Time Warner Cable Inc.

Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC

Aol Time Warner Interactive Video Group, Inc.

Stackup LLC

Stephen L Maynard

John Callahan

Tho Autruong

Nicholas Nielsen

Vitaly Shoykhet

Benjamin L Payne

Joseph M Hassell

Karla J Towne

Ben Payne

Jed A Reed

Thomas L Gonder

Ernie Biancarelli

Nicholas Edward Garvin

According to one configuration, a content management resource receives feedback indicating playback commands applied to different portions of a given content stream (such as video content) played back by multiple viewers. The feedback can include video playback commands (such as fast forward commands, rewind commands, play commands, etc.) applied by the multiple users to the different portions of the given content stream. The content management resource aggregates the feedback to produce playback control information indicating playback commands applied by users of the multiple playback devices to the different portions of the given content stream. The content management resource uses the playback control information (aggregated feedback) to produce via timing information, locations of desirable segments and/or undesirable segments in the given stream as indicated by the previously applied commands. The content management resource inserts the aggregated feedback into the content metadata. Future user's playback devices are able to utilize the metadata to skip or otherwise control playback of (un)desirable sections of content.

Content management and control based on tracking of prior content playback behavior

Embodiments of the present invention provide for systems and methods to track and calculate user interactivity time with one or more specified websites or application programs. A list of websites and/or application programs for tracking may be created and maintained, and when a user accesses and interacts with one of the websites or application programs, the user interactivity time with that particular application program or website is tracked. Periods of user inactivity with the particular application program or website are not counted towards the user interactivity time. The resulting user interactivity time data with each specified website and specified application program can be utilized in various manners, such as for generating reports, displays, or may be analyzed in numerous ways depending upon the particular implementation.

Calculating and recording user interaction times with selected web sites or application programs

Methods and apparatus for performing dynamic compensation for delays over extant infrastructure within a content-based network. In one embodiment, the network comprises a cable network, and the infrastructure comprises that nominally used for on-demand (OD) services such as VOD. The method includes periodically or situationally assessing variable delays within the system associated with functional commands (such as 'trick mode' commands), and dynamically compensating for these variable delays in order to improve the accuracy and timeliness of the user's trick mode command. This approach increases user satisfaction, and obviates the issuance of additional compensatory trick mode commands that only further degrade the performance of the network.

Methods and apparatus for variable delay compensation in networks

Methods and apparatus related to updating a resident application (RA) and replacing an updated resident application with a previous version of a resident application are described. The methods and apparatus may be used for updating and replacing resident applications in set-top terminals (STTs) of a cable system including a cable network headend.

Technique for updating a resident application and associated parameters in a user terminal through a communications network

A favorites list of program channels which a cable TV user likely prefers is generated automatically from which the user may select a program channel to watch. Each program channel in the favorites list is identified based on a measure of the duration in which the program channel is continuously tuned to. In an embodiment, this measure varies nonlinearly with such a duration. The favorites list may further comprise sublists of program channels which may correspond to different periods of a day, week, etc. The favorites list may be generated from programs watched on multiple viewing devices.

Technique for identifying favorite program channels for receiving entertainment programming content over a communications network

Methods and apparatus for generating images, compressing image data, decompressing image data, and processing the decompressed image data so that it can be used by a rendering circuit of a device, e.g., a set top box, are described. Images are generated in the native format used by the rendering circuit of the device which will ultimately control the display of the image avoiding the need to perform processing associated with converting color component information from one format to another. Uncompressed image data is arranged in a file with color component values being grouped separately from alpha values to facilitate compression by a standard file compression technique. The file is compressed using a conventional file compression operation. The compressed image file is decompressed when needed and the alpha data and color component data is reorganized so that the color component values and alpha value(s) corresponding to individual pixels are grouped together.

Methods and apparatus for encoding and decoding images

A favorites list of program channels which a cable TV user likely prefers is generated automatically, from which the user may select a program channel to watch. Each program channel in the favorites list is identified based on a measure of the duration in which the program channel is continuously tuned to. In an embodiment, this measure varies nonlinearly with such a duration. The favorites list may further comprise sublists of program channels which may correspond to different periods of a day, week, etc.

A resident application (RA) in set-top terminals (STTs) is updated by providing an upgrade channel application (UCA) over a network. Those STTs that are selected to receive the UCA are identified. The selected STTs download the UCA from the network. Once the UCA begins to execute on an STT, it retrieves the user parameters stored in the STT, and transmits them to a remote location for storage. A new RA is then installed in the STT. The original user parameters are converted at the remote location to become compatible with the new RA. The converted user parameters are transferred to the STT for use by the new RA.

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Arvada, CO, United States of America

Stephen L Maynard