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 system for rating user-generated content (UGC), has a network-connected server hosted by an enterprise, enabling registered participants to select UGC from a network-connected repository, the content then presented to the selecting participants. A a data repository is coupled to the network-connected server, storing profile information regarding individual ones of the registered participants, and rating software executes on the network-connected server, providing functionality for creating age-appropriate rating for individual ones of the UGC.

Abstract: This information processing apparatus, this information processing apparatus includes a data-sending interface capable of transmitting data to a television receiver through a first transmission channel; a request-sending interface capable of sending a request to the television receiver through a second transmission channel; a second interface connectable to the television receiver through the second transmission channel; and a first control unit that detects an event and performs control to send, to the television receiver through the second transmission channel, a request including at least control information for giving an instruction about control to be executed by the television receiver in accordance with the detected event.

Abstract: Techniques for conditional presentation of auxiliary information are provided. In one example, a computer-implemented method comprises determining, by a device operatively coupled to a processor, feedback information for a user in response to a media presentation, wherein the feedback information is indicative of a mental state of the user during presentation of the media presentation. The computer-implemented method can further comprise determining content of the media presentation associated with the mental state of the user, and determining auxiliary information about the content based on the mental state of the user. The computer-implemented method can further comprise providing, by the device, the content to a user device during the presentation of the media presentation and for rendering at the user device in association with presentation of the content.

Abstract: There are disclosed devices, system and methods for a control device that controls a media player of a computer. The control device includes a circuit and various actuators that can be used to control the player. The actuators may be located in a pattern to be and may be configured to be activated by being stepped on. The control device sends loop in, loop out and a loop clear commands to the player upon receiving signals from a loop actuator. It also sends first speed, a second speed, a third speed, and a speed clear commands to the player upon receiving signals from a speed actuator. It sends pause, play and a global reset commands to the player upon receiving signals from a play/pause actuator. It may send skip backward and skip forward commands to the media player upon receiving signals from skip backward or skip forward actuators.

Abstract: In one aspect, an example method includes (i) receiving, by a set-top box receiver, a portion of a media program being distributed on a channel, wherein the distribution of the media program on the channel is scheduled to end at an end-time; (ii) while receiving the portion of the media program, predicting, by the set-top box receiver, that the distribution of the media program on the channel will end later than the scheduled end-time; (iii) responsive at least to the predicting, modifying, by the set-top box receiver, electronic program guide (EPG) data associated with the channel; (iv) using, by the set-top box receiver, the modified EPG data to generate an EPG; and (v) transmitting, by the set-top box receiver, to a media presentation device, the generated EPG for presentation on the media presentation device.

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: 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: 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: 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: 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: A system is provided for enabling correlating timeline information between a first media stream and a second media stream which are both associated with a common play-out timeline. The system comprises at least two stream monitors arranged for providing identification information for a media stream by obtaining a persistent identification of one or more media samples of the media stream, determining a timestamp value associated with the persistent identification, and providing the timestamp value and the persistent identification as the identification information.

Abstract: User interaction data is heuristically processed to determine its usefulness to a remote recommender system. The data is ranked according it its likely ability to indicate a user preference towards a particular content item. The amount of data sent to the recommender system can then be limited to data records falling in a predetermined range of usefulness. A controller may be provided to determine what range is necessary so that the minimum amount of training data is provided to the recommender system to drive the recommender system's performance towards a set level.

Abstract: An encoding engine encodes a video sequence to provide optimal quality for a given bitrate. The encoding engine cuts the video sequence into a collection of shot sequences. Each shot sequence includes video frames captured from a particular capture point. The encoding engine resamples each shot sequence across a range of different resolutions, encodes each resampled sequence with a range of quality parameters, and then upsamples each encoded sequence to the original resolution of the video sequence. For each upsampled sequence, the encoding engine computes a quality metric and generates a data point that includes the quality metric and the resample resolution. The encoding engine collects all such data points and then computes the convex hull of the resultant data set. Based on all convex hulls across all shot sequences, the encoding engine determines an optimal collection of shot sequences for a range of bitrates.

Abstract: A number of approaches for transcoding media is described, which allow various users to control one or more aspects of transcoding (e.g. bit rate, resolution) when delivering media content to a client device from a network edge server or other location. The client device is provided with an interface that allows the user to increase or decrease the resolution, bit rate or other settings of the media content. Upon receiving a request from the user, the system transcodes the media content in accordance with the request and dynamically delivers the transcoded media content to the user's device. The system also enables content publishers and network operators to impose restrictions (e.g. minimum and maximum values for various settings) on user control.

Abstract: A method of encoding packets of a media stream includes establishing a data connection between a client device and a server, sending a first packet of the media stream from the server to the client device at a first bit rate, receiving, at the server, a first acknowledgment signal from the client device responsive to receipt of the first packet, determining a second bit rate based on the first acknowledgment signal, and sending a second packet of the media stream from the server to the client at the second bit rate.

Abstract: Systems and methods for buffer-aware transmission rate control for real-time video streaming are disclosed herein. An example method includes transmitting a first video packet at a transmission rate based on a buffer fill ratio of a buffer, where the transmission rate is adjusted in response to changes of the buffer fill ratio, selectively retransmitting a second video packet in response to a negative acknowledgement packet, where selectively retransmitting the second video packet is at least based on whether the second video packet has been previously retransmitted, a buffer level of the buffer, and a retransmission rate, and selectively retransmitting a third video packet in response to a non-receipt of an acknowledgement packet within a retransmission timeout, wherein selectively retransmitting the third video packet is at least based on whether the third video packet has been previously retransmitted, the buffer level of the buffer, and the retransmission rate.

Abstract: A method and system for auto-curating a media are provided. Media content is received over the network interface. A set of markers is identified for the media content, each marker corresponding to one of a plurality of visible and audible cues in the media content. Segments in the media content are identified based on the identified set of markers. An excitement score is computed for each segment based on the identified markers that fall within the segment. A highlight clip is generated by identifying segments having excitement scores greater than a threshold.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method that includes determining, by a processing system, whether a transmission from a client device includes a request to participate in a sponsored data session. If a sponsored data session is requested, the request is sent to equipment of a sponsoring entity. The processing system receives a list of data items available from the equipment of the sponsoring entity in the sponsored data session; initiates the sponsored data session; and generates a session identifier for transmission to the client device. The processing system also determines whether a subsequent request received from the client device corresponds to a listed data item, and causes a sponsored data rate to be applied to a client account for transfer of the data item. Other embodiments are disclosed.

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.