Abstract: Color-scanning grating-based backlighting includes a color scanning protocol to provide different colors of light in different regions of a plate light guide with an intervening dark region. A color-scanning grating-based backlight includes the plate light guide and a diffraction grating configured to diffractively couple out a portion of a guided light beam as a coupled-out light beam directed away from a plate light guide surface at a predetermined principal angular direction. The backlight further includes a multicolor light source configured to provide the different colors of light to the plate light guide as the guided light beam according to the color scanning protocol. Provided light of a first color in a first region is separated from provided light of a second color in a second region one or both by the intervening dark region and by a light-confining wall of the plate light guide.

Abstract: An always-on telepresence device for permanently connecting two distinct locations in a way that allows for “incidental contact” between people at the distinct locations.

Abstract: An always-on telepresence device for permanently connecting two distinct locations in a way that allows for “incidental contact” between people at the distinct locations.

Abstract: Color-scanning grating-based backlighting includes a color scanning protocol to provide different colors of light in different regions of a plate light guide with an intervening dark region. A color-scanning grating-based backlight includes the plate light guide and a diffraction grating configured to diffractively couple out a portion of a guided light beam as a coupled-out light beam directed away from a plate light guide surface at a predetermined principal angular direction. The backlight further includes a multicolor light source configured to provide the different colors of light to the plate light guide as the guided light beam according to the color scanning protocol. Provided light of a first color in a first region is separated from provided light of a second color in a second region one or both by the intervening dark region and by a light-confining wall of the plate light guide.

Abstract: In embodiments, apparatuses, methods and storage media are described that are associated with performing identity-based access control for content. A content consumption device may be configured to control access to presented content based on identities of one or more content consumers that are physically proximate to the device. The content consumption device may be configured to perform facial and/or voice recognition on one or more content consumers to determine an identity for the one or more content consumers. The content consumption device may be configured to determine access permissions for the identified content consumers. At various times, access to a piece of content may change based on who is physically proximate to the content consumption device. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

Abstract: In embodiments, apparatuses, methods and storage media are described that are associated with content distribution. In embodiments, an encoder may be configured to encode portions of content, such as video and/or audio data, utilizing different sets of encoding control variable settings. The different sets of encoding control variable settings may include different resolutions, different frame rates, and/or different compression levels. In embodiments, different segments and/or different portions of a single segment of data may be encoded using different sets of encoding control variable settings. In embodiments, the sets of encoding control variable settings may be selected based on quality of the encoded video and/or audio data. Instances of video and/or audio data encoded with different sets may be compared to the data from which they were generated to determine one or more quality metrics. One of the instances may then be selected for provisioning to a content consumption device.

Abstract: In embodiments, apparatuses, methods and storage media are described that are associated with performing identity-based access control for content. A content consumption device may be configured to control access to presented content based on identities of one or more content consumers that are physically proximate to the device. The content consumption device may be configured to perform facial and/or voice recognition on one or more content consumers to determine an identity for the one or more content consumers. The content consumption device may be configured to determine access permissions for the identified content consumers. At various times, access to a piece of content may change based on who is physically proximate to the content consumption device. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed that relate to providing commentary for video content. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides a method comprising receiving and storing an input of commentary data from each of a plurality of commentary input devices, and also, for each input of commentary data, receiving and storing identification metadata identifying a commentator, for each input of commentary data, synchronization metadata that synchronizes the commentary data with the associated media content item is received and stored. The method further comprises receiving a request from a requesting media presentation device for commentary relevant to a specified media content item and a specified user, identifying relevant commentary data based upon social network information for the specified user, and sending the relevant commentary data to the requesting client device.

Abstract: Embodiments related to selecting advertisements for display to targeted viewers are disclosed. In one example embodiment, an advertisement is selected by, for each of a plurality of advertisements, aggregating a plurality of emotional response profiles from a corresponding plurality of prior viewers of the advertisement to form an aggregated emotional response profile for the advertisement, wherein each of the emotional response profiles comprises a temporal record of a prior viewer's emotional response to the advertisement. The method further includes identifying a group of potentially positively correlated viewers for the targeted viewer, filtering the aggregated emotional response profiles based on the group of potentially positively correlated viewers, selecting a particular advertisement from the plurality of advertisements based on a correlation of the filtered aggregated emotional response profiles, and sending the particular advertisement for display to the targeted viewer.

Abstract: Apparatuses, methods and storage medium associated with voice and/or facial recognition based service provision are disclosed herein. In embodiments, an apparatus may include a voice recognition engine and a facial recognition engine configured to provide, individually or in cooperation with each other, identification of a user at a plurality of identification levels. The apparatus may further include a service agent configured to provide a service to a user of the apparatus, after the user has been identified at least at an identification level required to receive the service. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.

