In some aspects, a method includes executing a streaming application configured to stream a media content item on a display of a television device, and receiving, from the streaming application, a request to generate a token. The method includes, in response to the request, obtaining a user identifier of a user account of a media platform, obtaining a plurality of signals used to select promoted content for the user account, generating the token to include the user identifier and the plurality of signals, and encrypting the token to generate an encrypted token. The encrypted token is configured to be included in a fetch request to retrieve a promoted content item, personalized to the user account, from a promoted content server associated with the media platform. The promoted content item is configured to be inserted into playback of the media content item by the streaming application.

A distributed database management system provides a central database resident on a server that contains database objects. Objects, e.g., program guide data, to be replicated are gathered together into distribution packages called slices, that are transmitted to client devices. A slice is a subset of the central database which is relevant to clients within a specific domain, such as a geographic region, or under the footprint of a satellite transmitter. The viewer selects television programs and Web content from displayed sections of the program guide data which are recorded to a storage device. The program guide data are used to determine when to start and end recordings. Client devices periodically connect to the server using a phone line and upload information of interest which is combined with information uploaded from other client devices for statistical, operational, or viewing models.

A media processing tool adds custom data to an elementary media bitstream or media container. The custom data indicates nominal range of samples of media content, but the meaning of the custom data is not defined in the codec format or media container format. For example, the custom data indicates the nominal range is full range or limited range. For playback, a media processing tool parses the custom data and determines an indication of media content type. A rendering engine performs color conversion operations whose logic changes based at least in part on the media content type. In this way, a codec format or media container format can in effect be extended to support full nominal range media content as well as limited nominal range media content, and hence preserve full or correct color fidelity, while maintaining backward compatibility and conformance with the codec format or media container format.

A signature device including a storage unit configured to store moving image data, and a processor configured to extract original metadata from moving image data for the image data of each of a plurality of images forming the moving image data, the original metadata including location data of the image data and identification data of the moving image data, to encode the image data of each of the images into still image data in accordance with an image format, to write the still image data into a first area, to write the original metadata extracted by the extractor into a second area, the first area and the second area being included in a storage area of a still image data file in which the still image data is filed, and to generate summary data for the still image data file.

Cable and satellite television systems, televisions, and universal remotes are used to provide interactive financial self-services to users. The cable or satellite system provides a connection between a user and a financial services company. A television or other display device connects to the cable or satellite system and displays content from the financial services company to a user. The user may enter data and navigate through the content via a back channel using a universal remote or other input device. The user may thus complete the content, such as completing a loan application, opening a bank account, or purchasing insurance. The user may provide authentication information to receive personalized content.

A video processing method includes receiving a multimedia file including a first video file encrypted with a first compression algorithm and converting the first video file to a second video file, which is encrypted with a second compression algorithm. The method includes extracting, from the second file, video data indicative of at least one video characteristic of the second file and displaying the video data on a display screen or forwarding the video data to a content insertion server. The first video compression algorithm may be a MPEG-2 video compression algorithm and the second video compression algorithm may be an H.264 algorithm and/o an H.265 algorithm. The video data may include run time data indicative of a run time of the second video file, frame rate data indicative of a frame rate of the second video file, and pixel data indicative of a resolution of the second video file.

A media processing tool adds custom data to an elementary media bitstream or media container. The custom data indicates nominal range of samples of media content, but the meaning of the custom data is not defined in the codec format or media container format. For example, the custom data indicates the nominal range is full range or limited range. For playback, a media processing tool parses the custom data and determines an indication of media content type. A rendering engine performs color conversion operations whose logic changes based at least in part on the media content type. In this way, a codec format or media container format can in effect be extended to support full nominal range media content as well as limited nominal range media content, and hence preserve full or correct color fidelity, while maintaining backward compatibility and conformance with the codec format or media container format.

Methods and apparatus to collect distributed user information for media impressions and search terms are disclosed. An example method includes accessing, from a media device, a first identifier and a search term at a first server, the first identifier corresponding to at least one of the media device or a user of the media device, the search term associated with a search request, generating a second identifier based on the first identifier, sending the second identifier and the search term from the first server to a data collection server to facilitate the data collection server to logging the search request, and receiving user information associated with the search request from a database proprietor based on the second identifier.

A media processing tool adds custom data to an elementary media bitstream or media container. The custom data indicates nominal range of samples of media content, but the meaning of the custom data is not defined in the codec format or media container format. For example, the custom data indicates the nominal range is full range or limited range. For playback, a media processing tool parses the custom data and determines an indication of media content type. A rendering engine performs color conversion operations whose logic changes based at least in part on the media content type. In this way, a codec format or media container format can in effect be extended to support full nominal range media content as well as limited nominal range media content, and hence preserve full or correct color fidelity, while maintaining backward compatibility and conformance with the codec format or media container format.

Provided is a system and computer-implemented method for encoding account tokens in image files. The method includes receiving, from a user associated with an account identifier, an identification of at least one image, generating at least one token based on the account identifier of the user, encoding the at least one token in the at least one image, resulting in at least one tokenized image, and communicating the at least one tokenized image to a transaction processing system, wherein the transaction processing system is configured to conduct a transaction based on the tokenized image.