Abstract: An Internet-delivered television system facilitates enhanced viewer experiences by incorporating user-defined composite channels that include custom viewing schedules and content from multiple content sources. Additionally, customizable user interface elements for content delivered via a network may be provided to a user and may be arranged in an order according to a user-defined channel lineup customized according to any one or more of: user preference, time of day/day of week, user profile information, user viewing statistics, user community viewing statistics, sponsor or content provider preferences, user identity, parental control preferences, or other user-defined criteria, and/or are organized according to a user-defined channel numbering scheme. In some embodiments, the custom viewing schedule may be created by and/or managed by one or more users.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and systems for audio-video clip sharing for Internet-delivered television programming and sharing audio-video clips within a content distribution network. Initially, an audio-video clip creation message including an identification of a content item, an audio-video clip start index, an audio-video clip end index, and/or a user comment may be received at a server from a first client communicatively coupled to the server. An audio-video clip notification message including means for a recipient to request playing of an audio-video clip via the second client may then be sent from the server to a recipient. Upon receipt of a request to play the audio-video clip from the second client, the server may provide the audio-video clip to a second client.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for sharing a content viewing experience among geographically separated participants. An invitation to view a common audio-video content item may be distributed to a plurality of individual clients of geographically separated participants in the content viewing experience. The invitation may include, for example, a description of the common audio-video content item, a time the common audio-video content item is available for distribution, means for accepting the invitation, and/or a comment. When an acceptance of the invitation is received, the common audio-video content item may be distributed to the individual clients of participants that accepted the invitation during the time the common audio-video content item is available for viewing. The individual clients of participants that accepted the invitation may then play the common audio-video content item under the common control of one of the clients.

Abstract: Described herein is a remote control including a saucer-shaped housing, a removable faceplate, and a processor. The saucer-shaped housing may be circular in plan view and sized to be graspable by a user in one or two hands. The upper side of the housing may be convexly shaped and support a keypad with a plurality of selectable buttons. In some embodiments, the remote control includes a biometric sensor for receiving biometric information from a user of the remote control and communicating the received biometric information to a processor configured to recognize the user based on the received biometric information. The remote control and/or the processor may be configured to enable a recognized user to access viewing control options provided via the hand-held remote control device.