Patents Examined by Cynthia Fogg
  • Patent number: 9832539
    Abstract: A method that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example transmitting, by a system comprising a processor, via a first emergency media channel a first video stream comprising first evacuation routing information for a first evacuation group responsive to receiving a notification of an emergency event, instructing, by the system, a first media processor device to select the first emergency media channel while disabling selection of other media channels according to the first evacuation routing information, where the content of the emergency media channel is presented at a display device by way of the first media processor device, and enabling, by the system, the first media processor device to select the other media channels responsive to receiving user input acknowledging the emergency media channel. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Sam Russell, Steven Charles Salimando
  • Patent number: 9819998
    Abstract: A player receives encoded content of a first resolution level from a content retransmitter and monitors bandwidth of the communication connection utilized to receive the content. When the bandwidth changes with respect to various threshold values corresponding to various resolution levels, the player signals the content retransmitter to increase or decrease the encoding resolution for future portions. The player also locates related substitute content. When the player signals the content retransmitter to decrease the resolution below a minimum, the player plays the substitute content instead of the received content. Subsequently when the bandwidth is again such that player signals the content retransmitter to increase the resolution to the minimum or above, the player plays the received content instead of the substitute content. In various implementations, the player may obtain substitute content prior to or at the time the player determines to play substitute content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Sling Media PVT Ltd
    Inventor: N. Naga Mallika
  • Patent number: 9800925
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure disclose a method, a terminal, and a system for communication pairing of a digital television terminal and a mobile terminal. The method for communication pairing with a digital television terminal includes: acquiring communication connection information of the digital television terminal, wherein the communication connection information includes communication hardware information of the digital television terminal; performing encoding according to the communication connection information to generate a two-dimensional code image; displaying the two-dimensional code image; establishing a link connection to a mobile terminal that acquires the two-dimensional code image by using a camera; and performing communication pairing with the mobile terminal by means of the established link connection. By using the present disclosure, communication connection and pairing between a mobile terminal and a digital television terminal can be completed easily and conveniently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: TENCENT TECHNOLOGY (SHENZHEN) COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Hao Xu, Xiaobing Fu, Gang Huang, Shengjie Sun
  • Patent number: 9788059
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for increasing media consumption. The present invention can provide viewers increased access to content of interest across various platforms, such as online articles, online audio and video clips, and television and radio broadcasts. In an embodiment, an individual viewing content online, such as a news article, is given a link. The link provides the viewer access to a list of content related to the article being viewed. The related content is not limited to the platform related content across, and allows the user to view the content, automatically set the content to be recorded by a digital video recorder, or reserve the content for future viewing. By providing the user with convenient access to content across platforms, they are more given media content of interest. Accordingly, viewership of this content will increase through this connection of individuals with content that aligns with their interests.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.
    Inventors: Alex Wellen, David Bohrman
  • Patent number: 9786028
    Abstract: In response to detection of a selection of an accelerated frame rate operation associated with a video advertisement, a quantity of individual prioritized video frames of the video advertisement to render based upon a selected accelerated frame rate is determined. Accelerated frame rate rendering priority values assigned to the individual prioritized video frames of the video advertisement are identified. Based upon differences among the identified accelerated frame rate rendering priority values assigned to the individual prioritized video frames, a prioritized video frame subset of the individual prioritized video frames is determined. The prioritized video frame subset of the individual prioritized video frames is equal in number to the determined quantity of individual prioritized video frames of the video advertisement and is determined to yield a maximized cumulative set of the identified accelerated frame rate rendering priority values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nathan A. Bost, Paul P. Mariduena, Adrian X. Rodriguez, Eric M. Woods
  • Patent number: 9786029
    Abstract: In response to detection of a selection of an accelerated frame rate operation associated with a video advertisement, a quantity of individual prioritized video frames of the video advertisement to render based upon a selected accelerated frame rate is determined. Accelerated frame rate rendering priority values assigned to the individual prioritized video frames of the video advertisement are identified. Based upon differences among the identified accelerated frame rate rendering priority values assigned to the individual prioritized video frames, a prioritized video frame subset of the individual prioritized video frames is determined. The prioritized video frame subset of the individual prioritized video frames is equal in number to the determined quantity of individual prioritized video frames of the video advertisement and is determined to yield a maximized cumulative set of the identified accelerated frame rate rendering priority values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nathan A. Bost, Paul P. Mariduena, Adrian X. Rodriguez, Eric M. Woods
