Abstract: A method includes receiving, at a server computing device, a request to stream media content to a user device. The request is associated with data identifying a personal quality profile. The method includes retrieving, via the server computing device, the personal quality profile associated with the data. The personal quality profile indicates media quality preferences. The method includes determining, via a processor of the server computing device, a version of the media content to send to the user device based on the media quality preferences of the personal quality profile and based on a delivery bit rate. The method also includes sending the version from the server computing device to the user device in response to the request.

Abstract: In one example, the present disclosure describes a device, computer-readable medium, and method for monitoring a user's food intake. For instance, in one example, a user's food intake is monitored based on data collected from a sensor. The user's current nutrient consumption is estimated based on the monitoring. A recommendation is presented to the user based on the estimating, where the recommendation is designed to help the user achieve a target nutrient consumption.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, analyzing content flow data in a communication network to obtain flow statistics; the statistics are aggregated to construct a model of the content flow based on the aggregated flow statistics. Operations of network nodes are predicted based on the model; a content delivery path in the communication network is identified. A quality of service is detected for network nodes on the content delivery path. The detected quality of service is compared with a predicted quality of service based on the model; a network anomaly is detected based on the comparing. The content flow on the content delivery path is adjusted responsive to detection of the network anomaly. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing a recommended action are disclosed. For example, the method receives first data that is measured via at least one sensor deployed at a venue, receives second data from at least one user endpoint device present at the venue, wherein the second data comprises data that is measured via a sensor associated with the at least one user endpoint device, applies a perception model of the venue to the first data and the second data that are received, generates at least one recommended action when a threshold is reached, wherein the threshold is established for generating the at least one recommended action, and provides an update to the perception model of the venue based on the at least one recommended action that is generated.

Abstract: A method includes determining, at an image processing device, object quality values for a plurality of objects represented in an image. The object quality values are based on portions of image data for the image. The object quality values include a blurriness value for each object and a color value for each object. The method includes accessing, via the image processing device, object category metrics associated with an object category. The object category metrics include a blurriness metric for each object and a color metric for each object. The method also includes performing, with the image processing device, a particular image processing operation for the image based on comparisons of the object quality values for each object to corresponding object category metrics.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing an opportunistic crowd based service platform is disclosed. A mobile sensor device is identified based on a current location and/or other qualities, such as intrinsic properties, previous sensor data, or demographic data of an associated user of the mobile sensor device. Data is collected from the mobile sensor device. The data collected from the mobile sensor device is aggregated with data collected from other sensor devices, and content generated based on the aggregated data is delivered to a user device.

Abstract: Devices, computer-readable media, and methods for encoding a scene in a video program using an encoding strategy that is selected in accordance with a theme that is identified in the scene are disclosed. For example, a method may include a processing system receiving a video program, identifying boundaries of a scene in the video program, identifying a theme in the scene, and selecting an encoding strategy for the scene based upon the theme, where the encoding strategy is associated with the theme. The processing system may further encode the scene using the encoding strategy that is selected.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer readable-media for adaptive media playback based on destination. The method for adaptive media playback comprises determining one or more destinations, collecting media content that is relevant to or describes the one or more destinations, assembling the media content into a program, and outputting the program. In various embodiments, media content may be advertising, consumer-generated, based on real-time events, based on a schedule, or assembled to fit within an estimated available time. Media content may be assembled using an adaptation engine that selects a plurality of media segments that fit in the estimated available time, orders the plurality of media segments, alters at least one of the plurality of media segments to fit the estimated available time, if necessary, and creates a playlist of selected media content containing the plurality of media segments.

Abstract: A biometric authentication system is disclosed that provides authentication capability using biometric data in connection with a challenge for parties engaging in digital communications such as digital text-oriented, interactive digital communications. End-user systems may be coupled to devices that include biometric data capture devices such as retina scanners, fingerprint recorders, cameras, microphones, ear scanners, DNA profilers, etc., so that biometric data of a communicating party may be captured and used for authentication purposes.

Abstract: A machine-readable medium may include a group of reusable components for building a spoken dialog system. The reusable components may include a group of previously collected audible utterances. A machine-implemented method to build a library of reusable components for use in building a natural language spoken dialog system may include storing a dataset in a database. The dataset may include a group of reusable components for building a spoken dialog system. The reusable components may further include a group of previously collected audible utterances. A second method may include storing at least one set of data. Each one of the at least one set of data may include ones of the reusable components associated with audible data collected during a different collection phase.

