Abstract: Systems and methods for tagging a media asset are provided. A plurality of communications is received from a plurality of users. Each of the plurality of communications includes words spoken by a respective one of the users while accessing the media asset and is associated with a media asset play position during which the respective words were spoken. A subset of the plurality of communications is selected for which the associated media asset play position is within a range of play positions, the range of play positions being shorter than the duration of the media asset. A word that a threshold number of the selected communications have in common is identified. The word is cross-referenced with an attribute database to retrieve an attribute associated with the word. The retrieved attribute is assigned to the media asset within the range of play positions.

Abstract: Optical constructions use a low index of refraction layer disposed between a low absorption layer and a high absorption layer to increase confinement of light to the low absorption region of the optical constructions. Low index layers can be used in optical constructions that have multi-tiered light confinement. In these constructions, a first tier of reflection is provided when light is reflected at the surface of a low index optical film which is disposed directly or indirectly on a light guide. A second tier of reflection occurs at the surface of a light redirecting film having appropriately oriented refractive structures.

Abstract: Systems and methods for recommending content to a user are described. A user equipment device may be equipped with a built-in or separately connected image capturing device which may be used to pinpoint the location of the remote control when it is activated, thereby defining the specific location of the remote and the user. The relative location of the user in the room where the television is located may be associated with that particular user and used to automatically log in and access their user profile. This information may be used to enhance the television experience for the user by, e.g., recommending content.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided herein for enabling users to seamlessly restrict access to media assets. These methods and systems are provided by way of generating for display a plurality of interactive identifiers on a scrollable page. A user input of a geometric shape is then received on the scrollable page, such that interactive identifiers are within the area of the geometric shape. It is then determined that a particular interactive identifier of the plurality of interactive identifiers is within the area of the geometric shape, and disabling the interactivity of the particular interactive identifier in response to this determination. Once the interactivity of the particular interactive identifier is disabled, the interactivity of the particular interactive identifier will remain disabled when its position on a display changes as the result of the scrollable page being scrolled.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described herein for a media guidance application that customizes icons on an interface based on the frequency of use of the icon and provides the user with feedback related to the frequency of use for each icon. For example, the interface may include a plurality of icons, in which each of the plurality of icons is associated with individual visual properties. For each icon, feedback related to its frequency of use is provided by the media guidance application by modifying the individual visual properties associated with each icon.

Abstract: Light sources are disclosed. A disclosed light source includes an optically reflective cavity that includes an input port for receiving light and an output port for transmitting light, a lamp that is disposed at the input port, and an optical stack that is disposed at the output port. The optical stack includes a forward scattering optical diffuser that is disposed at the output port and has an optical haze that is not less than about 20%, and an optical film that is disposed on the optical diffuser. The optical film enhance total internal reflection at the interface between the optical film and the optical diffuser. The optical film has an index of refraction that is not greater than about 1.3 and an optical haze that is not greater than about 5%. The optical stack also includes a reflective polarizer layer that is disposed on the optical film. Substantial portions of each two neighboring major surfaces in the optical stack are in physical contact with each other.

Abstract: Optical constructions are disclosed. A disclosed optical construction includes first and second optical layers having first and second major surfaces that face each other and are separated by an air gap. The first and second surfaces are susceptible to physically contacting each other at a location in the air gap. The optical construction further includes an optical film that is disposed at the location to prevent the first and second major surfaces from contacting each other at the location. The optical film has an effective index of refraction that is not greater than about 1.3.

Abstract: Optical constructions use a low index of refraction layer (120) disposed between a low absorption layer (101) and a high absorption layer (103) to increase confinement of light to the low absorption region of the optical constructions. Low index layers can be used in optical constructions that have multi-tiered light confinement. In these constructions, a first tier of reflection is provided when light is reflected at the surface of a low index optical film which is disposed directly or indirectly on a light guide (110). A second tier of reflection occurs at the surface of a light redirecting film having appropriately oriented refractive structures.

Abstract: A display system includes a switchable display screen comprising a first transparent substrate, a first transparent conductive layer disposed upon the first transparent substrate, a second transparent substrate, and a second transparent conductive layer disposed upon the second transparent substrate. The display screen further includes a polymer-stabilized cholesteric texture layer and spacer elements disposed between and in contact with the first transparent conductive layer and the second conductive layer. The display screen comprises a plurality of addressable regions, each region capable of being switched from a transparent state to a diffuse state.

Abstract: Optical stack is disclosed. The optical stack includes a first optical stack that includes, a first optical adhesive layer, and a reflective polarizer layer that is disposed on the first optical adhesive layer. The reflective polarizer layer substantially reflects light of a first polarization state and substantially transmits light of a second polarization state orthogonal to the first polarization state. The optical stack also includes a second optical stack that includes a second optical adhesive layer, a low index layer that is disposed on the second optical adhesive layer and includes a plurality of voids dispersed in a binder, and a light directing film that is disposed on the low index layer and includes a plurality of unitary discrete structures. Portions of each unitary discrete structure penetrate into the first optical adhesive layer. Portions of each unitary discrete structure do not penetrate into the first optical adhesive layer.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a display system including a liquid crystal display panel and a light source emitting light capable of emitting light. A nonwoven diffuser element is disposed between the light source and the liquid crystal display panel. The polymeric nonwoven diffuser is non-orientated and has a fiber diameter of less than 50 micrometers, a fiber aspect ratio of length/diameter of greater than 5 and a basis weight in a range from 10 to 80 grams/meter2.

