Abstract: Secure content transfer systems and methods to operate the same are disclosed. Disclosed example systems include a client device for use at a physical location and a media server for use at the physical location. The example media server includes a security device to determine a first encryption secret based on a first encryption key and to determine a second encryption secret based on a second encryption key. The media server also includes a decrypter to decrypt received encrypted content for requested content based on the first encryption secret and an encrypter to re-encrypt the decrypted content data for the requested content based on the second encryption secret. In addition, the media server includes an interface to send the re-encrypted content data to the client device, wherein the client device is to decrypt the re-encrypted content data based on the second encryption secret to access the requested content.

Abstract: Secure content transfer systems and methods to operate the same are disclosed. Disclosed example systems include a client device for use at a physical location and a media server for use at the physical location. The example media server includes a security device to determine a first encryption secret based on a first encryption key and to determine a second encryption secret based on a second encryption key. The media server also includes a decrypter to decrypt received encrypted content for requested content based on the first encryption secret and an encrypter to re-encrypt the decrypted content data for the requested content based on the second encryption secret. In addition, the media server includes an interface to send the re-encrypted content data to the client device, wherein the client device is to decrypt the re-encrypted content data based on the second encryption secret to access the requested content.

Abstract: A user device and method for operating the same includes a memory and a controller storing a recommended recording list in the memory. The controller stores recommended content from the recommended recording list in the memory. In response to selecting the live content title corresponding to recommended content stored in the memory, a screen display query at the user device is generated for determining when an earlier position of the content is desired and displaying the content from the earlier position within the recommended content when the query is affirmative.

Abstract: A system and method for operating the same includes a memory and a controller that stores content in the memory to form stored content. The controller receives a display request for displaying content from a user device through a network. The display request comprises a user device identifier. The controller determines a timeslot corresponding to the display request, retrieves a content list corresponding to stored content, reorders the content list in response to the timeslot and the user device identifier to form a reordered list and communicates the reordered list to the user device.

Abstract: A system includes a viewer tracking module that determines a genre profile target representation based on program categories of watched events. A recommendation module determines a candidate program category representation for each program candidate of a plurality of program candidates from a plurality of program categories, compares the candidate program category representation for the plurality of candidates to the genre profile target representation, and determines a numerical value for each of the plurality of program candidates based on comparing. The system further includes a display displaying the program candidates ordered based of the numerical value for each.

Abstract: A method of provisioning entitlement including: receiving within a headend and at a policy management module first conditions and rules for content from a service provider or a third party device; and generating, for a point of presence (POP) device of a customer, a policy for entitlement and usage of content (merged policy). The generating of the merged policy includes: merging conditions and rules of policies including the first conditions and rules to generate the merged policy based on a predetermined hierarchy of the policies. Rules and conditions of the merged policy are multi-dimensional to include customer, POP device, and provider dimensions; and generating a configuration file including conditions or condition based parameters. The method further includes: presenting an offer for the content to the customer via the POP device; receiving an acceptance of the offer from the POP device; and enforcing the merged policy according to the configuration file.

Abstract: A user receiving device and method for operating the same includes a memory and a controller that stores content in the memory to form stored content. The controller receives a display request for displaying content from a user device. The display request comprises a user device identifier. The controller determines a timeslot corresponding to the display request, retrieves a content list corresponding to stored content, reorders the content list in response to the timeslot and the user device identifier to form a reordered list and communicates the reordered list to the user device.

Abstract: A system includes a viewer tracking module that determines a genre profile target representation based on program categories of watched events. A recommendation module determines a candidate program category representation for each program candidate of a plurality of program candidates from a plurality of program categories, compares the candidate program category representation for the plurality of candidates to the genre profile target representation, and determines a numerical value for each of the plurality of program candidates based on comparing. The system further includes a display displaying the program candidates ordered based of the numerical value for each.

Abstract: A user device and method for operating the same includes a memory and a controller that stores an external recommendation list in the memory, said external recommendations list comprising a marketing list comprising a plurality of marketing list entries and a related program list comprising a plurality of related program entries that are related to the plurality of marketing list entries. Each marketing list entry has a related score corresponding to a respective marketing list entry. The controller generates a most viewed programming list, comparing the external recommendations list and most viewed programming list using the related score and generates a recommended recording list using both the external recommendation list and the most viewed programming list. The controller also stores at least one content from the recording recommendation list in the memory.

Abstract: A method of provisioning entitlement including: receiving within a headend and at a policy management module first conditions and rules for content from a service provider or a third party device; and generating, for a point of presence (POP) device of a customer, a policy for entitlement and usage of content (merged policy). The generating of the merged policy includes: merging conditions and rules of policies including the first conditions and rules to generate the merged policy based on a predetermined hierarchy of the policies. Rules and conditions of the merged policy are multi-dimensional to include customer, POP device, and provider dimensions; and generating a configuration file including conditions or condition based parameters. The method further includes: presenting an offer for the content to the customer via the POP device; receiving an acceptance of the offer from the POP device; and enforcing the merged policy according to the configuration file.

