A method is provided to provide configuration information from a broadcast network controller (BNC) to a decoder in an HTTP live streaming (HLS) network. The method includes the steps of: (a) initiating a configuration event notification by the BNC; (b) writing the configuration information as file; (c) announcing the configuration information as a SCTE-104 request; (d) translating the SCTE-104 request into an SCTE-35 message; (e) translating the SCTE-35 message into an HLS playlist file; and (f) retrieving the HLS playlist file at the decoder.

In some embodiments, a method receives a message that identifies an asset being viewed on a video service at a timestamp. The message is associated with a profile identifier and a plurality of messages are received for the profile identifier while using the video service. The method determines a channel identifier for a channel in which the asset is offered during the timestamp and determines whether a channel change occurred based on the channel identifier and a prior channel identifier determined from a prior message in the plurality of messages. When the channel change has occurred, the method stores the channel identifier and timestamp for the profile identifier in a data structure, wherein a list of channels is generated by querying the data structure to determine a set of channel identifiers and timestamps for the profile identifier.

In one embodiment, a command is received from a video provider at a media rendering device, the command being a command to embed a subscriber ID in at least one video frame in a video stream. A random key, k is also received from the video provider at the media rendering device. An injective transformation is invoked for k and the subscriber ID, the injective transformation generating a sequence of pairs of: near-transparent patterns and corresponding time periods. Logical blocks of the at least one video frame in the video stream are overlaid with one of the near-transparent patterns for its one of the corresponding time periods. Related apparatus, systems, and methods are also described.

A pay television satellite broadcast includes validation data that can be used to validate authenticity of live global positioning system (GPS) data. The validation data may be included within entitlement messages and encrypted for security and selective reception by authorized receivers. A navigation system may compute checksums of received live GPS data and compare with the validation data for a match. A decision about whether or not to use the live GPS data may be taken based on whether or not the computed checksums match the validation data received via the pay television satellite broadcast signals.

Method for providing at least one client device (10), from a server (20) configured to control access to audio/video content, with management messages (40), comprising:—determining a first set (41) of management messages pertaining to said client device (10),—transmitting said first set through a first communicatio n channel (51) in a repetitive manner,—receiving, from said client device, a notification (15) comprising at least a client device identifier (11),—determining a second set (42) of management messages, said second set comprising all or part of the first set,—determining a token (45) associated with the second set,—receiving, from the client device, a confirmation (15′) comprising data pertaining to the token,—verifying the data pertaining to the token and, in case of a positive verification, removing all or part of the second set from the transmission through the first communication channel.

A pay television satellite broadcast includes validation data that can be used to validate authenticity of live global positioning system (GPS) data. The validation data may be included within entitlement messages and encrypted for security and selective reception by authorized receivers. A navigation system may compute checksums of received live GPS data and compare with the validation data for a match. A decision about whether or not to use the live GPS data may be taken based on whether or not the computed checksums match the validation data received via the pay television satellite broadcast signals.

Example methods and systems for modifying the playback of content using pre-processed profile information are described. Example instructions, when executed, cause at least one processor to access a media stream that includes media and a profile of equalization parameters, the media stream provided to a device via a network, the profile of equalization parameters included in the media stream selected based on a comparison of a reference fingerprint to a query fingerprint generated based on the media, the profile of equalization parameters including an equalization parameter for the media; and modify playback of the media based on the equalization parameter specified in the accessed profile.

A method to provide configuration information from a broadcast network controller (BNC) to a decoder in an HTTP live streaming (HLS) network. The method includes the steps of: (a) initiating a configuration event notification by the BNC; (b) writing the configuration information as file; (c) announcing the configuration information as a SCTE-104 request; (d) translating the SCTE-104 request into an SCTE-35 message; (e) translating the SCTE-35 message into an HLS playlist file; and (f) retrieving the HLS playlist file at the decoder.

In some embodiments, a method receives a request for an instance of content and determines content metadata for the instance of content. A metric for concurrent playback sessions based on the content metadata is determined. The concurrent playback sessions are actively streaming content. The method evaluates the request to block or allow the request based on comparing the metric for concurrent playback sessions to a threshold for the concurrent playback sessions.

Embedding of digital tokens within a digital video can occur cryptographically using a public key in some embodiments. The digital video may be altered in a variety of ways so that the video itself contains an integrated token that can represent various quantities. Audiovisual data can be altered to contain both a token and a perceptible user auditory or visual cue as to the presence of the encrypted digital token. A video with an embedded digital token may be sent to users on the Internet. A video recipient may be able to view the video and also take additional action or gain additional functionality from the digital token embedded in the video. Tokens can be embedded by altering video metadata so that the perceptible video content itself is not changed in some embodiments.