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.

Disclosed are a live broadcast stream pushing method and apparatus, and an electronic device. One specific embodiment of the method comprises: receiving viewing permission setting information, wherein the viewing permission setting information is used for representing viewing permission of viewing a live broadcast stream of a multimedia conference; on the basis of the live broadcast starting state of the multimedia conference and the viewing permission setting information, determining whether to push the live broadcast stream of the multimedia conference to a requester who requests the live broadcast stream; and in response to determining to push the live broadcast stream of the multimedia conference to the requester, pushing the live broadcast stream of the multimedia conference to the requester. According to the embodiment, the flexibility of pushing a live broadcast stream of a multimedia conference is improved.

One embodiment sets forth a technique that includes receiving a request for a range of data included in an encoded version of the media title that is stored across a set of files. The technique also includes determining, based on a file extent index, one or more files included in the set of files, wherein the file extent index maps an identifier for each file in the set to a given range of data that is stored in the file and included in the encoded version. The technique further includes retrieving the range of data from the file(s), wherein at least a portion of the retrieved range of data falls within the given range of data that is stored in each of the one or more files, and transmitting the range of data in a response to the request.

A method, system and apparatus for image capture, analysis and transmission are provided. A link aggregation method involves identifying controller network ports to a source connected to the same subnetwork; producing packets associating corresponding controller network ports selected by the source CPU for substantially uniform selection; and transmitting the packets to their corresponding network ports. An image analysis method involves producing by a camera an indication whether a region of an image differs by a threshold extent from a corresponding region of a reference image; transmitting the indication and image data to a controller via a communications network; and storing at the controller the image data and the indication in association therewith. The controller may perform operations according to positive indications. A transmission method involves receiving user input in respect of a video stream and transmitting, in accordance with the user input, selected data packets of selected image frames thereof.

A method, system and apparatus for image capture, analysis and transmission are provided. A link aggregation method involves identifying controller network ports to a source connected to the same subnetwork; producing packets associating corresponding controller network ports selected by the source CPU for substantially uniform selection; and transmitting the packets to their corresponding network ports. An image analysis method involves producing by a camera an indication whether a region of an image differs by a threshold extent from a corresponding region of a reference image; transmitting the indication and image data to a controller via a communications network; and storing at the controller the image data and the indication in association therewith. The controller may perform operations according to positive indications. A transmission method involves receiving user input in respect of a video stream and transmitting, in accordance with the user input, selected data packets of selected image frames thereof.

Systems and methods for automatically generating top level index files for use in adaptive bitrate streaming in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. One embodiment of the method of the invention includes receiving a request from a playback device at a playback server, where the request identifies a piece of content, retrieving a list of assets associated with the identified piece of content using the playback server, filtering the list of assets using at least one predetermined criterion using the playback server, generating a top level index file describing each asset in the filtered list of assets using the playback server, and sending the top level index file to the playback device using the playback server.

A digital content storage and delivery system (DCSDS) includes a network interface to communicate data between the DCSDS and a destination device via a network data communication link having limited bandwidth. An input interface receives digital content for handling by the DCSDS. A storage architecture stores recorded video content on behalf of subscriber end users for on-demand playback via the network data communication link, and it caches live streaming video content for distribution via the network data communication link. The DCDS may monitor bandwidth usage of the network data communication link, determine current bandwidth demand for playback of recorded video content stored at the storage architecture, and reserve at least some of the limited bandwidth of the network data communication link to satisfy the determined current bandwidth demand. The available bandwidth is allocated to support distribution of live streaming video from the DCSDS.

A system for performing user-initiated content modification includes a computing platform having processing hardware and a system memory storing a software code. The processing hardware is configured to execute the software code to receive a request to perform a modification to content, determine, in response to the request, whether the modification is permissible or impermissible, and when the modification is determined to be impermissible, deny the request. When the modification is determined to be permissible, the processing hardware is configured to further execute the software code to obtain the content, obtain or produce alternate content for use in modifying the content per the request, and perform the modification to the content, using the alternate content, to provide modified content.

An apparatus comprises a first processing device, the first processing device comprising a physical hardware controller configured for coupling with a second processing device. The first processing device is configured to identify one or more remote multimedia service instances attached to the second processing device and to initiate, at the first processing device, one or more multimedia emulation modules for the remote multimedia service instances attached to the second processing device, the multimedia emulation modules emulating one or more physical multimedia input devices configured for attachment to the second processing device. The first processing device is also configured to provision the remote multimedia service instances to the second processing device by identifying requests for multimedia input, processing the requested multimedia input utilizing hardware resources of the physical hardware controller, and providing modified multimedia input to the second processing device via the emulated physical multimedia input devices.

The present application discloses techniques for playback of live broadcast content. The techniques comprise receiving a request of playing live broadcast content from a client computing device, wherein the request comprises information indicating a first address associated with the live broadcast content, and the request further comprises a playback time parameter indicating a playback time length; generating a second address based on a current system time parameter, the first address, and the playback time parameter; obtaining live broadcast content based on the second address and transmitting the live broadcast content to the client computing device.