Abstract: A method includes accessing, at a base station of a wireless communications network, information identifying a plurality of user devices in a coverage area of the base station. The method includes determining a forecasted content request for media content at a particular time for delivery to a first user device of the plurality of user devices based on media consumption data for the first user device. The method includes receiving, from a second user device of the plurality of user devices, a request for the media content at a time before the particular time. The method includes sending an instruction to the first user device that directs the first user device store the media content received via a multicast transmission of the media content. The method also includes sending the media content via the multicast transmission to the first user device and to the second user device responsive to the request.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a dynamic glyph based search includes an image server. The image server analyzes images to determine the content of an image. The image and data related to the determined content of the image are stored in an image database. A user can access the image server and search images using search glyphs. In response to selection of a generic-search glyph, the image server finds related images in the image database and the images are displayed to the user. In addition, refine-search glyphs are displayed to a user based on the selected generic-search glyph. One or more refine-search glyphs can be selected by a user to further narrow a search to specific people, locations, objects, and other image content.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a system and method for selecting media content for a group of persons located at a venue. The system and method identify a plurality of viewers in a vicinity of a venue that has one or more display devices from location data and extracts a content viewing preference of each viewer from their profile data. The process includes aggregating the content viewing preference of each of the plurality of viewers to generate an aggregated content profile. Based on the aggregated content profile, a list of content is generated. Next, a first group of viewers approaching a viewing range of a display device are sensed by imaging data. Any conflicts between content viewing preferences of the first group of viewers are detected and resolved based on weighting the viewing preferences of the group. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: In one example, the present disclosure describes a device, computer-readable medium, and method for performing autonomous multi-pass data acquisition using unmanned aerial vehicle. For instance, in one example, a method includes obtaining a first set of sensor data collected by a fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles comprising at least one unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein the first set of sensor data depicts a target area at a first granularity, constructing a three-dimensional map of hierarchical unit representations of the first set of sensor data, sending a signal to the fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles to obtain a second set of sensor data at a second granularity that is finer than the first granularity, based at least in part on an examination of the three-dimensional map, and aggregating the second set of sensor data to form a high-resolution composite of the target area.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, analyzing content flow data in a communication network to obtain flow statistics; the statistics are aggregated to construct a model of the content flow based on the aggregated flow statistics. Operations of network nodes are predicted based on the model; a content delivery path in the communication network is identified. A quality of service is detected for network nodes on the content delivery path. The detected quality of service is compared with a predicted quality of service based on the model; a network anomaly is detected based on the comparing. The content flow on the content delivery path is adjusted responsive to detection of the network anomaly. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A method includes determining, at an image processing device, object quality values for a plurality of objects based on portions of image data corresponding to an image. Each portion corresponds to an object of the plurality of objects represented in the image. The method includes accessing, via the image processing device, object category metrics associated with an object category corresponding to each object of the plurality of objects. The method also includes determining, with the image processing device, image processing for the image based on comparisons of the object quality values for each object to corresponding object category metrics.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing an opportunistic crowd based service platform is disclosed. A mobile sensor device is identified based on a current location and/or other qualities, such as intrinsic properties, previous sensor data, or demographic data of an associated user of the mobile sensor device. Data is collected from the mobile sensor device. The data collected from the mobile sensor device is aggregated with data collected from other sensor devices, and content generated based on the aggregated data is delivered to a user device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a dynamic glyph based search includes an image server. The image server analyzes images to determine the content of an image. The image and data related to the determined content of the image are stored in an image database. A user can access the image server and search images using search glyphs. In response to selection of a generic-search glyph, the image server finds related images in the image database and the images are displayed to the user. In addition, refine-search glyphs are displayed to a user based on the selected generic-search glyph. One or more refine-search glyphs can be selected by a user to further narrow a search to specific people, locations, objects, and other image content.

Abstract: Methods and systems for information querying are described. At least one recent image of a video signal may be accessed. Recent text associated with the at least one recent image may be accessed. A presentation image may be provided from the at least one recent image for presentation on a display. An original portion of the recent text may be identified within the presentation image. A selection of a user portion of the recent text may be received. An information source may be queried with the selection of the user portion of the recent text. The information source may be capable of using the selection to provide a result.

Abstract: A method includes accessing information identifying user devices, and accessing media consumption data indicating content requests corresponding to the user devices. The method also includes determining expected locations of the user devices based on the information, and determining forecasted content requests based on the media consumption data. The method further includes generating a pre-caching schedule based on the forecasted content requests and the expected locations, and determining that the pre-caching schedule indicates that particular media data is to be provided via a multicast transmission to a first user device and to a second user device. The method also includes sending an instruction to the first user device directing the first user device to store the particular media data. The method includes sending, responsive to a request from the second user device, the particular media data via the multicast transmission to the first user device and to the second user device.