Abstract:
Features of various implementations are used to enable delivery of matched functionality, content and/or services, as a part of an interactive television suite of technologies. In some implementations, a content delivery process is enabled so that communication between the primary TV receiver and a supplemental set-top box is reduced in order to avoid the need for one or more provider-specific APIs. For example, one aspect of the disclosure is a method of identifying a media program by capturing display data from the media program, and extracting text from the display data in response to determining that the display data includes the text overlay, wherein the extracted text is associated with the media program. In some implementations, a supplemental set-top box is configured to operate a primary TV receiver, without a provider-specific API, in order to determine the channel line-up available to a particular subscriber through the primary TV receiver.
Abstract:
Methods, systems, and media for providing a media search engine are provided. In some implementations, a method for searching for content is provided, the method comprising: receiving a media search query for media assets; identifying web search results from a corpus of web resources that are responsive to the media search query, wherein each of the web search results has an associated relevancy score; determining keyword information and contextual information from a subset of the web search results, wherein the subset of the web search results is selected from the web search results based on the associated relevancy score and wherein media entities are determined from at least a portion of the keyword information and the contextual information; assigning a topic score for the each of the media entities based on occurrence in the web search results; selecting at least one media entity from the media entities based on the topic score; identifying media assets from a corpus of media assets based at least in part on the selected media entity; and causing a subset of the media assets to be presented to a user in response to the media search query.
Abstract:
A method for rendering application user interfaces on a television screen executes at a computer system coupled with the television screen. The computer system includes one or more processors and memory storing a plurality of applications configured for execution by the one or more processors. The method provides a user interface of a first application of the plurality of applications for display on the television screen. The method receives from a personal user device a user interface of a second application. The personal user device is distinct from the computer system and the user interface of the second application is provided by one or more programs executing on the personal user device. The method concurrently displays on the television screen the user interface of the first application and the user interface of the second application.
Abstract:
A method and system is implemented at an electronic device for displaying output from an application on a fixed orientation display. The electronic device includes a display module and an application. The application sends a request to display output from the application in a second orientation with second dimensions, and receives from the electronic device a notification that a display associated with the electronic device is a fixed orientation display with a first orientation and first dimensions. The application then obtains application data verifying that it is able to scale the output for displaying in an orientation and dimensions different from the requested second orientation and second dimensions, and determines optimal dimensions to display the output from the application based on the first orientation and first dimensions associated with the fixed display. The electronic device then scales output data to match the determined optimal dimensions.
Abstract:
Methods, systems, and media for providing a media search engine are provided. In some implementations, a method for searching for content is provided, the method comprising: receiving a media search query for media assets; identifying web search results from a corpus of web resources that are responsive to the media search query, wherein each of the web search results has an associated relevancy score; determining keyword information and contextual information from a subset of the web search results, wherein the subset of the web search results is selected from the web search results based on the associated relevancy score and wherein media entities are determined from at least a portion of the keyword information and the contextual information; assigning a topic score for the each of the media entities based on occurrence in the web search results; selecting at least one media entity from the media entities based on the topic score; identifying media assets from a corpus of media assets based at least in part on the selected media entity; and causing a subset of the media assets to be presented to a user in response to the media search query.
Abstract:
A simultaneous ascending price auction (“SAA”) can be used to allocate advertising inventory to bidders. The advertising inventory can be, for example, radio or television advertisement spots (“spots”). The bidders can be advertisers that can provide advertisements for presentation in the spots. Two or more contiguous spots can define an advertising block. Spots or advertising blocks can be allocated to advertisers by the SAA mechanism based on bid criteria. The SAA can perform simultaneous advertisement scheduling and pricing. The auction allocation can be optimized to facilitate efficient allocation of advertisements to spots or blocks.
Abstract:
A method and system is implemented at an electronic device for displaying output from an application on a fixed orientation display. The electronic device includes a display module and an application. The application sends a request to display output from the application in a second orientation with second dimensions, and receives from the electronic device a notification that a display associated with the electronic device is a fixed orientation display with a first orientation and first dimensions. The application then obtains application data verifying that it is able to scale the output for displaying in an orientation and dimensions different from the requested second orientation and second dimensions, and determines optimal dimensions to display the output from the application based on the first orientation and first dimensions associated with the fixed display. The electronic device then scales output data to match the determined optimal dimensions.
Abstract:
Methods, systems, and media for presenting suggestions of media content are provided. In some implementations, the method comprises: determining an item of media content; determining a probability of the item of media content being watched at one or more times based on at least one of: a characteristic of a person; a characteristic of a group; and a characteristic of the item of media content; creating a user interface which suggests that the item of media content be watched at one or more times based on the determined probability; and presenting the user interface.
Abstract:
In accordance with some implementations of the disclosed subject matter, mechanisms for presenting recommended media content items are provided. In some implementations, a method for providing media guidance is provided, the method comprising: receiving a query from a user; determining search terms from the received query; determining location information corresponding to the user and popularity information associated with a plurality of media content items and a plurality of content sources; selecting a media content item from the plurality of media content items based at least in part on the popularity information associated with each of the plurality of media content items and the search terms from the received query, wherein the selected media content item is available from the plurality of content sources; selecting at least one content source from the plurality of content sources based at least in part on the location information associated with the user and the popularity information associated with each of the plurality of content sources; and causing a recommendation interface to be presented to the user, wherein the recommendation interface includes the selected media content item that is provided from the at least one selected content source.
Abstract:
Methods, systems, and apparatuses, including computer programs encoded on computer-readable media, for receiving user viewing data that includes a media source, a viewing time, and a username. The username identifies a user, and the user viewing data is associated with a media viewing device. The user viewing data is recorded by passively monitoring user input to the media viewing device. A program viewed on the media viewing device is determined based upon the user viewing data. A plurality of viewing achievement rules are stored in memory. The viewing achievement rules include one or more criteria based upon user viewing data. At least one achievement rule comprises a criterion that a user view the program. If the user viewing data matches the criteria of one or more of the viewing achievement rules is determined. An indication of one or more achievements is stored in association with the username.