Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for automatically generating and maintaining user profile cookie sets. The user profile cookie sets may be used by a web crawler when gathering data such as advertisement data associated with one or more websites. The cookie sets may be generated by choosing a user profile with a set of user traits, selecting a set of websites related to the user traits, and browsing the selected set of websites using a web crawler while allowing the website to place cookies in storage of the web crawler. The cookie sets may be maintained by selecting a website to browse, selecting a user profile associated with the selected website, loading a previously generated cookie set for the selected user profile into the storage of a web crawler, and loading the webpage while allowing the website to place, update, or replace cookies in the storage of the web crawler.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for discovering advertisements on publisher web pages and for identifying placement pathways by which discovered advertisements have been placed on the publisher web pages. An advertisement tracking and discovery system may use multiple web crawler applications to explore multiple publisher websites. The web crawler applications may gather advertisement data that includes times associated with each request made by the web crawler application. The system may use the gathered advertisement data and the times associated with each request to determine the placement pathways by which discovered advertisements have been placed. Each placement pathway may include one or more advertising channels or combinations of advertising channels. The system may accumulate and aggregate advertising data associated with the advertisements and the placement pathways and display the aggregated advertising data to a customer.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for discovering advertisements on publisher web pages and for identifying placement pathways by which discovered advertisements have been placed on the publisher web pages. An advertisement tracking and discovery system may use multiple web crawler applications to explore multiple publisher websites. The web crawler applications may gather advertisement data that includes times associated with each request made by the web crawler application. The system may use the gathered advertisement data and the times associated with each request to determine the placement pathways by which discovered advertisements have been placed. Each placement pathway may include one or more advertising channels or combinations of advertising channels. The system may accumulate and aggregate advertising data associated with the advertisements and the placement pathways and display the aggregated advertising data to a customer.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for discovering advertisements on publisher web pages and for identifying placement pathways by which discovered advertisements have been placed on the publisher web pages. An advertisement tracking and discovery system may use multiple web crawler applications to explore multiple publisher websites. The web crawler applications may gather advertisement data that includes times associated with each request made by the web crawler application. The system may use the gathered advertisement data and the times associated with each request to determine the placement pathways by which discovered advertisements have been placed. Each placement pathway may include one or more advertising channels or combinations of advertising channels. The system may accumulate and aggregate advertising data associated with the advertisements and the placement pathways and display the aggregated advertising data to a customer.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for automatically generating and maintaining user profile cookie sets. The user profile cookie sets may be used by a web crawler when gathering data such as advertisement data associated with one or more websites. The cookie sets may be generated by choosing a user profile with a set of user traits, selecting a set of websites related to the user traits, and browsing the selected set of websites using a web crawler while allowing the website to place cookies in storage of the web crawler. The cookie sets may be maintained by selecting a website to browse, selecting a user profile associated with the selected website, loading a previously generated cookie set for the selected user profile into the storage of a web crawler, and loading the webpage while allowing the website to place, update, or replace cookies in the storage of the web crawler.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for automatically generating and maintaining user profile cookie sets. The user profile cookie sets may be used by a web crawler when gathering data such as advertisement data associated with one or more websites. The cookie sets may be generated by choosing a user profile with a set of user traits, selecting a set of websites related to the user traits, and browsing the selected set of websites using a web crawler while allowing the website to place cookies in storage of the web crawler. The cookie sets may be maintained by selecting a website to browse, selecting a user profile associated with the selected website, loading a previously generated cookie set for the selected user profile into the storage of a web crawler, and loading the webpage while allowing the website to place, update, or replace cookies in the storage of the web crawler.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for discovering advertisements on publisher web pages and for identifying placement pathways by which discovered advertisements have been placed on the publisher web pages. An advertisement tracking and discovery system may use multiple web crawler applications to explore multiple publisher websites. The web crawler applications may gather advertisement data that includes times associated with each request made by the web crawler application. The system may use the gathered advertisement data and the times associated with each request to determine the placement pathways by which discovered advertisements have been placed. Each placement pathway may include one or more advertising channels or combinations of advertising channels. The system may accumulate and aggregate advertising data associated with the advertisements and the placement pathways and display the aggregated advertising data to a customer.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for discovering advertisements on publisher web pages and for identifying placement pathways by which discovered advertisements have been placed on the publisher web pages. An advertisement tracking and discovery system may use multiple web crawler applications to explore multiple publisher websites. The web crawler applications may gather advertisement data that includes times associated with each request made by the web crawler application. The system may use the gathered advertisement data and the times associated with each request to determine the placement pathways by which discovered advertisements have been placed. Each placement pathway may include one or more advertising channels or combinations of advertising channels. The system may accumulate and aggregate advertising data associated with the advertisements and the placement pathways and display the aggregated advertising data to a customer.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for discovering advertisements on publisher web pages and for identifying placement pathways by which discovered advertisements have been placed on the publisher web pages. An advertisement tracking and discovery system may use multiple web crawler applications to explore multiple publisher websites. The web crawler applications may gather advertisement data that includes times associated with each request made by the web crawler application. The system may use the gathered advertisement data and the times associated with each request to determine the placement pathways by which discovered advertisements have been placed. Each placement pathway may include one or more advertising channels or combinations of advertising channels. The system may accumulate and aggregate advertising data associated with the advertisements and the placement pathways and display the aggregated advertising data to a customer.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for discovering advertisements on publisher web pages and for identifying placement pathways by which discovered advertisements have been placed on the publisher web pages. An advertisement tracking and discovery system may use multiple web crawler applications to explore multiple publisher websites. The web crawler applications may gather advertisement data that includes times associated with each request made by the web crawler application. The system may use the gathered advertisement data and the times associated with each request to determine the placement pathways by which discovered advertisements have been placed. Each placement pathway may include one or more advertising channels or combinations of advertising channels. The system may accumulate and aggregate advertising data associated with the advertisements and the placement pathways and display the aggregated advertising data to a customer.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for automatically generating and maintaining user profile cookie sets. The user profile cookie sets may be used by a web crawler when gathering data such as advertisement data associated with one or more websites. The cookie sets may be generated by choosing a user profile with a set of user traits, selecting a set of websites related to the user traits, and browsing the selected set of websites using a web crawler while allowing the website to place cookies in storage of the web crawler. The cookie sets may be maintained by selecting a website to browse, selecting a user profile associated with the selected website, loading a previously generated cookie set for the selected user profile into the storage of a web crawler, and loading the webpage while allowing the website to place, update, or replace cookies in the storage of the web crawler.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for automatically generating and maintaining user profile cookie sets. The user profile cookie sets may be used by a web crawler when gathering data such as advertisement data associated with one or more websites. The cookie sets may be generated by choosing a user profile with a set of user traits, selecting a set of websites related to the user traits, and browsing the selected set of websites using a web crawler while allowing the website to place cookies in storage of the web crawler. The cookie sets may be maintained by selecting a website to browse, selecting a user profile associated with the selected website, loading a previously generated cookie set for the selected user profile into the storage of a web crawler, and loading the webpage while allowing the website to place, update, or replace cookies in the storage of the web crawler.

