In an automatic, computer-implemented method, a selected television advertisement is presented automatically in association with a television program or channel, which in turn is selected based at least in part on information from an online user profile that contains information indicating a user's preference for that television program or channel. The television advertisement is selected based at least in part on additional information from the online user profile that is unrelated to the selected television program or channel. The selected television advertisement is presented on or during the selected television program or channel via a set-top box, which has a set-top box identifier associated with the online user profile.

Various embodiments set forth systems and techniques for personalizing censorship of digital content. The techniques include generating, based on a user characteristic, a censorship profile associated with a user, wherein the censorship profile identifies a censorship element; determining a censorship feature associated with the censorship element, wherein the censorship feature is to be activated during playback of digital content that includes the censorship element; identifying, based on temporal boundaries data and temporal facet data associated with a digital content item, one or more portions of the digital content item that include at least one element matching the censorship element; and activating the censorship feature during playback of the one or more portions of the digital content item.

In a substitutional media system, one of a set of media items is selected at a programme receiver for output within a predefined programming slot, based on profile data available at the receiver. Sets of the media items are scheduled to slots according to one or more constraints pertaining to that slot and/or to media items scheduled to other slots. The receiver may select a media item for output in a slot by resolving constraints with media items scheduled to other slots, or selected for output in other slots.

In a substitutional media system, one of a set of media items is selected at a programme receiver for output within a predefined programming slot, based on profile data available at the receiver. Sets of the media items are scheduled to slots according to one or more constraints pertaining to that slot and/or to media items scheduled to other slots. The receiver may select a media item for output in a slot by resolving constraints with media items scheduled to other slots, or selected for output in other slots.

In an interactive network-based personal video recording system, a user interface is provided that allows viewers to search a database of program guide information according to program title, indexed program attributes such as actor and director, and key word. Viewer interaction is by way of a remote control unit.

Systems and methods for customizing video include providing a portion of video to an electronic display and identifying a character or personality in the portion of video. A request to perform an action regarding the portion of video may be detected and the action may be associated with the identified character or personality. The action may be performed on a second portion of video in response to the character or personality being identified in the second portion of video.

In the following, a content delivery system delivers a modified version of a media asset to a current content consuming user. Control information identifying a desired attribute of the modified version of the asset is received from the current content consuming user. The media asset is modified based on the control information and audience reaction data associated with the media asset and generated by analyzing at least a previous content consuming user's reactions to the media asset whilst the media asset was supplied to a media output device of the previous content consuming user.

A Personal TV System receives a plurality of video segments constituting a TV program and information describing each segment, and controls the display of the segments to a viewer in accordance with preferences of the viewer and with the description of each segment. Segments may be omitted or replaced with substitute segments. The viewer may review his preferences and edit or replace them. In a multi-viewer household, the system may prompt a viewer to confirm her preferences. A TV program may contain interactive segments, and when the viewer chooses to interact with a particular segment, the system automatically stores all subsequently received segments for later viewing while the viewer interacts with the selected segment. The system may present TV program choices to the viewer selected and arranged in accordance with her preferences.

A method for executing computer instructions for presenting an interactive environment in a head-mounted display (HMD) is described. The method includes identifying content associated with the interactive environment to be presented on the HMD for a user and determining whether an interactive object within the identified content satisfies a threshold for presentation to the user. The method includes augmenting the interactive object with augmentation data. The augmented data acts to change a characteristic of the interactive object. The operation of augmenting the interactive object is performed after determining that the interactive object does not satisfy the threshold for presentation to the user. The augmentation data modifies the interactive object to conform the interactive object to be within the threshold.

Disclosed is a system and method for distributing media content. The system can include a processor and a memory coupled to the processor. The memory stores executable instructions for causing the processor to detect a stamp key embedded in the media content, and request an ad stamp associated with the stamp key. The stamp key may comprise a unique digital key for the ad stamp. The memory can further cause the processor to communicatively connect to a user system and a content system. The content system may be configured to distribute the media content. The user system may comprise a display and may be configured to receive the ad stamp and present the ad stamp on the display.