Cox Communications, Inc.

Muhammad Asif Raza

Ray Killick

Keith Alan Rothschild

Ramkumar Krishnan

Jayasri Devalapalli

Slavisha Karach

Julius Bert Bagley

Francisco J Gonzalez

Albert H Higashi

Matt Munchinski

Yousef Wasef Nijim

James Alan Strothmann

Jay Paul Langa

Donald Carl Bleyl

Richard M Thomas

Edgar V Shrum

Raynald H Killick

Ronald Larry Hardzog, Jr

Daniel J Geist

Robert Lee Ames, Jr

Sung Hoon Yun

Aspects of the present disclosure reduce visual artifacts and provide robust video signals to end-user equipment. According to an aspect, a system includes a splice point controller that analyzes video to detect and compensate for content boundary misalignments. The splice point controller can process video streams by analyzing splice point parameters and/or dynamically updating adjustment values associated with splice points to ensure appropriate transitions from primary content to secondary or alternate content. After determining an adjustment value for a splice point, the splice point controller can provide splice point adjustment feedback to a signal processing engine and/or to a secondary content source as part of synchronizing outputs of a transcoder farm and/or the secondary content source. For example, the splice point controller can operate to align a splice point adjustment value associated with an SCTE-35 descriptor with an actual live splice point time that is included with a live broadcast.

System and method for adjustment of video signal splice points

Dynamic splice point adjustment and feedback for video signals

This disclosure describes systems, methods, and devices related to network resource management and content delivery. A method may include a first device determining a first bandwidth demand associated with a second device sending a first addressable advertisement using a data over cable service interface specification (DOCSIS) bandwidth using a first advertisement spot for a first linear segment addressability (LSA) television channel, and determining a second bandwidth demand associated with the second device sending a second addressable advertisement using the DOCSIS bandwidth for presentation using a second advertisement spot. The method may include determining that the first bandwidth demand is below a threshold bandwidth, and determining that the second bandwidth demand exceeds the threshold bandwidth. The method may include sending a reference to the first addressable advertisement over the DOCSIS bandwidth for presentation using the first advertisement spot and, and determining a recommendation associated with presentation of the second addressable advertisement.

Enhanced network resource management

A roaming video experience, in which users continue watching a content item when moving from viewing device to viewing device is enabled herein via Radio Frequency (RF) enabled remote controls and set top boxes. A device identifier from a first RF-enabled set top box is communicated to an active RF-enabled remote control. When a user signals a second RF-enabled set top box, the viewing session parameter set associated with the active RF-enabled remote control is passed to the second RF-enabled set top box. Using the parameter set, the second set top box is enabled to learn the system settings, user preferences, and content item that were used on the first set top box, and provide a continued viewing experience&#x2014;the roaming video experience&#x2014;for the user on an associated viewing device.

Roaming video session with radio frequency remote control

Dynamic ad insertion in cloud-based video recorded (cDVR) content is provided. A partially or fully recorded cDVR asset may be associated with a corresponding reference asset, such as a video-on-demand (VOD) catalog copy of a program. The cDVR asset and reference asset may be associated via a common identifier, such as a TMS or Gracenotes&#xae; identifier. The reference asset may include metadata that specifies ad breaks and that can be applied to the cDVR asset and used to dynamically insert up-to-date and relevant ads into those ad breaks during playback. Additionally, an option may be provided to a user to stream the reference asset instead of the recorded asset. Further, another option may be provided to replace the user's cDVR asset with the reference asset. Accordingly, up-to-date and relevant ads can be dynamically inserted into the reference asset on playback, and less storage space is required for storing the recording.

Dynamic content insertion in cloud-stored recorded assets

Linear content holds great value to consumers, and by delivering it to consumers on demand, service providers can improve the user experience for their consumers. A consumer requests linear on demand content by selecting channels and time ranges or content items, or bundles thereof, which the service provider broadcasts as linear content. The requested content is broadcast, and repackaged as an unbroken block of content for the consumer during the requested time range or the duration of the content item. By repackaging the linear on demand content, the service provider may provide greater options to consumers without significantly increasing the amount of bandwidth used in its network to deliver that content. Channel guides and viewing features are tailored for the requested content to further improve the user experience.

On demand linear programming

Aspects of the disclosure relates to managed access to content and/or services. In certain aspects, tokens or other artifacts can be utilized for authentication and authorization.

Network token authentication scheme

This disclosure describes systems and methods related to a network-based digital video recorder playback adapter. In some embodiments, a request for digital content may be received from a customer device. A plurality of segments associated with the digital content may be received. A content stream may be generated based at least in part on the plurality of segments associated with the digital content. The content stream may be transmitted. Additionally, load balancing may be implemented to optimally select a source of digital content. Additional load balancing may further be performed at a customer premises between multiple communicative connections to provide requested content to the client device.

Network based digital video recorder playback adapter

Content is provided from a source device to a target device using a trusted domain. A customer calls customer service of a service provider to provide information for registering a target device. The service provider enters the information in a billing system. The billing system provides the data to a profile management server. The service provider instructs the customer to install an application on the target device and the content source device. The profile of the target device is provided to the content source device. The customer connects with the content source device to establish a trusted network. Then, after receiving a request for content from the target device, the content source device decrypts the requested content to remove existing encryption, transcodes the requested content according to the profile of the target device and streams the content to the target device.

Profile based streaming

Exposing consumers to content of secondary interest via a content distribution network is becoming increasingly difficult as Video on Demand gains popularity and consumers isolate themselves from secondary content, including: new programs, emergency alerts, etc. Additionally, ensuring that the consumers are consuming secondary content that is provided to them via the content distribution network poses technical difficulties for the service provider. Therefore, systems and methods that encourage consumers to consume secondary content and verify its consumption non-intrusively are of increasing importance to service providers. Providing consumers with the ability to opt in and out of tracking and verification for the promotion of content allows consumers to be provided secondary content and for the service provider to appropriately reward the consumers for consuming the content to encourage additional consumption of secondary content. Verification may include passive and active feedback from the consumer via a mobile computing device or set top box.

Tracking and verification for content promotion

An improved IP video playback system for quicker access and better user experience during IP video playback is provided. Aspects of the IP video playback system allow a content service provider to provide quicker access to requested content items. When a user requests access to content items, an analysis is performed to calculate the lengths of time in which a portion of the content item can be downloaded, cached, and displayed and the corresponding size of that portion. The analysis may be based on various parameters. Once the analysis is performed and the portion is downloaded, playback may begin and the process may be repeated as necessary with increasing portion sizes until a predetermined portion size is reached, the user indicates a content switch, or the content item has been fully downloaded.

IP video playback

Content information networks may be provided that may each include a plurality of content consumption devices. One or more of the content consumption devices within a content information network may be capable of serving as a content consumption hub device that coordinates the receipt and dissemination of content consumption event information pertaining to content consumption events from and to various content consumption devices within the content information network. The content consumption hub device may further communicate, to various content consumption devices within its network, content-related information relating to content consumed on content consumption devices within its network and/or devices outside of its network. The content consumption hub device may be configured to receive content-related information from one or more content information hubs. The content consumption hub device may also receive content consumption event information from a content consumption platform.

Growing community of inventors

McDonough, GA, United States of America

Muhammad Asif Raza