Abstract: Detailed herein is a technology which, among other things, allows for storage and playback of interactive user elements in a television stream. In one approach to this technology, a content data stream, including a television program and a user experience element, is received. This content data stream is transformed, and the transformed data stream is examined, to identify which packets are associated with the user experience element. Those packets are then passed to a handler appropriate for the user experience element.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided that discover undesired advertisements on publisher web pages and automatically block advertisers or advertising channels associated with the placement of those advertisements from placing advertisements on the publisher web pages. An advertisement discovery and blocking system may discover advertisements on a particular publisher web page and placement pathways associated with those discovered advertisements. The system may then compare the discovered advertisements and placement pathways with a set of rules in an advertiser rule list. The system may detect advertisement violations based on the comparison of the set of rules in the advertiser rule list with the discovered advertisements and placement pathways. The system may add advertisers and advertising channels associated with the detected advertisement violations to a list of blocked advertisers. The list of blocked advertisers may be provided to the publishers and the advertising channels.

Abstract: Various embodiments pertain to methods and systems for providing multi-source content in electronic program guides (EPGs). In at least some embodiments, various techniques can present the viewer with a user interface, such as a grid, that is efficiently and intelligently assembled and managed to foster a desirable user experience.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided to a user which allows “ubiquitous” searching—searching of possibly heterogeneous search repositories. In one embodiment, this search mechanism is provided by means of a search framework underlying a web-based user interface. When a search request is made, the underlying search framework detects the search request and its associated parameters, associates the search request with the required search provider or providers while still exposing (through the search context) the full search functionality for all search providers currently configured with the search framework, dispatches the search requests, and handles the return of search results in a unified format. The search providers follow the search framework's interfaces through which the search framework can detect the search method offered by the search provider, and results format and option information.

Abstract: Described herein is technology for, among other things, maintaining access to DRM protected content. The technology may be implemented via a playback device or a computer system connected to a MTD. It involves monitoring requests for media content and then verifying access and renewing the license if necessary. The license renewal request may be made to a MTD or an internet connected system.

Abstract: Content communication and purchases using a computer-based media component are described. A tuner component can individually interact with client components, where each communication of content may be varied or configured independent of interactions with other client components. Additionally, content can be purchased using the computer-based media component, where the purchase and/or presentation of the content may utilize the computer-based media component and/or coupled client components.

Abstract: Detailed herein is a technology which, among other things, allows for storage and playback of interactive user elements in a television stream. In one approach to this technology, a content data stream, including a television program and a user experience element, is received. This content data stream is transformed, and the transformed data stream is examined, to identify which packets are associated with the user experience element. Those packets are then passed to a handler appropriate for the user experience element.

Abstract: Various embodiments pertain to methods and systems for providing multi-source content in electronic program guides (EPGs). In at least some embodiments, various techniques can present the viewer with a user interface, such as a grid, that is efficiently and intelligently assembled and managed to foster a desirable user experience.