Abstract: A system and method are provided for automatically performing user actions at a device based on a context of the user device. In one embodiment, user actions taken by a user of a user device and corresponding contexts of the user device at times at which the user actions were taken are monitored to detect context-to-user-action correlations. Each context-to-user-action correlation defines a context of the user device and a user action historically taken by the user of the user device for when the device is in that context. Subsequently, a current context of the user device is obtained and compared to the stored context-to-user-action correlations to identify a matching context-to-user-action correlation. The user device then automatically performs the user action that is correlated to the current context as defined by the matching context-to-user-action correlation.

Abstract: A system and computer implemented method of distributed audience feedback of media content in real time or substantially real time, including: semantically analyzing, at a semantic speech analysis engine, media content from a media program and identifying relevant topic data; distributing, at a topic data publisher, the identified relevant topic data to an audience of the media program; collecting, at a server, audience opinions on the identified relevant topic data; and processing the collected audience opinions. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for linking and playing media content from one or more media items. Linking items may be stored with a plurality of other linking items and associated with one or more media items. The linking items define media fragments within the media items and media segments linked to the media items. By selecting linking items associated with a particular media item, a user can dynamically select the media segments linked to the media item.

Abstract: A media system and method for distributed trick play resolution using user preferences. The method of distributed trick play resolution in a distributed media group network, includes: determining trick play preferences at each of a plurality of peer nodes in the distributed media group network with respect to a media item; and resolving conflicting trick play preferences between the peer nodes based on the determined trick play preferences. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Methods are provided that include recursively negotiating a boundary between a first virtual space controlled by a first peer and a second virtual space controlled by a second peer in a distributed virtual environment responsive to profile data of the first peer and the second peer. Related systems and computer program products are also discussed.

Abstract: A method and system for providing content in a virtual environment. A host computer hosting a region in a virtual environment provides an event stream including a plurality of event data segments identifying activity occurring in the virtual environment to a client computer participating in the virtual environment. The host computer receives a request to provide virtual environment content including imagery data associated with the virtual environment to the client computer, and provides a content stream including a plurality of content data segments containing virtual environment content at a content stream bandwidth based on an event stream bandwidth associated with the event stream to the client computer.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for obtaining look-ahead segments for a streaming media item during playback such that the viewer can easily skip to the look-ahead segments without experiencing any substantial interruption or delay in playback. In general, a streaming media source begins streaming a media item to a streaming media client for playback. In one embodiment, the streaming media client selects one or more segments of the media item as one or more look-ahead segments to prefetch from the streaming media source. Then, while the media item is being streamed to the streaming media client for playback, the streaming media client prefetches the one or more look-ahead segments of the media item from the streaming media source. The look-ahead segments are thereafter utilized to enable the viewer to skip ahead in playback without experiencing a substantial interruption or delay in playback.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for filtering messages propagated among peer servers in a distributed virtual world. Each peer server hosts a virtual space within the virtual world and filters messages based on the state and properties of its virtual space. In order to propagate messages, messages originating in a virtual space are first provided to the peer server hosting that virtual space. The peer server propagates the messages to one or more of its neighboring peer servers hosting virtual spaces that neighbor its virtual space in the virtual world. These peer servers may then propagate the messages to their neighboring peer servers. When propagating the messages, the peer servers either apply filter rules to the messages or append filter rules to the messages in order to filter the messages based on the state and properties of the virtual spaces hosted by the peer servers.

Abstract: The subject matter described herein includes methods, systems, and computer readable medium for scrambled communication of data to, from, or over a medium. According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein includes a method for communicating data in scrambled form to or over a medium. The method includes receiving analog or digital data to be transmitted to or over a medium. The method further includes modulating samples representing at least signal using the analog or digital data to produce data modulated signal samples. The method further includes scrambling the data modulated signal samples using a predetermined scrambling algorithm. The method further includes transmitting the scrambled data modulated signal samples to or over the medium. The method further includes descrambling samples received from the medium using the inverse of the predetermined scrambling algorithm to obtain the unscrambled modulated signal samples, which can then be demodulated to retrieve original data.

Abstract: A multicast query propagation scheme for a Peer-to-Peer (P2P) network is provided. A number of first level (L1) peer nodes are associated with a second level (L2) peer node to form an L1 peer group. The L2 peer node operates as a super peer node for the L1 peer group and allocates two Source-Specific Multicast (SSM) channels operating as a control and query channel for the L1 peer group. Similarly, a number of other L1 peer groups are formed. An L2 peer group is formed by a third level (L3) peer node and the L2 peer nodes. The L3 peer node operates as a super peer node for the L3 peer group and allocates two SSM channels operating as a control and query channel for the L2 peer group. Using the control and query channels of the L1 and L2 peer groups, queries are propagated throughout the P2P network.

