A method and an apparatus are used to target interactive virtual objects to subscribers in a television delivery system. Programs are selected and virtual object locations are defined in the selected programs. The virtual objects available for targeting are categorized and the categories are correlated to subscriber information to determine the optimum targeting of the virtual objects. The virtual objects may be targeted based on individual subscriber information or on information related to groups of subscribers. When a frame of a program includes a virtual object location, a default or an alternate virtual object is displayed. The virtual object location may change over space or time. The virtual object may be interactive, and may be used to link a subscriber to a remote location, such as an Internet web site. An operations center or a cable headend may generate a group assignment plan that assigns the subscribers' television terminals to groups, based on factors such as area of dominant influence and household income. A retrieval plan is then generated that instructs the television terminals to select the desired virtual object for display. The television terminals record which virtual objects were displayed, and report this information to the cable headends and the operations center. The reported information is used to generate billing for commercial advertisers, and to analyze viewer watching habits. Interactive virtual objects are received by the television terminal with directions on actions to be taken upon selection of the interactive virtual object. Actions may result in the initiation of processes locally at the television terminal, or communication with a remote site for the initiation of processes to be performed remotely. The invention uses upstream data reception hardware, databases and processing hardware and software, and corresponding features in the televisions to accomplish these functions.

An example method can comprise receiving content for presentation at a user device. The content can comprise a plurality of sections, and each section can comprise a video portion and an audio portion. The user device can also receive content metadata regarding one or more features of the content, where the features of the content comprise one or more candidate sections of the content for modification. The user device can apply one or more rules to the received content based on the content metadata to modify one or more of the audio portion and the video portion of at least one section of the content, creating modified content, and can cause presentation of the modified content on a display device.

Digital rights management (DRM) of video data is selectively applied to video data by a video processing system that receives a video, comprising a number of frames, and processes at least one frame from the video to determine the contents of the video. The digital rights management for the video is then configured based on the contents of the video.

Apparatus and methods conforming to the present invention comprise a method of controlling playback of an audio signal through analysis of a corresponding close caption signal in conjunction with analysis of the corresponding audio signal. Objection text or other specified text in the close caption signal is identified through comparison with user identified objectionable text. Upon identification of the objectionable text, the audio signal is analyzed to identify the audio portion corresponding to the objectionable text. Upon identification of the audio portion, the audio signal may be controlled to mute the audible objectionable text.

Apparatus and methods conforming to the present invention comprise a method of controlling playback of an audio signal through analysis of a corresponding close caption signal in conjunction with analysis of the corresponding audio signal. Objection text or other specified text in the close caption signal is identified through comparison with user identified objectionable text. Upon identification of the objectionable text, the audio signal is analyzed to identify the audio portion corresponding to the objectionable text. Upon identification of the audio portion, the audio signal may be controlled to mute the audible objectionable text.

Basic format image data and the predetermined number of pieces of high-quality format image data are successfully transmitted. A basic video stream obtained by encoding basic format image data and a predetermined number of extended video streams obtained by encoding the predetermined number of pieces of high-quality format image data are generated. A container in a predetermined format including each of the video streams is transmitted. Identification information in a high-quality format corresponding to each of the predetermined number of extended video streams is inserted into a layer of the container and/or the video stream.

Basic format image data and the predetermined number of pieces of high-quality format image data are successfully transmitted. A basic video stream obtained by encoding basic format image data and a predetermined number of extended video streams obtained by encoding the predetermined number of pieces of high-quality format image data are generated. A container in a predetermined format including each of the video streams is transmitted. Identification information in a high-quality format corresponding to each of the predetermined number of extended video streams is inserted into a layer of the container and/or the video stream.

Systems and methods described herein relate to generation of media collections in a messaging system. The media collection may be created by the user, other users, or an entity. Example embodiments further allow users to set access criteria through privacy settings assigned to one or more media content items themselves, as well as to a media collection, such that some or all of the media collection may only be viewed by users authorized by the user sharing the media content item or media collection (e.g., only to one or more users designated by the user as a “friend”).

Systems and methods described herein relate to generation of media collections in a messaging system. The media collection may be created by the user, other users, or an entity. Example embodiments further allow users to set access criteria through privacy settings assigned to one or more media content items themselves, as well as to a media collection, such that some or all of the media collection may only be viewed by users authorized by the user sharing the media content item or media collection (e.g., only to one or more users designated by the user as a “friend”).

The present technology relates to a display control device, a display control method, and a program that have enabled further improvement of operability.

Provided is a display control device including a display control unit configured to perform control to display filter information regarding a filter and first information regarding content in a first area of a display screen, and to display, in a case where a user performs a first operation, the filter information and second information regarding the content in a second area of the display screen, the second area being greater than the first area. The present technology can be applied, for example, to a television receiver.