Roku, Inc.

Joseph Hollinger

Anthony John Wood

Gregory Mack Garner

Described herein are various embodiments directed to skipping the opening sequence of streaming content. An embodiment operates by streaming content to a display device and determining an end of a teaser portion has been reached using crowdsourced metadata. Responsive to the determining, a skin icon is provided to the display device for display. A selection of the skip icon is received to advance past the title sequence/opening credits portion of the content. An end to the title sequence/opening credits portion of the content is determined using the crowdsourced metadata. The streaming of the content is advanced to the end of the title sequence/opening credits portion of the content.

Skipping the opening sequence of streaming content

Disclosed herein are system, apparatus, article of manufacture, method, and/or computer program product embodiments for tracking proximities of devices and/or objects. In one embodiment, the system operates by determining whether a plurality of devices of a tethered segment are inside or outside a predefined area. The system also operates by determining that a first device of the plurality of devices is outside of the predefined area based at least partially on the determination of whether the plurality of devices are inside or outside the predefined area. The system further operates by transmitting at least one alert notification to at least one device based at least partially on the determination that the first device is outside the predefined area, wherein the alert notification identifies the first device outside the predefined area.

Tracking proximities of devices and/or objects

Described herein is an example apparatus for skipping a portion of content during streaming of the content to a display device, where the portion is of little or no interest to the user. The apparatus includes a memory having a database stored therein. The database stores metadata relating to the content. The metadata includes an index, where the index stores pointers to portions of the content. The apparatus includes a processor that is communicatively coupled to the memory. In operation, the processor streams the content for display on the display device. When the processor determines an end of a teaser portion has been reached in the stream of the content to the display device, it enables a skip command. Responsive to enabling the skip command, the processor receives command input from the user to skip a title sequence/opening credits portion of the content. Then, the processor determines an end to the title sequence/opening credits portion of the content using the metadata, and advances streaming of the content to the determined end of the title sequence/opening credits portion of the content.

Skipping content of lesser interest when streaming media

Disclosed herein are various for a providing streaming content based on clustered behavior patterns. In an embodiment, a request for content is received from a first receiver associated with a first user. Each member is grouped into the cluster based a user interface browsing behavior pattern. A plurality of skip commands associated with the requested content from a plurality of receivers associated with at least a subset of the plurality of users of the cluster is received. A crowd source skip history is generated for the requested content for the cluster using at least the received plurality of skip commands. The requested content is transmit to the first receiver associated with the first user who is a member of the cluster, wherein a portion of the requested content identified by the crowd source skip history is excluded from the transmitted requested content.

Streaming content based on skip histories

Streaming content based on skip histories is discussed herein. An embodiment operates by clustering a user into a group of users. A plurality of skip commands associated with a second content are received from a plurality of receivers associated with members of the group while the receivers are displaying the second content to the members of the group. A crowd source skip history is generated for the content for the group using at least the received skip commands A skip rating is calculated A request for the second content is received from a receiver associated with the clustered user. A stream of the second content is transmitted to the receiver, such that a portion of the second content identified by the crowd source skip history is excluded from the stream.

Disclosed herein are system, method, and computer program product embodiments for the detection of a mobile device to identify user preferences. An embodiment operates by detecting that a mobile device is within a vicinity of a computing device. A user ID that corresponds to the mobile device is identified. The user ID is provided to an application over a network, wherein the application identifies one or more preferences associated with the user ID. The one or more identified preferences are received from the application. The computing device is configured based on the one or more identified preferences associated with on the user ID, responsive to the detection.

Detection of a mobile device to identify user preferences and provide customized functionality or content

Streaming content based on skip histories is discussed herein. An embodiment operates by receiving a plurality of skip commands associated with a content from receivers while the receivers are displaying the content to users; generating a crowd source skip history for the content using at least the received skip commands; receiving a request for the content from a receiver; and transmitting a stream of the content to the receiver using the crowd source skip history for the content, such that a portion of the content identified by the crowd source skip history is excluded from the stream.

Disclosed herein are system, method, and computer program product embodiments for detecting a smart phone to enable content. An embodiment operates by detecting that a mobile device is within a vicinity of a media device. A different set of media options corresponding to the mobile device is determined. The media device is configured with the different set of media options. An indication that the media device has been configured with the different set of media options is provided.

Growing community of inventors

Los Gatos, CA, United States of America

Joseph Hollinger