Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100122280 | System and Method for Monitoring and Alarming IP-Based Video Blackout Events - Systems and methods for selecting a video transmission event to be blacked out and storing a data record with instructions to color code an element within a graphical user interface based on the blackout are disclosed. | 05-13-2010 |
20100124399 | System and Method For Managing Video Recording Based Upon Blackout Events In A Video Data Distribution System - A system useful for managing digital video recording of alternative event data during a blackout of primary event data at a client device, the system including but not limited to a processor in data communication with a computer readable medium; and a computer program comprising instructions embedded in the computer readable medium, the computer program further comprising instructions to receive input data scheduling a digital video recording for the primary event data; instructions to receive at the client device, notification data indicating blackout of the primary event data; and instructions to present alternative event data for recording on the client device. | 05-20-2010 |
20100125866 | System and Method for Verifying A Conditional Access Blackout In A Video Data Distribution System - A system is disclosed for verifying an occurrence of a blackout event in a data distribution system, the system including but not limited to a processor in data communication with a computer readable medium; and computer program comprising instructions to receive restricted content data at the data distribution system; instructions to receive at the data distribution system, blackout event data indicating at least one criterion for selecting client devices subject to a blackout event for the restricted content data; instructions to place at the data distribution system, client devices into a client device group subject to the blackout event in accordance with the event data criterion; and instructions to correlate at the data distribution system, the blackout event data with the retune activity data to verify the occurrence of the blackout event in the client devices. | 05-20-2010 |
20100125867 | System and Method for Managing Conditional Access Blackout Events In A Video Data Distribution System - A computer readable medium containing instructions that when executed by a computer configure blackout event data indicating at least one event criterion data for selecting client devices subject to the blackout event for restricted content data; configure client devices into a client device group subject to the blackout event in accordance with the event criterion data; configure at least one substitution event data table for the client device group; and send restricted content and the substitution event data table embedded in the restricted content data to each client device in the client device group. | 05-20-2010 |
20100138855 | Video Service Blackout Events - A method is disclosed that includes receiving a command to blackout a full screen version of content at a component of a multimedia content distribution system. The method includes updating a first entry within a control matrix to reflect that the full screen version of the content is to be blacked out. The method also includes automatically updating a second entry within the control matrix to reflect that a picture-in-picture (PIP) version of the content is to be blacked out. | 06-03-2010 |
20100150521 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTENT PLAYBACK CONTROL ACROSS MULTIPLE ACCESS MEDIUMS - A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a controller to enable trick mode bookmarking of media content presented at one of multiple access mediums including at least an interactive television system, a mobile communication device, and a computer, and receive a transfer of a state of presentation of the media content from one of the multiple access mediums according to a trick mode bookmark. Other embodiments are disclosed. | 06-17-2010 |
20100162319 | Navigation Method and System to Provide a Navigation Interface - A set-top box device includes a processor and memory accessible to the processor. The memory includes instructions executable by the processor to provide a graphical user interface (GUI) at a television coupled to the set-top box device. The GUI includes a bread crumb trail having a selectable category. The memory also includes instructions executable by the processor to receive a signal from a remote control device associated with the set-top box device, the television, or a combination thereof, the signal indicating a selection of the selectable category of the bread crumb trail. Further, the memory includes instructions executable by the processor to cause the GUI 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 the remote control device when the menu is displayed. | 06-24-2010 |
20100162342 | PARENTAL CONTROLS FOR MULTIPLE DEVICES - A method of controlling access to electronic content across a plurality of devices includes creating a user profile associated with a user based on profile input from the user or an administrator and generating a universal content control profile (UCCP) based on the user profile. At least one of the user profile and the UCCP is then stored to a computer readable storage medium. Based on the UCCP and a device-type of a selected electronic device, a content control setting (CCS) is determined for the selected electronic device. Upon detecting a communication channel with the selected electronic device, the method includes providing the CCS to the selected electronic device. | 06-24-2010 |
