Abstract: A method transmits configuration information including a set of events that define when a media program player should send information regarding playback of an advertisement during an advertisement break in a media program. Also, the method transmits, to the user device, advertising control options configured to be output on the user device. A user selection for a control option in the advertising control options is received from the user device, wherein the control option controls sending of an advertisement to the user device during the advertisement break. The method then receives advertisement viewing data describing a viewing of the advertisement on the user device, wherein sending of the advertisement viewing data by the media program player is triggered based on an event in the set of events occurring at the media program player.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for sharing viewing information is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving an designation of a second user from the first user; and transmitting the first user viewing information to the designated second user. The shared viewing information may comprise the identity of a currently viewed media program, a list of scheduled media program viewings, or the media program itself.

Abstract: A method determines user preference information for a user for a number of advertisements in a set of advertising blocks and a temporal distribution of the advertising blocks. When each advertising block in the set of advertising blocks occurs according to the temporal distribution during sending of a video program, the method determines a number of advertisements in the advertising block based on the user preference information, determines advertisements for the advertising block equal to the number of advertisements, and sends the determined advertisements during the advertising block.

Abstract: A method transmits configuration information including a set of events that define when a media program player should send information regarding playback of an advertisement during an advertisement break in a media program. Also, the method transmits, to the user device, advertising control options configured to be output on the user device. A user selection for a control option in the advertising control options is received from the user device, wherein the control option controls sending of an advertisement to the user device during the advertisement break. The method then receives advertisement viewing data describing a viewing of the advertisement on the user device, wherein sending of the advertisement viewing data by the media program player is triggered based on an event in the set of events occurring at the media program player.

Abstract: Method and system for organizing and sharing content through experience are described. In one embodiment, content may be organized and shared among users through a specific experience. A method for sharing content in a network may include: collecting contents related to a specific experience from a specific user; generating an experience graph of the specific experience; enabling the specific user to invite other users to join the experience graph; and enabling each user inside the experience graph to share new content into the experience graph.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, article of manufacture, and a memory structure for providing advertisements with a media program transmitted to a user device are described. The method permits the user to control the presentation of advertisements. In one embodiment, the method receives an identification of the media program to be sent to the user device, transmits metadata defining an advertising break having at least one advertisement opportunity within the media program, at the advertisement opportunity, transmits advertising control options, receives a user selection for the advertising control options, sends the advertisement to the user device according to the user selection for the advertising control options, receives advertising viewing data describing the streaming of the advertisement to the user device, and stores the advertisement viewing data.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and article of manufacture for providing advertisements into a streamed media program is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises the steps of transmitting a webpage to a user computer, wherein the webpage includes instructions comprising instructions for embedding a media program player in the webpage, wherein the embedded media program player comprises an embedded search utility for accepting a textual user query, receiving a search query from the user computer in a media server, the search query entered into the embedded search utility, generating search results responsive to the user search query, transmitting the search results to the media program player embedded in the webpage, rendering the search results using the media program player; and displaying the rendered search results to the user.

Abstract: Method and system for organizing and sharing content through experience are described. In one embodiment, content may be organized and shared among users through a specific experience. A method for sharing content in a network may include: collecting contents related to a specific experience from a specific user; generating an experience graph of the specific experience; enabling the specific user to invite other users to join the experience graph; and enabling each user inside the experience graph to share new content into the experience graph.

Abstract: Method and system for organizing and sharing content through experience are described. In one embodiment, content may be organized and shared among users through a specific experience. A method for sharing content in a network may include: collecting contents related to a specific experience from a specific user; generating an experience graph of the specific experience; enabling the specific user to invite other users to join the experience graph; and enabling each user inside the experience graph to share new content into the experience graph.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for embedding a media program with a randomly user selected thumbnail is disclosed. The user can scan a media program to identify one of a plurality of media program frames, select the frame of interest, then designate it as the thumbnail to use in connection with the embedded media program.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, article of manufacture, and a memory structure for providing advertisements with a media program transmitted to a user device are described. The method permits the user to control the presentation of advertisements to select prefacing advertisements in lieu of more time consuming or more numerous intervening advertisements presented during the media program.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for sharing viewing information is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving an designation of a second user from the first user; and transmitting the first user viewing information to the designated second user. The shared viewing information may comprise the identity of a currently viewed media program, a list of scheduled media program viewings, or the media program itself.

Abstract: A method determines user preference information for a user for a number of advertisements in a set of advertising blocks and a temporal distribution of the advertising blocks. When each advertising block in the set of advertising blocks occurs according to the temporal distribution during sending of a video program, the method determines a number of advertisements in the advertising block based on the user preference information, determines advertisements for the advertising block equal to the number of advertisements, and sends the determined advertisements during the advertising block.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for sharing viewing information is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving an designation of a second user from the first user; and transmitting the first user viewing information to the designated second user. The shared viewing information may comprise the identity of a currently viewed media program, a list of scheduled media program viewings, or the media program itself.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, article of manufacture, and a memory structure for providing advertisements into a streamed media program is disclosed. One embodiment comprises a user computer for accepting user input, the user input directly defining user preferences regarding the presentation of the advertisements in the streamed media program and for inserting advertisements in the streamed media program according to the defined user preferences; and a media program provider communicatively coupled to the user computer, for transmitting the streamed media program to the user computer for presentation to the user on a display communicatively coupled to the user computer.

Abstract: Method and system for organizing and sharing content through experience are described. In one embodiment, content may be organized and shared among users through a specific experience. A method for sharing content in a network may include: collecting contents related to a specific experience from a specific user; generating an experience graph of the specific experience; enabling the specific user to invite other users to join the experience graph; and enabling each user inside the experience graph to share new content into the experience graph.

Abstract: Described is a technique for resizing content items in a social network based on a relevancy of the content items to a user in the social network. In the disclosed technique, content items that are relevant to the user are identified and a relevancy score for each of the content items is computed based on factors including, number of interactions with the content items by a user, type of interactions and a type of user. A display size of the content item is determined based on the relevancy score of the content item. The display size can be directly proportional to the relevancy score of content item. The content items are generated based on the determined size and displayed to the user. Accordingly, a content item which is more relevant to the user is displayed at a bigger size than a content item which is less relevant to the user.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, article of manufacture, and a memory structure for providing advertisements with a media program transmitted to a user device are described. The method permits the user to control the presentation of advertisements.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, article of manufacture, and a memory structure for providing advertisements with a media program transmitted to a user device are described. The method permits the user to control the presentation of advertisements to select prefacing advertisements in lieu of more time consuming or more numerous intervening advertisements presented during the media program.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for sharing viewing information is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving an designation of a second user from the first user; and transmitting the first user viewing information to the designated second user. The shared viewing information may comprise the identity of a currently viewed media program, a list of scheduled media program viewings, or the media program itself.