Communicating information through a user platform by representing, on a user platform visual display, spatial publishing objects as entities at locations within a three-dimensional spatial publishing object space. Each spatial publishing object associated with information, and each presenting a subset of the associated information. Establishing a user presence at a location within the spatial publishing object space. The user presence, in conjunction with a user point-of-view, being navigable by the user in at least a two-dimensional sub-space of the spatial publishing object space.

A method of sharing recording capability on a network, the network having a server supporting at least a recording DVR and a receiving DVR, the recording and receiving DVRs being in different households, the method comprising: (a) determining that the receiving DVR is unable to record the content at a certain time; and (b) identifying that the recording DVR is able to provide the receiving DVR with a recording of the content; (c) recording the content on the recording DVR at the certain time; and (d) transmitting the content from the recording DVR to the receiving DVR after the certain time.

A system and a method render internet multimedia content in a network using an application to render the internet multimedia content and/or locally stored multimedia content on one or more rendering devices in the network. The application may provide web browser functions, such as, for example, receiving, processing, decoding and/or rendering the internet multimedia content. The application may have an enhanced user interface which may enable a user to select the internet multimedia content and a rendering device in the network, send the internet multimedia content to the rendering device and/or control rendering of the internet multimedia content on the rendering device.

A method for identifying popular segments of a network video comprising: receiving video player operation information for a plurality of video players operated by users accessing the network video; evaluating a popularity measure for one or more segments of the network-video using the received operation information so as to identify popular segments of the network video.

In one embodiment, a method of generating an electronic program guide for a user of an entertainment system is disclosed. The method includes retrieving, by a user computer in communication with the entertainment system, preference criteria corresponding to one or more user preferences describing payment requirements. The user computer receives a plurality of content listings, each content listing comprising a content title, an indication of a content source, and a payment requirement, and a search query including a content title. The user computer also identifies a subset of the plurality of content listings based on content title and the search query, and ranks each content listing in the subset based on a comparison of the preference criteria and the payment requirement of each content listing in the subset. A content entry in the electronic program guide is created comprising each content listing in the subset in ranked order.

In one embodiment, a method of generating an electronic program guide for a user of an entertainment system is disclosed. The method includes retrieving, by a user computer in communication with the entertainment system, preference criteria corresponding to one or more user preferences describing payment requirements. The user computer receives a plurality of content listings, each content listing comprising a content title, an indication of a content source, and a payment requirement, and a search query including a content title. The user computer also identifies a subset of the plurality of content listings based on content title and the search query, and ranks each content listing in the subset based on a comparison of the preference criteria and the payment requirement of each content listing in the subset. A content entry in the electronic program guide is created comprising each content listing in the subset in ranked order.

Techniques for generating an interactive and dynamically updated content stream are described herein. Data assets that correspond to video segments provided by a plurality of content providers may be maintained. A video segment may correspond to a first portion of a full video segment for a piece of content from the plurality of content providers. A content stream may be generated that includes video segments provided by the plurality of content providers based at least in part on the data assets. The content stream may be presented via an application. Second input may be received via the application during presentation of the content stream that corresponds to a navigation command for displaying different content. The content stream may be updated to at least one of removing certain video segments or adding new video segments to the content stream based at least in part on the second input.

A method and device for reversible story are provided. The method includes: when presenting a media stream of a current story, detecting a request performed by a user for generating an alternative story corresponding to the current story; in response to the request for generating the alternative story, determining a target path in a hyperstory, the hyperstory including multiple paths corresponding to multiple stories that describe different status change trends of one or more story characters, and the target path sharing a same initial segment with a path of the current story in the hyperstory and including a branch point where a story trend change occurs; determining a media stream of the alternative story according to the target path; and presenting the media stream of the alternative story.

A method and device for reversible story are provided. The method includes: when presenting a media stream of a current story, detecting a request performed by a user for generating an alternative story corresponding to the current story; in response to the request for generating the alternative story, determining a target path in a hyperstory, the hyperstory including multiple paths corresponding to multiple stories that describe different status change trends of one or more story characters, and the target path sharing a same initial segment with a path of the current story in the hyperstory and including a branch point where a story trend change occurs; determining a media stream of the alternative story according to the target path; and presenting the media stream of the alternative story.

Provided herein are novel systems and methods of digital content delivery designed to be easy, instant, and minimally disruptive for the user. The novel systems and methods of the invention can provide the device user with an instant and ephemeral snippet of entertaining media, in a metered presentation controlled by the user. The system is minimally disruptive in that the user can summon a video clip or other media content with a simple input, whereupon a clip is instantly played for the user. Upon reaching the end of the media presentation, the media player window self-closes and returns the user's device to the exact state it was in prior. In this way, a user can enjoy a short, entertaining pause without substantially interrupting their previous activity on the device.