Abstract: A merged program guide which includes program metadata from a plurality of different media controllers. A first media controller receives program metadata that identifies a first plurality of programs. The first plurality of programs corresponds to a first content package provided by a content provider. A first program record identifying a first program of the first plurality of programs is generated. The first program record includes first program metadata associated with the first program. The first program metadata is transmitted onto a network to make the first program metadata available to a second media controller. The first media controller receives second program metadata associated with a second program of a second plurality of programs which correspond to a second content package associated with the second media controller. The first program metadata and the second program metadata are stored in a program guide on the first media controller.

Abstract: Method and system for determining the availability of a media controller to record a program in the future. A media controller receives a request to schedule the recording of a program during a particular time slot. The media controller obtains an availability probability of the media controller during the time slot. The media controller determines, based on the availability probability, whether the media controller is available to record the program. The availability probability may be based on previous usage data that identifies previous usage associated with the media controller.

Abstract: A media broker comprises a communication interface and a controller associated with the communication interface configured to receive a request from a user to record a requested media item. The media broker proceeds to query an aggregated stored content list (ASCL) including information indicative of each of the media items stored on one or more media storage device communicatively coupled to the media broker to determine if the requested media item is stored on the one or more media storage devices. If it is determined that the requested media item is stored on the one or more media storage devices the user that requested the media item is informed and the media item is stored on the one or more media storage devices. Conversely, if it is determined that the requested media item is not stored on the one or more media storage devices, the requested media item is recorded.

Abstract: A method for displaying data from a program guide. Based on program metadata from a program guide, a display is caused to be presented on a display device that identifies a current status of a first media controller and a second media controller. The current status includes data identifying a first program currently being provided by the first media controller and a second program currently being provided by a second media controller.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for navigating electronic texts. According to an aspect, a method may include determining that a user non-linearly navigates between text subgroups within electronic text. The method may also include linking the text subgroups in response to determining that the user non-linearly navigates between the text subgroups. Further, for example, text subgroups within an electronic text may be determined. In this example, a similarity relationship between content of each text subgroup and one or more other text subgroups may be determined for linking the text subgroups.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for navigating electronic texts. According to an aspect, a method may include determining text subgroups within an electronic text. The method may also include selecting a text seed within one of the text subgroups. Further, the method may include determining a similarity relationship between the text seed and one or more adjacent text subgroups that do not include the selected text seed. The method may also include associating the text seed with the one or more adjacent text subgroups based on the similarity relationship to create a text cluster.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for navigating electronic texts. According to an aspect, a method may include receiving search criteria for searching an electronic text. Further, the method may include determining text subgroups within the electronic text. The method may also include determining, for each text subgroup, a similarity relationship between the search criteria and the text subgroup. Further, the method may include presenting, for each text subgroup, a graphic representing the similarity relationship between the text subgroup and the search criteria.

Abstract: A system and method for embedding recommendations on a portable media player are provided. In general, recommendations for media presentations stored or to be stored on the portable media player are generated by a recommendation engine hosted by an external system such as, for example, a user's personal computer or a network server. In one embodiment, the media presentations are songs, and the recommendations include a number of recommended songs for each song stored or to be stored on the portable media player. The recommendations may be limited to the media presentations stored on the portable media player or otherwise accessible to the portable media player. After the recommendations are generated, the recommendations are stored, or embedded, on the portable media player. Thereafter, the portable media player may use the recommendations to facilitate playback of media content on the portable media player.

Abstract: A peer-to-peer (P2P) network for providing real time media recommendations is provided. The media recommendations may be song recommendations or video recommendations. Each time a media presentation is played by a peer device, the peer device provides a recommendation identifying the media presentation to other peer devices in the P2P network. A peer device having received recommendations from the other peer devices in the P2P network then programmatically, or automatically, selects a next media presentation to play from the media presentations recently played by the other peer devices and one or more locally stored media presentations. If the selected media presentation is not stored locally by the peer device, the peer device may obtain the selected media presentation from a subscription based service enabling streaming or download of the selected media presentation, an e-commerce service enabling purchase and download of the selected media presentation, or another peer device.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for generating, sending, and delivering a message addressed using an image of an intended message recipient of the message. In one embodiment, a central server receives a message including an image of an intended message recipient from a first user device of a first user. The central server then identifies a second user as the intended message recipient based on the image of the intended message recipient. Then, before delivering the message, the central server obtains an image of a user at a second user device associated with the second user and sends the image to the first user device where the image is presented to the first user. Upon receiving authentication from the first user device that the user at the second user device is the intended message recipient, the central server delivers the message to the second user device of the second user.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for providing peer-to-peer (P2P) media recommendations. In one embodiment, a central streaming media service operates to stream media presentations to user devices of users. For each user desiring to send and receive recommendations, each time a media presentation is streamed to and played by a user device of the user, the central media service provides a recommendation identifying the media presentation to one or more other users associated with the user. Similarly, the central media service provides media recommendations to the user from one or more other users. Once streaming and playback of the media presentation is complete or substantially complete, the central streaming media service automatically selects a next media presentation for the user from a group of media presentations including those identified by the recommendations provided to the user and begins streaming the next media presentation to the user device of the user.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing representative information for a geographic area of interest are disclosed. In one embodiment, a media service tracks media interaction histories (e.g., play histories) for a number of users registered with the media service, where each media interaction history identifies media items interacted with by the corresponding user as well as the locations at which at least a subset of the media items were interacted with by the corresponding user. The media service receives a request from a requesting user for representative information for a geographic area of interest. In response to receiving the request, the media service determines representative information for the geographic area of interest based on at least a subset of the media interaction histories of the users and effects presentation of the representative information to the requesting user.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems for determining the availability of a communication device. According to embodiments, a method may include receiving, via a network, first availability information from a first communication device and receiving second availability information from a second communication device. The method further includes determining an estimate of common coverage by comparing the first availability information with the second availability information and transmitting the estimate of common coverage to at least one of the first communication device and the second communication device.

