view the uploaded user videos, a rating means for rating the uploaded user videos, their respective producers, or both, a pre-production means for scheduling the uploaded videos for transmission based upon the ratings, and a broadcast means for enabling broadcast of the videos.

Abstract: A customized consumer advertisement module and process are provided for inserting a user selected object into a user selected category of program. The user stores model objects locally at the user site, or communicates the model objects to a remotely located broadcaster for storage at a broadcaster site. The user selects categories of programs in which the model objects, or portions thereof, will be inserted. The customized consumer advertisement module inserts the model objects, or portions thereof, into the selected categories of programs.

Abstract: A method of operating a first networking device includes receiving, from a media server, a cable length request message. The cable length request message includes data indicative of a length of a first networking cable arranged between the media server and the first networking device. The method includes determining a cumulative cable length based on the length of the first networking cable and a length of a second networking cable arranged between the first networking device and a media client. The method includes, in response to presence of a second networking device between the first networking device and the media client, sending a further cable length request message to the second networking device indicating the cumulative cable length. The method includes, in response to absence of the second networking device, sending a cable length response message to the media server indicating the cumulative cable length.

Abstract: A system and method for utilizing data stored in an EPG database for modifying advertisement information. In this way, a service provider and/or an advertiser can transmit a single advertisement to all the television stations regardless of their geographic location and other user specific information, and need not re-transmit the advertisement even if there is a change in the show's program description. When the advertisement is displayed, the correct updated information is retrieved from the EPG database and inserted into the advertisement. In one aspect, the present invention describes a method for modifying an advertisement in an EPG comprising the steps of: storing television schedule information in a first database; storing advertisement information in a second database; incorporating a portion of the television schedule information into a portion of the advertisement information to form a modified advertisement; and displaying the modified advertisement on a screen.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for transmitting a multimedia frame through a heterogeneous network in a broadcast system supporting a multimedia service based on an internet protocol are provided. The method includes generating header information including a frame identifier distinguishing a multimedia frame and information measuring a quality of a connection service between network layers and end-to-end network capabilities, and combining the header information and multimedia data to configure the multimedia frame.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for measuring ad impressions and receiving feedback on local ad assets inserted into a video transport stream at the set top box level. Each set top box stores the number of times an ad asset is inserted into an ad avail, along with a variety of other information relating to the playback of the ad asset. This measurement data is aggregated and sent to the ad decision service. In order to balance bandwidth usage, each set top box may report its measurement data to the ad decision service at a different time interval that is randomly selected. As it is desirable to receive the data in a timely manner, the random intervals may be confined so that all measurement data is reported within a predefined time period, such as for example over a twelve hour period.

Abstract: A method and computer readable medium for encoding data onto a channel broadcasting a program are disclosed. For example, the method selects a channel that is being used to broadcast a program, generates data having characteristics in accordance with an error burst signature and transmits the data on the channel that is being used to broadcast the program.

Abstract: A method and system for transmitting channels to at least one digital video recorder is described. A server receives at least one recording schedule from a plurality of digital video recorders (step 304). A subset of channels is selected from the channels associated with the at least one program identification of the received at least one recording schedule (step 306). Information is transmitted from the server to at least one of the plurality of digital video recorders, the information indicating channels associated with the at least one program identification of the at least one recording schedule that were not selected (step 308). The selected subset of channels is also transmitted from the server to at least one of the plurality of digital video recorders (step 310).

Abstract: An apparatus for receiving a broadcast in processing a viewing-reserved broadcast program and method thereof are disclosed. The present invention includes displaying a first broadcast program (102), checking whether a second broadcast program set for a viewing reservation exists (104) while the first broadcast program is displayed, if the viewing-reserved second broadcast program exists, displaying the second broadcast program instead of the first broadcast program at a timing point of setting the viewing reservation, and while the second broadcast program is displayed, storing the first broadcast program (106) having a progress overlapped with that of the second broadcast program. Accordingly, the present invention is able to avoid missing important contents of the previously displayed broadcast program according to the display switching attributed to the overlapped viewing reservation. And, it is also unnecessary to switch the channels to view the previously displayed broadcast program again.

Abstract: A method of switching a digital TV application is disclosed. In accordance with the method of the present invention, a channel changing event corresponding to a changing of a channel is used to minimize a time required for providing the digital TV application suitable for a changed channel.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method are provided for processing audio and/or video data comprising a module for displaying an element comprising at least one absolute time or at least one time indicator, wherein a sector or portion associated with the element indicates a duration or a length of the audio and/or video data, wherein time marks are displayed that are set automatically or by user interaction.

Abstract: A control device that interacts with a television system. The control device may receive a user input identifying a video selection. At least one module of the control device may display video information corresponding to the video selection. The control device may alternately, or in addition, cause display of the video information on a television system. The control device may respond to a second user input identifying a storage selection by triggering storage of the video information in a storage unit corresponding to the storage selection. The control device may also receive a third user input identifying a replay request for other video information that may be selected from a plurality of stored videos. The control device may direct display of the other video information on the television system and/or on a display of the control device.

Abstract: A system includes a signal-processing engine configured to generate a video data stream including a plurality of data packets based on a received video signal. A first subset of the plurality of data packets is usable to generate a video display of content having a first quality and all of the plurality of data packets are usable to generate a second video display of the content having a second quality. The second quality is higher than the first quality. The signal-processing engine is further configured to distinguish the first subset of the plurality of data packets from other data packets of the plurality of data packets by applying a tag to particular data packets to form tagged data packets. The system also includes a transmitter coupled to the signal-processing engine and configured to transmit the plurality of data packets of the video data stream.

Abstract: A method for customizing metadata in a content delivery network, said method comprising: (a) storing customized metadata for a program, said customized metadata being inputted by a user; (b) modifying default metadata with said customized metadata and providing said modified metadata to said EPG; and (c) displaying program information based on said modified metadata.

Abstract: A home entertainment system that employs DRM (Data Rights Management) data protected multimedia programs and rights management component (RMC), with corresponding hardware and software systems incorporated in to home entertainment systems, to protect rights of the media program providers and the users. The system employs STB (Set Top Box) as a hub. The rights management component is incorporated in to the set top box (STB Circuitry), as well as some of the media devices. Three operational scenarios are envisaged regarding the home entertainment system. The first operational scenario involves a remote media source and the media device interaction via STB Circuitry; where as the STB Circuitry performs the duty of a mediator. The second operational scenario involves remote media source and the media device interaction via STB Circuitry, where as the STB Circuitry having rights to reissue licenses to media players.

Abstract: A content upload system includes: a content distributing server that is installed in an airplane and distributes audio-video contents into the airplane; and a plurality of content accumulating servers that are installed in a plurality of airports, in which the airplane is parked, and transmit the audio-video contents to the content distributing server through a network. The content distributing server selectively writes audio-video contents that have not been stored in the content distributing server of audio-video contents transmitted from the content accumulating server while the airplane is parked on the airport.

Abstract: A method, performed at a computer system having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs executed by the one or more processors, includes receiving respective first set-top box (STB) information from a first plurality of STBs. The first STB information received from a respective STB in the first plurality of STBs includes tuning information for the respective STB in the first plurality of STBs, and power status information for a respective display device coupled to the respective STB in the first plurality of STBs. The method also includes storing the first STB information, and determining a viewership metric for the first plurality of STBs based on the tuning information and the power status information in the first STB information.

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.