Abstract: A system and method providing interactive content representations enabling content sharing are disclosed. In general, a content representation that is descriptive of content made accessible by a hosting user is presented in association with a content representation host representing the hosting user. The content representation host may be, for example, an avatar in a virtual environment, a custom webpage of the hosting user, an identifier of the hosting user in a peer-to-peer (P2P) network, an identifier of the hosting user in a mobile network, or the like. Based on the content representation, a viewing user can determine whether content of interest is accessible from the hosting user. The viewing user may interact with the content representation to further explore the content made accessible by the hosting user and, if desired, initiate transfer of at least some of the content to a client device associated with the viewing user.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for transforming messages propagated in a distributed virtual world such as a Peer-to-Peer (P2P) virtual world. The disturbed virtual world is hosted by a number of peer servers, wherein each peer server hosts a cell, or virtual space, within the virtual world. During message propagation, a peer server receives a message from a sending peer server hosting a virtual space neighboring a virtual space of the peer server. The peer server then identifies one or more transformation rules for transforming the message in a manner that is consistent with the state or properties of its virtual space and applies the transformation rules either directly or indirectly. After the transformation rules are applied, the peer server propagates the message to one or more of its neighboring peer servers.

Abstract: A system and method for dynamically providing video segment recommendations to a user based on video metadata, current playback position within the video, and/or the user's previous viewing history or patterns. The system/method also provides the user with a simple mechanism to enable/disable receipt of these recommendations with the click of a button within the display interface.

Abstract: A system and method that maintain current locations for users of a number of mobile devices and compute confidence levels for the current locations of the users are provided. In one embodiment, the confidence levels of the users are computed as a function of amounts of time since location updates were received for the users. In addition, detection of location confidence events may be used to modify the confidence levels for the current locations of the users. The location confidence events may include positive location confidence events that result in an increase in the confidence levels of the current locations of corresponding users, negative location confidence events that result in a decrease in the confidence levels of the current locations of corresponding users, or both. Once computed, the confidence levels of the current locations of the users may then be utilized in a desired manner.

Abstract: Systems and methods relating to location-based applications, such as widgets, are disclosed. In general, in one embodiment, a mobile device obtains a list of applications associated with a current or anticipated location of the mobile device from a centralized or distributed application service. One or more desired applications to be activated are either manually or automatically selected from the list of applications associated with the current location or the anticipated location of the mobile device. The mobile device then activates the one or more desired applications. Optionally, for each desired application that has been activated, the desired application may be deactivated once one or more deactivation criteria are satisfied.

Abstract: A semantic based trick play method and system in a media player is provided in which a semantic trick play command is received from a user while the user is experiencing a current content of a media item. Metadata is detected with respect to a current playback position of the media item, and at least one further playback position is determined in the current content of the media item or a related content in another media item. The further playback position is semantically related to the metadata of the current playback position. Playback is then moved to the at least one further playback position, so that the user experiences a media content of the at least one further playback position.

Abstract: A system and method for providing near live disc jockey (DJ) audio commentary segments or snippets to a client device including one of an internet radio station host streaming device or a user mobile device for real-time insertion into a music playlist. The system is operative to transmit metadata segment packets to the client device; transmit audio content segment packets to the client device, with the audio content segment packets matching directly to the metadata segment packets. The system also receives usage segment packets as a response from the client device.

Abstract: A method of conducting a disc jockey (DJ) commentary analysis for indexing and search is provided. More specifically, a method is provided for automatically generating metadata related to commentary of media segments to enable tagging, storing and context relevant searching. Speech-to-text conversion technology and audio/video analysis are used to generate content and metadata. Subject matter is then identified and filtered to a predetermined set of subjects. Metadata tags and context profiles for the media segments are generated to index the media segments. Moreover, context information of the user is used to generate a context profile of the user in a format similar to that of the media segment. Indexed media segments are searched to match with the user context profile and a relevant media segment is presented to the user.

Abstract: A method and system for automatically identifying tags for a media item. An audio track associated with a media item is analyzed. References to individuals in the audio track are compared to known acquaintances of a user. Matches are identified as potential tags. Duplicate matches can be presented to the user for resolution.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for providing a radio station for playback at a user device using previously obtained Digital Rights Management (DRM) locked content for the radio station. In one embodiment, a radio station application and DRM locked content to be used by the radio station application are downloaded to a user device, which is preferably a mobile user device. The DRM locked content includes a number of DRM locked songs that may be used for the radio station. Thereafter, the radio station application obtains a playlist for the radio station, where the playlist for the radio station includes at least a subset of the DRM locked content provided to the user device for the radio station. Playback of the playlist for the radio station is then provided at the user device, and playback is reported to a remote service for royalty tracking.