Abstract: Centralized storage and playback of user-recorded television programming eliminates the need for expensive DVR devices to be deployed in the field. Further, the methods used to initiate storage and provide playback of stored media respect copyright principles.

Abstract: A method for retrieving a program data and a circuit system thereof are provided. The method that uses a dynamic packet identifier (PID) filter to retrieve the program data can be applied to a digital TV system. In the method, a master guide table is retrieved from a transport stream of digital TV signals, and a parsing method is executed to obtain a series of the PIDs. A polling method is used to obtain the program data corresponding to each of the PIDs. A filter window is applied to scan the PIDs for polling the program data corresponding to each of a group of the PIDs at once. After that, the filter window is shifted to a next group of the PIDs for polling the program data with respect to each of the PIDs, and an electronic program guide is accordingly formed.

Abstract: An example content playing apparatus includes an output unit configured to output an image and voice; a user recognition unit configured to recognize a plurality of users viewing content played by the output unit; and a controller configured to select at least one of the plurality of users based on predetermined criteria and control playing of the content according to the at least one selected user.

Abstract: A graphics verification system that handles content of a channel in a broadcast chain, partitions an on-screen view of the channel into a plurality of sections based on an overlay of a plurality of graphics on the on-screen view of the channel. The content may comprise media content and may include video, audio and/or ancillary data that is associated with any portion of a particular content. A placement of each of the overlaid plurality of graphics in the plurality of sections is determined with respect to associated content on the on-screen view of the channel. The placement is determined based on a concurrent look-up of the overlaid plurality of graphics in the plurality of sections and the associated content. The concurrent look-up is based on fingerprints or watermarks of the plurality of graphics and the associated content. One or more error parameters are detected based on the determined placement.

Abstract: A transmission device including circuitry is provided. The circuitry is configured to apply photoelectric conversion characteristics to high dynamic range video data to obtain transmission video data. The circuitry is configured to transmit a container including a video stream obtained by encoding the transmission video data. The circuitry is configured to insert type information to designate the type of conversion characteristics corresponding to the applied photoelectric conversion characteristics for photoelectric conversion of the transmission video data into a layer of the video stream and/or a layer of the container. The type of the conversion characteristics designated by the type information is determined regardless of luminance of a display.

Abstract: A satellite television antenna system can include a self-pointing satellite antenna and a power inserter coupled to the self-pointing satellite antenna. The power inserter can include an enclosure body and a circuit board disposed inside of the enclosure body. The circuit board includes a microprocessor. The microprocessor can be configured via software code to determine whether a first type of communication protocol is being received from a set top box (STB) coupled to the power inserter, determine a configuration for a first constellation of spacecraft if the first type of communication protocol is being received from the STB, and determine a configuration for a second constellation of spacecraft if the first type of communication protocol is not being received from the STB. The first constellation of spacecraft is different than the second constellation of spacecraft.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described for encoding and delivering secondary content (e.g., advertisements) for insertion in primary content (e.g., live events, movies, and television shows). Secondary content is encoded such that the duration of any audio component of the secondary content is equal to or longer than the video component duration. When the secondary content is inserted, the overall duration of the inserted content is specified to be equal to the video component duration.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses are described for a recommendation ranking system that uses viewing and/or browsing data of content items available from a communication system received from users of the system. The viewing and browsing data may be obtained from the users through different availability periods having varying price points for viewing the content items. Weighted values may be applied to the viewing and browsing data based on the price point or availability period of the content items associated with the collected data. A popularity index for the content items of the communication system may be determined based on the adjusted viewing and browsing data and a ranking of recommendations for content items may be generated based at least on the popularity index of the content items.

Abstract: The present invention, when it is estimated that a device that can receive a large-sized advertisement is present within a communication area, transmits advertisement packets of that size. A communication device of this invention comprises a first transmission unit that transmits a first advertisement packet, using a first frequency band, a determination unit that, upon receiving a request packet in response to the first advertisement packet, determines whether or not an external device that can receive the second advertisement packet whose size is larger than that of the first advertisement packet is present within a communication area, based on the request packet, and a second transmission unit that, if the determination result indicates the presence, transmits a second advertisement packet, using a second frequency band different from the first frequency band.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided herein for indicating an amount of available storage space. To this end, the systems and methods monitor storage space associated with a media storage device to determine whether an amount of storage space available is less than a threshold. In response to determining the amount of storage space available is less than the threshold, the systems and methods enter a deletion mode. Systems and methods monitor user interactions between a user and a user device after entering the deletion mode. Systems and methods further generate for display a notification at an appropriate time, based on the monitored user interactions, to indicate the amount of storage space available to the user.

