Abstract: Systems and methods for providing audio-based guidance features are provided. A guidance application may provide listings displays having listings for audio-friendly content. The listings may be indicated as listings for audio-friendly content. The guidance application may provide displays dedicated to listings for audio-friendly content. The guidance application provides audio-prompts describing display screens. The guidance application may determine a user's identity from a voice command and provide personalized guidance features.

Abstract: A global speech user interface (GSUI) comprises an input system to receive a user's spoken command, a feedback system along with a set of feedback overlays to give the user information on the progress of his spoken requests, a set of visual cues on the television screen to help the user understand what he can say, a help system, and a model for navigation among applications. The interface is extensible to make it easy to add new applications.

Abstract: An enhanced television broadcast system may enable the transmission and reception of a real-time event when a new program is about to begin. The real-time event may control access to enhancements from the program that is ending. In some embodiments, these real-time events may constitute triggers that are included within packets transmitted in an Internet Protocol multicast. As one example, the trigger may include a Uniform Resource Locator in the form of a tv: protocol that automatically causes the television display to go to full screen television.

Abstract: A method of processing a non-real time service of a broadcast receiver, which receives and processes a service being transmitted in non-real time, and a broadcast receiver are disclosed.

Abstract: A method of recommending media content for a media playing system includes identifying a user in a viewing area; determining whether personal information of the user is stored in a database; and generating information related to a first media content recommendation according to the personal information when the personal information of the user is stored in the database.

Abstract: In various example embodiments, a system and method for electronic program guide (EPG) sorting and automatic realignment is provided. In example embodiments, a graphical user interface having an EPG including a plurality of rows of thumbnails representing programs is presented on a device of a user. Each row of thumbnails may be navigated independent of other rows. A navigational input is received via a touchscreen of the device. The navigational input indicates an action performed on the graphical user interface that triggers a realignment of programming information presented on the EPG. An updated EPG with the realignment of the programming information indicated by the navigational input is then provided.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, article of manufacture, and a memory structure for providing advertisements with a media program transmitted to a user device are described. The method permits the user to interrupt the playback of the advertisement and continue with the playback of the media program with no further advertisements, or to interrupt the playback of the advertisement to substitute a different version of the advertisement.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for navigating video content. Digital markers may be placed at desired locations within recorded or cached video content. In one embodiment, these markers (or bookmarks) may be used to instantly jump to a particular scene or location within a video presentation. Such markers may be manually or automatically placed during live caching of video content or playback of previously recorded content. In another embodiment, selectable thumbnailed images that are representative of the video content at previously bookmarked locations may be presented to a user. Such selectable thumbnailed images may be integrated with a DVR status bar and, when selected, may be used to begin viewing stored video content from the bookmark corresponding to which ever thumbnail is chosen.

Abstract: A computing device provides a display of a plurality of channel previews for a plurality of channels in a channel control area in a user interface, the display distinguishing a first channel preview of the plurality of channel previews that pertains to a first channel of the plurality of channels. The computing device further provides a display of a first set of video previews for a first set of videos in a video control area in the user interface, wherein the first set of video previews is associated with the first channel preview. Responsive to the computing device receiving an input identifying a second channel preview of the plurality of channel previews that pertains to a second channel of the plurality of channels, the computing device replaces the first set of video previews in the video control area with a second set of video previews associated with the second channel preview.

Abstract: A method for controlling an image display apparatus includes determining a type of a video signal included in an input signal, determining whether three-dimensional (3D) format information is included in the input signal, if the video signal is a 3D video signal, requesting 3D format information about the video signal to a server that stores 3D format information, if the input signal does not include the 3D format information about the video signal, and processing, upon receipt of 3D format information from the server in response to the 3D format information request, the video signal according to the 3D format information and displaying a 3D image based on the processed video signal.

Abstract: Systems and methods for viewing media content are provided. Sets of permitted media content and/or channels that have been screened in advance by parents are created. Content suggestions may also be made. In response to media set creation and activation, permitted programming in the media set may be tuned and presented to a viewer, while access to other media content is restricted.

Abstract: A video-on-demand (VOD) content delivery system has a VOD Application Server which manages a database of templates ordered in a hierarchy for presentation of video content elements of different selected types categorized in hierarchical order. The templates include those for higher-order displays which have one or more links to lower-order displays of specific content. The VOD Application Server, in response to viewer request, displays a high-order templatized display, and in response to viewer selection of a link, displays the lower-order display of specific content. The hierarchical templatized displays enable viewers to navigate to an end subject of interest while having a unique visual experience of moving through a series of displays to the end subject of interest. For example, the higher-order display may be a product ad and the lower-order display may be an ad for a local retailer of the product.

