Cox Communications, Inc.

Jay Paul Langa

Yousef Wasef Nijim

James Alan Strothmann

Eric S Roberts

Anant Pralhad Patil

Lisa Ann Pickelsimer

Catherine Elizabeth Thompson

Daniel D Lam

Stephen Kent Necessary

Len Barlik

Muhammad Asif Raza

Jayasri Devalapalli

Information about and access to available third party content are provided via a primary service provider programming guide. A primary service provider may allow its customers/subscribers to access third party content through the systems of the primary service provider upon selection of a given third party content item from the primary service provider programming guide. The third party content may be provided as a full screen overlay over content presently being displayed and viewed from the primary service provider, or the third party content may be provided via a picture-in-picture inset either on the full screen or inside the displayed programming guide. Third party content offered via the primary service provider programming guide may be based on a recommendation of content in view of preferences and profile information for the customer/subscriber.

Providing third party content information and third party content access via a primary service provider programming guide

A URL personalization system allowing a television service provider to dynamically associate multiple URLs with the video content item being viewed by the customer is provided. The associated URLs point to additional content that may be of interest to different customer demographics. A generic URL linking to the associated URLs may be inserted into the video content item. The system may personalize the generic URL by replacing or modifying the generic URL with a personalized URL based on information specific to the customer viewing the content before streaming the content or when additional content is requested. The customer is redirected to the personalized URL to obtain the additional content. This allows the television service provider to send a single video content item to all customers or large groups of customers while providing individual customers with an enhanced interactive television viewing experience.

Dynamic URL personalization system for enhancing interactive television

Dynamic uniform resource locator (URL) transmission may be provided for allowing a user to view a non-linear video content item along with additional content in order to provide a richer and deeper viewing experience giving more control to the user during video viewing. An indication may be provided to the user indicating the availability of additional interactive content associated with the non-linear video in a variety of different ways. Upon user request, the content associated with the URL may be updated or historic content presented to the user in order to present the non-linear video content combined with the additional content in a hybrid fashion. The transmitted URL may be static, or the URL may be dynamically updated based on one or more factors, such as time of day or action by the user or content provider.

Updating content URL for non-linear video content

Aspects of the present disclosure provide video content having enhanced color spaces and/or bit-depths, but are not so limited. A system includes a video processor and video processing instructions to transform portions of a video content item from a first color space and/or bit-depth to a second color space and/or bit-depth. A method transforms portions of a video content item from a first color space and/or bit-depth to a second color space and/or bit-depth when delivering the video content item to a display device. A computer-readable storage medium or device stores executable instructions that transform portions of a video content item from a first color space and/or bit-depth to a second color space and/or bit-depth after receiving a request to display the video content item on a display device.

Video processor to enhance color space and/or bit-depth

Aspects of the present disclosure provide systems, methods, computer readable media, and/or other subject matter that enable use of sensor data to provide content recommendations, but are not so limited. A disclosed system operates to receive attributes of at least one human subject from one or more sensors as part of identifying recommended content items for display. A disclosed method operates to use one or more sensor data mapping parameters as part of identifying recommended content items for display.

Viewing recommendations based on sensor data

Single sign-in for accessing protected content across all providers and access channels is provided. When a user selects to view an additional content item, a determination may be made whether access authentication from the requesting user is required. If access authentication is required, a federated login credential may be received from the requesting user. The federated login credential may be used for granting access by the requesting user to the selected additional content item across different content channels, and the federated login credential may be used for granting access by the requesting user to other protected content items without requiring additional access authentication from the requesting user.

Single sign-in across links/URLs while watching programs

Aspects of the present disclosure provide for systems and methods that provide automatic failure options from a primary recording and/or playback device/system to a backup recording and/or playback system, but are not so limited. A disclosed system operates to failover to one or more of a backup cDVR system and/or local DVR device/system when a primary recording and/or playback device/system is inoperable or otherwise inaccessible. A method of an embodiment operates to automatically failover to a backup DVR device/system upon detecting a failure mode associated with a primary DVR device/system, wherein the automatic failover includes synchronizing one or more content items and/or one or more content items playlists associated with the backup DVR device/system and the primary DVR device/system.

