Abstract: A method and arrangement for modifying settings of a television program recommender displays the rating (recommended or not recommended) for a selected television program, and also displays icons for selection by the user to indicate whether the user agrees or disagrees with the recommendation. The television program recommender then updates its settings based on the user's icon selection. In addition, if the user indicates that he/she disagrees with the recommendation, the television program recommender determines and displays the number of times that the user needs to indicate his/her desires with respect to the selected television program in order for the recommendation to agree with the user's desires.

Abstract: A method and arrangement for modifying settings of a television program recommender (200) displays the rating (recommended or not recommended) for a selected television program, and also displays profile parameters of the user in a bar graph-type display in which the value of the profile parameters in each of a plurality of categories are shown as the positions of profile parameter icons (302-308), while the television program recommender further shows icons (312-318) representing threshold levels in each category above which the selected television program would be recommended. The user is enabled to change the values of the profile parameters in at least one of the categories by moving the relevant profile parameter icon (302-308) such that, for example, it reaches, or passes, the respective threshold level icon (312-318). The television program recommender (200) then recalculates the rating and the threshold levels to correspond with the desires of the user.

Abstract: A method for displaying close-captioned text (116) associated with video is provided. The method including: determining a position on a portion of the video for display of the close-captioned text; detecting one or more attributes of the video surrounding the position; and adjusting one or more attributes of the close-captioned text based on the detected one or more attributes of the video. The method can further include displaying the close-captioned text in the portion of the video with the adjusted one or more attributes. The one or more attributes of the video surrounding the position can be selected from a list consisting of a brightness, a contrast, a color, and a content. The one or more attributes of the close-captioned text can be selected from a group consisting of a brightness, a contrast, a color, and a degree of transparency.

Abstract: A method for inserting replacement commercials into a data stream is provided. The method including: receiving the data stream; detecting at least one commercial in the data stream; determining a characteristic of program content at least prior to the at least one commercial; and replacing the at least one commercial in the data stream with a replacement commercial which is selected based at least in part on the determining.

Abstract: Commercials are recommended for insertion into audio and/or video programs. A two-step linking between the user (205) and a set of commercials (260, 262, 264, 266) is provided. A preference score indicates how much the user likes each of the programs (210, 212, 214, 216, 218). This can be achieved, e.g., using a program recommender (160). A commercial classifier (170) uses the advertiser's knowledge to provide a correlation factor that indicates an effectiveness of a commercial relative to a program. An effectiveness metric (E) may be obtained for each commercial that indicates the effectiveness of the commercial relative to the specific user by summing, over each program, a product of the preference score and the correlation factor.

Abstract: Commercials (200) such as television commercials are augmented by obtaining additional information (300) regarding an advertised product or service from a remote server (182, 184, 192, 194, 195) via a computer network (180) such as the Internet. Commercials are identified and descriptive information is extracted (170). The descriptive information may indicate, e.g., the type of commercial. A user provides preferences (400, 500) regarding commercials via an interface. The preferences may indicate a desired level of detail (500) for the additional information. For commercials whose descriptive information corresponds with the user preference, the computer network is searched to located additional information, e.g., in the form of a web page or link (300). The additional information may relate to promotions, availability, and specifications of an advertised product or service.

Abstract: A method for generating a recommendation for a user is provided. The method includes: identifying a first group of other users, the first group having a plurality of first individuals associated with user preferences and/or user profiles that are considered positive influences in generating a recommendation; and generating the recommendation for the user based on the user preferences and/or user profiles of the first individuals. The method can further include: identifying a second group of other users, the second group having a plurality of second individuals associated with user preferences and/or user profiles that are considered negative influences in generating a recommendation; where the generating of the recommendation is further based on the user preferences and/or user profiles of the second individuals.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method (and corresponding device) of generating a user profile on the basis of playlists, wherein the user profile is generated on the basis of the user's own playlists and properties derived from them. In this way, more playlists are considered in the generation of a user profile, thereby generating a more reliable user profile. Additionally, the process (i.e. said method) is automated and uses known information. Aspects taken into account are frequency of occurrence, creation date of the playlist, and relation between content items (songs, video, etc.) in one or more playlists.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and system (900) to set an output quality of a next media frame, comprising application means (902) conceived to provide the output quality of a plurality of output qualities of the next media frame; and control means (904) conceived to set the output quality of the next media frame based upon a self-learning control strategy that uses a processing time and an output quality of a previous media frame to determine the output quality of the next media frame.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for selecting at least one program item to be stored on the basis of user preferences. The apparatus comprises a receiver (110) for obtaining program schedule data related to at least one program item, and a timer (150) arranged to ascertain a period of time in which at least one program item is to be stored, a user preference module (130) arranged to obtain user preferences for at least one program item to be stored in the ascertained period of time, and a selection unit (140) arranged to select, using the program schedule data and the user preferences, at least one program item to be stored over a long period of time which is substantially longer than regular periods of nonusage of the apparatus. The invention takes into consideration that the user preferences for storing the program items may depend on the period of time in which the program items are to be selected.

Abstract: A HHD-based video recorder has a content manager that indicates to the user which recorded content items are eligible for being deleted and in what order they are going to be deleted to free up storage capacity for content to be newly recorded.

Abstract: A broadcast system 100 for broadcasting at least one title using a near-video-on-demand broadcasting protocol includes a plurality of broadcast receivers 150. A hierarchical network of data distributors starts from a central distributor 110 through at least one layer of intermediate distributors 120, 130, 140 to the broadcast receivers for broadcasting the title as a sequence of data blocks. A least one filter controller 180 receives requests from broadcast receivers for the supply of the title and controls at least one intermediate distributor to filter out data blocks of the title that have not been requested by receivers hierarchically below the intermediate distributor.

Abstract: A system for recommending program information in accordance with user preferences, the system comprising receiving means (110) for receiving the program information and program schedule data pertaining to time schedules for receiving program information, input means (120) for providing a user input to the system, recommending means (160) for analyzing the user preferences and rating the program schedule data in accordance with said user preferences, and establishing preferred program schedule data (210) based on said rating, and presentation means (150) for presenting said preferred program schedule data (210) to a user.