Abstract: Content recommendations may be provided. First, in response to a received input and concurrent with a shrunken programming content, a media guide may be displayed. The media guide may comprise a first card, a second card, and a third card. The first card may comprise a plurality of recommendation types. The second card may comprise a plurality of subcategories corresponding to a selected one of the plurality of recommendation types. The third card may comprise a plurality of content program names corresponding to a selected one of the plurality of subcategories. The plurality of content program names may be in an order. Next, in response to a selection of a one of the plurality of content program names, an action card maybe displayed. Then a selected one of the plurality of actions may be executed.

Abstract: A method including receiving a request to start recording a sequence of navigational inputs to be received by a user device; storing each navigational input of the sequence when each navigational input is received; receiving a request to stop recording the sequence of navigational inputs; stopping the recording of the sequence of navigational inputs; receiving an assignment of a trigger to invoke an execution of the recorded sequence of navigational inputs; storing the assignment of the trigger; identifying when the trigger is received or occurs; and executing the recorded sequence of navigational inputs on the user device based on the identifying.

Abstract: In one of many possible embodiments, a system includes a media content processing subsystem including an output driver configured to provide at least a component of a media content instance to a display for presentation to a user, and a receiver configured to receive an input command initiated by the user during the presentation of the component of the media content instance. The media content processing subsystem is further configured to select a control pane from a group of control panes based on the input command, each of the control panes including a different set of control tools, and provide, in response to the input command, the control pane to the display for concurrent presentation of both the component of the media content instance and the control pane to the user.

Abstract: A communication device includes a memory storing computer instructions and a processor coupled to the memory to execute the computer instructions to provide a graphical user interface at a display coupled to the communication device. The graphical user interface includes a visual navigation trail having a selectable category. The memory also includes instructions executable by the processor to receive a signal at the communication device indicating a selection of the selectable category. Further, the memory includes instructions executable by the processor to cause the graphical user interface to display, in response to the signal, a menu including the selectable category and a peer category related to the selectable category. The menu automatically becomes navigable via directional keys at a remote control device when the menu is displayed.

Abstract: A method of providing advertising from a central database server connected to a global computer network to distributed sites via interactive television. A representative icon is presented to a subscriber on a television screen indicating an advertisement. When a the icon is selected, an advertisement information detail is retrieved from storage in a local memory, or from the central database server and presented to the subscriber on the television screen.

Abstract: A method includes receiving an indicator from a service provider via a network. The indicator is received with first media content and includes data to cause a selectable image to be displayed with the first media content. The selectable image indicates an availability of second media content that is different than the first media content. The method includes, in response to receipt of the indicator, displaying the selectable image with the first media content at a display device. The method further includes, in response to receiving a removal message before receiving an input indicating a selection of the selectable image, removing the selectable image from display at the display device.

Abstract: A method may include receiving a video stream, wherein the video stream is divided into video segments, and wherein the video stream is being sent to a customer device and receiving a request to insert a message into the video stream. The method may further include determining a particular video segment after which to insert the message into the video stream; inserting the message into video stream after the particular video segment; and sending the video stream to the customer device, wherein the video stream includes the inserted message.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for browsing a plurality of broadcast programs are provided. The method includes classifying a plurality of broadcast programs into one or more broadcast program groups with reference to electronic program guide (EPG) information or viewing records of a user regarding the broadcast programs, one-dimensionally arranging the broadcast programs so that the broadcast program groups are one-dimensionally arranged, displaying the broadcast programs and the broadcast program groups on a screen as a graphic image, and allowing the user to change a rule used for forming the broadcast program groups. Accordingly, it is possible to enable a user to effectively browse broadcast programs and to provide the user with a user interface customized for the user by using a simple one-dimensional input method and intuitively utilizing EPG information.

