The Directv Group, Inc.

At&t Intellectual Property I, L.p.

Directv, LLC

Other

At&t Mobility Ii LLC

Michael E Depies

Aaron Louis Goldstein

Charles W Beeson

Virgil L Archer, Iii

Vikash Sharma

Mathew Goldade

Grant Hafer

Maxwell Shteir-Dunn

Jonathan Andrew Thompson

Stanley Y Wang

Heather Truong

Peter Leong

Bo Huang

Roshan Menon

Sarah Lyons

Ruben D Lechuga

Joshua N Snow

Neil McIver

Tam T Leminh

Ranny Q Sue

Yeung K Chan

Pankaj Sharma

Suja John

Constance Goshgarian

Atanu Basak

Rajendra Dadlani

Michael McBride

Maria Dillard

Umesh Balani

Rasesh Patel

Carl J Harvey

Kirkosh Pal Chauhan

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method that obtains consumption information for each of a group of communication devices associated with a user. A data plan is identified that is applicable to a communication device of the group of communication devices, and a group of media content is identified for the user based on the consumption information. The media content is provided to the communication device at a bit rate that varies according to the data plan. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Method and apparatus for streaming video

A virtual reality (VR) system including a head mounted display (HMD), a sensor or input device, and options, selection, and display modules. The HMD displays a VR environment including sports content of a live game, a prerecorded game, or a sports channel. The options module generates an options signal to show viewing options in the VR environment. The viewing options define viewing aspects for viewing the sports content within the VR environment. The sensor or input device generates signals based on detection of movement of the HMD, movement of an eyeball of a user, user voice communication, or user contact with the input device. The selection module, based on the signals: selects the sports content and a viewing option; and generates a selection signal. The display module displays the sports content in the VR environment based on the selection signal.

Method and system for viewing sports content within a virtual reality environment

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method of preparing and presenting a customized media channel, including receiving user preferences of a first user; receiving data plan information applicable to a first device utilized by the first user; receiving consumption information of the first user; scheduling media content on a first channel customized for the first user, by arranging the media content based on the user preferences of the first user and the consumption information of the first user; and providing the first channel to the first device at a first bit rate that varies according to the data plan information. Other embodiments are disclosed.

A method includes receiving a request for streaming content from a device of a user, accessing a user profile to determine a first preference of the user, accessing a user device to identify third party content service providers of the user to determine a second preference of the user, and generating a playlist based on the first preference and the second preference of the user.

System method for audio-video playback recommendations

A set-top box can provide a program for display to a video device that can be provided to the set-top box using a first signal in a first format, which can be a satellite or cable feed. The set-top box can receive a highlight notification from a content server for a highlight available to be provided for viewing during the program and, in response, can provide an alert associated with the highlight to the video device for display. The set-top box can receive an indication that the alert has been selected and, in response, can access the highlight and provide the highlight to the video device for display. The highlight can be streamed to the set-top box using a second signal in a second format, which can be a video streamed as web content in an Internet video format, and can be removed from display upon completion of the highlight.

Interactive alert for a viewable highlight

Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for preventing inadvertent viewing of media content for a media program. A processor can detect an inadvertent viewing condition including exposing content for a media program including audio content and video content. The processor can create an alert that indicates the inadvertent viewing condition exists and that includes selectable options for actions to take for the inadvertent viewing condition. The processor can provide the alert to a video display and can further block output of the audio content and the video content to the video display.

Preventing inadvertent viewing of media content

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method that includes determining, by a processing system, whether a transmission from a client device includes a request to participate in a sponsored data session. If a sponsored data session is requested, the request is sent to equipment of a sponsoring entity. The processing system receives a list of data items available from the equipment of the sponsoring entity in the sponsored data session; initiates the sponsored data session; and generates a session identifier for transmission to the client device. The processing system also determines whether a subsequent request received from the client device corresponds to a listed data item, and causes a sponsored data rate to be applied to a client account for transfer of the data item. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Method and system for sponsoring data on a network

Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for collective determination of interesting portions of a video program, video tagging, and jump playback within the video program. A processor can obtain interest inputs for video content associated with a video program and can send the information to an aggregator server. The aggregator server can collect and analyze the information, determine interest indications for interesting portions of the video program, generate metadata, and send the metadata to devices. Devices can use the metadata to enable jump functionality. The metadata can be correlated with recorded content that corresponds to the video program to indicate interesting portions of the recorded content. A user interface can be presented. The user interface can include a timeline for the video program and controls to navigate to portions of the video program that are indicated as interesting by the metadata.

Collective determination of interesting portions of a media presentation, media tagging and jump playback

A user device for storing or displaying content recommendations includes a search session manager receiving metadata associated with content. The metadata includes a received hierarchical identifier including a primary level and a secondary level unique to the primary level. A memory stores selected hierarchical identifiers. A search module compares the received hierarchical identifiers with the selected hierarchical identifiers. A screen display displays content from at least one of the primary level and secondary level based on comparing.

Method and system for using hierarchical metadata for searching and recording content

A method includes receiving and processing an electronic signal that represents television content to provide a first media signal that is playable to present a forward-playback of the television content. The method also includes, responsive to a first instruction, providing a second media signal that is playable to present a reverse-playback of the television content, and recording a portion of the television content that corresponds to the reverse-playback. Further, the method includes, responsive to a second instruction, stopping the recording of the television content. In addition, the method includes, responsive to a third instruction, saving one or more recorded portions of the television content. The method also includes, responsive to receiving a fourth instruction, communicating the saved recording of the television content to a separate computing device.

Methods and systems for recording and sharing digital video

A virtual reality (VR) system including a head mounted display (HMD), a sensor or an input device, a selection module, a scoreguide module and a display module. The HMD displays a VR environment including sports content of a live game, a prerecorded game, or a sports channel. The sensor or input device is connected to the HMD and generates signals based on detection of at least one of movement of the HMD, movement of an eyeball of a user, voice communication of the user, or user contact with the input device. The selection module selects the sports content based on the signals and generates a selection signal indicating the sports content. The scoreguide module generates a scoreguide based on the signals. The display module displays the sports content in the VR environment based on the selection signal and displays the scoreguide in the VR environment based on the signals.

Method and system for selecting and viewing sports content and a scoreguide in a virtual reality device

Growing community of inventors

El Segundo, CA, United States of America

Michael E Depies