Abstract: A method, a public account server, and a mobile terminal for sending and generating a card are disclosed. The method includes: acquiring user information and card information of the mobile terminal; generating card data for the mobile terminal by using a preset card data model according to the user information and the card information of the mobile terminal; and sending the card data to the mobile terminal, so that the mobile terminal receives the card data, acquires a card template corresponding to the card data, and generates the card by using the card data and the card template.

Abstract: The disclosed technology relates to securely generating live previews of a live video stream. A request for a first preview is received from a user device, the first preview request relating to a live video stream. The live video stream is clipped to generate a first live preview, the first live preview comprising a first start time and a first end time. A request for a second preview request is received from the user device, the second preview request relating to the live video stream. The live video stream is clipped to generate a second live preview, the second live preview has a second start time and a second end time. The second start time begins at a pre-configured duration after the first end time of the first live preview.

Abstract: Dynamic uniform resource locator (URL) insertion may be provided for allowing a user to view a linear video content item along with additional content in order to provide a richer and deeper viewing experience giving more control to the user during video viewing. An indication may be provided to the user indicating the availability of additional interactive content associated with the linear video in a variety of different ways, for example, display of an icon overlaid on a viewing guide user interface, a menu option, etc. Upon request, the content associated with the URL may be presented to the user in order to present the linear video content combined with the additional content in a hybrid fashion. The inserted URL may be static, or the URL may be dynamically updated based on one or more factors, such as time of day, content or action by the user or content provider.

Abstract: Media content presentation systems and methods are operable to control content presentation on a touch-sensitive display of a multi-media table that is communicatively coupled to a media device that is operable to access the media content. An exemplary embodiment receives, at the multi-media table from the media device, a media content event; presents the media content event on a portion of the touch-sensitive display of the multi-media table; detects a gesture-based touch movement made by a user on the touch-sensitive display; determines an intended user command based on the detected gesture-based touch movement; generates a media device command when the intended user command is configured to control presentation of the media content event; and communicates the generated media device command from the multi-media table to the media device, wherein the media device controls the media content event in accordance with the received media device command.

Abstract: Methods, systems and devices for characterizing user viewing behavior are described. A method of tracking user viewing includes presenting media content to a user via a media device, the media content including closed-caption information, and determining that a user has initiated, at a first time, a user interface event (e.g., a “trick-mode” event) that modifies a playback rate of the media content. An offset time is determined, corresponding to a difference between the first time and a second time corresponding to an occurrence of a unique string within the closed-caption information Viewing behavior of the user is then characterized based on the media content, the offset time relative to the unique string, and an event type associated with the user interface event.

Abstract: A detection device includes: a light source that emits, toward an object, light of a first wavelength band, and light of a second wavelength band that is less readily absorbed by water than the light of the first wavelength band; a polarization splitter that splits at least one of S-polarized light and P-polarized light from light that has been reflected or scattered at the object; a photoreceptor that receives light reflected or scattered at the object via the polarization splitter; and a control unit that determines a state of the object from information based on light received by the photoreceptor. The light emitted by the light source is random polarized light where the ratio of P-polarized light and S-polarized light is generally uniform.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide apparatuses, systems and methods for distributing public information. For example, some embodiments of the invention provide methods for determining an appropriate set of addresses to which to distribute an alert. One such exemplary method comprises maintaining a directory of alert gateways. The directory can comprise a plurality of directory entries, and each directory entry can be associated with a particular alert gateway. Each directory entry can also comprise at least one gateway characteristic associated with that alert gateway. In some cases, a gateway characteristic can include information to enable the alert distribution device to determine whether a given alert should be transmitted to the alert gateway.

Abstract: A method and system of limiting recording demands on digital video recorders and other media records. The limiting being facilitated through analysis of programs and other media available from one or more network resources associated with and/or having capabilities to provide media to the recording element. The network resources may be associated with provider resources, customer resources, and/or any other resource in communication with the recording element.

Abstract: A method at a computing system includes: receiving a request from a user; and in response to the user request: identifying a first media content item playing on a first client device concurrently with the user request, identifying a playback position in the first media content item temporally proximate to the user request, identifying a reference to an entity within a content portion of the first media content item, where the content portion corresponds to the identified playback position, identifying an event associated with the referenced entity, and setting a reminder of the event for the user.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described for recommending providers of media content to users viewing over-the-top content based on quality of service.

