Example methods disclosed herein include accessing a secondary content schedule based on one or more watermarks detected in primary media content, the secondary content schedule to identify (i) one or more secondary content items and (ii) one or more first time values associated with the one or more secondary content items. Disclosed example methods also include comparing the one or more first time values associated with the one or more secondary content items in the secondary content schedule to second time values provided by a clock to determine whether to present a first one of the one or more secondary content items, the second time values based on a timestamp associated with the one or more watermarks detected in the primary media content. Disclosed example methods further include causing a media presentation device to display the first one of the secondary content items according to the secondary content schedule.

In accordance with aspects of the present invention, a technique is implemented to effectively receive streaming multimedia content in digital form, parse and segment the received transport stream and process the segmented content. Such treatment of received programming content provides for efficient storage of such programming content, and effectively provides for access to such content by administrators of a broadband system as well as users of such systems. In accordance with the invention, a technique enables, among other things: the creation of reference frames for, e.g., effective segmentation of programming content; encapsulation of programming content data as a UDP/IP datagram; associating programming content with provider and dedicated resource attributes; monitoring staging processor activity; effectively segmenting programming content that is scrambled; developing a unicast and multicast; compensating for missing or delayed programming content; and propagating video servers of varying manufacturers.

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.

A method for delivering media content includes receiving a request identifying a requested media file. The method also includes, in response to receiving the request, accessing the requested media file. The requested media file includes media content in a first format. The method further includes generating a modified media file based on the requested media file. The modified media file includes media content in a second format. Additionally, the method includes generating an auxiliary file associated with the modified media file. The auxiliary file includes a plurality of content records associated with different portions of the media content in the modified media file and indicating a location of the associated portion. Each content record includes information to facilitate transmission of the associated portion of the media content to a remote client prior to the modified media file being completely generated.

Example methods disclosed herein include accessing a secondary content schedule based on one or more watermarks detected in primary media content, the secondary content schedule to identify (i) one or more secondary content items and (ii) one or more first time values associated with the one or more secondary content items. Disclosed example methods also include comparing the one or more first time values associated with the one or more secondary content items in the secondary content schedule to second time values provided by a clock to determine whether to present a first one of the one or more secondary content items, the second time values based on a timestamp associated with the one or more watermarks detected in the primary media content. Disclosed example methods further include causing a media presentation device to display the first one of the secondary content items according to the secondary content schedule.

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.

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.

Input/output (I/O) operation requests from pageable storage mode guests are interpreted without host intervention. In a pageable mode virtual environment, requests issued by pageable storage mode guests are processed by one or more processors of the environment absent intervention from one or more hosts of the environment. Processing of the requests includes manipulating, by at least one processor on behalf of the guests, buffer state information stored in host storage. The manipulating is performed via instructions initiated by the guests and processed by one or more of the processors.

Device for providing a playable sequence in renderable manner comprises: a providing unit for providing defined functions, said functions for applying playable effects to objects, a time unit for adding time boundaries to said functions, to provide time bounded functions, an ordering unit for ordering said time bounded functions into a sequence, and a translation unit for applying translations to said objects in accordance with said effects.

Apparatus for generation of playable media from structured data, comprises a structured data reading unit for reading in of content of a first structure, a transformation unit for transforming said content into a second structure, said transformation comprising incorporating media play instructions, and a rendering unit for rendering content from the second structure using said media play instructions to generate playable media from the content.