Abstract: Method (1000) of providing power saving information for media content is described including receiving (1010) media content comprising a plurality of media segments, determining (1020) a power consumption indicator for a media segment of the plurality of media segments, determining (1030) power saving information for the media segment based on the power consumption indicator for the media segment and providing (1040) the power saving information. Method (1100) of receiving power saving information for media content is described including receiving (1110) power saving information for a media segment in a media content, applying (1120) said power saving information to the media segment to generate a power adjusted media content and providing (1130) the power adjusted media content. Equivalent apparatuses for providing (110, 200) and for receiving (120, 200, 250) power saving information for media content are also provided.

Abstract: A system and method for setting time and date in a device (e.g., a set top box (614), or similar client device) through a network connection when a network time standard server (606, 620) (e.g., a NTP server) is unavailable (e.g., blocked or blacklisted) are provided. The system and method of the present disclosure involves sending (404) a request over a network from a device for information from an Internet address (618), receiving (406) a packet (500) from the Internet address (618) in response to the request, extracting (408) time and date information from a header (502) in the packet (500), and using the extracted time and date information to set (416) the current time and date for the device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a first device to determine profile information are described including receiving input from a second device, wherein at least one of the first device or the second device detects physical characteristics of people present in an area and the physical characteristics are used by the device to determine who is present in the area, retrieving profile information of the people present in the area, determining a relationship between profiles of the people in the area, applying rules to negotiate a compromise regarding device settings responsive to the relationship between profiles of the people present in the area and adjusting settings of a first device or a third device responsive to the compromise.

Abstract: A method for adjusting power consumption of playing back a media content is presented. The method comprises receiving media content having first and second media segments; playing back the first media segment with a first number of frames different from a second number of frames in the first media segment; and playing back the second media segment, wherein the first number is determined according to average power of the first media segment and average power of the media content.

Abstract: Method (1000) of providing power saving information for media content is described including receiving (1010) media content comprising a plurality of media segments, determining (1020) a power consumption indicator for a media segment of the plurality of media segments, determining (1030) power saving information for the media segment based on the power consumption indicator for the media segment and providing (1040) the power saving information. Method (1100) of receiving power saving information for media content is described including receiving (1110) power saving information for a media segment in a media content, applying (1120) said power saving information to the media segment to generate a power adjusted media content and providing (1130) the power adjusted media content. Equivalent apparatuses for providing (110, 200) and for receiving (120, 200, 250) power saving information for media content are also provided.

Abstract: A state of a user (user's state) may be determined. Such user states may include an engagement level of the user, an awakeness level of the user, a satisfaction level of the user, a lack of frustration level of the user, emotional level of the user, and/or any other user state. At least one physical object in the space/vicinity of the user may be recognized. Augmented reality may be used with the detected physical object to change the state of the user when the state is not at a threshold. For example, material may be visually presented to the user such that the material appears to be presented on the physical object.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a first device to determine profile information are described including receiving input from a second device, wherein at least one of the first device or the second device detects physical characteristics of people present in an area and the physical characteristics are used by the device to determine who is present in the area, retrieving profile information of the people present in the area, determining a relationship between profiles of the people in the area, applying rules to negotiate a compromise regarding device settings responsive to the relationship between profiles of the people present in the area and adjusting settings of a first device or a third device responsive to the compromise.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for adjusting device settings on a first device are described including receiving input from a second device and adjusting the device settings or settings of a third device responsive to the input.

Abstract: A system and method for setting time and date in a device (e.g., a set top box (614), or similar client device) through a network connection when a network time standard server (606, 620) (e.g., a NTP server) is unavailable (e.g., blocked or blacklisted) are provided. The system and method of the present disclosure involves sending (404) a request over a network from a device for information from an Internet address (618), receiving (406) a packet (500) from the Internet address (618) in response to the request, extracting (408) time and date information from a header (502) in the packet (500), and using the extracted time and date information to set (416) the current time and date for the device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for serving targeted advertising to a user via a user device are described including receiving content provided by a content provider, rendering the provided content, viewing a commercial, wherein the commercial was spliced into the content based on a default commercial selection algorithm at a commercial break, determining if the user wants to rate the commercial, accepting the user's rating of the commercial if the user wants to rate the commercial and communicating the user's rating of the commercial to the content provider.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for serving targeted advertising to a user via a user device are described including receiving content provided by a content provider, rendering the provided content, viewing a commercial, wherein the commercial was spliced into the content based on a default commercial selection algorithm at a commercial break, determining if the user wants to rate the commercial, accepting the user's rating of the commercial if the user wants to rate the commercial and communicating the user's rating of the commercial to the content provider.