20100162363 | INTEGRATED SERVICE IDENTITY FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF INFORMATION EXCHANGE SERVICES - A service provisioning method includes providing a differentiated set of information exchange services to a user. In some embodiments, differentiation between or among the provided services may include differentiated access networks, differentiated physical network layers, and/or differentiated service providers. An integrated service identity may be generated and/or maintained by the service provider(s) or by a third party. The integrated services identity may enable the user to define preference settings applicable to the information exchange services, to process billable events and activity and to issue integrated statements encompassing all of the information exchange services provided to the user, and enabling the user to access customer support services for any of the information exchange services and further enabling the logging of all customer support activities to the integrated service identity. | 06-24-2010 |
20100251280 | CONTENT RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON PERSONAL PREFERENCES - A method and system for recommending multimedia content includes collecting consumption information for a plurality of users. The consumption information, along with real-time contextual information, may be used to generate collections of recommended multimedia content, including obtainable multimedia assets. The collections may be offered to a user for purchase. The user may be provided access to the multimedia assets. A unified storefront application, providing access to multimedia content via an Internet-protocol television portal, a web portal, and a mobile portal, may be used to offer and provide access to the multimedia assets. | 09-30-2010 |
20110022689 | MANAGING LINEAR MULTIMEDIA CONTENT DELIVERY - Users are assigned to virtual groups. Virtual groups are associated with server assets. Achieving load-balancing during the delivery of linear multimedia content, for example, may be achieved through reassigning users to different virtual groups. Server assets can include server clusters that are assigned to the virtual groups. New hardware can be added to server assets without having to directly associate users to the new hardware. | 01-27-2011 |
20110041147 | BLACKOUTS OF VIDEO ON DEMAND MULTIMEDIA CONTENT - Blackout event data is received that includes data regarding a geographic area affected by a blackout event. Based on a user location code such as a ZIP code, a determination is made whether a user or user account is subject to the blackout event. If the user is subject to the blackout event, access to a video-on-demand multimedia event is restricted. | 02-17-2011 |
20110041148 | BLACKOUTS OF PAY PER VIEW MULTIMEDIA CONTENT - Blackout event data is received that includes data regarding a geographic area affected by a blackout event. Based on a user location code such as a ZIP code, a determination is made whether a user account is subject to the blackout event. If the user is subject to the blackout event, access to a pay-per-view multimedia event is restricted. | 02-17-2011 |
20110041149 | GEOGRAPHICALLY DIVERSE ON-SCREEN DISPLAYS FOR BLACKOUTS - Blackout messages are provided that are specific to geographic areas. Blackout event data is received that includes location codes representing geographic areas affected by a blackout event. A determination is made whether a user is subject to the blackout event. If the user is subject to the blackout event, one or more blackout messages are selected and for presentation to the user. Selection of the blackout messages is based on a user location code for the user. | 02-17-2011 |
20110055866 | UPDATING ELECTRONIC PROGRAMMING GUIDES WITH BLACKOUT DATA - Blackout event data is received that includes location codes for geographic areas affected by a blackout event. User location codes are received and compared to location codes for the geographic areas affected by the blackout event. A determination is made whether the user is subject to the blackout event based on the user location code. When the user is subject to the blackout event, an updated electronic programming guide is provided to the user. | 03-03-2011 |
20110066652 | CONDITIONAL ACCESS TO USER-GENERATED MULTIMEDIA CONTENT - A method and system for distributing multimedia content may enable a user to specify a number of recipients for receiving user-generated content (UGC) provided by a multimedia content distribution network (MCDN). The UGC may be stored in a UGC library. The recipients may be specified by selecting entries in an electronic address book accessible via the MCDN. The specified recipients may retrieve the UGC, or the UGC may be sent to the recipients. Access to the UGC may be provided by at least one of: a web access point, an Internet-protocol access point, and a mobile access point. | 03-17-2011 |
20110066674 | CONTENT RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON COMMUNAL PREFERENCES - A method and system for recommending multimedia content includes collecting consumption information for a plurality of consumers. The consumption information may be used to generate collections of recommended multimedia content, including obtainable multimedia assets. The collections may be offered to a consumer for purchase. The consumer may be provided access to the multimedia assets. A unified storefront application, providing access to multimedia content via an Internet-protocol television portal, a web portal, and a mobile portal, may be used to offer and provide access to the multimedia assets. | 03-17-2011 |
