Disclosed is a system and method for integrating email, SMS, and social media based transactions with interactive television or standard cable with Internet access to make payments. Disclosed is a method to tie together a vendor and a cable provider with an e-commerce system leveraging each entity's customer information to streamline the payment process. Also disclosed are multiple methods to allow customers to make messaging based payments via interactive cable television features. The messaging allows for payments based on various levels of convergence between Internet and cable television experiences.

In some implementations, a device may provide content received via a quadrature amplitude modulation channel. The device may receive supplemental content information regarding supplemental content to be provided during a period of time associated with providing the content, wherein the supplemental content information includes a uniform resource locator (URL) identifying a location of the supplemental content and start time information identifying a time when the supplemental content is to be provided. The device may obtain the supplemental content using the URL. The device may transition, from providing the content, to providing the supplemental content based on the start time information. The device may transition, from providing the supplemental content, to providing the content after providing the supplemental content.

Blockchain-enabled crypto asset systems and a Digital Social Recorder system are operable within a computer network environment for allowing a user to control how advertisers access the user's personal data; allowing crypto asset compensation in exchange for social amplification; and tracking asset allocation. Payments made via blockchain tracking, and the distribution of any revenues derived from cost savings provided to terrestrial, satellite or digital radio broadcasters back to music rights holders and other related groups are provided. These rights holders typically like to incentivize consumers, and by using the crypto assets or tokens created by the present invention, a reward for listening/consuming may be provided. Further, payments for industry services to the rights holder are contemplated to include, but not be limited to any Performance Rights Organizations (PROs), Record Labels, Publishing Companies/Administrators, Managers, Agents or any fractional rights holders or owners who would hold claim against any such revenues.

A method and apparatus for performing an integrated search is provided. An interface is provided that allows users to search and select any data related to a searchable term. Searchable terms may comprise titles of content, actors, and tags. Upon receiving results from the initial search, the user progresses through the initial search by selecting a result from the initial search and conducting a further search of that selection. The search may progress through many layers of searching in order to find information useful to the user and the user may perform actions based upon results of the search. The search implements a display with two columns, the first column displaying selectable data, and the second column displaying results to the selected data. The search is further customizable based upon a privacy level selected by the user.

A method of processing supplementary content in a digital receiving apparatus, includes connecting to an external device being different from a broadcaster; receiving uncompressed audio/video (A/V) content from the external device being different from the broadcaster; extracting audio watermark from the uncompressed A/V content, wherein the audio watermark includes domain type information, time information and event flag; constructing a first uniform resource locator (URL) based on the audio watermark, transmitting a request to a remote server based on the first URL; receiving a second URL for the supplementary content from the remote server, and presenting the supplementary content based on the second URL.

Items of video content offered for viewing on a video-on-demand (VOD) platform of a digital TV service provider are each assigned a respective title and hierarchical address corresponding to hierarchically-arranged categories and subcategories within which the title for the video content is to be categorized. The title is listed in a location of an electronic program guide (EPG) using the same categories and subcategories as its hierarchical address. Any TV subscriber can access the EPG and navigate through its categories and subcategories to find a title for viewing on the TV. The EPG dynamically adjust its display listings of each level of categories, subcategories, and titles in order to minimize the number of remote control keypresses needed for a viewer to navigate to a title of interest. In one basic form, the EPG display is reordered by listing more frequently visited categories or subcategories first, and other less frequently visited categories or subcategories lower on the listing or out-of-sight on another page of the display.

Items of video content offered for viewing on a video-on-demand (VOD) platform of a digital TV service provider are each assigned a respective title and hierarchical address corresponding to hierarchically-arranged categories and subcategories within which the title for the video content is to be categorized. The title is listed in a location of an electronic program guide (EPG) using the same categories and subcategories as its hierarchical address. Any TV subscriber can access the EPG and navigate through its categories and subcategories to find a title for viewing on the TV. The EPG dynamically adjust its display listings of each level of categories, subcategories, and titles in order to minimize the number of remote control keypresses needed for a viewer to navigate to a title of interest. In one basic form, the EPG display is reordered by listing more frequently visited categories or subcategories first, and other less frequently visited categories or subcategories lower on the listing or out-of-sight on another page of the display.

Aspects of the disclosure provide methods and apparatuses for media processing. In some examples, an apparatus includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry can exchange, with a server device, a plurality of control messages over a control plane channel that uses a first transport protocol. The plurality of control messages belongs to a control plane of a bidirectional protocol for immersive media distribution. The processing circuitry receives, from the server device, a first plurality of data messages over a first data plane channel that uses a second transport protocol. The first plurality of data messages belongs to a data plane of the bidirectional protocol and carries immersive media content. The processing circuitry presents the immersive media content carried by the first plurality of data messages.

Systems and methods are described herein for highlighting objects with a primary content that are likely to be of interest to a user viewing the primary content. More particularly, when the system receives a segment of primary content to be displayed on a user equipment device for consumption, the system analyzes the received segment to identify an object within the received segment. The system then checks a database storing supplemental content to determine whether supplemental content associated with the identified object is available. When supplemental content associated with the identified object is available within the database, the system modifies the received segment of the primary content to highlight the identified object and displays the modified segment of the primary content on the user equipment device for consumption.

Systems and methods are described herein for highlighting objects with a primary content that are likely to be of interest to a user viewing the primary content. More particularly, when the system receives a segment of primary content to be displayed on a user equipment device for consumption, the system analyzes the received segment to identify an object within the received segment. The system then checks a database storing supplemental content to determine whether supplemental content associated with the identified object is available. When supplemental content associated with the identified object is available within the database, the system modifies the received segment of the primary content to highlight the identified object and displays the modified segment of the primary content on the user equipment device for consumption.