Comcast Cable Communications, LLC

Hollinbeck Mgmt. Gmbh, LLC

Other

Zane Vella

Ole Lutjens

Jeffrey Robert Braun

Dominique Izbicki

Michael Dalrymple

Ole Lütjens

Mark Rogers Johnson

Larry Wolcott

John Fox

Joseph S Rice

Edward Lee Elliott

Tomonari Tohara

Herve Utheza

Thomas Purnell-Fisher

Darren Lepke

Douglas Clarke

Joe Rice

Ken Klaer

Jeff Braun

Brian Benitez

Andrew Frederick

Ken Goudey

Provided herein are methods and systems for enabling users to provide contextually relevant information, such as feedback, relating to a content item. A computing device may receive a request for a content item. The computing device may receive the request and analyze a first portion of the content item to determine contextual information associated with the first portion. The computing device may determine one or more suggestions for contextually relevant items, such as symbols, to enable use of the symbols to provide information. The computing device may send the one or more suggestions with the first portion of the content item.

Systems and methods for providing contextually relevant information

A computer system (e.g., such as provided for a network service) operates to determine an inventory of time slots for a given airing. The computer system assigns a supplemental content item to a time slot of the given airing when the given airing is rendered on at least some of a plurality of playback devices. The computer system may structure a tag element to include data that is specific to a third-party, and then communicate a plurality of tags that include the tag elements to playback devices that are (or will) render the primary content of the airing.

Metadata delivery system for rendering supplementary content

Methods, systems, and apparatuses for presence detection are described herein. A first computing device may emit an inaudible audio signal. A second computing device may detect the inaudible audio signal. The second computing device may send an indication of detecting the inaudible audio signal. The first computing device may cause presentation of content to be modified based on the indication sent by the second computing device and a user profile associated with a user of the second computing device.

Methods, systems, and apparatuses for presence detection

Disclosed herein is a system and method for rendering media related content and web services. According to one or more embodiments, media content is rendered from a source. In one or more segments of the media source, at least one of an object, person or location is identified and additional information, relevant content or services about the person, object or location are displayed or made accessible while or after the media content is being rendered, on one or more devices and/or on one or more paired devices.

System and method for presenting content with time based metadata

Systems and methods are described for presenting content with time-based metadata. Methods may comprise transmitting the time-based metadata to a playback device. The time-based metadata may comprise a plurality of time stamps that are triggerable at different points of a timeline of content and one or more of the time stamps may be associated with corresponding metadata content. The playback device may trigger a sequence of time stamps of the time-based metadata and the triggered sequence of time stamps may be synchronized with the occurrence of one or more events in the timeline of the content.

Embodiments of the present invention provide faster user-selected scene switching during playback of a video production. In one embodiment, several channels of video (e.g., several video streams each depicting a different camera angle) are read from interleaved data on a DVD disc. Each channel's data is maintained in a channel buffer that is input to a video decoder via a selector. When a signal from a user input device indicates that a user has selected a new channel, the selector can immediately provide the selected channel's data from the channel buffer to the video decoder, thus providing an increase in switching speed.

System for fast angle changing in video playback devices

A single control allows selection and display of different video sequences from a DVD. No screen graphics are necessary to assist the user with operation, such as to show which buttons correspond to which sequences. A dedicated control, such as a button on a DVD player or television remote control device, is used to switch between two possible video tracks, or to otherwise select among multiple video tracks. Full-screen video tracks can be displayed without the need for visual indicators, such as thumbnail images, to identify selectable video tracks associated with different controls. Another aspect of the invention allows for modification of control information, such as navigation information, within a playback device.

System for selecting video tracks during playback of a media production

A video playback device automatically generates transition indications when a user selects a new video stream while a current video stream is playing. Transitions can be any visual and/or audio indication including a wipe, fade, title overlay, graphics overlay, etc. Predetermined default transitions are associated with different transition types or a user can create and associate transitions to be used. Different types of transitions include a scene change, angle change, exit to a control menu, etc.

Scene changing in video playback devices including device-generated transitions

A 'hold' feature on a user operated remote control allows a currently displayed track or view to be maintained while a video presentation is being played. As a user is watching a presentation that uses multiple camera views shown one-at-a-time as in a standard edited cut (i.e., 'director's cut') of a movie, the user can press a button when the user sees a camera view or scene of particular interest. Thereafter, the track associated with the camera view or scene that was showing when the hold button was pressed will continue to be played in place of the presentation. To return to the edited cut the user depresses the hold button again. The held track will continue to play until the user decides to resume presentation of the edited program or until the held track ends. Upon ending, the program track is resumed. While holding a track the user is free to select other available tracks in addition to jumping back to the program track at any time.

System for holding a current track during playback of a multi-track media production

Techniques for electronic messaging synchronized to media presentation are provided. The techniques include a method for displaying text in connection with an audiovisual production, a method for displaying text in connection with playback of an audiovisual production, a method for synchronizing viewer-inputted messages with playback of an audiovisual production, and others. For example, a method for displaying a message in connection with an audiovisual production includes receiving a signal from a viewer interface to define the message, displaying the defined message adjacent to a first display of the audiovisual production, and displaying the defined message in a second display adjacent to the audiovisual production. In addition, the present invention provides a system for displaying messages in connection with playback of prerecorded media to produce an audiovisual production and a computer-readable medium with instructions for displaying messages in connection with an audiovisual production.

Growing community of inventors

San Francisco, CA, United States of America

Zane Vella