Patents Examined by Hoang-Vu A Nguyen-Ba
  • Distribution schemes for storing multiple bitrate content
    Patent number: 9432701
    Abstract: A remote storage digital video recorder (RS-DVR) system is disclosed. The RS-DVR system includes a network interface to communicate data between the RS-DVR system and a subscriber system via a network, a file system module coupled to the network interface, an ingest agent coupled to the file system module to receive encoded media segments that represent media content files encoded at a plurality of different bitrates; and a storage architecture coupled to the file system to store the encoded media segments, resulting in stored media segments. The RS-DVR carries out a number of functions and operations to service multiple subscribers and associated subscriber systems, such as various storage device management operations, file structure techniques, assignment of recorded media to subscribers, file system indexing, and supporting shared and per-subscriber content rights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: EchoStar Technologies L.L.C.
    Inventors: Robert Drew Major, Darren Major
  • System and method for transmitting frequently content items
    Patent number: 9432630
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system that optimizes transmission of content. Requests for a content type and an element within the content type is received Most frequently requested content types and most frequently requested elements within each of the most frequently requested content types are determined. A transmit rate for each of the frequently requested content types is determined, wherein the frequently requested content types with a higher request count receive a higher transmit rate than frequently requested content types with a lower request count. The most frequently requested elements within each of the most frequently requested content types are transmitted at the determined transmit rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: OpenTV, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Sedlak, Thomas Lemmons, Gary Rasmussen, Ian Zenoni, Thomas Huber
  • Method and apparatus for presenting advertising in content having an emotional context
    Patent number: 9426538
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, receiving a media program on a first media channel, detecting a first segment in the media program, where the first segment comprises media content combined with an embedded advertisement, determining a first emotional context from a first analysis of the media content, determining a second emotional context from a second analysis of the embedded advertisement, and detecting an inconsistency between the first emotional context and the second emotional context. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, LP
    Inventor: Simon D. Byers
  • Methods and apparatus to adaptively select sensor(s) to gather audience measurement data based on a variable system factor
    Patent number: 9426508
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to adaptively gather audience information data are disclosed. The disclosed methods and apparatus monitor system factor(s) and select one or more sensors from a plurality of sensors positioned to gather audience measurement data based on the monitored factor(s). Thus, the disclosed methods and apparatus adapt to the conditions they face by selecting an amount and/or type of audience measurement data they gather.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
    Inventors: Paul M. Mears, Arun Ramaswamy
  • Content isolation and processing for inline video playback
    Patent number: 9420324
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods and apparatus for processing and displaying playback of a video in a handheld device. More specifically, the present disclosure describes an inline video processing and playback, wherein the video playback may be optimized based on variable local conditions, such as the capabilities of the handheld device and the network connection speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: PARRABLE, INC.
    Inventor: Dharun Ravi
  • Recommendation and purchase options for recommemded products based on associations between a user and consumed digital content
    Patent number: 9420319
    Abstract: Features are disclosed for providing notifications or recommendations to users based on user profile information and digital content the user is watching. In some implementations, a user can be watching a television program on a network enabled television. The systems and methods may determine characteristics of the television program and obtain user profile information. The systems and methods then may analyze the determined characteristics and user profile information to determine an association between the user and an item of interest in the television program. The systems and methods then may generate and provide a notification relating to the association to the user. Optionally, the systems and methods may also provide one or more recommendations to the user based at least in part on the determined association.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: AUDIBLE, INC.
    Inventors: Guy Ashley Story, Jr., Ajay Arora, Douglas Scott Goldstein, Douglas Cho Hwang, Shirley C. Yang
  • Chunking of multiple track audio for adaptive bit rate streaming
    Patent number: 9407955
    Abstract: Systems, devices and methods are provided to support multiple audio tracks in an adaptive media stream. Segments of the adaptive stream are encoded so that the player is able to locate and request a specific one of the available audio tracks using byte range requests or the like. Audio content can be removed from video segments, or at least moved to the end of the segments so that a byte range request obtains just the video content when the default audio is not desired. The audio content can be obtained from a separate audio segment. Indeed, multiple audio tracks can be packaged into a common audio segment so that byte range requests can obtain just the particular audio track desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: EchoStar Technologies L.L.C.
