Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080201142 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMICATION CREATION OF AN INTERACTIVE LOG BASED ON REAL-TIME CONTENT | 08-21-2008 |
20080208751 | Method, Apparatus and System for Providing Added Value Content to Feature Content End Users - A system, method and apparatus are provided for offering or providing added value content associated with feature content to feature content end users. The system includes a receiver that has a processor or controller for reading end user or feature content, such as a film or programming event. The feature content is broadcast or downloaded as an encoded video stream from a suitable source, such as a video server. Metadata associated with the feature content includes information about available added value content that is associated with the feature content. The method includes providing, based on reading the associated metadata, the ability for the end user to obtain added value content associated with the feature content that has been selected and/or obtained by the end user. The added value content can be obtained by the end user and packaged with the feature content and recorded on a suitable recording medium. | 08-28-2008 |
20080212941 | Recording media content on different devices - A system for recording media content on different recording devices includes a metadata insertion device configured to annotate advertisement content with metadata, where the advertisement content references a media content, and where the metadata is configured to enable recording of the media content on the different recording devices. The system also includes a program finder server configured to determine the next broadcast of the media content available to the different recording devices and a recording server configured to access information pertaining to the different recording devices and configured to schedule a recording of the media content on one or more of the recording devices based upon data and protocols required by the one or more recording devices. | 09-04-2008 |
20080244682 | METHOD FOR ENHANCING FEATURES OFFERED BY A SOFTWARE APPLICATION RESIDING ON A SET TOP TERMINAL - A set top terminal includes a processor and a runtime execution engine adapted to run on the processor. The runtime execution engine has at least one interface to expose one or more functions of the runtime execution engine. The set top terminal also includes a software application adapted to run on the runtime execution engine. An application interface shim is also provided to chain calls between the software application and the runtime execution engine and to redirect select functions calls over a communications network to a remote device. The select function calls enable at least one feature not otherwise available to the software application. | 10-02-2008 |
20090067420 | Location Determination for a Packet-Switched Device for Providing Location-Based Services - A device is operable to determine location of a packet-switched device, and the location is used to provide location-based services for the packet-switched device. The device includes an interface receiving a message. The message includes a tag inserted by an access point between the packet-switched device and the device. A database stores a plurality of tags and a location for each tag. The device parses the received message to identify the tag, and performs a lookup on the database using the tag to determine a corresponding location for the tag. This location is an estimation of a location of the packet-switched device, and the location is operable to be used to provide a location-based service for the packet-switched device. | 03-12-2009 |
20090133063 | Preference Based Electronic Programming Guide - A set top box is provided that includes a receiver for receiving programming content over a broadband access network and an electronic program guide (EPG) unit for outputting to a display scheduling information associated with programs deliverable over the broadband access network. The EPG is further configured to present on the display a plurality of user-selectable program cells for selecting a program identified by each of the respective cells. The program cells have dimensions that are substantially equal to one another. A processor is operationally associated with the receiver and the EPG unit. A user interface device is provided for selecting among the user-selectable program cells. | 05-21-2009 |
20090165056 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SCHEDULING A RECORDING OF AN UPCOMING SDV PROGRAM DELIVERABLE OVER A CONTENT DELIVERY SYSTEM - A set top terminal includes a tuner for receiving SDV programs over a content delivery system, an SDV module for coordinating SDV sessions in cooperation with an SDV manager associated with the content delivery system, and a DVR module for coordinating storage and playback of SDV programs received over the content delivery system. The SDV module is configured to transmit a message over the content delivery system substantially in advance of a time at which an upcoming SDV program is scheduled to be recorded by the DVR module. The message specifies when the upcoming SDV program has been scheduled for recording. A processor operationally associated with the tuner, the SDV module and the DVR module. | 06-25-2009 |
20100017516 | DEMAND-DRIVEN OPTIMIZATION AND BALANCING OF TRANSCODING RESOURCES - The present invention provides a system and method for optimizing delivery of a content item from a content distribution network to a display device, where the content distribution network includes transcoding resources to convert the content item from a first format to a second format. A computing device receives a request to deliver the content item to the display device. The system selects, from the transcoding resources, an optimized transcoding resource based on an evaluation of metadata that describes the content item, a preferred technique for transcoding the content item, a state of the content distribution network, a predicted behavior for the user, and metadata that describes the display device. The system reserves the selected transcoding resource, and delivers the content item to the display device on a media stream that utilizes the selected transcoding resource. | 01-21-2010 |
20100088292 | Collaborative Transcoding - A method of collaborative transcoding includes discovering capabilities of devices within a network; exchanging information about content stored within the network; anticipating a request for a content item in a target format; identifying a location of the content item by referencing the information about content stored within the network; and, if the content item is not in the target format, selecting a the device within the network to transcode the content into the target format. A system for collaborative transcoding includes a network, the network comprising a first networked device and at least one other networked device, the first networked device receiving a request for a content item in a target format; a shared content history; the shared content history comprising a list of content available on the network, the first networked device searching the shared content history to determine if another networked device can provide the content item; a capability list comprising a native format and transcoding capabilities of the networked devices, the first networked device searching the capability list to determine if any the networked device is configured to transcode the content item from a source format to a target format. | 04-08-2010 |