Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.

Time Warner Cable Inc.

Pluto Inc.

Time Warner Interactive Video Group, Inc.

Other

Comcast Cable Communications, LLC

Cable Television Laboratories, Inc.

Steven Ernest Riedl

Bryan Santangelo

Donald Jude Loheide

Nishith Kumar Sinha

Mark Cooper Pope, V

Craig Mahonchak

Gabe Zimbelman

John B Carlucci

John Callahan

Louis Dew Williamson

Michael T Hayashi

Spencer Shanson

Hugh Josephs

John A Stebbins

Kevin Scott Snedden

James T Bernier, Jr

Vipul B Patel

Charles A Hasek

Michael L LaJoie

Justin Tidwell

Thomas L Gonder

Walter F Michel

Francis R Sandoval

Michael L La Joie

Jo A Friedman

Forrest Murphy

Gabriel M Zimbelman

Michael Lajoie

An aspect of the disclosure related to methods and systems configured to detect that an item of streaming primary video content associated with a channel of scheduled streaming content is designated to be streamed to a device. Ancillary content is identified. Alternative versions of respective sections of the ancillary content are identified. Metadata corresponding to the alternative versions of ancillary content, metadata corresponding to the item of primary video content, and/or metadata corresponding to the channel are used in selecting a first section from among the alternative versions of a given section. The ancillary content, including the selected first section from among the alternative versions is streamed to the device immediately before, during, or immediately after the item of streaming video content. The alternative versions may be transcoded to generate multiple encoded iterations of respective alternative versions and the encoded versions are stored in a tree data structure.

Content delivery network utilizing dynamically assembled adaptive bitrates segments

A system is provided for creation of channel to support legacy video-on-demand (VOD) systems. The system comprises a memory for storing instructions and a processor configured to execute the instructions. Based on the executed instructions, the processor is further configured to receive a playout schedule that corresponds to a live video feed of a first channel. A plurality of segments of the live video feed is stored in the memory based on a version specified in the playout schedule. A second channel comprising VOD content assets is generated based on the live video feed of the first channel, one or more scheduling rules received in the playout schedule that corresponds to the live video feed, and the version of the plurality of segments of the live video feed. Based on the playout schedule, an encoded second channel is transmitted to a plurality of multichannel video program distributors (MVPDs).

Creation of channel to support legacy video-on-demand systems

A television playout system provided in a broadcast provider system receives a playout schedule, which corresponds to a live video feed of a channel broadcasted to one or more multichannel video program distributors (MVPDs), from a playout schedule source, and generates a new channel comprising one or more video on demand (VOD) content assets, based on one or more scheduling rules of the playout schedule, to be transmitted to a plurality of MVPDs at a time specified in the received playout schedule. The received live video feed of the channel is sanitized by removal of a lower third graphical content overlay from the live video feed for the generation of the new channel. A discontinuity is inserted between program segments to allow dynamic ad insertion (DAI) within the program segments of the live video feed for the new channel.

Methods and apparatus for optimizing the distribution and delivery of multimedia or other content within a content-based network. In one embodiment, the network comprises a broadcast switched cable television network, which utilizes a Network optimization controller (NOC) that processes subscriber program viewing requests to identify options available to fulfill the request (including, e.g., the creation of one or more 'microcasts' specifically targeting one or more users), and evaluate these options to determine one that optimizes network operation. The NOC performs these decisions by considering various parameters including network resource availability, type of CPE, subscriber's targeted advertisement profile, and business rules programmed by operator of the network.

Methods and apparatus for revenue-optimized delivery of content in a network

Apparatus and associated methods that allow a user (e.g., cable or satellite network subscriber) to access content, such as a video program, from a location outside the subscriber's network, with dynamic or adaptive insertion of secondary content (e.g., advertisements or promotions) that are more relevant for that context. In one embodiment, a personal content server streams the content to the subscriber over a network connection from the local e.g., (subscription) network to a remote network upon authorization by a content manager process; secondary content is evaluated and selectively inserted or replaced depending on factors such as the user's remote location, the configuration of their platform, the date and time of their access request, and/or the subject matter of the primary content.

