Abstract: A method of video coding using the palette coding mode with reduced complexity by sharing context(s) between context-based entropy coding of syntax element for the last run type mode and context-based entropy coding of syntax element for the run type mode is disclosed. A method with reduced complexity for binarization of the syntax element associated with the number of palette indices of the current block is disclosed, where Rice parameter is derived for the number of palette indices without the need for a division or table lookup operation. In another method, the syntax element to specify whether transpose process is applied to associated palette indices of the current block is signalled in the bitstream for the current block in a location after the syntax element to specify a last run type mode for the current block.

Abstract: A system for rendering media having content displayed comprises a receiving unit to receive media, a scanner to detect an object in the media for placing a placeholder, a checker to provide the placeholder to a user for feedback and receive the feedback. The system also includes a template generator to generate a template indicating the placeholder in the media. The system also includes a rendering unit in communication with the template generator to render, upon receiving a request for watching the media, the media having content to display to the user, based on at least one of a storage space and a processing capacity.

Abstract: Various arrangements generating a customized channel are presented. A customized channel may be generated for a user. The programming for the customized channel may be gathered from different sources. The programming may be selected and scheduled based on user preferences, interests, and viewing habits of the user. The user viewing habits and preferences for programming may be used to refine the schedule and programming of the customized channel.

Abstract: A media appliance and method for use of the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, a housing is adapted to be mounted within a wall. A panel forms a front portion of the housing and the panel includes vents and the panel may be mounted substantially flush with the wall. A media player, which includes a set-top box, is disposed within the housing. A pair of ports, disposed within openings defined by the housing, are configured to receive respective connectors. The pair of ports are coupled to the media player and one port is configured for providing a connection to a television and the other port is configured for providing a connection to an external source of signal for the television, as well as power for the media player.

Abstract: An intra prediction method according to the present invention comprises the steps of: acquiring information on a luma prediction mode of a current block and information on a chroma prediction mode of the current block from a bit stream; deriving a luma intra prediction mode of the current block on the basis of the information on the luma prediction mode; determining a chroma intra prediction mode of the current block on the basis of information on the luma intra prediction mode and the information on the chroma prediction mode; and generating a chroma prediction sample of the current block on the basis of the chroma intra prediction mode. According to the present invention, it is possible to reflect the difference between the ratio of the width to the height of a luma component and the ratio of the width to the height of a chroma component, and thus to more accurately perform intra prediction in units of samples and improve intra prediction performance.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method including determining a degradation of satellite reception in a first geographic area, receiving a weather report for the first geographic area to determine a weather condition, determining a movement of the weather condition to a second geographic area, determining an impairment vector based on the movement to the second geographic area to determine if equipment of customers of a satellite content provider will have an impaired reception of media content, initiating a streaming of media content to the equipment of the customers in the second geographic area according to the impairment vector, and disabling the streaming of the media content to the equipment of the customers in the second geographic area responsive to determining that the second geographic area is no longer impaired by the weather condition. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: An information display method is disclosed to solve a problem of tediousness and inefficiency of a process of displaying an information set corresponding to an information portal in existing technologies. The method includes: acquiring a selection instruction for an information portal; acquiring an information set corresponding to the information portal; and displaying the information set. The present disclosure further discloses an information display apparatus and a smart television.

Abstract: Network services encode multimedia content, such as video, into multiple adaptive bitrate streams of encoded video and a separate trick play stream of encoded video to support trick play features. The trick play stream is encoded at a lower encoding bitrate and frame rate than each of the adaptive bitrate streams. The adaptive bitrate streams and the trick play stream are stored in the network services. During normal content streaming and playback, a client device downloads a selected one of the adaptive bitrate streams from network serviced for playback at the client device. To implement a trick play feature, the client device downloads the trick play stream from the network services for trick play playback.

Abstract: Securing access to content provided over a distributed network is provided. A user desiring content from a given content source may provide login credentials via a downloaded content source application that will be used to authenticate the requesting user's access to the requested content item via a content services provider. When the access request is received, the content source application passes to the content services provider login/authentication credentials, location information and access attempt frequency information. If the location information and/or access attempt frequency information for the requesting user and/or user device raises suspicion that the requested access may be unauthorized, an automated notification can be passed to a primary services account holder associated with an account through which the requested content is received to request permission or denial from the primary account holder to allow the requested content access.

Abstract: A method for providing recommendations for audio/video content is provided. The method obtains, by a computing device, a plurality of promotion frequencies, each of the plurality of promotion frequencies being associated with presentation of promotional advertisements for a respective set of audio/video content; identifies, by the computing device, a subset of the plurality of promotion frequencies indicative of highly-promoted sets of audio/video content; compares, by the computing device, the subset to viewing habits of a user to identify corresponding data; and determines, by the computing device, recommendations for potential viewing by the user, based on the corresponding data.

