Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, a method implemented on a computing device includes: retrieving a set of channel parameters, the set of channel parameters defining a television channel schedule made of a plurality of viewing time periods; retrieving a set of regional parameters relevant to a geographical area, the set of regional parameters defining at least one regional viewing time period of a first duration; identifying a viewing time period from the plurality of viewing time periods relevant to the at least one regional viewing time period by comparing the regional parameters to the channel parameters; retrieving an abstract schedule associated with the identified viewing time period, where the abstract schedule is a pro forma schedule of programs having a second duration and comprising a set of program content items; and generating a concrete television schedule for the at least one regional viewing time period, where the concrete television schedule is a an instantiated finalized schedule pr

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for presenting alternate content during a channel change on a video content playing device includes: receiving a viewer's request to tune to a particular channel, retrieving tuning context data from a memory of the video content playing device, where the tuning context data is indicative of a context in which the viewer tunes to the particular channel, processing the tuning context data using a channel function associated with the particular channel to identify alternate content likely to be of interest to a viewer of the particular channel, identifying a network address for the alternate content associated with the particular channel in accordance with a result of the processing, retrieving the alternate content according to the network address, and presenting the alternate content on the video content playing device before presenting the program currently being broadcast on the particular channel.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, a method implemented on a computing device includes: retrieving a set of channel parameters, the set of channel parameters defining a television channel schedule made of a plurality of viewing time periods; retrieving a set of regional parameters relevant to a geographical area, the set of regional parameters defining at least one regional viewing time period of a first duration; identifying a viewing time period from the plurality of viewing time periods relevant to the at least one regional viewing time period by comparing the regional parameters to the channel parameters; retrieving an abstract schedule associated with the identified viewing time period, where the abstract schedule is a pro forma schedule of programs having a second duration and comprising a set of program content items; and generating a concrete television schedule for the at least one regional viewing time period, where the concrete television schedule is a an instantiated finalized schedule pr