Mobitv, Inc.

Kay Johansson

Cedric Fernandes

Kent Karlsson

Allen Billings

Described herein are techniques and mechanisms for personalized timeline presentation. Client devices may be presented with video content in association with a content management account. A video content item may be associated with more than one pause point, with each pause point indicating a time at which playback of the video content item was paused. Different profiles associated with the content management account may be associated with different pause points for the same video content item. Playback of the video content item may be resumed at one of the pause points when one of the profiles is selected.

Personalized timeline presentation

Mechanisms are provided for allowing a streaming server to efficiently provide frames associated with a media stream to a client device. A streaming server receives multiple media streams and determines which frames in the multiple media streams are key frames. When a connection request is received from a client device, a key frame is selected and provided to the client device. A client device receiving a key frame does not have to drop any predictive frames prior to playing a media stream.

Key frame detection and synchronization

Mechanisms are provided for identifying, selecting, presenting travel media to users of a mobile device. User location information and directional information is received and travel media including images, video, and audio relevant to an attraction within visual range of a user is presented. A user turning toward a particular monument may be presented with an audio or video tour of the monument that progresses as the user moves about the monument. A user approaching a particular district may be presented with video commercials about fine dining in the area. Presentations may be adjusted as the user changes location or changes viewing direction and selections may be tailored to user interests and preferences.

Location aware travel media

Device capabilities, media rights, and content are managed using a convergence platform to allow seamless consumption of content across disparate devices. Media content can be paused on one device having a particular set of capabilities and rights and resumed on a different device having another set of capabilities and rights. A user can play media on a mobile device, continue playing the media on a desktop computer, and subsequently move to a large screen television and capabilities and rights are automatically identified to seamlessly provide the most appropriate authorized content. Personalized media content information can be provided based on maintained information for user playback stoppage events and the user can resume playback of any number of media streams.

Media convergence platform

Media rights are managed to include not just device authentication, but to include elements of user, device, and service authorization. A user can play media on a mobile device, continue playing the media on a desktop computer, and subsequently move to a large screen television and media rights are automatically identified to provide the most appropriate authorized content. This allows an authorized user to seamlessly access different forms of the same content on a variety of authenticated devices using the same digital rights management mechanisms.

Media rights management on multiple devices

Electronic program guides are generated using device information, content authorization, service levels, and/or interest levels, etc., for a particular user. A viewer can access a user specific electronic program guide on a mobile device, continue accessing the user specific electronic program guide on a computer system, and subsequently move to a large screen television the same electronic program guide. The same user specific electronic program guide may be provided or adjustments to the electronic program guide can be made to account for varying service levels and device capabilities of the different devices. A user may be authorized to view a particular channel on a mobile device but not on a large screen television. In particular examples, a user can seamlessly access a user specific electronic program guide across a variety of authenticated devices associated with a variety of service levels.

User based electronic program guides

Described herein are techniques and mechanisms for personalized timeline presentation. According to various embodiments, information characterizing a plurality of pause events associated with playback of a video content item for a content management account may be presented on a display screen at a computing device. The user account may be associated with a plurality of profiles. Each of the pause events may identify a time at which playback of the video content item was paused. The time may be measured relative to the playback length of the video content item. Each of the pause events may be associated with a respective one of the plurality of profiles. A selection of one of the pause events for initiating playback of the video content item may be received at the computing device. Playback of the video content item on the display screen in accordance with the selected pause event may be initiated.

A user obtains access to particular services levels associated with media content. A user and devices associated with the user may be authenticated to access content at a particular service level such as a particular quality level, content level, resolution, limited viewing, unlimited simultaneous viewing, etc. When the user is authenticated at a device, content at an appropriate service level is selected and provided to the device. Authenticating the user at a device such as a set top box may involve receiving a manually entered login and password, a passcode transmitted from a mobile device, face detection, a mobile device authorization code sent using infrared or radio frequency transmission, or other mechanisms identifying that the user or the mobile device is in the vicinity or is periodically in the vicinity of the set top box.

Growing community of inventors

Alamo, CA, United States of America

Kay Johansson