20110067049 | VIEWING CONTROL MANAGEMENT ACROSS MULTIPLE ACCESS POINTS - A method and system for controlling viewing of multimedia content includes collecting viewing control profiles and associated viewing control passwords via an Internet-protocol television portal, a web portal, and a mobile portal. The viewing control profile may be usable to restrict access to certain multimedia programs. The viewing control may be applied using a unified storefront application, providing access to multimedia content via the Internet-protocol television portal, the web portal, and the mobile portal, to offer and provide controlled access to the multimedia assets. | 03-17-2011 |
20110112930 | SPENDING LIMITS ACROSS MULTIPLE ACCESS POINTS - A method and system for limiting spending in a multimedia content distribution network involves receiving spending limits from an Internet-protocol television portal, a web portal, or a mobile portal. The spending limits may be provided by a network user and may be usable to limit access to multimedia programs. The spending limits may be applied using a unified storefront application, which provides access to multimedia content via an Internet-protocol television portal, a web portal, and a mobile portal. | 05-12-2011 |
20110119696 | GIFTING MULTIMEDIA CONTENT USING AN ELECTRONIC ADDRESS BOOK - A method and system for gifting multimedia content enables a first user of a multimedia content distribution network (MCDN) to select a recipient for an obtainable multimedia asset from an electronic address book. The electronic address book may be accessible via a public network and/or via the MCDN. The recipient may be a second user of the MCDN. The first user may be charged for the multimedia asset. The second user may be authorized to receive and view the multimedia asset. | 05-19-2011 |
20110119721 | PORTABLE MEDIA PLAYER DEVICE MANAGEMENT - A method and system for distributing multimedia content includes a unified storefront (USF) application providing access portals to a multimedia content distribution network, including an Internet-protocol television access portal, a web access portal and a mobile access portal. The USF application may further communicate with a media agent to access a portable media player (PMP), allowing multimedia content to be sent to the PMP from any of the access portals. | 05-19-2011 |
20110119738 | IDENTITY MANAGEMENT FOR TRANSACTIONAL CONTENT - A method and system for managing access to transactional multimedia content based on hardware identification codes can include determining whether a user is entitled to a first service level or to a second service level and directing requests for transactional multimedia content to an appropriate server. The user of a client device can be authenticated by a certificate sent by the client device and received by a service provider. The certificate includes an indication of a unique hardware identifier for the client device. Access to the transactional content may occur over a public Internet protocol network if the client device is not directly connected to the service provider's private network and if the hardware identifier indicates the client device is authorized. | 05-19-2011 |
20110153856 | Method and System for Selecting a Delivery Method for Media on Demand - Computer-implemented methods, computer-readable media, and systems are disclosed. A computer implemented method includes accessing a digital image including a plurality of faces including a first face and a second face. a computer-implemented method includes determining, from a receiving device, a connection speed between the receiving device and a host. The computer implemented method selects a method of delivery for specified media content based on the connection speed. The method of delivery is streaming when the connection speed satisfies a speed threshold. The method of delivery is downloading when the connection speed does not satisfy the speed threshold. The computer implemented method requests delivery of the specified media content from the host using the method of delivery. | 06-23-2011 |
20110154382 | Processing and Distribution of Video-On-Demand Content Items - Systems, methods, and computer-readable media including instructions for processing and distributing video-on-demand (VOD) content items are disclosed. A particular method selects a group of electronic devices to receive a VOD content item. The selection is based on group-level information associated with the group of electronic devices and based on user-level information associated with individual electronic devices of the group of electronic devices. The VOD content item is transmitted to each electronic device of the group via multicast. The VOD content item has an associated validity time period, and the encrypted VOD content item is automatically made unplayable at each electronic device in the group when the validity time period has elapsed. | 06-23-2011 |
20110154401 | Systems and Methods to Generate an Electronic Program Guide - Systems and methods to generate an electronic program guide (EPG) are provided. A particular method includes accessing, at a set-top box device, data descriptive of over-the-air (OTA) television content items. The OTA television content items are available to the set-top box device via one or more television broadcast transmissions. The method includes accessing, at the set-top box device, data descriptive of on-demand media content items that are accessible by the set-top box device via a public network. The method includes generating an EPG that concurrently displays information related to the data descriptive of on-demand media content items and the data descriptive of the OTA television content items. The method also includes sending the EPG to a display device associated with the set-top box device. | 06-23-2011 |
