In an example implementation, a method is described. The implementation accesses first and second media clips. The implementation also matches a first fingerprint of the first media clip with a second fingerprint of the second media clip and determines an overlap of the first media clip with the second media clip. The implementation also, based on the overlap, merges the first and second media clips into a group of overlapping media clips, transmits, to a client device, data identifying the group of overlapping media clips and specifying a synchronization of the first media clip with the second media clip, and generates for display on a display device of the client computing device, a graphical user interface that identifies the group of overlapping media clips, specifies the synchronization of the first media clip with the second media clip, and allows access to, and manipulation of, the first and second media clips.

An apparatus and method for transmitting and receiving information related to multimedia data in a hybrid network and a structure thereof are provided. The transmission method includes generating transmission characteristic information about the media data, and transmitting the transmission characteristic information. The transmission characteristic information includes valid range information about the transmission characteristic information.

The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for archiving media content, and more particularly to archiving television and radio broadcasts for later delivery, on-demand, via the Internet. A capture server is used to receive and gather a plurality of media sources for archiving and subsequent delivery to client users. The capture server is capable of receiving numerous digital or analog media signals from a variety of media sources, including transmission through traditional broadcast, coaxial cable, the Internet, personal and public camera systems and the like, and converting these media signals into addressable blocks of media content. Furthermore, the capture server is capable of encoding received media signals, particularly analog media signals, applying an application programming interface and preparing the media signals for implementation by the system in an identifiable form or architecture.

In an example implementation, a method is described. The implementation accesses a plurality of media clips including a first video clip and a second video clip, matches a first fingerprint of the first video clip with a second fingerprint of the second video clip. The implementation also matches a first event subject of the first video clip with a second event subject of the second video clip, and determines an overlap of the first video clip with the second video clip based at least in part on the match of the first fingerprint with the second fingerprint and the match of the first event subject with the second event subject. The implementation also merges the first video clip and the second video clip into a group of overlapping video clips based on the overlap, and synthesizes the group into a video presentation.

Methods and apparatus for selecting, purchasing and delivering content to users of a network so that the user has “virtual” ownership of and access to the content, thereby obviating the need for physical media (e.g., DVDs or CDs). In an exemplary embodiment, the network comprises a hybrid fiber coax (HFC) network, and on-demand (OD) sessions or broadcast modes are used to deliver the virtual content stored at the head-end (or hub site) to the requesting owner. The purchased content is associated with one or more users when stored, thereby providing the owner(s) unlimited access thereto, without the costs and effort associated with renting/purchasing and maintaining DVDs. The content may also comprise new release content, which would otherwise not be available over the network at that time but for the purchase and delivery mechanisms of the invention. Various other complementary features for enhancing the user's virtual ownership experience are also disclosed.

Cache management techniques are described for a content distribution network (CDN), for example, a video on demand (VOD) system supporting user requests and delivery of video content. A preferred cache size may be calculated for one or more cache devices in the CDN, for example, based on a maximum cache memory size, a bandwidth availability associated with the CDN, and a title dispersion calculation determined by the user requests within the CDN. After establishing the cache with a set of assets (e.g., video content), an asset replacement algorithm may be executed at one or more cache devices in the CDN. When a determination is made that a new asset should be added to a full cache, a multi-factor comparative analysis may be performed on the assets currently residing in the cache, comparing the popularity and size of assets and combinations of assets, along with other factors to determine which assets should be replaced in the cache device.

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 system for presenting live video content to a plurality of participant client devices is disclosed. An interactive program, including the live video content and an interactive component, is generated and a moderator interface is provided to enable a user of a moderator client device to create a look for the interactive program. The live video content and the interactive component are simultaneously displayed on a display of each of a plurality of participant client devices with the look created by the user of the moderator client device. The live video content and a response to the live video content are simultaneously displayed at each of the participant client devices with the look created by the user of the moderator client. The interactive program and the response are archived so that users of the plurality of participant devices may continue to interact with the interactive program after termination of the interactive program.

A resource management system may use information regarding the bandwidth status of a downstream communication path to determine what portion of queued content should be sent in the current available bandwidth timeslot. In some embodiments, multiple versions of the same requested content may be available, and the system may select a lower-quality version to send if needed to meet a time deadline included in the original content request.

A system and method are provided of minimizing network bandwidth used from an external network by client peers in a local network. The method can include the operation of organizing a plurality of clients each having media streamlets and a client parent in a structure within the local network. Mapping information propagates through the structure. The mapping information represents local streamlet locations as stored by the plurality of clients. Another operation is retrieving a local streamlet from a client identified in the mapping information as having the local streamlet for the requesting client.