  • Patent number: 9781455
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for metering media feeds in a market are disclosed. An example method includes extracting a primary code from metering data received from a media presentation location. Extracting a breakout code, different than the primary code, from the metering data. Identifying, by executing an instruction with a processor, first media associated with the primary code. Identifying, by executing an instruction with the processor, a first regional network associated with the breakout code. Storing, by executing an instruction with the processor, information indicating that the first media was presented on the first regional network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
    Inventors: Arun Ramaswamy, Douglas B. Turnbow
  • Patent number: 9756398
    Abstract: Provided is an operating method of a TV. The method includes: receiving a multi screen enter command according to a user input; transmitting a multi screen request signal to a server in response to the multi screen enter command; receiving a multi screen response signal corresponding to the multi screen request signal transmitted through a first channel from the server; entering a multi screen mode according to multi screen information included in the multi screen response signal; and storing the multi screen information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Jaekyung Lee
  • Patent number: 9729931
    Abstract: A method for displaying multimedia content on the screen of a multimedia terminal, the multimedia content being encoded by data included in a file stored on a server remote from the terminal in a format such that the entire file is required by an application supporting the format for generating a display of the multimedia content on the screen of the terminal, wherein the method includes: requesting by the terminal the transmission of an encoding of the display of the multimedia content into a defined rendering format; using by the server the file for generating the rendering encoding of the multimedia content according to the defined rendering format by the terminal; and transmitting by the server the rendering encoding to the terminal using a graphic interface sharing protocol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: SAGEMCOM BROADBAND SAS
    Inventor: Jean-Pierre Morard
  • Patent number: 9723255
    Abstract: A signal switching system includes a first connector, a second connector, a switch unit, a first comparator, and a second comparator. The first connector is electronically coupled to a television. The second connector is electronically coupled to a video playback device. The first comparator is electronically coupled between the first connector and the switch; and the second comparator is electronically coupled between the second connector and the switch. The first comparator outputs a control command to the switch unit according to the voltage of the first connector, and the second comparator outputs a control command to the switch unit according to the voltage of the second connector. The switch unit selectively outputs a first signal or a second signal to the first connector or the second connector according to the control commands output from the first comparator and the second comparator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignees: AMBIT MICROSYSTEMS (SHANGHAI) LTD., HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tao Chen
  • Patent number: 9723367
    Abstract: Implementations disclose identifying content appropriate for children. A method includes selecting a list of candidate channels from a plurality of channels based on an automatically generated rating of each of the plurality of channels, filtering the list of candidate channels based on feedback received from a first group of reviewers with respect to appropriateness of content of each candidate channel for children, selecting a list of candidate videos based on an automatically generated rating of each video from every channel in the filtered list of candidate channels, and upon receiving, via a graphical user interface, a confirmation that a candidate video from the list of candidate videos is appropriate for children, setting a confirmation indicator of the candidate video to enable presentation of the candidate video to children.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Eileen Margaret Peters Long, Shirley Connie Gaw, Sertan Girgin, Geethmala Sridaran, Stephen Nicholls, Bosun Adeoti
  • Patent number: 9716911
    Abstract: A terminal device for carrying out an interactive internet protocol television (IPTV) service comprises: a near distance communication unit to receive set-top box information from a remote controller which controls a set-top box used for the interactive IPTV service; a session setup unit to set up a session to communicate between the terminal device and the set-top box based on the set-top box information; a content information receiver to receive, from the set-top box, content information on content being played by the set-top box over the set up session; a content information transmitter is configured to transmit the content information received from the content information receiver to an information provider; and content-related information receiver to receive content-related information from the information provider, the content-related information is extracted by the information provider from prestored information on a plurality of contents based on the content information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: SK TELECOM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yong-hee Han, Jong-pil Youn, Hyung-joon Cho
  • Patent number: 9712856
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing a subscription to a plurality of content providers and the irretrievably referring users to an interface of the content provider to directly consume media programs provided by the content providers is disclosed. The method irretrievably passes users to content providers so that the user can view media programs from those content providers using the content provider's application, while providing a central source for users to locate media programs available from a plurality of content providers and to subscribe for access to such media programs. This construct permits content providers to retain control over the user viewing experience and to encourage the user to view further media programs from the same content provider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: FOX NETWORKS GROUP, INC.