Abstract: A transmitting method according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes: encoding a video signal and generating encoded data including a plurality of access units; storing the plurality of access units in a packet in a unit that defines one access unit as one unit or in a unit defined by dividing one access unit, and generating a packet group; transmitting the generated packet group as data; generating first information and second information, the first information indicating a presentation time of a first access unit that is presented first among the plurality of access units, and the second information being used to calculate a decoding time of the plurality of access units; and transmitting the first information and the second information as control information.

Abstract: A transmission device including circuitry is provided. The circuitry is configured to apply photoelectric conversion characteristics to high dynamic range video data to obtain transmission video data. The circuitry is configured to transmit a container including a video stream obtained by encoding the transmission video data. The circuitry is configured to insert type information to designate the type of conversion characteristics corresponding to the applied photoelectric conversion characteristics for photoelectric conversion of the transmission video data into a layer of the video stream and/or a layer of the container. The type of the conversion characteristics designated by the type information is determined regardless of luminance of a display.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed herein for enabling multiple users' digital rights to be applied as needed to access media while those users are present to consume media. In particular, a media guidance application may receive a selection of a media asset and determine that the user equipment device does not allow access to the media asset. In response, the media guidance application may identify all the users consuming content from that user equipment device and retrieve digital rights for each user. The media guidance application may compare the digital rights of each user with digital rights required to access the media asset. The media guidance application may, based on the comparison, identify a set of digital rights (e.g., for another user present) that enable access to the media asset, and use those digital rights to access the media asset for consumption.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for managing provision of digital content within a content distribution network. In one embodiment, a content application manager (CAM) process is used to provide one or more centralized redirection functions for network client processes such as just-in-time (JIT) packagers and cloud digital video recorders (cDVRs). A local database accessible to the CAM is updated with “live” or other content storage locations within the network, and accordingly each of the client processes can be made simpler and not require any intrinsic knowledge of content asset storage locations. This simplifies the client process configuration, enhances performance in terms of reduced end-user request servicing latency, and allows for single-point automated database updates versus having to provide updates to each client process as under the prior art.

Abstract: A hardware media items scheduling and packaging system, which schedules and distributes channels to be viewed on a plurality of consumer devices, extracts contextual data from program-specific information associated with programming media content of a channel received from a distribution source device. A plurality of potential non-programming media items is determined for a plurality of users based on a match between a sentiment type of each of a plurality of non-programming media items and the extracted contextual data. Based on at least the extracted contextual data and the sentiment type of each of the plurality of potential non-programming media items, a plurality of candidate spots in the programming media content is determined. Based on at least a set of constraints and user estimation data associated with the plurality of users, a schedule of non-programming media item(s) is dynamically generated for at least one candidate spot in the programming media content.

Abstract: A method of selecting settings for presenting AV content comprises storing a plurality of settings for presenting AV content, storing a plurality of characteristic features corresponding to AV content, storing a plurality of values defining a strength of association between a respective stored characteristic feature and a respective stored setting, obtaining one or more characteristic features from a currently delivered AV content, determining a cumulative strength of association between respective stored settings and respective stored characteristic features corresponding to the or each characteristic feature obtained from the currently delivered AV content, and selecting the stored setting having the greatest cumulative strength of association.

Abstract: In embodiments, the present invention provides a method and system for managing playback of content delivered to a mobile device with a pause and resume functionality. The method and system including receiving delivered content on a mobile device, initiating playback of the delivered content, pausing playback of the content being delivered to the mobile device in response to an action and resuming delivery of the content upon a request.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for providing variable-length media clips based upon a received media stream. An exemplary system for providing media clips to users includes a database comprising a list of rules associated with a plurality of programs, as well as a first server and a second server. The first server receives information about a particular program being viewed by a media player and obtains rules from the database for the identified program that are transmitted to the media player. The second server receives a media clip of the particular program being viewed from the media player, wherein the media clip is created at the media player in accordance with the rules corresponding to the program, and subsequently makes the media clip available to the users.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems, articles of manufacture, and methods are disclosed for handling exceptions reported by media device meters. An example apparatus includes a static display detector to determine whether current measurements for a media presentation device at a time corresponding to an exception reported by a media device meter indicate the media presentation device was in a static display state at the time corresponding to the exception. The example apparatus includes a muted viewing detector to determine whether the media presentation device was in a muted viewing state at the time of the exception based on an audio level associated with the media presentation device, and an exception modifier to determine whether to modify the exception based on whether the media presentation device was in the static display state and whether the media presentation device was in a muted viewing state at the time of the exception.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a method determines an element is associated with a value in a manifest description presentation for a media presentation being played. The value indicates the element of the manifest description presentation is part of a group. The method reviews the manifest description presentation to determine a plurality of elements that are associated with the value and sends a request to a device to resolve the plurality of elements using information from one of the elements. Information for supplement content is received for the group where the information for the supplemental content is inserted in the manifest description presentation in place of the plurality of elements.