Abstract: A method and apparatus for a payment transaction gateway in a media player are disclosed. Content provided to the media player is sectored into a preview portion and a pay gate portion. The preview portion may be provided free of charge, whereas a user is required to pay a fee or accept a charge to receive the pay gate portion of the content. A payment transaction gateway that is initiated in the media player is used to facilitate the payment of the fee or the acceptance of the charge. The payment transaction gateway allows a user to log in to an account, register for an account, or guest-pay for the content within the confines of the media player and without running another application. Further, a content provider is also enabled to price content based on a minimum price associated with the content.

Abstract: A Digital Micro Ad (DMA) system and method designed to adapt to changing viewer behavior by detecting spot fast-forward, or other trick play, and popping a graphic, or other messages, over video. This graphic displays the advertiser brand message to achieve a brief imprint on the viewer. The DMA system augments the linear advertisement or the like (the spot) so the advertiser can reach their intended target audience. The system starts with offline media processing. Off the shelf encoded spots are processed to embed DMA enabling content identifying “metadata” packets and in-line graphics images. Next, when the content is played to air, this DMA enabled content is streamed to the DVR device. Within the DVR, the DMA engine detects the embedded graphic images which are recovered and saved in the DVR. Finally, when a DVR recorded program is played back, the embedded content ID metadata packets “arm” the DMA engine.