Abstract: A method includes accessing television (TV) command data including a plurality of TV commands for controlling a TV. The plurality of TV commands includes at least one selection of a feature. The method may include identifying a first pattern of TV commands based on the TV command data. The first pattern of TV commands correlates with the at least one selection of a feature. The method may further include receiving a second pattern of TV commands. The method may include determining whether the second pattern of TV commands substantially matches the model pattern of TV commands. In addition, the method may include providing a feature recommendation based on the at least one selection of the feature in response to a determination that the second pattern of TV commands substantially matches the model pattern of TV commands.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing audio-based guidance features are provided. A guidance application may provide listings displays having listings for audio-friendly content. The listings may be indicated as listings for audio-friendly content. The guidance application may provide displays dedicated to listings for audio-friendly content. The guidance application provides audio-prompts describing display screens. The guidance application may determine a user's identity from a voice command and provide personalized guidance features.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed herein for a media guidance application configured to monitor brain activity in various regions of a brain of a user in order to navigate, recommend, provide access to, and perform operations related to media content. For example, in response to detecting that particular brain activity in a region of the brain does not correspond to a threshold range of brain activity for that region of the brain, a media guidance application may perform a media guidance operation related to that region of the brain.

Abstract: An electronic program schedule system which utilizes a receiver for receiving broadcast, satellite or cablecast television programs for a plurality of television channels and a tuner for tuning a television receiver to a selected one of the plurality of channels. A data processor receives and stores in a memory television program schedule information for a plurality of television programs to appear on the plurality of television channels. A user control apparatus, such as a remote controller, is utilized by a viewer to choose user control commands and transmit signals in response to the data processor which receives the signals in response to user control commands. A television receiver is used to display the television programs and television program schedule information.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for projecting holographic images in connection with a program service such as cable or satellite television. In one instance, the projected holographic image may be an image of product that is featured in advertisement or other portion of program service. In another instance, the projected holographic image may be an image of an electronic programming guide with screens or menu displayed on sides of a cube or other geometric form. In still another instance, the projected holographic image is a video that supplements an instructional video or live broadcast.

Abstract: An exemplary method includes an interactive media program guide system 1) displaying a user-scrollable view of a section of a paginated column of an interactive media program guide that includes a two-dimensional matrix grid of cells representing a plurality of media program listings, 2) detecting a user selection of a cell included in the matrix grid of cells and the user-scrollable view, the cell representing a media program listing included in the plurality of media program listings, and, 3) in response to the user selection of the cell, expanding the cell in-place within the paginated column of the interactive media program guide and populating the expanded cell with display content associated with a media program represented by the media program listing. Corresponding systems and methods are also described.

Abstract: An exemplary system includes a media content processing subsystem configured to provide a program guide graphical user interface (“GUI”) to a display for presentation to a user, the program guide GUI including a portion of a program guide. The media content processing subsystem is further configured to provide at least one navigation tool to the display for presentation in the program guide GUI, the navigation tool including a plurality of selectable options for navigating the program guide. The media content processing subsystem is further configured to detect a user selection of one of the selectable options and initiate a navigation to a location in the program guide based on the selected option. In certain embodiments, the navigation tool includes at least one of a time-based navigation tool and a channel navigation tool.

Abstract: A system and method for providing information of selectable objects in a television program in an information stream independent of the television program as shown in and/or described in connection with at least one of the figures, as set forth more completely in the claims.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for facilitating streaming of media content. Video content is retrieved over a network from one or more client devices capturing video content. Data items associated with the plurality of video content are also retrieved. A list order for the plurality of video content is determined according to at least a portion of the retrieved data items, and a user interface is encoded for display where the user interface contains a plurality of items corresponding to the plurality of video content, the items being positioned within the user interface according to the list order.

Abstract: An on-screen menu method and system for controlling the functions of integrated electronic devices and a television schedule system and method for displaying television schedule information on a television screen includes a program guide having a schedule information area that depicts the programs that are being presented on each channel at each time during the day and an interconnected series of menus to control the features of the integrated electronic devices. An input device allows the viewer to move a pointer over different interactive areas of the guide and the function performed when the area is activated is displayed in a contextual help window. Various control glyphs provide for recursive interaction with the guide.

Abstract: A method for navigation of television program listings within a user interface includes successively displaying a first set of visual cards in a first area of the user interface. Each visual card of the first set of visual cards represents a corresponding broadcast time slot associated with a graphically represented first card characteristic. Selection by a user of a particular visual card of the first set of visual cards is enabled in order to view a television program corresponding to the time slot represented by the selected visual card. In an embodiment, a transition from display of a first visual card of the first set of visual cards to display of a second visual card of the first set of visual cards occurs automatically at the conclusion of a first time period.