20110154404 | Systems and Methods to Provide Data Services for Concurrent Display with Media Content Items - Systems and methods to provide data services for concurrent display with media content items are provided. The media content items may include an on-demand media content item or an over-the-air (OTA) television content item. A particular method includes receiving a program identifier associated with an OTA television content item from a set-top box device. The method includes identifying one or more supplemental content items associated with the OTA television content item based on the program identifier. The method also includes transmitting a notification to the set-top box device indicating an availability of the one or more supplemental content items. | 06-23-2011 |
20120089998 | VIDEO SERVICE BLACKOUT EVENTS - A method includes receiving, at a component of a multimedia content distribution system, a command including blackout information related to a first version of content. The blackout information includes scheduling information. The method includes updating a first entry within a control matrix based on the blackout information in response to the command. The first entry includes information related to when the first version of the content in a first stream is to be blacked out based on the scheduling information. The method also includes updating a second entry within the control matrix based on the blackout information in response to the command. The second entry includes information related to when the second version of the content in a second stream is to be blacked out based on the scheduling information. The method also includes sending a control stream based on the control matrix to one or more set top boxes. | 04-12-2012 |
20120227070 | Navigation Method and System to Provide a Navigation Interface - 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. | 09-06-2012 |
20130073742 | Method and System for Selecting a Delivery Method for Media on Demand - Computer-implemented methods, computer-readable media, and systems are disclosed. A computer implemented method includes receiving device a first connection speed of a data connection to a host including a media content delivery method based on the first connection speed and user preference information. The method requesting delivery of the media content from the host using the media content delivery method. The computer implemented method includes determining, during delivery of the media content to the receiving device, a second connection speed of the data connection. The method of delivery is determining, during delivery of the media content to the receiving device, whether to modify the media content delivery method based on the second connection speed and the user preference information. | 03-21-2013 |
20130209071 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING VIDEO RECORDING BASED UPON BLACKOUT EVENTS IN A VIDEO DATA DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM - A method is disclosed for managing digital video recording of alternative event data during a blackout of primary event data at a client device, the method including but not limited to receiving notification data indicating that a blackout has been cancelled for a primary event; proceeding with recording the scheduled digital video recording for the primary event; and graphically presenting the notification data of the cancelled blackout for the primary event at the client device. A system is disclosed for performing the method. | 08-15-2013 |
20140250236 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SELECTING A DELIVERY METHOD FOR MEDIA ON DEMAND - A method includes determining, at a receiving device, a first connection speed of a data connection from host equipment. The method includes selecting a media content delivery method based on the first connection speed and user preference information. The media content delivery method is one of streaming and download. The method includes requesting delivery of media content from the host equipment using the media content delivery method. The method also includes determining, during delivery of the media content to the receiving device, whether to modify the media content delivery method based on a change of the first connection speed to a second connection speed and based on the user preference information. | 09-04-2014 |
20140324651 | INTEGRATED SERVICE IDENTITY FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF INFORMATION EXCHANGE SERVICES - A service provisioning method includes providing a differentiated set of information exchange services to a user. In some embodiments, differentiation between or among the provided services may include differentiated access networks, differentiated physical network layers, and/or differentiated service providers. An integrated service identity may be generated and/or maintained by the service provider(s) or by a third party. The integrated services identity may enable the user to define preference settings applicable to the information exchange services, to process billable events and activity and to issue integrated statements encompassing all of the information exchange services provided to the user, and enabling the user to access customer support services for any of the information exchange services and further enabling the logging of all customer support activities to the integrated service identity. | 10-30-2014 |