Digital video recorder failover

Pairing between mobile devices and set-top boxes of the same household may be provided such that set-top box may be automatically configured to the mobile user's preferences. This enables seamless sharing of content between various devices and personalized user experience. When a mobile device is identified as entering the household or use location, the set-top box sends a signal which may then be broadcasted. The mobile device may then pick up the signal when it is in close proximity of the set-top box and start the pairing and provide personalized user experience. Once the mobile device has been paired with the set-top box, every time the user of that mobile device comes close to the paired set-top box, it may seamlessly be paired again to provide personalized user experience. Targeted/personalized advertising may also be inserted.

Pairing and correlating mobile devices to provide a personalized user experience

On demand content is delivered to a network edge server based on rules. A central storage, disposed at a head end of a content distribution system, stores content for distribution to users. A decision server, coupled to the central storage, collects information regarding business rules and usage of content by users and processes the collected business rules and usage of content by users to identify content for reprovisioning. A network edge server, coupled to the decision server, and which includes storage, receives and stores content identified by the decision server for reprovisioning from the central storage for distribution from the network edge server directly to the users.

Specifying titles of video on demand content for provisioning on a content delivery network

The modular assignment of storage space provides consumers with greater access to cDVR systems and to more efficiently allocate storage within the cDVR system. When a record command is received, it will be determined whether sufficient storage space is available to the consumers. When it is determined that the consumer does not have enough storage space to record the content item in the cDVR system, additional storage space may be allocated modularly to the consumer. Consumers will select how storage space is to be modularly allocated for their use (either via preset options or at the time or recording) and the service provider or operator of the cDVR will provide the set amount in accordance with the consumer's preferences.

Modularly activated cloud-DVR storage

Systems and methods enable the use of biometric information to access personalized services provided by a service provider, but are not so limited. A disclosed system operates to receive biometric information in the form of fingerprint detection data from a fingerprint detection sensor and use fingerprint mapping parameters to provide personalizations to an associated user. A disclosed method operates to use fingerprint detection data associated with a detection of a user fingerprint by a fingerprint detection sensor and provide personalizations based on the fingerprint detection data.

Biometric access to personalized services

Dynamic uniform resource locator (URL) insertion may be provided for allowing a user to view a linear video content item along with additional content in order to provide a richer and deeper viewing experience giving more control to the user during video viewing. An indication may be provided to the user indicating the availability of additional interactive content associated with the linear video in a variety of different ways, for example, display of an icon overlaid on a viewing guide user interface, a menu option, etc. Upon request, the content associated with the URL may be presented to the user in order to present the linear video content combined with the additional content in a hybrid fashion. The inserted URL may be static, or the URL may be dynamically updated based on one or more factors, such as time of day, content or action by the user or content provider.

Dynamic URL insertion in the video stream and companion applications

Linear content that is recorded often includes secondary content that is no longer relevant to the consumer, and lacks secondary content that is relevant to the consumer, such as, emergency alerts, which are time dependent in their relevancy. Inserting secondary content during playback of the recorded content is challenging, as it may interrupt playback and degrade the consumer's viewing experience. Therefore, systems and method are provided herein that exploit pauses in the playback, such as when the content is loaded on a viewing device or a consumer uses trick play options, to insert relevant secondary content without further interrupting the viewing experience, to reduce storage requirements for a cloud-based recording and playback system, and to improve the user experience thereof

Inserting secondary content after pause in delivery

A system and method for pairing a wireless set-top box with a wired set-top box is provided. The system and method provide a user with the ability to move the wireless set-top box to different locations, within the same authorized subscriber's household or use location, while allowing the service provider to monitor and prohibit unauthorized use of the wireless set-top box from outside of the authorized subscriber's household or use location.

Growing community of inventors

Cumming, GA, United States of America

Jay Paul Langa