Comcast Cable Communications, LLC

Slade Mitchell

Ross Gilson

Amit Garg

Michael Sallas

John D Robinson

Chris Bastian

John G Leddy

Mark David Francisco

Bruce Hertzfeld

Methods and systems are disclosed for tailoring related episode content within an episode, thereby improving a user's experience. In response to receiving a request for an episode, several factors may be considered when determining how much of the related episode content to provide. These factors may include information such as whether the user has already viewed a previous episode, the elapsed time since viewing the previous episode and a user preference. Related episode content may be modified to remove portions previously viewed by a user, depending on factors such as the elapsed time and a user preference.

Providing related episode content

Aspects discussed herein relate to systems, apparatuses, and methods to determine when a user remains engaged or stops paying attention to a content item. In response, a snapshot of the user's activity and environment may be obtained to ascertain the reason the user stopped paying attention. If the user stopped paying attention as a result of being uninterested in the content item, the system may replace the content item, such as an advertisement, with a different content item to regain the user's attention. Further, demographic information and the user's interests may be updated for use in scheduling future content items.

Collection analysis and use of viewer behavior

Systems and methods for managing a network are disclosed. A beacon may be transmitted at a first modulation rate less than a second modulation rate used to transmit data. A signal characteristic may be received from a user device. The user device may be connected to the network in response to the signal characteristic satisfying a threshold. Data may be transmitted to the user device at the second modulation rate.

Methods and systems for accessing content

Methods and systems for accessing content are provided. A non-tunable device (e.g., a device without the capability to tune to a particular channel) can access a particular channel via a tunable device (e.g., a device with the capability to tune to the particular channel). A computing device can facilitate content tuning. In an aspect, the non-tunable device can transmit a request for content to the computing device. The request for content can comprise a title of the content, a type of content, channel information, and the like. Upon receiving the request for content, the computing device can determine the characteristics of the non-tunable device such as device type, device capabilities, location, and identify all the tunable devices capable of communicating with the non-tunable device. Entitlement information can be provided to the one or more tunable devices. The entitlement information can facilitate access to the requested content by the non-tunable device.

Systems and methods are described that relate to delivering content to users. In one aspect, a primary client device and/or servers may communicate with secondary client devices to determine the identity of one or more users requesting content at the primary client device. Once the users and other attributes are identified, the primary client device may determine user characteristics which may be analyzed in conjunction with one or more spatiotemporal factors related to the content request. This analysis may lead to definition of a scene associated with the content request and to recommendation of content.

Content delivery

Methods and systems for accessing or receiving content are provided. In one aspect, a non-tunable device (e.g., a device without the capability to tune to a particular channel) can access a particular channel via a tunable device (e.g., a device with the capability to tune to the particular channel). For example, the non-tunable device can receive a notification or a service denial notification in a tuning attempt. Based on the notification, the non-tunable device can transmit user information (e.g., relates to purchasing entitlement to content) to a computing device and receive tuning information (e.g., available tuners capable of accessing the request content) from the computing device. Upon receiving the tuning information, the non-tunable device can transmit a tuning request to the tunable device and receive a data asset (e.g., requested content, tuning denial) based on the tuning request.

Methods and systems for accessing content are provided. A non-tunable device (e.g., a device without the capability to tune to a particular channel) can access a particular channel via a tunable device (e.g., a device with the capability to tune to the particular channel). A computing device can facilitate content tuning. As an example, the non-tunable device can send user information (e.g., a request for content) to the computing device. The computing device can reserve the available tuner and transmit the tuning information (e.g., tuner reservation identifier) to the non-tunable device. Upon receiving the tuning information, the non-tunable device can transmit a tuning request (e.g., all or portion of tuning information, device identifier) to the tunable device. Upon receiving the tuning request, the tunable device can tune to the particular requested channel and transmit a data asset (e.g., requested content, tuning denial) to the non-tunable device.

Aspects of the disclosure relate to a light source based location and operation system. A computing device may detect an encoded light signal containing an identifier from a light source at a location. The encoded light signal can be decoded to obtain the identifier, and a request for information based on the identifier can be transmitted in response to decoding the identifier. Information associated with the identifier may be received in response to the request for information including location information corresponding to the location of the light source. The location information may be used to provide additional information to the user or enable a user to control devices based on the location information.

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Chester Springs, PA, United States of America

Slade Mitchell