Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for providing video content in response to requests in a content delivery system with more speed and efficiency. In some aspects, network monitoring devices may gather content specific and network performance metrics, from user devices and content delivery components, to provide input to a computing device for deciding whether to store or delete different versions of the same or different items of content. The decision may be based on a policy which may include a weighted score based on a combination of usage and network efficiency scores. In other aspects, methods and systems are provided to initially provide to a user device a stored version of a content item, and then switch, as needed, to a different version of the content item using on-demand transcoding.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for delivering a spatially enhanced live streaming experience for virtual reality or 360 degree live streaming of video is disclosed. A live streaming video signal is encoded into multiple streams at varying resolutions. A portion of the high resolution video stream, corresponding to a field of view within the entire 360 degree view, is merged with a low resolution video stream. The resulting video stream is referred to as a spatial adaptive video stream. Multiple spatial adaptive video streams are generated to provide a high resolution field of view across the entire 360 degrees. As the viewer looks in different directions, the video player plays back one of the spatial adaptive video streams according to the direction in which the viewer is looking.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods, and program products for creating automatically a short video clip summarizing highlights of a long video stream, comprising identifying a plurality of topics in a video stream based on analysis of the video stream's content, extracting a plurality of sentences based on analysis of a textual representation of the content, computing a score for each of the sentences indicating a relation of the respective sentence to each of the topics, selecting a plurality of sentence subsets each comprising one or more sentences having a highest score with respect to a receptive one of the topics, selecting a plurality of video sections of the video stream each mapped to the one or more sentences of a respective sentence subset, and creating a video clip by merging the plurality of video sections each relating to one of the plurality of topics.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for selectively replacing commercials that are in a video data stream with alternative commercials. Automatic content recognition (ACR) is performed on the video data stream to detect the identity of each of the commercials played in a commercial block during a commercial break. Commercials in the video data stream which are detected as being displayed on a video display device are stored in a first database, and commercials in the video data stream which are detected as not being displayed on the video display device are stored in a second database. A rules engine defines how commercials in the video data stream should be replaced with other commercials. Commercials in the video data stream that were previously detected as being displayed on the video display device are selectively replaced with commercials that were previously detected as not being displayed on the video display device.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, dividing a media content item into a plurality of media content segments, at each media content segment of the plurality of media content segments, applying motion estimation between at least two video frames of the media content segment to determine a content weight for the media content segment, determining a bit rate for the media content segment according to the determined content weight for the media content segment, and encoding the media content segment at the determined bit rates to generate a data stream for the media content segment, whereby a plurality of data streams for the plurality of media content segments of the media content are generated, and transmitting the plurality of data streams for the plurality of media content segments of the media content to the one or more media devices. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for recommending a content item. A search query for a content item is received. The availability of the content item from more than one source is determined. In response to determining that the content item is available from more than one source, the quality of each of the available content items from respective sources is determined. A recommendation factor is determined. The recommendation factor is based on at least one of the bandwidth available to a user device, the resolution capability of the user device, and the quality of experience of each of the sources from which the content item is available. A list of search results for the available content items is generated. The list is ordered based on the quality of each of the available content items from respective sources and the recommendation factor.

Abstract: In one aspect, a method includes identifying an upcoming content-modification opportunity on a channel, where the upcoming content-modification opportunity relates to a modifiable content-segment transmitted by a content-distribution system on the channel, and where the modifiable content-segment includes an overlay content portion and a non-overlay content portion. The method also includes responsive to identifying the upcoming content-modification opportunity on the channel, identifying a content-presentation device tuned to the channel. The method also includes determining location data associated with the overlay content portion.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and media for synchronizing audio and video content on multiple media devices are provided.

Abstract: A method for embedding an advertisement in a video and a computer device, which is configured to: determine a target image, where the target image is an image that is in M frames of images of a target video and that includes a first print advertisement, and M is a positive integer; determine a target area, where the target area is an area in which the first print advertisement is located in the target image; insert a to-be-embedded second print advertisement into the target area to replace the first print advertisement; and convert a style of the target image in which the second print advertisement is embedded, where a style of the second print advertisement in the target image after style conversion is consistent with a style of an image pixel outside the area in which the second print advertisement is located in the target image.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus having a processor configured to: select a reference frame from a frame group including a plurality of images; acquire a reference correct answer frame representing a region of interest in the selected reference frame; generate a complementary correct answer frame corresponding to a frame other than the reference frame included in the frame group based on at least one reference correct answer frame; and generate a correct answer image group for machine learning from the reference correct answer frame and the complementary correct answer frame.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described for storing content. One or more sections of the stored content may be subdivided into user-specific portions and common portions. The user-specific portions may be stored in user-specific storage associated with corresponding accounts of a plurality of user accounts. The common portions may be stored in common storage associated with the plurality of user accounts. User accounts may request access to the stored content. One or more caching criteria may be used to determine whether to cache any common portions of the stored content. Requests for the content may be processed using the common portions stored in the cache storage.

