A reception apparatus includes a memory configured to store a television receiver application. The reception apparatus further includes processing circuitry configured to display, via a television broadcaster application, a user interface that provides a plurality of services for user selection. The processing circuitry is further configured to receive a user selection of a service from the plurality of displayed services. The processing circuitry is further configured to determine whether the selected service is an Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) 1.0 service. In response to the determination that the selected service is the ATSC 1.0 service, the processing circuitry is further configured to continue execution of the television broadcaster application along with a display of the contents of the selected service.

A system is described for maintaining synchrony of operations among a plurality of devices that have independent clocking arrangements. The system includes a task distribution device that distributes tasks to a synchrony group comprising a plurality of devices that are to perform the tasks distributed by the task distribution device in synchrony. The task distribution device distributes each task to the members of the synchrony group over a network. Each task is associated with a time stamp that indicates a time, relative to a clock maintained by the task distribution device, at which the members of the synchrony group are to execute the task. Each member of the synchrony group periodically obtains from the task distribution device an indication of the current time indicated by its clock, determines a time differential between the task distribution device's clock and its respective clock and determines therefrom a time at which, according to its respective clock, the time stamp indicates that it is to execute the task.

A method and system for planning and running video-on-demand (VOD) advertising includes a planner for planning advertising campaigns and an ad selector for running selected advertisements from selected ones of the campaigns. The campaigns are associated with household demographic classifications, video content category categories, household geographic locations, and/or video viewing times. In response to a viewer requesting a video, the selector selects the campaigns corresponding to the demographic classification associated with the viewer, the content category of the requested video, the geographic location associated with the viewer, and/or the viewing time at which the requested video is viewed. The demographic classification is determined by using an identifier of the viewer's set-top-box. The selector may select the campaigns corresponding to the content categories of the requested video. The content categories are determined by using an identifier associated with the requested video.

To provide a user with an effect switcher having improved usability. The effect switcher includes an output terminal that outputs a plurality of first video signals to be transmitted to a multi-view processor, as an optical multiplex signal. For example, the effect switcher further includes: an output terminal that outputs a single second video signal to be transmitted to the multi-view processor; and an information insertion unit that inserts, into the optical multiplex signal, information for designating a display region of an image based on the single second video signal on a screen on which an image based on each of the first video signals is displayed.

To provide a user with an effect switcher having improved usability. The effect switcher includes an output terminal that outputs a plurality of first video signals to be transmitted to a multi-view processor, as an optical multiplex signal. For example, the effect switcher further includes: an output terminal that outputs a single second video signal to be transmitted to the multi-view processor; and an information insertion unit that inserts, into the optical multiplex signal, information for designating a display region of an image based on the single second video signal on a screen on which an image based on each of the first video signals is displayed.

A media presentation and distribution system (MPDS) communicatively coupled to a client device, which handles media content distribution via a content delivery network, to a client device associated with a user: identifies candidate time intervals in programming media content played at the client device based on at least a request received from the client device. The MPDS retrieves media content from a media store in the MPDS. The media content is retrieved based on at least one of the user intent information and a plurality of targeting parameters associated with the user. The MPDS dynamically generates personalized media content that corresponds to the candidate time intervals in the programming media content and further instructs playback of the dynamically generated personalized media content at the identified candidate time intervals based on the specified version of the programming media content played at the client device.

Systems and methods for push-based dynamic bandwidth allocation deliver addressable, advertising content in a digital network. Bandwidth is allocated on a push basis in response to receiving a trigger from a content distribution stream. The trigger contains data indicating an addressable break. A portion of bandwidth is then allocated to an addressable content stream based on the data of the trigger. The addressable content stream is then streamed to a receiver during the addressable break and the receiver is tuned from the broadcast stream to the addressable content stream for the duration of the addressable break. The additional bandwidth is de-allocated at the end of the addressable break.

A method for playing out a media program including a primary programming. The method includes storing the primary programming; forming first and second sets of content for play-out during a break in the primary programming, where the second set's duration differs by less than a predetermined amount from the duration of the first set of content transmitting, by a first mechanism, a base program including the primary programming and subsequently, during the break, the first set of content, and after the break, the primary programming; and transmitting, by a second mechanism, the primary programming at a first time offset to the transmitting by the first mechanism before the break and subsequently, during the break, the second set of content and after the break, the primary programming at a second time offset to the transmitting by the first mechanism, after the break, the first and second time offsets being different.

A media presentation and distribution system (MPDS) communicatively coupled to a client device, which handles media content distribution via a content delivery network, to a client device associated with a user: identifies candidate time intervals in programming media content played at the client device based on at least a request received from the client device. The MPDS retrieves media content from a media store in the MPDS. The media content is retrieved based on at least one of the user intent information and a plurality of targeting parameters associated with the user. The MPDS dynamically generates personalized media content that corresponds to the candidate time intervals in the programming media content and further instructs playback of the dynamically generated personalized media content at the identified candidate time intervals based on the specified version of the programming media content played at the client device.

A device, system and method for real-time personalization of streaming video is provided. The device has access to a memory storing: nonpersonalized video segments; and data for rendering personalized video segments, the nonpersonalized video segments and the personalized video segments associated with a given order. When a request for a personalized video is received, the device causes rendering of at least a subset of the personalized video segments to be rendered using the data, incorporating personal data associated with the request into the personalized video segments. As the personalized video segments are rendered, the device updates and transmits a manifest, to the communication device, identifying available video segments according to the given order. The video segments identified in the manifest are provided to the communication device in response to receiving requests for the video segments.