Abstract: A remote control is described herein that is configured to sense a variety of user input types on a specific button and that can also sense a variety of user input types on a click pad or region/location of the click pad. By utilizing these capabilities, the remote control can provide a very powerful and versatile user interface. Furthermore, the foregoing can be achieved with only a relatively small number of buttons, thus also providing a user interface that is simple, clean and elegant.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein enable detection of remote control activity. For example, a determination may be made whether an RF remote control is in use by detecting a non-RF signal transmitted by the RF remote control. The non-RF signal need not actually control any device, but it may be used to detect when the RF remote control is in use. An AV switch may detect an RF remote control is in use by detecting a non-RF signal. For example, when a user uses an RF remote (e.g., to control an STB with an RF signal) the use may be detected by detecting a non-RF (e.g., an IR signal) signal and the AV switch may use the detection, for example, to control a TV (e.g., turn on), control the switch (e.g., port selection for a TV to display STB output) and/or other devices.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses are described for remote control device usage detection. A smart battery may be inserted into a remote control device. The smart battery provides power to the remote control device as well as monitors the power consumption when a particular one or more interface elements of the remote control is interacted with by an end user. The power consumption information is transmitted to a receiver, which may identify the remote control device and/or the interface element(s) that has been interacted with based on the received data.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for identifying items of media content from across multiple content-providing entities for playback or recommendation to a user. In accordance with embodiments, a user of a media content delivery device is identified and a usage profile corresponding to the user is obtained. The usage profile identifies, for each of a plurality of content-providing entities, one or more items of media content that have been obtained from the content-providing entity and watched by the user. An unwatched item of media content may then be identified based on the usage profile and information about the unwatched item of media content may be provided to the device for presentation to the user. Alternatively, an item of media content identified in the usage profile may be played back to the user or a means for playing back the item of media content may be provided via the device.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein enable a user to share content with another user. In embodiments, a portion of the multimedia content presented by an output device (e.g., a streaming media player, a set-top box, etc.) may be selected for sharing (e.g., with one or more user(s)). Information associated with the multimedia content may be further determined (e.g., metadata, a service or source device providing the content, a time, an identification, etc.). Upon receiving a selection to share the multimedia content, a user-interactive identifier (e.g., a hyperlink) and at least one of the information and the portion of the multimedia content may be transmitted to enable the user(s) to access the content. In this manner, access to multimedia content may be easily and quickly shared with another user with relatively low user effort.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein enable detection of remote control activity. For example, a determination may be made whether an RF remote control is in use by detecting a non-RF signal transmitted by the RF remote control. The non-RF signal need not actually control any device, but it may be used to detect when the RF remote control is in use. An AV switch may detect an RF remote control is in use by detecting a non-RF signal. For example, when a user uses an RF remote (e.g., to control an STB with an RF signal) the use may be detected by detecting a non-RF (e.g., an IR signal) signal and the AV switch may use the detection, for example, to control a TV (e.g., turn on), control the switch (e.g., port selection for a TV to display STB output) and/or other devices.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses are described for remote control device usage detection. A smart battery may be inserted into a remote control device. The smart battery provides power to the remote control device as well as monitors the power consumption when a particular one or more interface elements of the remote control is interacted with by an end user. The power consumption information is transmitted to a receiver, which may identify the remote control device and/or the interface element(s) that has been interacted with based on the received data.

Abstract: A unified search system is described herein. The unified search system is configured to enable, in a control device (e.g., a remote control), a user to input a search query. The unified search system includes a plurality of content providing device interfaces configured to interface the control device with a plurality of content providing devices. Each content providing device interface is configured to receive the search query from the user input interface, format the search query according to a corresponding input device type, and provide the formatted search query to one or more corresponding content providing devices. Search results received from the content providing devices are displayed at a display of the control device and/or at another display (e.g., a television).

Abstract: A remote control is described herein that is configured to sense a variety of user input types on a specific button and that can also sense a variety of user input types on a click pad or region/location of the click pad. By utilizing these capabilities, the remote control can provide a very powerful and versatile user interface. Furthermore, the foregoing can be achieved with only a relatively small number of buttons, thus also providing a user interface that is simple, clean and elegant.

