Abstract: A system collects a user's television (TV) program viewing activity and uses the collected TV program viewing activity to make video on demand (VOD) recommendations to other users via a VOD recommendation service. The system receives an indication that the user wishes to turn on a VOD recommendation service and deletes previously collected TV program viewing activity for the user based on the received indication. The system collects the user's recent TV program viewing activity, which occurs subsequent to the received indication and the deletion of the previously collected TV program viewing activity, and uses the user's collected recent TV program activity to make other VOD program recommendations to the user via the VOD recommendation service.

Abstract: A device sends an authentication request from the device to a session management server, and receives a token from the session management server if the device authenticates successfully. The device obtains a streaming media playlist file from a content delivery server, and sends the token to a key server for token validation. The device receives a decryption key from the key server if the token validates successfully, and requests a first streaming media segment file from the content delivery server based on the playlist file. The device receives the first streaming media segment file from the content delivery server; and decrypts the first streaming media segment file using the decryption key.

Abstract: An exemplary system includes an element server in a video hub office configured to provide a media signal to a content processing device located at a customer premises and at least one computing device remote from the video hub office and the customer premises. The computing device comprises a first data store that includes a plurality of presentation elements, a second data store that includes information concerning associations of the presentation elements with a chunk that is a logical grouping of the presentation elements, and an element management subsystem that provides the presentation elements associated with the chunk to the element server in the video hub office, the element server configured to cache the presentation elements for use by the element server in fulfilling a request from the content processing device, wherein the computing device provides a user interface that presents information about the presentation elements associated with the chunk.

Abstract: A digital television (DTV) receiver retrieves, from a memory, a standardized hostname and a standardized filename for a web-based service for providing a channel map associated with service providers. The DTV receiver adds, to the standardized hostname, a name for a particular service provider and sends, to a data server, a request for channel map information, where the request is based on the standardized hostname, the name for the particular service provider, and the standardized filename. The DTV receiver receivers, from the data server, a channel map file based on the standardized filename and extracts information from the channel map file to present to a user.

Abstract: An exemplary computing system may receive input identifying a first data source. The computing system may also provide a widget template and receive a request to associate the first data source with the widget template. The computing system may create a map that associates the first data source with the widget template. The computing system may provide a widget that displays, based on the map and the widget template, data from the data source. Corresponding methods, apparatus, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: A computing device receives from a user, a request to simultaneously record two or more programs from a content server onto the computing device and initiates a streaming video session between the computing device and a video client. The computing device provides, to the video client, recording parameters for one of the programs and then receives, via the streaming video session, a video stream from the video client. The video stream includes the one of the programs from the content server based on the recording parameters that is then recorded by the computing device.

Abstract: A device receives, from a content provider device, a personal media file with a custom name and generates a universal file name for the file based on a digital fingerprint extracted from the file. The device associates the universal file name with the custom name and determines that the universal file name is associated with a previously-stored file, where the previously-stored file and the file with the custom name have an identical digital fingerprint. The device discards the file with the custom name, and associates the custom name with the universal file name for later retrieval.

Abstract: An interactive program system includes a device that receives program data and Enhanced TV Binary Interchange Format (EBIF) data associated with an interactive application; identifies the EBIF data; converts the EBIF data to a data format compatible with a user device; generates an EBIF notification based on the EBIF data; transmits the EBIF notification to the user device; and transmits the converted EBIF data to a network device. The user device communicates with the network device based on the EBIF notification and displays the converted EBIF data. The user device transmits input data to the network device and the network device provides interaction data to the device.

Abstract: A method may include receiving a video stream, wherein the video stream is divided into video segments, and wherein the video stream is being sent to a customer device and receiving a request to insert a message into the video stream. The method may further include determining a particular video segment after which to insert the message into the video stream; inserting the message into video stream after the particular video segment; and sending the video stream to the customer device, wherein the video stream includes the inserted message.

Abstract: An exemplary system includes a first user device associated with a first user and a second user device associated with a second user. The first user device is configured to detect a request input by the first user to share media content being processed by the user device with the second user, generate an invite message including data configured to be utilized by the second user device to access the media content, and send the invite message to the second user device by way of a messaging service. The second user device is configured to receive the invite message from the first user device by way of the messaging service, determine that the invite message is associated with a media sharing service, and perform one or more operations to facilitate access to the media content by the second user. Corresponding methods, systems, and apparatus are also disclosed.