Abstract: A system for and method of per access-point streaming media customization and privacy protected feedback in a wireless network. The system is operative to: encrypt real time streamed media content from a streaming media source; multicast the streamed encrypted media content for availability to a user device for playback, the user device sending out unicast responses at the time of joining or dropping the multicast; aggregate the unicast responses in the form of a connect multicast state or a disconnect multicast state of the user device based on the joining or dropping of the multicast; and provide information back to the streaming media source based on the aggregated unicast responses.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method and system are provided for generating media recommendations in a media recommendation network. Aspects of the method and system include receiving by a server a plurality of play histories of media items from a plurality of users of devices, wherein at least a portion of the media items are tagged with corresponding time and location data indicating a time and location of play; receiving by the server a media recommendation request from a requester, including receiving seed information indicating a current location of the requester; using at least one of user preferences of the requester and the seed information to identify correlated users from which to search corresponding play histories from among the plurality of play histories; comparing the seed information to the corresponding play histories and generating a list of related media items contained therein; and returning the list of related media items to the requester.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for obtaining status updates relevant to a segment of a media content stream for presentation during playback. In general, a status updating service collects status updates sent by users via corresponding mobile devices of the users. A media playback device of a user receives a media content stream and obtains data defining a time of capture and, in some embodiments, a location of capture of a segment of the media content stream. Either prior to or during playback of the media content stream, the media playback device obtains status updates that are relevant to the segment of the media content stream directly or indirectly from the status updating service. The media playback device then presents the relevant status updates, or at least a subset thereof, during playback of the media content stream and preferably during playback of the segment of the media content stream.

Abstract: A system and method for assigning user preference settings for fields in a category using selected settings for only a subset of the media category fields is disclosed. A subset of fields for a media category is defined. A base setting for each field in the subset of the category fields is established. The base setting may be a weight or preference value. The base setting may be established by the user selecting a base setting or may be a default base setting. Once a user selects the settings for the subset of category fields, a set weight for the fields in the category not in the subset is determined using the base setting. That is possible because the fields in the subset of category fields are chosen from fields that contain aspects and attributes of the other fields.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method and system are provided for sorting media items in a playlist on a media device that are ranked by score. One embodiment includes changing a user preference associated with a sort criteria selected by the user, wherein each of the media items includes a profile score that is calculated based on user preferences, and a replay score that affects replay of the corresponding media item; recalculating the profile score and the replay score of each of the media items; sorting the media items by the replay scores; and sorting the media items by the sort criteria indicated by a user.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for identifying one or more media items played within a geographic area selected by a user. In one embodiment, a media service tracks play histories for a number of users registered with the media service, where each play history identifies media items played by the corresponding user as well as the locations at which at least a subset of the media items were played by the corresponding user. The media service enables a requesting user to select or otherwise define one or more geographic areas of interest. Then, based on the play histories, the media service identifies one or more media items played within the one or more geographic areas of interest. The media service then provides data reflecting the one or more media items played within the one or more geographic areas of interest to a device of the requesting user.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for generating and displaying one or more indicators indicative of a level of activity within a media sharing system. In one embodiment, with respect to a user participating in the media sharing system, an indicator representative of an activity level of a media collection shared by the user in the media sharing system may be generated and presented to the user. In addition or alternatively, indicators representative of activity levels of media collections shared by other users participating in the media sharing system may be generated and presented to the user. Still further, in addition or alternatively, indicators representative of activity levels with respect to playlists in the media sharing system may be generated and presented to the user.