    Inventor: Mark B. Hurst
  • Temporary storage of recorded content on a cloud storage server
    Patent number: 9398316
    Abstract: A server device may receive, from a user device, a request to store a unique copy of particular content, associated with a particular user; store, in a storage device associated with the server device, the unique copy of the particular content; determine a set of attributes of the particular content; determine a set of criteria based on which the unique copy of the particular content should be provided to the user device, the determining being based on one or more attributes, of the set of attributes of the particular content; determine that the set of criteria have been met; output, based on determining that the set of criteria have been met, the unique copy of the particular content to the user device; and delete the unique copy of the particular content from the storage device after outputting the particular content to the user device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignees: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc., Verizon and Redbox Digital Entertainment Services, LLC
    Inventors: Michael P. Ruffini, Jianxiu Hao, Sankar Subramanian, Joseph E. Scott
  • Method and a control device for controlling and operating a media renderer and a media server and for notifying the media renderer when there are too many resource being prefetched, and a method of operating a media renderer device
    Patent number: 9392340
    Abstract: After the calling of the playback action of the first resource, the control device calls a multiple resource prefetch action including a plurality of prefetch resource identifiers for a plurality of prefetch resources. The media renderer prefetches the plurality of prefetch resources from the media server on the basis of the plurality of prefetch resource identifiers. The control device calls a playback action of a second resource corresponding to one of the plurality of prefetch resources. The media renderer provides seamless transition between the first resource and the second resource.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Younghwan Kwon, Janghun Bae, Hyeonjae Lee, Seungryul Yang
  • Content recommendation based on user location and available devices
    Patent number: 9392308
    Abstract: A method for making a content recommendation to at least one user commences by first establishing a location for the at least one user. Thereafter a check occurs to determine which devices are available to the at least one user to use (e.g., consume) the content at the location. Next, the content available to the at least one user is determined based on at least the user's location and available devices available to the at least one user. A content recommendation is then made among the available content based on at least one attribute of the at least one user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Samir Ahmed, Clayton Alexander Thomson, Joel Fogelson
  • System and method for enabling pairing of a companion device with a mate device for performing a companion device
    Patent number: 9374619
    Abstract: A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes establishing a connection between a first client and a messaging fabric of a conductor element associated with a video system; receiving a request to perform a companion service with a second client; authenticating the first client via a client directory based on an identifier associated with the first client; receiving a pair message from the first client for the second client; and verifying whether the two clients can be paired in order to perform the companion service. Companion service commands can be authorized/policy checked and resulting commands on the second client may appear as-if they had been triggered locally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: CISCO TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Flemming S. Andreasen, Gil C. Cruz, Nick George Pope
  • Display device and method for controlling display device to selectively display images with content
    Patent number: 9374622
    Abstract: The present invention includes (i) a tuner (21b) for preferentially receiving broadcast waves (2b) for carrying television programs (3b) list-displayed near a television program (3a) carried by a broadcast wave (2a) rather than a broadcast wave for carrying television programs which are list-displayed away from the television program (3a) and (ii) an information obtaining section (11) for obtaining thumbnails (5a) representing the television programs (3b) from the broadcast waves (2b) received by the tuner (21b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshiyasu Ogasawara, Masahiro Tai, Kazunori Yoshizawa
  • Method and system for transferring user settings to another user receiving device
    Patent number: 9351040
    Abstract: A system and method for operating a user receiving device includes a head end associating a first user device with a user account having first user settings. A first user device communicates a device identifier associated with the user receiving device to the head end. The head end communicates the first user settings associated with the user account to the user receiving device. The user receiving device operates with the first user settings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Kuriacose Joseph, Scott D. Casavant, Sean S. Lee, Phillip T. Wang, Matthew J. Thompson, Brady C. Tsurutani, David N. Schlacht, Johnny Shum