Secondary content insertion apparatus and methods

At least one processor in a content distribution device in a multichannel video program distributor (MVPD) system receives a video feed, a plurality of triggers, and metadata from a broadcast provider system via a communication network, and determines a plurality of segments in the received video feed. The plurality of segments are determined based on the received plurality of triggers and the metadata. The processor embeds at least one content marker in at least one segment of the plurality of segments. The at least one content marker includes attribute information associated with at least one video-on-demand (VOD) content asset. The processor dynamically generates the at least one VOD content asset based on the at least one content marker, and transmits the at least one VOD content asset to at least one server communicatively coupled with the MVPD system.

Dynamic generation of video-on-demand assets for multichannel video programming distributors

A television playout system that handles playout of a channel, receives a video feed of the channel comprising programming data and a plurality of interstitial content items, and a playout schedule of the channel. Metadata comprising a pre-roll value is inserted at a first insertion point related to a first interstitial content item of the plurality of interstitial content items, based on the playout schedule. An offset is detected in the metadata, based on the first insertion point of the metadata in the video feed, the pre-roll value, and a time-code (TC) jump associated with a second interstitial content item in the video feed. One or more control parameters associated with the insertion of the metadata are calibrated, based on the detected offset to align a splice point related to the first interstitial content item with the TC jump associated with the second interstitial content item.

Validating and calibrating splice points in interstitial content

A live content distribution device that dynamically generates video-on-demand (VOD) assets for multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs), receives a live video feed, a plurality of triggers, and metadata from a broadcast provider system over a communication network. The live content distribution device is provided in a MVPD system. A plurality of segments are determined in the received live video feed based on the received plurality of triggers and metadata. One or more VOD content assets are dynamically generated based on a package for playout to one or more servers communicatively coupled with the MVPD system. The package includes one or more of the determined plurality of segments and metadata associated with the determined plurality of segments.

Methods and apparatus for allowing parties, e.g., individuals, at different locations to participate in an on-demand content delivery session are described. Dynamically updateable playlists are used to control content delivery to the session participants in a synchronized manner. Content may be delivered to different session participants from different servers with a different playlist corresponding to each session participant being used to control content delivery to the session participant's host platform, e.g., set top box. Either party may update the playlist with, optionally, each of the content delivery servers being controlled by a different or local copy of the jointly updateable play list. Thus, an inviting party and one or more joining parties are able to participate together in an on-demand session. While the participants may be served by the same or different content delivery servers, the parties are able to share images, audio, and/or video in a synchronized manner.

Methods and apparatus for enabling synchronized content presentations using dynamically updated playlists

When an advertisement break is detected on a program channel stream, demographic data is obtained which is descriptive of the subscribers who are currently watching material from the program channel stream, and one or more streams containing substitute advertisements are generated based on the demographic data. The substitute advertisements in each stream, thus generated, are targeted at a different demographic group of the subscribers. The number of substitute advertisement streams corresponds to the number of unused transmission channels allocated for transmission of such streams. Groups of subscribers' set-top terminals (STTs) are directed to tune to the allocated transmission channels during the advertisement break to receive the substitute advertisement streams, respectively. Consequently, the subscribers are shown the substitute, targeted advertisements instead of the regularly-scheduled advertisements.

Technique for effectively delivering targeted advertisements through a communications network having limited bandwidth

A method of providing programming content from a video server to a client coupled to the video server by a video content network includes the steps of sending, to the client, a playlist describing an interrelationship between at least one program segment and at least one related segment; sending, from the video server to the client over the video content network, video content comprising the at least one program segment and the at least one related segment; and modifying the playlist via communication to the client. The steps of sending the playlist, sending the content, and modifying the playlist are all accomplished within a single video-on-demand session per user.

Apparatus and method for video-on-demand playlist

Growing community of inventors

Atlanta, GA, United States of America

Steven Ernest Riedl