    Inventors: David Bradley Wertheimer, Michael Alan Gooch, Steven Arthur Thorpe, Bryan Jose Gonzalez, Alexander Moore St. Laurent
  • Patent number: 9686586
    Abstract: A method for audio matching may include sending a request to an external server to deliver a plurality of main media segments to the media device, receiving a first main media segment, and playing the received first main media segment. The method may further include determining audio parameters of the first main media segment, determining audio parameters of a first interstitial media segment to be served in proximity to the first main media segment, determining when the audio parameters of the first interstitial media segment are to be adjusted to match the audio parameters of the first main media segment, adjusting the audio parameters of the first interstitial media segment, and playing the first main video followed by the first interstitial media segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: David Alan Kosslyn
  • Patent number: 9681163
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described for validating files associated with content items. The validation can be performed according to feedback statistics including failure rates pertaining to the content items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Jiang Xuan
  • Patent number: 9641790
    Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed that relate to creating and providing an interactive video program. One disclosed embodiment includes combining a first interactive video segment of a first type and a second interactive video segment of a second, different type than the first segment. The first interactive video segment includes a first video component, a second video component related to the first component, and metadata including information related to a possible user input that triggers the second component. The interactive video program includes an active viewing route that proceeds through the first and second interactive video segments, and includes playback of the second component. The active viewing route is triggered by receipt of an actual user input that corresponds to the possible user input. The interactive video program also includes a passive viewing route that proceeds through the first and second interactive video segments without playback of the second component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Brian Stone, Jerry Johnson, Joshua Whitney Samuels Atkins
  • Patent number: 9635439
    Abstract: Reception apparatus, method, computer-readable storage medium, and information providing apparatus for a trigger. The reception apparatus includes a tuner/demodulator and a processor. The tuner/demodulator is configured to receive content included in a transport stream from a content source. The transport stream includes a trigger associated with the content and references information included in the transport stream. The processor is configured to retrieve the trigger from the transport stream, and to retrieve the information from the transport stream based on the reference in the trigger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: SATURN LICENSING LLC
    Inventor: Mark Eyer
  • Patent number: 9628870
    Abstract: A tile processor is configured to analyze sensor data to identify the at least one viewer and to generate tile configuration data in response to the identification of the at least one viewer that indicates a tiled partitioning of a screen display into a plurality of tiled regions. An A/V player generates tiled display data for display of the at least video program on a display device in accordance with the tile configuration data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: ViXS Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Sally Jean Daub, John Pomeroy, Indra Laksono
  • Patent number: 9621955
    Abstract: A computer system determines user scores for each channel. The user scores for a respective channel are based on activity of the users accessing one or more media items of the respective channel. The system determines a channel score for the respective channel using the user scores that correspond to the respective channel The channel score indicates a likelihood of the respective channel to have repeated user visits. The system determines a set of the channels relevant to one or more users, and causes a subset of the set of channels to be selected for promotion to the one or more users based on channel scores for the set of channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: GOOGLE INC.
    Inventors: Thabet Alfishawi, Ankur Ramakant Khetan, Mark Stevens
  • Patent number: 9615129
    Abstract: A method of synchronizing multiple devices with each other is provided. The method includes generating first interworking information corresponding to a first device, transmitting the generated first interworking information to the first device, receiving second interworking information from a second device and if the first interworking information corresponds to the second interworking information, synchronizing the first device with the second device, wherein the second device is configured to display broadcasting related information generated based on a broadcasting schedule provided by a broadcasting transmission apparatus that transmits broadcasting contents to the first device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: KT Corporation
    Inventors: Joon-Woo Park, Hyun-Sook Kim, Sung-En Park, Seung-Ho Yeon