  • Display device, television, search method and recording medium for searching based on keyword and search system
    Patent number: 9351049
    Abstract: The present invention provides a television including first to fourth keyword candidate acquiring sections for acquiring a plurality of keyword candidates according to algorisms different from each other; a keyword determining section for causing a display section to display thereon a keyword list including the plurality of keyword candidates thus obtained by the keyword candidate acquiring means, and for determining that a search keyword is to be a keyword candidate selected from the keyword list by an input instruction; and a search scope determining section for causing the display section to display a search scope list of a plurality of search scopes different from each other, and for determining that a search scope to be used for search process with the search keyword is to be a search scope selected from the search scope list by an input instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuma Naito, Takeshi Yarita, Yoshiyasu Ogasawara
  • Generating user selectable media event using graphics page
    Patent number: 9342221
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling a media generation system where a media event may be selected via a stateless software module, the system receiving a media event protocol file corresponding to the selected media event. The media generation system generates the media event based on the received media event protocol file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Nga Marie Nguyen
  • User assigned channel numbering for content from multiple input source types
    Patent number: 9344766
    Abstract: A user is enabled to assign channel numbers to his favorite content, including TV stations, Internet sites, local applications, and recorded content. In this way, the user's favorite content sources are grouped so that they can be quickly accessed using channel up/down commands regardless of, e.g., the actual channel number of a favorite TV station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Marvin DeMerchant
  • User terminal apparatus, server, and method for providing broadcast viewing pattern information
    Patent number: 9319748
    Abstract: A method of providing viewing pattern information of a user terminal apparatus is provided. The method includes: transmitting content viewing information of the user terminal apparatus to a server; receiving information about a channel on which a content is broadcast among a plurality of channels that are on air, from the server; requesting viewing pattern information of the plurality of channels from the server; and receiving and displaying viewing pattern information, which is calculated based on a viewer rating acquired by aggregating the transmitted channel information, from the server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Byung-jin Kim, Seok-hyun Yoon, Hyung-dong Lee, Yoon-hee Choi
  • Display apparatus, image processing apparatus and control method for selecting and displaying related image content of primary image content
    Patent number: 9319728
    Abstract: There is provided an image processing apparatus which comprises a receiver which receives primary image content; a communicator which communicates with at least one supply source which supplies related image content of the primary image content; a signal processor which processes and outputs the primary image content; and a controller which controls the communicator to request the supply source to supply the related image content, and controls the signal processor to process and play the related image content supplied from the supply source in response to the request if a user selects a key to play the related image content of the primary image content while the primary image content received by the receiver is processed by the signal processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Seong-il Ko
  • Distribution control, method and system for changing a parameter of reproduction quality at a communication terminal based on the received transmission delay time information
    Patent number: 9294533
    Abstract: A distribution control system distributes data to a communication terminal through a communication network. The distribution control system includes a receiver configured to receive, from the communication terminal, transmission delay time information indicating transmission delay time from when the data is distributed by the distribution control system to when the data is received by the communication terminal; and a changing unit configured to change, based on the transmission delay time information received by the receiver, a parameter of reproduction quality when the data is reproduced by the communication terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventor: Kiyoshi Kasatani
  • System and method for controlling a mirror link of a multimedia system and portable terminal
    Patent number: 9294798
    Abstract: A system and method of controlling a mirror link are provided. The method includes connecting, by a controller, a multimedia system mounted within a vehicle to a portable terminal and executing an application to perform the mirror link. In addition, a menu is output to independently control an output image of the multimedia system and the portable terminal to the vehicle. The controller is also configured to independently control the output image of the multimedia system and the portable terminal based on a user selection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Hyun Chul Sim