Abstract: A method for a content provider to manage broadcast content including selecting content to be broadcast, determining a category of the selected content, tagging the selected content and transmitting the tagged selected content to a content aggregator for broadcasting. Also described is a method for a content aggregator to broadcast content including receiving selected content from a content provider, determining when to broadcast the selected content and determining whether to broadcast any part of the selected content prior to a schedule time and broadcasting the selected content responsive to the determining step.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for using commercial ratings are described including receiving user feedback rating commercials from a plurality of users, collecting commercial related data, aggregating the commercial related data and the commercial ratings, calculating statistics based on the aggregated data and applying the statistics to a default commercial selection algorithm.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for serving targeted advertising to a user via a user device are described including receiving content provided by a content provider, rendering the provided content, viewing a commercial, wherein the commercial was spliced into the content based on a default commercial selection algorithm at a commercial break, determining if the user wants to rate the commercial, accepting the user's rating of the commercial if the user wants to rate the commercial and communicating the user's rating of the commercial to the content provider.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are described including receiving content provided by a content provider, rendering the provided content, viewing a commercial, wherein the commercial was spliced into the content based on a default commercial selection algorithm at a commercial break, determining if the user wants to rate the commercial, accepting the users rating of the commercial if the user wants to rate the commercial, and communicating the commercial and the users rating of the commercial to one or more social networking sites.

Abstract: An apparatus such as a television signal receiver controls a digital recording device via a digital data bus to enable sub-channel recording and playback. According to an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus includes a processor that is operative to process signals representing a plurality of sub-channels to generate digital data for a first one of the sub-channels. The digital data includes program data and identification data for the first sub-channel. An input/output terminal is operative to provide the digital data to a digital recording device via a digital data bus.

Abstract: A remote control device is operative to enable and facilitate user control of video systems that are operative to provide one or more three-dimensional (3D) viewing effects. According to an exemplary embodiment, the remote control device includes a user input terminal having an input element operative to receive user inputs to adjust at least one of a volume setting and a channel setting of a video system, and further operative to receive user inputs to adjust a three-dimensional (3-D) viewing effect of the video system. A transmitter is operative to transmit control signals to the video system in response to the user inputs.

Abstract: A viewer viewing audio-visual content on an audio-visual display (12) advantageously can receive information as to potential sources of alternative audio (241-24n) via a set-top box (14). The set-top-box collects metadata identifying the audio-visual content viewed by the viewer and provides that metadata to a database (26) that searches for and identifies to the set-top-box the source(s) of alternative audio-if any. The set-top box will alert the viewer who can then select one of the identified sources of alternative audio in place of the audio embedded in the currently viewed audio-visual content.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for capturing a video frame and scraping the captured frame for data contained therein is provided. The scraping of the frame extracts data from the frame. A user, while watching television, requests a screen capture function. The video frame is stored in a (e.g., advertisement for local store, or frame buffer and further processing is performed to scrape the screen of data contained therein. In one example, text information such as phone numbers, web addresses, etc. can be identified using OCR technology. Once extracted, the information can be provided to the user in many different formats for further use or further processing.

Abstract: The present application provides the user with an option to permanently erase an episode in a series recording, or a non-series recording of media content from their PVR/DVR storage. After watching recorded content on a PVR/DVR, the user is provided with an option to “permanently delete” the particular media content. In the example of a series recording, the user is provided with the ability to prevent their PVR/DVR from recording an already watched episode in a series recording and thereby saving valuable storage space on the PVR/DVR.