Abstract: An exemplary method includes presenting, by a media content delivery system, an advertisement for a media content instance that is accessible only at or after a scheduled release time, receiving, by the media content delivery system, a request input by a user to purchase access to the media content instance, and providing, by the media content delivery system in response to the received request, enhanced content associated with the media content instance for experiencing by the user before the scheduled release time. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.

Abstract: A system and method for selling preference-based virtual objects comprising receiving one or more user commands from an input device, transmitting, to at least one server, the one or more user commands to identify one or more preference-based virtual objects based on the one or more user commands, receiving the one or more preference-based virtual objects in response to the identification of the one or more preference-based virtual objects, and outputting, to a display device, the one or more preference-based virtual objects in response to receiving one or more user inputs to display the one or more preference-based virtual objects to the display device.

Abstract: Content, such as audio or video content, is streamed to portable devices based on an entitlement determination that includes determining the location of the portable device and whether the content is subject to blackout restrictions. In one implementation, requests may be received for content that is to be streamed to a portable device and a location of the portable device may be determined. Entitlements may be determined, where the entitlements define whether the content is permitted to be viewed by the portable device, where the entitlements are determined based at least on the indication of the location of the portable device and based on blackout restrictions applicable to the content. The content may be selectively streamed to the portable device based on the applicable blackout restrictions.

Abstract: An approach is provided for selecting personalized content presented via a set-top box. Viewing data related to content experienced by a user is retrieved. Broadcast content is selected based on the viewing data from a plurality of programs that are designated to broadcast to a plurality of set-top boxes. A personalized programming channel is presented for the user using the selected broadcast content over a particular one of the set-top boxes associated with the user.

Abstract: Video content that is streamed to portable devices may be interrupted based on an emergency alert system (EAS) broadcast. In one implementation, first video content may be streamed over an Internet Protocol (IP) network to a portable device and an indication of a location of the portable device may be determined. Whether the location of the portable device is in a geographic region covered by an EAS broadcast may also be determined. When the portable device is determined to be in the geographic region covered by the EAS broadcast, a notification may be transmitted to the portable device, where the notification instructs the portable device to interrupt the first video content with video content corresponding to the EAS broadcast. The video content corresponding to the EAS broadcast may be streamed to the portable device.

Abstract: A device includes a communication interface and one or more processors. The communication interface may receive a playlist that lists segments of a content stream in an order the segments are to be recombined, receive advertisement information that describes an advertisement, receive a breakpoint, and send a revised playlist to a remote server. The one or more processors may generate the revised playlist based on the playlist, the advertisement information, and the breakpoint. The revised playlist may include references to the segments and the advertisements.

Abstract: Video content is streamed to portable devices based on an entitlement determination that includes determining the location of the portable device. Channel listings available for the portable device may be filtered based on the determined entitlements. A device may determine an indication of a location of the portable device and determine entitlements defining which of the plurality of video content items are permitted to be viewed by the portable device, where the entitlements are determined based at least on the indication of the location of the portable device. The device may further transmit, to the portable device, a listing of the plurality of video content items, filtered based on those of the plurality of video content items that are permitted to be viewed by the portable device, as determined by the entitlements.

Abstract: Users of portable devices may stream video content to the portable device based on an entitlement determination that includes determining the location of the portable device. A device may receive a request to authenticate the portable device to receive the streaming video content and determine whether the portable device is in a geographic location corresponding to a customer premise of an account associated with the portable device. The video content may be streamed when the portable device is in the geographic location corresponding to the customer premise.

Abstract: An approach is provided for perform search across multiple systems via a set-top box. A search request is received via an interactive service guide of a set-top box. A widget-based search of one or more applications is initiated via the set-top box. A search result for the one or more applications is received, and presented via the interactive service guide.

Abstract: An exemplary method includes detecting a request to launch an application on a device, accessing metadata associated with the application over a network, using the metadata to determine whether sufficient resources are available to launch the application on the device, and performing at least one action based on said determination. The at least one action may include launching the application on the device when sufficient resources are available or blocking a launch of the application on the device when sufficient resources are not available. In certain embodiments, the method is performed by the device. In certain embodiments, the device includes a set-top box configured to access a media service over the network. Corresponding methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.