According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a transmission method for enabling transmission of content using a broadcast and a communication channel includes: transmitting playback control information and service information using at least the broadcast wave, the service information being information for playing back content transmission using the broadcast and content transmission using the communication channel when the content is transmitted using the broadcast and the communication channel. The service information includes the content and location information that indicates a location for acquiring meta-information on playback control of the second content. The playback control information includes indexes of a relationship between the first content data and the second content data.

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 system and method of providing secondary syndicated content on a client device includes detecting external Primary Source Content and Primary Source Content on the client device directly and identifying a Content Identifier and synchronization cue of the Primary Source Content on the client device. The method also includes subscribing to a channel associated with the Primary Source Content on the client device and generating and displaying secondary syndicated content on the client device as a function of the synchronization cue, such that the secondary syndicated content is synchronized to a current temporal segment of the Primary Source Content.

An enhanced radio system is disclosed that provides for the capture and playback of one or more radio stations. A user may tune to a station, scan through stations, rewind through missed content (even while the system is off), and fast-forward through undesired content, while downloading and uploading audio content, and sending content to another user. A user may rate content, and be notified when that content is played on any station, with undesirable content skipped and desirable content saved, or station recommendations made. Support for multiple sets of configuration information to allow use by multiple listeners and in multiple locations may be provided. Optionally provided are security features to prevent the unauthorized downloading, uploading, and saving of copies of content, other radio related and content related information, a karaoke mode, integration with a telephone with the radio, or reporting usage information to a collection facility.

An enhanced radio system is disclosed that provides for the capture and playback of one or more radio stations. A user may tune to a station, scan through stations, rewind through missed content (even while the system is off), and fast-forward through undesired content, while downloading and uploading audio content, and sending content to another user. A user may rate content, and be notified when that content is played on any station, with undesirable content skipped and desirable content saved, or station recommendations made. Support for multiple sets of configuration information to allow use by multiple listeners and in multiple locations may be provided. Optionally provided are security features to prevent the unauthorized downloading, uploading, and saving of copies of content, other radio related and content related information, a karaoke mode, integration with a telephone with the radio, or reporting usage information to a collection facility.

The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method that includes identifying metadata related to television programming. The method further includes sending search requests that include the identified metadata to a search system for selecting at least one portable program module. The method further includes in response to a first one of the search requests, receiving first search results from the search system that identify the selected portable program module and outputting a representation of the selected portable program module to a display device for presentation concurrently with the television programming. The method further includes in response to a second one of the search requests, receiving second search results from the search system that no longer identify the selected portable program module and ceasing the output of the representation of the selected portable program module.

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a transmission method for enabling transmission of content using a broadcast wave and a communication channel includes: transmitting auxiliary information using at least the broadcast wave, the auxiliary information being information for synchronizing content transmission using the broadcast wave and content transmission using the communication channel when the content is transmitted using the broadcast wave and the communication channel, and the auxiliary information causing a reception side to perform the syncronization when the reception side receives the auxiliary information. Therefore, even if timing of starting reception of the content through the communication is delayed, the reception side can play back the content by a combination of the broadcasting and the communication.

A method for receiving a multimedia service is provided. The method includes receiving service specific information for at least one multimedia service provided from different networks, selecting one service based on the service specific information, and receiving the selected service. The service specific information includes one of a first service map table including information about at least one service which is transmitted over a plurality of logical channels, and a second service map table including information about at least one service which is transmitted over a single logical channel. Each of the first and second service map tables includes asset-related information.

Example methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture to provide media content are disclosed. Example apparatus disclosed herein include means for identifying primary media content presented on a first media presentation device. Disclosed example apparatus also include means for accessing a secondary content schedule associated with the primary media content. The secondary content schedule includes a plurality of secondary content items and time values associated with the secondary content items. The secondary content items are also associated with a loyalty value for a user of the first media presentation device. Disclosed example apparatus further include means for selecting one of the secondary content items to be accessed in response to a timestamp associated with the primary media content being between time values associated with the selected one of the secondary content items in the secondary content schedule.

The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method that includes identifying metadata related to television programming. The method further includes sending search requests that include the identified metadata to a search system for selecting at least one portable program module. The method further includes in response to a first one of the search requests, receiving first search results from the search system that identify the selected portable program module and outputting a representation of the selected portable program module to a display device for presentation concurrently with the television programming. The method further includes in response to a second one of the search requests, receiving second search results from the search system that no longer identify the selected portable program module and ceasing the output of the representation of the selected portable program module.