Abstract: A data transmitting apparatus is provided. The data transmitting apparatus includes a packet generator configured to generate a packet including a first sub packet and a second sub packet, and a transmitter configured to transmit the generated packet to a data receiving apparatus, and the first sub packet and the second sub packet include different audio data related to a first content.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to monitor media presentations are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a registration data receiver to obtain demographic information. A logging data receiver is to, when enabled, collect first monitoring information identifying first media, the logging data receiver to receive the first monitoring information from a monitor of a second media device separate from the first media device. An overlay controller is to present a monitoring agreement to the user via an output of the first media device. A first data controller enables the logging data receiver to collect the first monitoring information if the monitoring agreement is accepted, and does not enable the logging data receiver if the monitoring agreement is not accepted. The first data controller is to determine that the first data controller is to act as a master monitor. The first monitoring information is transmitted to a central facility via the master monitor.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided herein to ease the process of navigating media asset identifiers. Control circuitry may generate a timeline scroller that does not obscure media asset identifiers for simultaneous display with the media asset identifiers. When a user makes contact with the timeline scroller (e.g., by touching it with a finger on a touch screen device), control circuitry may responsively generate for display an indicator of a time corresponding with the point where the contact is made. Control circuitry may cause this indicator to be updated as a user scrolls along the timeline scroller. Control circuitry may refrain from updating the listings to correspond with the time until the user discontinues making contact with the timeline scroller (e.g., by removing the finger from the touch screen).

Abstract: Methods, devices, systems, and non-transitory process-readable storage media for a watermark client executing on a media receiver device to manage access to data related to watermark data from broadcast streams. An embodiment method performed by a processor of the media receiver device may include operations for receiving a broadcast stream from a broadcast channel, identifying watermark data within the received broadcast stream, obtaining data via a wide area network based on the identified watermark data, receiving a request for the obtained data from a resident application executing on the media receiver device, and determining whether the resident application is eligible to access the obtained data.

Abstract: A system for rendering media having content displayed comprises a receiving unit to receive media, a scanner to detect an object in the media for placing a placeholder, a checker to provide the placeholder to a user for feedback and receive the feedback. The system also includes a template generator to generate a template indicating the placeholder in the media. The system also includes a rendering unit in communication with the template generator to render, upon receiving a request for watching the media, the media having content to display to the user, based on at least one of a storage space and a processing capacity.

Abstract: An online system receives a media stream from a host of a live broadcasting stream and a second media stream from a guest of the host, and generates a single composite stream that includes the multiple live streams. The online system decodes and aligns the video and audio frames of each live stream to ensure that the composite stream displays the multiple live streams in a synchronized fashion. Additionally, the composite stream can display the multiple live streams in a particular format (e.g. side-by-side, or picture-in-picture), and therefore, the online system adjusts the video and audio frames of each live stream to fit that format. For each composite stream, the online system employs a decision engine that identifies the optimal set of encoded composite streams based on a variety of characteristics. The online system encodes the composite stream and distributes the appropriately encoded composite stream to client devices for display to viewers.

Abstract: Provided are methods and systems whereby a user device can monitor the attributes of content presented to a plurality of users. The user device can monitor interaction between each of the plurality of users and one or more of the content and the user device. The user device can generate a plurality of profile clusters based on one or more of the monitored attributes and the monitored interactions over a time period. The user device can generate a plurality of user profiles based on the plurality of profile clusters.

Abstract: A method of generating references to related videos is provided. Closed caption text of a primary video is analyzed to identify at least one keyword contained within the closed captioned text and a separate pre-determined listing of keywords. A keyword identified within the closed caption text and a context thereof is compared to keyword-context pairings provided within the listing. Information of a reference video related to the primary video is obtained by taking actions required by a rule in the listing associated with a matched keyword-context pairing when the keyword identified from the primary video and the context thereof is determined to match one of the keyword-context pairings in the listing. An annotation of the reference video relative to the primary video is created. A video processing electronic device and at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer program instructions stored thereon for performing the method are provided.

Abstract: There is provided a system having a memory and a processor to establish a viewing group having a plurality of users, provide an ordered list of a plurality of media contents, make a first media content in the ordered list of the plurality of media contents available for viewing by each of the plurality of users in the viewing group, track a viewing progress of the first media content by each of the plurality of users in the viewing group, and make a second media content in the ordered list of the plurality of media contents available for viewing by each of the plurality of users in the viewing group based on one or more rules related to the viewing progress of the first media content by each of the plurality of users in the viewing group.

Abstract: Techniques to coordinate ambient media detection are disclosed. A request to become active in performing media detection processing with respect to the audio environment is received from a first ambient media detection agent associated with an audio environment. A response denying the request is sent to the first ambient media detection agent if it is determined that a second ambient media detection agent associated with the audio environment currently is active in performing media detection processing with respect to the audio environment.