Abstract: Embodiments related to selecting advertisements for display to targeted viewers are disclosed. In one example embodiment, an advertisement is selected by, for each of a plurality of advertisements, aggregating a plurality of emotional response profiles from a corresponding plurality of prior viewers of the advertisement to form an aggregated emotional response profile for the advertisement, wherein each of the emotional response profiles comprises a temporal record of a prior viewer's emotional response to the advertisement. The method further includes identifying a group of potentially positively correlated viewers for the targeted viewer, filtering the aggregated emotional response profiles based on the group of potentially positively correlated viewers, selecting a particular advertisement from the plurality of advertisements based on a correlation of the filtered aggregated emotional response profiles, and sending the particular advertisement for display to the targeted viewer.

Abstract: In embodiments, apparatuses, methods and storage media are described that are associated with content distribution. In embodiments, one or more frames may be displayed on a display, and the frame or frames with the highest luminance level of those frames may be identified. A camera may be configured to capture an image at a point in time based at least in part on display of the frame with the highest luminance level. In some embodiments, the luminance level of the frames may be identified based at least in part on analysis of the frames by a device prior to display of the frames. In other embodiments, the luminance level of the frames may be identified based at least in part on the receipt of luminance data from a server.

Abstract: Embodiments related to selecting advertisements for display to targeted viewers are disclosed. In one example embodiment, an advertisement is selected by, for each of a plurality of advertisements, aggregating a plurality of emotional response profiles from a corresponding plurality of prior viewers of the advertisement to form an aggregated emotional response profile for the advertisement, wherein each of the emotional response profiles comprises a temporal record of a prior viewer's emotional response to the advertisement. The method further includes identifying a group of potentially positively correlated viewers for the targeted viewer, filtering the aggregated emotional response profiles based on the group of potentially positively correlated viewers, selecting a particular advertisement from the plurality of advertisements based on a correlation of the filtered aggregated emotional response profiles, and sending the particular advertisement for display to the targeted viewer.

Abstract: Apparatuses, methods and storage medium associated with voice and/or facial recognition based service provision are disclosed herein. In embodiments, an apparatus may include a voice recognition engine and a facial recognition engine configured to provide, individually or in cooperation with each other, identification of a user at a plurality of identification levels. The apparatus may further include a service agent configured to provide a service to a user of the apparatus, after the user has been identified at least at an identification level required to receive the service. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.

Abstract: Embodiments related to delivering a video stream to a requesting viewer are disclosed. In one example embodiment, a video stream is delivered by receiving a request for the video stream from a requesting device, the request including the requesting viewer's identity, assembling a list of selected video content items for display to the requesting viewer, the selected video items being selected from a plurality of video items based on the identity of the requesting viewer and a viewing interest profile comprising the requesting viewer's viewing interests, and sending the video stream for display, the video stream including one or more of the selected video items.

Abstract: In embodiments, apparatuses, methods and storage media are described that are associated with performing identity-based access control for content. A content consumption device may be configured to control access to presented content based on identities of one or more content consumers that are physically proximate to the device. The content consumption device may be configured to perform facial and/or voice recognition on one or more content consumers to determine an identity for the one or more content consumers. The content consumption device may be configured to determine access permissions for the identified content consumers. At various times, access to a piece of content may change based on who is physically proximate to the content consumption device. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

Abstract: In embodiments, apparatuses, methods and storage media are described that are associated with controlling production of images on a camera. In embodiments, a device with a camera, such as a content consumption device, may determine a current orientation of the camera and may adjust production of images from the camera to account for the orientation. The device may determine the orientation based on physical data, such as data from an accelerometer, compass, and/or gyroscope. the device may also determine the orientation from image data. The device may adjust production of images by either before capture, such as by physically adjusting the orientation of the camera, or after capture, such as by panning, tilting, and/or zooming captured images. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

Abstract: Apparatuses, methods and storage medium associated with content consumption are disclosed herein. In embodiments, an apparatus may include a decoder, a user interface engine, and a presentation engine. The decoder may be configured to receive and decode a streaming of the content. The stream of content may include a number of interleaved segments of primary content and secondary content, e.g., advertisements. The secondary content may have at least one associated policy that governs response to a skip secondary content command. The user interface engine may be configured to receive user commands. The presentation engine may be configured to present the content, in response to received user commands, in accordance with the at least one associated policy. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.

Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed that relate to providing commentary for video content. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides a method comprising receiving and storing an input of commentary data from each of a plurality of commentary input devices, and also, for each input of commentary data, receiving and storing identification metadata identifying a commentator, for each input of commentary data, synchronization metadata that synchronizes the commentary data with the associated media content item is received and stored. The method further comprises receiving a request from a requesting media presentation device for commentary relevant to a specified media content item and a specified user, identifying relevant commentary data based upon social network information for the specified user, and sending the relevant commentary data to the requesting client device.

Abstract: In embodiments, apparatuses, methods and storage media are described that are associated with content distribution. In embodiments, one or more frames may be displayed on a display, and the frame or frames with the highest luminance level of those frames may be identified. A camera may be configured to capture an image at a point in time based at least in part on display of the frame with the highest luminance level. In some embodiments, the luminance level of the frames may be identified based at least in part on analysis of the frames by a device prior to display of the frames. In other embodiments, the luminance level of the frames may be identified based at least in part on the receipt of luminance data from a server.