Abstract: A processing resource detects that a subscriber entity subscribes to at least a first content service provider and a second content service provider. The processing resource receives a first message indicating content available to the subscriber entity for selective retrieval from the first content service provider. The processing resource receives a second message indicating content available to the subscriber entity for selective retrieval from the second content service provider. Based on at least the first message and the second message, the processing resource produces a content guide to include at least first content available to the subscriber entity for retrieval from the first service provider and second content available to the subscriber entity for retrieval from the second service provider. Via display of the content guide, a respective subscriber is able to view content available from multiple service providers.

Abstract: The invention discloses a page turning method, a page turning apparatus and a terminal as well as a computer readable medium, and belongs to the field of computer technology. The method includes: receiving a continuing page turning signal; performing page turning on the pages according to a predefined single page turning mode; if the page turning mode change condition is met, performing page turning on the pages according to a predefined fast page turning mode, page turning speed of the fast page turning mode being larger than page turning speed of the single page turning mode. The technology realizes effects of fast page turning and reduced page turning time.

Abstract: The television (1) includes: an infrared radiation receiver (119) which receives from a user an instruction to select a program cell; and a CPU (118) which generates a user interface screen of an electronic program table to be displayed on an LCD (110). The CPU (118) generates the user interface screen of the electronic program table such that a time zone item column located in a left direction of a selected program cell and a time zone item column located in a right direction of the selected program cell are indicated with deep blue, and other time zone item columns are indicated with light blue.

Abstract: A program information processing apparatus and a program information processing method that are capable of easily conducting a program search using an electronic program guide and displaying the search result clearly on the electronic program guide. A display control unit for displaying on a display unit an electronic program guide containing information relating to a plurality of programs, a selection unit for selecting a program from the plurality of programs in response to the operation of a user, and a search unit for searching a program containing information identical to or similar to at least a part of the information of the program selected by the selection unit are included, wherein the display control unit displays search result by the search unit on the electronic program guide.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a computer-readable storage medium having computer instructions to present a plurality of unassociated media programs from a single presentation device having overlapping presentation periods, and cause the single presentation device to present a user interface for one of the plurality of unassociated media programs responsive to detecting a request for the user interface. Each of the plurality of unassociated media programs can be viewable only with a viewing apparatus. The viewing apparatus can be configured for viewing one of the unassociated media programs at a time. Other embodiments are disclosed and contemplated.

Abstract: A virtual channel table for broadcasting protocol and a method for broadcasting by using the virtual channel table includes identification information identifying and permitting discrimination of active and inactive channels contained in the virtual channel table. At a receiver, the virtual channel table transmitted from the transmitting side is parsed, thereby determining whether the current received channel is an active or inactive channel.

Abstract: A method includes receiving, at a computing device, a first selection of first video content. The method also includes sending the first video content to a display device. The method further includes adding a first element corresponding to the first video content to a list. The list includes multiple elements and each element of the list corresponds to respective previously displayed video content. The method includes sending the list to the display device. The elements of the list are ordered based on display times of the corresponding video content.

Abstract: When a user hovers a screen cursor over a TV channel icon on a cross-media bar (XMB) user interface (UI) for a threshold period, enhanced metadata from PSIP/XDS/EPG that pertains to the program currently available on the associated TV channel is presented in a pop-up window on the XMB UI.

Abstract: An interactive television program guide system is provided in which the program guide may provide the user with a selectable list of combination categories. Combination categories are composed of multiple simple categories such as sports, news, comedy, movies, children, etc. Program listings are supplied to the program guide. At least some of the program listings are associated with combination categories. A combination category build process may be used to assign combination categories to program listings. The user is able to use the selectable categories list to quickly identify programming of interest.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a media processor having a controller to receive from a media communication system metadata describing one or more marketable items depicted in a media program supplied by the media communication system, present images of the media program at a media presentation device without highlighting the one or more marketable items, present an icon at least at one of a remote controller managing operations of the media processor or the media presentation device to indicate a presence of the one or more marketable items in one or more of the images presented at the media presentation device, detect a selection of the icon, and highlight the one or more marketable items. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system and method for establishing and provisioning a new Internet Video Link (IVL) category under user control and utilizing user requests for locating and including preferred video content. The new IVL category will include video content located on a local device as well as video content retrieved from any interne URL provided by a user. The IVL category is built in the background and contains a category as a directory of video content and channels as sub-directories containing subsets of the video content described by the category. The user may also input keywords for use in searching for preferred video content so as to establish a mix of video content concatenated into a single mix channel for use in viewing only those video content items associated with the keywords supplied by the user. Alternatively, the mix channel may be provisioned by locating and mixing together video content that has similar metadata tags associated with the user preferred video content.