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 (CPE) associated with a first group of subscribers and a second group of CPE associated with a second (different) group of subscribers, via a video content network. The application server module, the first group of CPE, and the second group of CPE 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 (different) group of the audiovisual assets. The application server module, the first group of CPE, and the second group of CPE are further cooperatively configured to make the first video-on-demand catalog available to the first group of subscribers and to make the second video-on-demand catalog available to the second group of subscribers.

Abstract: An example method includes obtaining a plurality of candidate media segments for possible inclusion in a single stream of media segments that is personalized for a first user, wherein at least one candidate media segment of the plurality of candidate media segments comprises an excerpt from a media asset, selecting, based on a known media consumption behavior of the first user, a subset of the plurality of candidate media segments, wherein the subset includes candidate media segments of the plurality of candidate media segments that are to be included in the single stream of media segments, modifying at least one candidate media segment in the subset based on the known media consumption behavior of the first user, and compiling the subset into the single stream of media segments, wherein the single stream of media segments includes the at least one candidate media segment in the subset that was modified.

Abstract: Various embodiments are described herein for systems and methods that can be used to operate a media transmission network. In at least one embodiment, the media transmission network comprises a plurality of media processing devices configured to receive and process media streams based on control data. The media transmission network also comprises a controller coupled to the plurality of media processing devices and configured to generate a control signal for some or all of the media processing devices in the network. The controller is configured to determine the timing at which to transmit the control signal to a respective media processing device in order for the instructions in the control signal to be executed at the same time as the media data is received. The controller determines the transmission timing of each control signal by determining the latencies and delays of the network and the devices, such as, for example, network latency, processing delay, and/or control delay.

Abstract: A video transmission method, system and a device includes a sending device that generates and sends a source video stream, where the source video stream includes a plurality of video data packets, each video data packet includes discard indication information, a discard priority indicated by discard indication information included in a first video data packet is higher than a discard priority indicated by discard indication information included in a second video data packet, video data in a video frame whose frame type is a non-reference B frame is encapsulated into the first video data packet, and video data in a video frame whose frame type is an I frame, a P frame, or a reference B frame is encapsulated into the second video data packet.

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: A community space is established for a media content item. Data items are received from contributing account holders. Each data item has metadata including an index time corresponding to a time of relevance of the data item during playback of the media content item. Each data item is separate from the media content item. The data items and their associated metadata are stored within the community space in correlation with the media content item. A streaming request for the media content item is received from a requesting account holder. The media content item is streamed to a device of the requesting account holder in response to the streaming request. At least some of the data items and their associated metadata correlated with the media content item are transmitted from the community space to the requesting account holder in conjunction with streaming the media content item to the requesting account holder.

Abstract: Systems and methods for modifying runtimes of media assets are disclosed. A first input is received indicating a request to modify a current runtime of a media asset being generated for display on a media device. The media asset includes segments. A second input is received and based on the second input, a shortened version of the media asset having a shortened runtime is generated. One or more segments of the media asset are removed from the media asset to generate the shortened version and the shortened version of the media asset is generated for display on the media device.

Abstract: A method for playing a video includes: detecting, on a display page of a target video, a first operation on the target video; generating a trigger signal in response to the first operation; acquiring, based on the trigger signal, at least one associated video of the target video; and displaying the at least one associated video.

Abstract: Computer-implemented systems and methods are provided for defining ad space in a video. For example, a computer can receive an identification of a video and an advertisement space definition that includes a time stamp for the advertisement space in the video and an advertisement length. The computer can receive a request to view the video. The computer can determine an advertisement to play in the advertisement space such that the advertisement is not longer than the advertisement length included in the video's advertisement space definition. The computer can provide access to the video, and when the video reaches the time stamp, the advertisement is played in the advertisement space.