Abstract: A front and back reflector are arranged to form a hollow light recycling cavity having an output region, and one or more light sources (e.g. LEDs) are disposed to emit light into the cavity. In one aspect, the back reflector has a design characterized by a first and second parameter. The first design parameter is a ratio of the collective emitting area of the light sources Aemit to the area of the output region Aout, and Aemit/Aout is preferably from 0.0001 to 0.1. The second design parameter is SEP/H, where H is the depth of the recycling cavity, and SEP is an average plan view source separation associated with the light sources. Other aspects of the disclosed extended area light sources are also described.

Abstract: Light sources are disclosed. A disclosed light source includes an optically reflective cavity that includes an input port for receiving light and an output port for transmitting light, a lamp that is disposed at the input port, and an optical stack that is disposed at the output port. The optical stack includes a forward scattering optical diffuser that is disposed at the output port and has an optical haze that is not less than about 20%, and an optical film that is disposed on the optical diffuser. The optical film enhance total internal reflection at the interface between the optical film and the optical diffuser. The optical film has an index of refraction that is not greater than about 1.3 and an optical haze that is not greater than about 5%. The optical stack also includes a reflective polarizer layer that is disposed on the optical film. Substantial portions of each two neighboring major surfaces in the optical stack are in physical contact with each other.

Abstract: Lightguide is disclosed. The lightguide includes a light guiding layer for propagating light by total internal reflection, and an optical film that is disposed on the light guiding layer. The optical film includes a plurality of voids, an optical haze that is not less than about 30%, and a porosity that is not less than about 20%. Substantial portions of each two neighboring major surfaces in the lightguide are in physical contact with each other.

Abstract: Dual-sided optical films have extended split spreading structures formed on one major surface, and extended prisms formed on an opposite major surface. One portion of each split spreading structure has a low light spreading characteristic, and another portion has a high light spreading characteristic. For each split spreading structure, the low light spreading portion may be disposed alongside the high light spreading portion. The split spreading structures may be arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the prisms. Light that enters a given prism from one inclined surface thereof can be associated primarily with light transmitted through the low light spreading portion of the split spreading structure, and light that enters the given prism from the other inclined surface thereof can be associated primarily with light transmitted through the high light spreading portion.

Abstract: Dual-sided optical films have extended prisms formed in one major surface, and extended lenslets formed in an opposite major surface. Some or all of the prisms are compound prisms, in which the two inclined surfaces of each compound prism each include a tip portion, a base portion, and an intermediate portion disposed between the tip portion and the base portion, the intermediate and tip portions forming a concave shape and the intermediate and base portions forming a convex shape, or vice versa. When obliquely incident light, e.g. from a light guide, is incident on the prism side of the film, an output beam emerges from the lenslet side of the film. The output beam has an intensity distribution with a sharp left beam edge and a sharp right beam edge, these beam edges having 10%-to-90% transition angles of no more than 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, or 2 degrees.

Abstract: A broadband partial reflector includes a first multilayer polymeric optical film having a total number of optical repeating units from a first side to a second side of the first multilayer polymeric optical film and a second multilayer polymeric optical film having a total number of optical repeating units from a first side to a second side of the second multilayer polymeric optical film and an intermediate layer on the second side of the multilayer polymeric optical film separates the first multilayer polymeric optical film from the second multilayer polymeric optical film. The first multilayer polymeric optical film has a first baseline optical repeating unit thickness profile and a first apodized optical repeating unit thickness profile monotonically deviating from the first baseline optical repeating unit thickness profile and defining the second side of the first multilayer polymeric optical film.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for determining a suitable user input interface type based on a particular user. Specifically, a media guidance application determines a demographic category of a user, and based on that demographic category of the user, automatically selects a user input interface for manipulating media objects that is suitable for the user.

Abstract: A backlight (10) includes a front and back reflectors (12,14) forming a light recycling cavity (16) and one or more light source members (24a, 24b, 24c) disposed to emit light into the light recycling cavity. The front reflector (12) being partially reflective to provide an output illumination area. The front reflector (12) has a blue sloped transmission spectra, at normal incidence with a range among bin values from 15% to 100%.

Abstract: Transfer tapes include an optically transparent adhesive layer with a first major surface and a second major surface, with at least one of the major surfaces including a microstructured pattern that is a permanent feature of the adhesive surface. The microstructured surface alters the direction of light. The optically transparent composition may include a low Tg polymeric component with a Tg of less than 20° C., and an acid or base functionality, and a high Tg polymeric component with a Tg of greater than 20° C., and an acid or base functionality, such that the functionality of the low Tg polymeric component and the functionality of the high Tg polymeric component form an acid-base interaction when mixed. The transfer tapes can be adhered to substrates to provide a microstructured surface to the substrate surface.