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 disclosed for providing automated social routing. In general, a starting point and a stopping point are obtained from a requesting user. A desired number of recommended routes from the starting point to the stopping point are then programmatically generated for the requesting user by dynamically selecting physical waypoints for the recommended routes based on one or more routing factors including one or more social routing factors.

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 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 are provided for processing a request for crowd data for a large geographic area. In one embodiment, a central system, which includes one or more servers, operates to obtain current locations for users of mobile devices and form crowds of three or more users based on the current locations of the users. In order to provide access to crowd data for crowds for a large geographic area, the central system receives a request for crowd data from a requesting device, establishes a bounding region for the request, and identifies one or more starting points within the bounding region for the request. Crowds are identified, crowd data for the crowds is generated, and the crowd data is returned to the requesting device in an iterative manner for a series of two or more outwardly radiating, concentric geographic regions centered at the one or more starting points.

Abstract: A user-controlled application-based power management function is provided for a battery-operated device. In general, for each of a number of applications of the battery-operated device, a power management function enables a user of the battery-operated device to provide a usage parameter for the application defining a desired amount of usage of the application for each of one or more tasks. For each task, the power management function determines an estimated amount of battery life that is sufficient to provide the desired amount of usage of the application for the task and determines whether the estimated amount of battery life is available. If the estimated amount of battery life is available, the power management function allocates an amount of battery life corresponding to the estimated amount of battery life to the application for the task.

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 processing a video item to automatically provide or recommend bookmarks and bookmark headings for the video item. In one embodiment, the video item is first logically segmented into a number of segments. For each segment of the video item, a bookmark linking to a start of the segment of the video item is generated. In addition, audio and/or video content of each segment of the video item is processed in order to generate one or more recommended headings, or titles, for the corresponding bookmark. Information identifying the recommended bookmarks and bookmark headings may then be returned to an owner of the video item. The owner may then provide user input accepting, modifying, or rejecting the bookmarks and bookmark headings. Based on the user input from the owner, the bookmarks and bookmark headings for the video item are finalized and stored.

Abstract: A system and method for smart trick mode display which is aware of content and metadata, user context and user interests, and selects frames to display during trick mode that may be of interest to the user, and filters frames that the user might not wish to see even inadvertently. More specifically, the media system and method for smart trick mode display analyzes a recorded video content during a trick mode playback of the recorded video; and identifies segments of the content that are least one of interest to the user or should not be displayed to the user. The system may then select keyframes or a short sub-segment of the segment of interest to the user and then either displays the keyframes or sub-segments in a manner so as to catch the user's attention, or specifically not display any keyframes or sub-segments having content that the user does not wish to see.

Abstract: The present invention relates to providing automatic or programmatic editing of video items. More specifically, in the preferred embodiments, an auto-editing function is provided for performing auto-editing of video items shared via a video sharing service.

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: Systems and methods are disclosed for providing advance content alerts during playback of a media item. In one embodiment, advance content alerts are inserted into the media item during playback. In general, while playing a media item, the media player identifies upcoming content for which the user desires an advance content alert. In response, the media player generates an advance content alert and inserts the advance content alert into the media item during playback. The user may then take an action in response to the advance content alert. In one embodiment, the user may provide input via a remote control of the media player or a mobile device registered with the media player in order to cause a desired action to be taken by the media player in response to the advance content alert.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for providing advance content alerts during playback of a media item. In one embodiment, the advance content alerts are provided to a mobile device, such as a mobile telephone, of an associated user. More specifically, a user registers his or her mobile device with a media player and configures the types of content for which the user would like to receive advance content alerts. Thereafter, during playback of a media item, the media player identifies upcoming content for which the user desires an advance content alert. In response, the media player generates an advance content alert and sends the advance content alert to the mobile device of the user via, for example, a local wireless communication link.

Abstract: A method and system for configuring heterogeneous servers across a network through modules that can browse, snapshot, track changes, track compliance, correct server objects on each of the servers, and provision new servers is provided. In one embodiment, server objects on multiple servers can be browsed in real time. While browsing, a collection of server object identifiers can be selected and collected in a template. The values of the server objects identified in the template can be recorded for a “gold server” through a “snapshot” process, which collects the values and saves them in a reference model. By comparing other live servers to the reference model, discrepancies in configuration of the other live servers can be identified and corrected. The reference models can also be used to provision a new server. Alternative to the reference model, an arbitrary snapshot or scheduled snapshots of a server can be used to track change and compliance in that server.