Comcast Cable Communications, LLC

James Barkley

Weidong Mao

Walter Mlodzinski

Robert Gaydos

Fei Wan

Robert Alan Knee

Bruce Bradley

Mark McKelvey

Methods, systems, and apparatuses are described for performing trick plays of segmented video content are provided. A point at which a trick play begins may be based on a playback time associated with a video segment that includes the video frame currently displayed when a request to start the trick play is received. A point at which to resume playback of the normal rate video content may be similarly based on a trick play playback time associated with a trick play video segment that includes the trick play video frame currently outputted when a request to stop the trick play is received.

Performing trick plays of segmented video content

Systems and methods for delivering content to user equipment are described. The content may be delivered using Internet Protocol (IP) delivery, Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) delivery, or another delivery format. For example, the system may receive content including a plurality of segments. The system may use manifest data to identify each of the plurality of segments. The system may also use the manifest data to generate index data for the plurality of segments, and the index data may be delivered to user devices with the plurality of segments. In some aspects, the system may use location information (e.g., timestamps, such as program clock references) for one or more data packet of the one of the plurality of segments to generate location information for other data packets.

Packaging content for delivery

Techniques for encrypting content in a content distribution network are disclosed. The content distribution network may comprise a number of national and local sites, and a number of hubs at each local sites. A content segment encrypting device may be operative at a local site to encrypt and cache segments of content. The segment encrypting device may provide the segments to streaming devices that encode content for delivery downstream to network or user devices.

Segmented encryption for content delivery

Methods and systems are described herein for inserting placement opportunities into content assets. A content distributor may receive a content asset comprising a plurality of content fragments. The content distributor may be further configured to adjust a playback duration of a portion of the content fragments so that the placement opportunity may be inserted at the content asset fragment boundaries.

Conditioning segmented content

Content segments may be generated/sent in a different format than the format they are stored/received. Timing information for packets comprising the content segments in the requested format may be based on timing information for packets comprising the content segment in the stored format. For example, the timing information of the first packet in the requested format may comprise the timing information of the first packet in the stored format. The timing information of other packets in the requested format may be based on the timing information of the first packet in the requested format.

A content management system may assist users in managing the storage of various pieces of content, such as television programs, that the user has recorded. The system may track the user's consumption behavior, determining which programs the user regularly watches and which programs the user regularly ignores, and use that consumption behavior to determine which recorded programs to recommend for relocation to a remote storage, or for outright deletion. The system can also use the behavior information to modify new recording requests, such as directing a new request to a secondary storage location if it is unlikely that the user will view the recording.

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Downingtown, PA, United States of America

James Barkley