Abstract: Various embodiments of systems, apparatus, and methods are described for modifying over-the-air (OTA) channels for coaxial distribution. In one example, a method includes capturing at least one set of over the air (OTA) channels, each OTA channel being associated with a broadcast frequency within an OTA frequency spectrum; selecting a subset of OTA channels from the at least one set of OTA channels; translating the selected subset of OTA channels to a set of secondary frequencies within a secondary frequency spectrum; combining the translated subset of OTA channels and one or more satellite transponder signals into a coaxial feed; and transmitting the coaxial feed to a receiving device.

Abstract: A method and system for determining the likelihood or similarity ratio that a selected media file of interest is related to one or more predetermined media files is provided that utilizes, combines, analyzes, and evaluates different categories of data and metadata extracted from each media file to generate a media file identifier for each media file that can then be used as a basis to compare any two media files to each other.

Abstract: According to various exemplary embodiments, systems and methods are described, wherein the system implements a method executable by a host placeshifting device communicating via a network with a client and a backend media server, the method comprising: providing digital media content in the host placeshifting device; determining the presence of the client for receiving the digital media content; providing the client with electronic access to the digital media content via the network and the backend media service; and distributing the digital media content from the host placeshifting device over the network and via the backend server to the client, wherein the digital media is distributed in the form of a personalized television channel produced by the host placeshifting device.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for providing customized television advertisements. In one aspect, television advertising templates are used for generating customized television advertisements. The television advertisement templates include targeting criteria specifying targeting conditions for the television advertising template, which are conditions for selecting the television advertisement template for an advertisement availability, and content selection criteria specifying availability content associated with an advertisement availability for use in selecting variable advertisement content elements for inclusion in a customized television advertisement generated from the television advertising template. The variable advertisement content elements can include video elements, audio elements, and text elements.

Abstract: A reference verification module identifies content items stored in a content repository that include at least a portion of the content included in a reference content item provided by an entity. The reference verification module classifies the reference content item based on the uneven distribution of the percentages of the identified content items that include each of the claimed portions. Specifically, if the average difference between the percentage of content items that include a given portion and the percentages of the remaining content items is above a threshold, then the reference verification module classifies the reference content item as having a higher than threshold likelihood of including third party content.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method generates a plurality of sub-relevance tables including a first set of relevance values between media programs. Each table models relevance values for a single feature in a plurality of features. Labeling results are received that include a second set of relevance values between the media programs. The method combines the sub-relevance tables into a single relevance table that includes a third set of relevance values between the media programs for the plurality of features. The combining generates weights for each of the sub-relevance tables based on the second set of relevance values for the labeling results and the first set of relevance values of the sub-relevance tables that are used to generate the third set of relevance values. A recommendation is provided to a user using the third set of relevance values from the single relevance table and a characteristic of the user.

Abstract: A method includes receiving, at a server, first information provided by a user that identifies a set of people to be monitored. The method includes accessing, at the server, second information associated with a plurality of media streams including a broadcast media stream and a non-broadcast media stream. The second information identifies particular people associated with individual media streams of the plurality of media streams. The method includes generating, at the server, a customized media stream based on a comparison of the first information and the second information. The customized media stream includes media content related to the set of people, where the media content includes at least a portion of the non-broadcast media stream.

Abstract: A set of media playback and device settings data from each home appliance of a first set of home appliances is stored on a central server and/or sent to a remote control device upon initiation of a suspend command by a user. The stored media and devices states may be used at a later time to control the first set of home appliances, or a user may, after relocating to a second set of home appliances, initiate a resume state command whereupon media playback and device settings data from the central server and/or remote control device controls each home appliance in the second set of home appliances to bring about the same or substantially similar media and device states as in the first set of home appliances.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes receiving information associated with a user of media services, wherein the received information does not uniquely identify one media head end for the user, identifying a plurality of head ends responsive to the received information, and generating, for display on a client device associated with the user, information for displaying a program guide aggregating channels for the plurality of head ends.

Abstract: A user interface (UI) for an Internet enabled TV lists content genre such as photos, music, and video, and for each genre a sub-list of content is provided regardless of the source of the content, i.e., regardless of whether the content in the particular genre is stored locally or is sourced from the Internet.