Abstract: A method of provisioning entitlement including: receiving within a headend and at a policy management module first conditions and rules for content from a service provider or a third party device; and generating, for a point of presence (POP) device of a customer, a policy for entitlement and usage of content (merged policy). The generating of the merged policy includes: merging conditions and rules of policies including the first conditions and rules to generate the merged policy based on a predetermined hierarchy of the policies. Rules and conditions of the merged policy are multi-dimensional to include customer, POP device, and provider dimensions; and generating a configuration file including conditions or condition based parameters. The method further includes: presenting an offer for the content to the customer via the POP device; receiving an acceptance of the offer from the POP device; and enforcing the merged policy according to the configuration file.

Abstract: A user device includes a viewer tracking module that tracks viewer events to form a viewer tracking log and a recommendation module that generates a timeslot viewing profile based on the viewer tracking log. The timeslot viewing profile includes television programs watched previously and a prioritized timeslot series profile determined by summing and prioritizing the count of a plurality of watched programs in a series. The recommendation module compares the timeslot viewing profile of available television programs during the timeslot, generates a first content recommendation list of available television programs, receives related content identifiers for related content that identify content that is available and is related to the television programs of the first content recommendation, and, based on the related content identifiers, generates a second content recommendation list including content that is available during the timeslot different from the first content recommendation list.

Abstract: A method and system for recommending content includes a user device having a memory storing a taxonomy table having content cluster identifiers therein. The user device receives an external recommendations list for the content cluster at the user device. The recommendations list has a plurality of content identifiers each having one content cluster identifier. A viewer tracking module generates a viewed content history for content relative to the content clusters identifiers that correspond to viewed content at the user device. A recommendation module generates an internal recommendations list by comparing the external recommendations list to the viewed content history at the user device. The internal recommendation list also presents recommendations capturing the distinct user tastes in a family viewing device. A display displays the internal recommendations list, with section headers of different granularity describing the nature of the recommended content at cluster, sub-genre and genre levels.

Abstract: A user device and method for operating the same includes a memory and a controller storing a recommended recording list in the memory. The controller stores recommended content from the recommended recording list in the memory. In response to selecting the live content title corresponding to recommended content stored in the memory, a screen display query at the user device is generated for determining when an earlier position of the content is desired and displaying the content from the earlier position within the recommended content when the query is affirmative.

Abstract: A simulation engine and method of operating a simulation system includes a plurality of user devices and an interface receiving user device data and a recommendation request from at least one the plurality of user devices. The system also includes a memory storing the user device data therein. The system also includes a recommendation engine that generates a content recommendation based on the user device data and an algorithm. The interface communicates the content recommendation to the user device. The recommendation engine receives a recommendation rating from at least one of the plurality of user devices and changes the algorithm in response to the recommendation rating. The user device receives a different recommendation of the changed algorithm within the simulation engine.

Abstract: A user device and method for operating the same includes a memory and a controller storing a recommended recording list in the memory. The controller stores recommended content from the recommended recording list in the memory and suppresses an indicator in response to storing recommended content from the recommended recording list. When the user selects a live content that corresponds to a recommended content stored in the memory, the user device may display the content from a previous position.

Abstract: A system and method for allocating tuner resources in a multi-room digital video recording system, wherein the system includes a server device having a plurality of tuners therein and a first client device in communication with the server device and allocated at least a first tuner from the plurality of tuners. A second client in communication client device generates a tuner request. The server device allocates the first tuner to the second user device and communicates a content signal through the first tuner to the second client device.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to provide content on demand in content broadcast systems are disclosed. An example method comprises receiving a first portion of a program via broadcast signal and receiving a second portion of the program via an Internet protocol (IP) based signal. The example method may further comprise combining the first and the second portions and at least one of store the combined first and second portions in a file or playback the combined first and second portions.

Abstract: Secure content transfer systems and methods to operate the same are disclosed. Disclosed example systems include a client device for use at a physical location and a media server for use at the physical location. The example media server includes a security device to determine a first encryption secret based on a first encryption key and to determine a second encryption secret based on a second encryption key. The media server also includes a decrypter to decrypt received encrypted content for requested content based on the first encryption secret and an encrypter to re-encrypt the decrypted content data for the requested content based on the second encryption secret. In addition, the media server includes an interface to send the re-encrypted content data to the client device, wherein the client device is to decrypt the re-encrypted content data based on the second encryption secret to access the requested content.

Abstract: A system and method for communicating content to a user device that includes a storage device having a network portion and a user portion. The user device stores content in a network partition thereof. The user device reallocates the content to a user portion of the storage device after storing is complete.