Abstract: A loudspeaker system is described that includes a loudspeaker and an extender. The loudspeaker can be positioned on the ground and the extender can be optionally connected thereto. When the extender is connected to the loudspeaker, the loudspeaker is capable of selectively sending high-frequency components of an input audio signal to the extender and the extender is capable of playing back such high-frequency components to produce high-frequency audio. Due to the fact that an audio-producing apparatus of the extender can be positioned at a higher elevation than the loudspeaker, the high-frequency audio (which is more directional than lower-frequency audio) can be produced at a height that is likely to match that of the ear height of a user as opposed to producing the audio at floor height.

Abstract: Methods, systems and devices are described for place shifting media content from a computer system to a remotely-located display over a network. The media content to be place shifted is captured at the computer system, wherein the media content includes a portion of imagery presented on a local display associated with the computer system. The captured media content is transcoded or otherwise converted to a media stream in a format that is transmittable on the network. The media stream is then transmitted on the network for presentation on the remotely-located display.

Abstract: Techniques are described herein for a multimode graphical user interface (GUI), where a first mode of the GUI uses an unguided navigation model and a second mode uses a guided navigation model in which the GUI is distilled down to only its most critical elements. This may be achieved by sequentially displaying a single user interface element and removing all other user-interface elements of the GUI. The second mode of the GUI may lead a user through multiple options one at a time, thus creating a guided navigation model. The second mode may be initiated upon detecting a certain event (e.g., a period of inactivity, an explicit command from the user, etc.). The multimode GUI may be used to guide a user through one or more recommended items of media content from one or more different content-providing sources.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses are described for personalizing and recommending content. Media or multimedia activity of users, or consumed media or multimedia content, is automatically detected or observed, and a temporal identifier associated with the activity is determined. A usage profile is created for the users based on the activity and the temporal identifier. The usage profile is stored and may be updated based on additional detections or observations. Recommendations for additional content are automatically performed based on the usage profile. Recommendations for additional content may be based on periodic content releases or activities, content that is part of a series, content comprising sequels, or additional content that is similar or associated with consumed content.

Abstract: Communication systems are described, including both portable handset and headset devices, which use a number of microphone configurations to receive acoustic signals of an environment. The microphone configurations include, for example, a two microphone array including two unidirectional microphones, and a two-microphone array including one unidirectional microphone and one omnidirectional microphone. The communication systems also include Voice Activity Detection (VAD) devices to provide information of human voicing activity. Components of the communications systems receive the acoustic signals and voice activity signals and, in response, automatically generate control signals from data of the voice activity signals. Components of the communication systems use the control signals to automatically select a denoising method appropriate to data of frequency subbands of the acoustic signals.

Abstract: Methods, systems and devices are described for place shifting media content from a computer system to a remotely-located display over a network. The media content to be place shifted is captured at the computer system, wherein the media content includes a portion of imagery presented on a local display associated with the computer system. The captured media content is transcoded or otherwise converted to a media stream in a format that is transmittable on the network. The media stream is then transmitted on the network for presentation on the remotely-located display.

Abstract: Methods, systems and devices are described for place shifting media content from a computer system to a remotely-located display over a network. The media content to be place shifted is captured at the computer system, wherein the media content includes a portion of imagery presented on a local display associated with the computer system. The captured media content is transcoded or otherwise converted to a media stream in a format that is transmittable on the network. The media stream is then transmitted on the network for presentation on the remotely-located display.

Abstract: Communication systems are described, including both portable handset and headset devices, which use a number of microphone configurations to receive acoustic signals of an environment. The microphone configurations include, for example, a two-microphone array including two unidirectional microphones, and a two-microphone array including one unidirectional microphone and one omnidirectional microphone. The communication systems also include Voice Activity Detection (VAD) devices to provide information of human voicing activity. Components of the communications systems receive the acoustic signals and voice activity signals and, in response, automatically generate control signals from data of the voice activity signals. Components of the communication systems use the control signals to automatically select a denoising method appropriate to data of frequency subbands of the acoustic signals.