Abstract: Systems and methods for indicating media asset access conflicts using a time bar in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention are provided. A media guide display that includes at least some media asset listings and a time bar is generated. A first portion of the time bar representing a first time interval during which media assets, for which a respective media guidance function has been assigned, are scheduled for transmission is identified. A second portion, within the first portion of the time bar, which represents a second time interval during which the scheduled transmission times of the media assets overlap is identified. A first indicator is generated, for display in the first portion, to represent the first time interval. A second indicator is generated, for display in the second portion, to represent the second time interval during which the scheduled transmission times of the media assets overlap.

Abstract: An approach is provided for faceted browsing of video assets. A metadata file is parsed to categorize and rank attributes corresponding to a video asset, wherein the ranked attributes are based on a criterion. A set-top box provides attribute browsing to determine selection of the video asset.

Abstract: A display apparatus comprising a display configured to display a plurality of spaces in a form of a polyhedron is provided. The plurality of spaces each correspond to a different category. The apparatus displays a rotatable Graphical User Interface (GUI), a user interface is configured to receive a user interaction for the GUI, and a controller is configured to, when one of the plurality of spaces in a form of a polyhedron is selected as the GUI is rotated according to the user interaction, control to display a selected space as a main space, and display at least one content-related information included in a category corresponding to the selected space.

Abstract: An electronic device including a display, a receiver to receive, from an input device, a first information about a movement of the input device and a second information indicating whether a predetermined button on the input device is pressed, and a controller to control the display to display a plurality of visual guide items representing a plurality of functions of the electronic device for guide a user how to move the input device to select a function among the plurality of functions, determine a movement direction of a pointing position while the predetermined button of the input device is pressed based on the first and the second information, detecting whether the predetermined button is released based on the second information and in response to the detecting that the predetermined button is released, executing a function among the plurality of functions based on the movement direction of the pointing position and displaying a visual guide item among the plurality of visual guide items corresponding to t

Abstract: A system and methods for personalized event notification using real-time video analysis are described. In an embodiment, a live video feed is automatically monitored and characteristics of the video feed are analyzed against criteria which relate to an event which has been identified by a user. The criteria relate to characteristics of the image or the audio in the video feed. If the criteria are satisfied, the user is notified that the event has occurred and this notification may be achieved through messages on the video display screen (e.g. on the television screen) or other messaging techniques (e.g. SMS or email). In an example, the criteria may define a particular logo and the user is notified if the analysis detects the logo in the video feed.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for processing augmented broadcast content. The apparatus includes: a broadcast content receiving unit configured to receive broadcast content and a first reference signal from a broadcast content provider, the first reference signal including information used to recognize a target object in the broadcast content and composite the broadcast content and augmented content associated with the target object; an object identifying unit configured to identify the target object in the broadcast content by analyzing the broadcast content using an image or sound analysis algorithm with reference to the first reference signal; an augmented content acquiring unit configured to acquire the augmented content associated with the target object; and an augmented content compositing unit configured to composite the acquired augmented content into an augmentation region determined based on the first reference signal.

Abstract: Provided is a display device including a display mode controller for controlling a transition to a whole screen display mode for displaying an image in an entire screen of a display section, a multiple content display mode for displaying, on the screen, multiple thumbnail images related to contents, or a panel display mode for displaying, on the screen, a panel on which information related to the contents is displayed, an arrangement determination section for arranging multiple thumbnail images displayed in the multiple content display mode by category to which the contents belong, an arrangement change section for changing an arrangement of multiple thumbnail images by a user, and a boundary line display section for displaying, between two thumbnail images, a boundary line indicating a difference of the category before the arrangement of the thumbnail images is changed by the user, and for not displaying the boundary line after changed.

Abstract: An electronic program schedule system which utilizes a receiver for receiving broadcast, satellite or cablecast television programs for a plurality of television channels and a tuner for tuning a television receiver to a selected one of the plurality of channels. A data processor receives and stores in a memory television program schedule information for a plurality of television programs to appear on the plurality of television channels. A user control apparatus, such as a remote controller, is utilized by a viewer to choose user control commands and transmit signals in response to the data processor which receives the signals in response to user control commands. A television receiver is used to display the television programs and television program schedule information.