Methods and apparatus are disclosed to determine a power state of a device. An example method includes determining respective counts for a plurality of measurements during a calibration period, the measurements indicative of an amount of power drawn by the device, determining a first threshold and a second threshold based on at least one of the counts, the first threshold determined using most frequently logged measurement values, the most frequently logged measurement values based on counts performed after expiration of the calibration period, comparing a measurement to the first threshold and to the second threshold, and outputting a positive indication when the measurement is within an acceptable difference range, the acceptable difference range based on the amount of power drawn by the device.

Decoupling a time shift buffer from content streams to allow faster trick mode response is provided. A TSB/DVR manager may be provided to manage user selection of trick play options while viewing linear or non-linear content streams from a network source. Indication of selection of a trick play option may be received and analyzed by the TSB/DVR manager. The content stream may be managed, such that one or more trick play content streams may be sent to an endpoint device. This provides a network trick play experience similar to the trick play experience when content resides locally. Further, the user's behavior and viewing patterns may be continually monitored and recorded to allow the system to send one or more trick play content streams prior to the user selecting the trick play option. An option to acquire and record missed portions of the content stream may also be provided.

An example method includes determining, over a particular time-period and at a periodic interval, a viewer count of content-presentation devices receiving content on a channel from a non-local content-distribution system and, based on the viewer count, identifying, within the particular time-period: (i) a first time-period having a threshold consistent viewer count for a first threshold duration, (ii) a second time-period where there is a drop in the viewer count by a threshold amount and the drop lasts for a second threshold duration, and (iii) a third time-period where the viewer count returns to an amount within a threshold range of the threshold consistent viewer count for a third threshold duration. The method also includes based on the identified time-periods, detecting a portion of the content that serves as a placeholder for local content to be inserted by a local content-distribution system, and performing an action associated with the detected portion.

Disclosed is an over-the-air (OTA) antenna meter application (“meter app”) that wirelessly connects to an OTA antenna meter (“meter”) installed with an OTA antenna and presents information that facilitates a user in installing the OTA antenna at the premises of a customer. For example, the meter app can help the user in pointing and peaking the OTA antenna for one or more broadcast channels, e.g., those selected by the customer. The meter app can store installation information of the OTA antenna for various installations, which can be used in generating a recommendation of, or predicting, installation information for installing the OTA antenna at a specified address. The predicted installation information can include broadcast channels that would be available for reception at the specified address and their signal strength, a specific location of installation on the premises, or whether a pre-amplifier and/or filter is required.

Disclosed is an over-the-air (OTA) antenna meter application (“meter app”) that wirelessly connects to an OTA antenna meter (“meter”) installed with an OTA antenna and presents information that facilitates a user in installing the OTA antenna at the premises of a customer. For example, the meter app can help the user in pointing and peaking the OTA antenna for one or more broadcast channels, e.g., those selected by the customer. The meter app can store installation information of the OTA antenna for various installations, which can be used in generating a recommendation of, or predicting, installation information for installing the OTA antenna at a specified address. The predicted installation information can include broadcast channels that would be available for reception at the specified address and their signal strength, a specific location of installation on the premises, or whether a pre-amplifier and/or filter is required.

A system and method for the assignment of person-level viewership. The system receives viewership information describing the viewing of video content at a household. The system additionally receives demographic information for that household, including the numbers of persons associated with the household. For each combination of viewers, the system calculates the probability that the viewers viewed the content based on the demographic attributes of those viewers and the probabilities that individuals sharing those attributes would view the content. The system then attributes the viewing information to one or more persons from the household based on the calculated probabilities. The system additionally updates the probabilities that individuals having different demographic attributes would view the content based on the selection of persons.

In response to an operation such as power-on or power-off, channel change and sound volume change, a television set combined with a personal computer automatically makes e-mail with information in a predetermined format indicative of the operation attached. The e-mail is automatically sent to another television set to inform the other television set of operation of the own television set. On the other hand, the e-mail can be sent to a rating company for audience share survey. The television set automatically reads the received e-mail and attachment to change the indication of display. The television set has storage of the received information for analysis of an abnormality. Abnormality can be also sensed through abnormal act on the remote controller apt to be taken by a person in panic or off the truck. The television set refuses information from unknown address for blocking an attack of a stranger.

The embodiments herein provide a system and method for auditing a plurality of multimedia content, creating a contextual cycle of multimedia contents, and associating the plurality of the multimedia content with a source. The system comprises a plurality of multimedia input sources configured for receiving a plurality of multimedia content, an analysis and recognition module connected to the plurality of multimedia input sources and configured for analyzing and recognizing the plurality of the received multimedia contents, and an auditing console communicatively coupled with the analysis and recognition module.

Measuring and tracking user interaction with a television receiver, such as a set top box or cable box. The television receiver may create and display a matrix code that includes temporal information, user identification information, geographic information, and/or a user selection. The matrix code may be captured by a matrix reading device and transmitted to a monitoring entity. Optionally, the matrix reading device may decode the matrix code and transmit associated data to the monitoring entity. The monitoring entity may use the code or data to track and distinguish between user interactions at different points in time.

Disclosed herein are system, method, and computer program product embodiments for the automatic display of closed captioning information. An embodiment operates by accessing user behavior information for a program. It is determined, based on the user behavior information, that multiple closed captioning requests overlap during a portion of the program. A start time indicating when to begin and an end time indicating when to end display of closed captioning information for the overlapping portion is calculated. The program including the start time and the end time corresponding to the overlapping portion is provided for playback, wherein during a playback of the program, the closed captioning information is automatically displayed between the start time and the end time.