Sling TV L.L.C.

Systems, devices, and methods for tracking reward associated with content consumption are provided. An example method includes receiving streaming content of at least one content item from a content provider, outputting, via an application being executed on the streaming device, streaming content to a display for playback of the output content, periodically generating a plurality of heartbeat messages during execution of the application. Each heartbeat message is timestamped and includes a header containing information about the at least one content item, and one or more entries indicating a current playback state regarding the output of the streaming content when the heartbeat message is generated. The method further includes transmitting the plurality of heartbeat messages to a user engagement tracking device connected to the user device and receiving a notification indicating a total duration of content output to the display during execution of the application.

Systems and methods related to channel surfing are provided. In one example, a method includes receiving a user request to view presentation of a channel guide on a display, generating a channel guide including a channel list, at least one scroll indicator, and a focus indicator, and communicating the channel guide to the display. The display includes a main display area, a channel list display area overlaid on the main display area, and a focus area. The channel list is displayed in the channel list display area while the primary content of a current channel is being presented in the main display. The method further includes receiving a first user input activating the scroll indicator in a scroll direction, causing the channel identifiers to move in the channel list display area while the primary content continues to be presented in the main display area.

Systems, devices and processes are provided to facilitate video streaming. The various embodiments facilitate the detection of program promotions in a video stream, where program promotions include commercial content that advertises future programs. In general, the embodiments facilitate the detection of program promotions in a video stream through the use of automated process monitors the video stream and determines that a content block is a program promotion when that content block meets a defined set of criteria. This set of criteria can include criteria such as time adjacency, timespan, audio, video and textual factors, and when the content was previously first detected. In such embodiments the ability to detect program promotions using the set of criteria facilitates the replacement of these program promotions with other, potentially more valuable, content.

Methods and systems are provided for managing bandwidth of an encoded media content stream by dynamically varying the quality of the encoded media content. One method involves encoding the media content using a first value for a quality factor, determining one or more metrics indicative of a bandwidth associated with the encoded portion of the media content, determining an adjustment for the quality factor to obtain an adjusted value for the quality factor based at least in part on a relationship between the one or more metrics indicative of the bandwidth and one or more bandwidth targets, and thereafter encoding a subsequent portion of the media content using the adjusted value for the quality factor.

Advertisements in broadcast television programming are digitally replaced with different ads prior to viewing. Replacement can occur in time and/or place shifted content, and can be used to promote a particular advertisement that the viewer has not yet seen, thereby improving the reach of the ad without oversaturation. Data reporting by the playback devices is collected in a database of viewed ads. The information in the database can be used to refresh previously-viewed ads, to increase saturation of particular ads, to replace previously-broadcast but no longer relevant ads, or for other purposes as desired.

Methods and systems are provided for managing bandwidth of an encoded media content stream by dynamically varying the quality of the encoded media content. One method involves encoding the media content using a first value for a quality factor, determining one or more metrics indicative of a bandwidth associated with the encoded portion of the media content, determining an adjustment for the quality factor to obtain an adjusted value for the quality factor based at least in part on a relationship between the one or more metrics indicative of the bandwidth and one or more bandwidth targets, and thereafter encoding a subsequent portion of the media content using the adjusted value for the quality factor.

Examples of the present disclosure describe systems and methods for unifying local channels with Over-the-Top (OTT) services (e.g., Internet-streaming media services). In one example aspect, a location is determined. Based on the determined location, a list of local channels available for broadcast in the geographic area is retrieved. The list of local channels is then compared to a list of channels offered via at least one OTT service. Based on the comparison with the OTT service channel offering, a subset of available local channels may be determined. The electronic programming guide (EPG) data and other programming metadata associated with the local channels may be downloaded and provided to the OTT service. The local channels, along with the EP G data and programming metadata, may be merged with the OTT service so that the local channels may be streamed via the OTT service.

Content is received from a content origin and includes a first I frame occurring in the content at an actual start time of an ad segment. The content includes an ad marker comprising an indicated start time of an available segment, and the actual start time is within a predetermined period of the indicated start time. The ad marker is updated to set the indicated start time equal to the actual start time. The predetermined period may be within 0.5 seconds of the indicated start time. A second I frame may be detected in the content, and a signature may be generated for content at the time of the first I frame. The first I frame corresponds to the actual start time in response to the first I frame occurring before the second I frame and in response to the signature matching a signature of a known ad.

The various embodiments described herein provide systems, devices and/or processes to improve the deinterlacing of interlaced video content. Specifically, the various embodiments described herein facilitate the deinterlacing of video content by using both intraframe and interframe pixel prediction values to generate replacement pixel values to be used in the resulting progressive scan video. Specifically, the embodiments described herein generate both intraframe pixel prediction values and intraframe pixel prediction values for each pixel in the interlaced video that is to be replaced. The intraframe pixel prediction values and intraframe pixel prediction values are then blended together to generate the replacement pixel values that are used in the progressive scan video. In one embodiment, the blending of intraframe pixel prediction values and intraframe pixel prediction values is based at least in part by estimations of motion in the video about the pixel being replaced.

Examples of the present disclosure describe systems and methods for locating an optimal installation location for an over-the-air (OTA) antenna. In some example aspects, the system described herein may receive a list of preferred local channels and/or programs from a user. The system may then compare those channels and/or programs to at least one database that comprises channel frequencies based on a user's geolocation (e.g., GPS coordinates, address, zip code, etc.). Based on the comparison of the preferred channels and/or programs, the system may suggest a certain installation location of an OTA antenna. The system may evaluate broadcast signals received by the OTA antenna to determine the strength of the signals at the present OTA antenna location. The results of the channel feedback analysis may be displayed in real-time (or near real-time) on a mobile device, indicating to the user if the present location is an optimal installation location.