Patents Examined by Jonathan V. Lewis
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Patent number: 8468570Abstract: A method and system for providing personal video recording functions to a client viewing a broadcast program in a multi-client network. To provide the PVR functions, predetermined storage limits are allocated for each client in a storage device on the network. Each client is permitted to execute the PVR functions if the client's stored broadcast programming has not reached the client's predetermined storage limit. Otherwise, the client is only permitted to view the broadcast program in real time or the stored broadcast program. A client may clear space in the client's allocated portion of the storage device by fast-forwarding through stored broadcast programming.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2003Date of Patent: June 18, 2013Assignee: Thomson LicensingInventor: Terry Wayne Lockridge
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Patent number: 8464306Abstract: A transport stream processing apparatus includes a demodulation module, a transport stream storage module, a multiplexer, and a conditional access system interface. The demodulation module is for demodulating an input signal to generate a first transport stream. The transport stream storage module is for storing a second transport stream. The multiplexer has an output port, a first input port for receiving the first transport stream, and a second input port for receiving the second transport stream. The multiplexer selectively couples the first input port or the second input port to the output port. The conditional access system interface is coupled to the output port of the multiplexer for coupling a conditional access module. The conditional access system interface transmits a transport stream outputted from the output port of the multiplexer to the conditional access module for signal processing when the conditional access module is coupled to the conditional access system interface.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2008Date of Patent: June 11, 2013Assignee: Mediatek Inc.Inventor: You-Min Yeh
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Patent number: 8458740Abstract: A device is enabled to display Internet TV by accessing a management server and receiving back from the server a user token and a service list of predefined content servers. A user can select a content server on the service list which causes the device to upload its user token to the management server, which in turn sends back the network path to the content server along with a content server-user-unique service token (SUIT) that the device uses to access the content on the content server, in some embodiments on per-title PPV access, per-content category PPV access, or per-service PPV access.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2010Date of Patent: June 4, 2013Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: True Xiong, Charles David McCoy, Viral Mehta, Leo Pedlow, Aran Sadja
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Patent number: 8446531Abstract: A system and method for detecting a sampling clock offset of an analog-to-digital converter used to digitize an analog image signal. A method comprises buffering samples of an analog image signal, computing a value of an autocorrelation function using the buffered samples and a delayed version of the buffered samples, and repeating the computing a value for delays in a range of delays. The method also comprises computing a sampling frequency offset from the values of the autocorrelation function and changing a sampling frequency using the sampling frequency offset.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2008Date of Patent: May 21, 2013Assignee: Texas Instruments IncorporatedInventors: Bing Ouyang, John Michael Hayden, Troy Lane Ethridge, Hong Jin Cho, Jeff Kordel
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Patent number: 8443409Abstract: A video controller selects a channel for premises broadcasting to a premises television based on a fast scan of signal strength in channels available over a premises media. The signal strength of certain filtered channel frequencies can be evaluated to determine if a channel is occupied. Unoccupied channels can be ranked in relation to nearby occupied or unoccupied channels. The nearby channels may be ranked in terms of the signal strength content in relation to the channel being evaluated. The video controller can select an unoccupied channel with an optimal ranking to permit premises broadcasting with reduced interference or conflict with other channels.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2009Date of Patent: May 14, 2013Assignee: Zeevee, Inc.Inventors: Scott J. Bleiweiss, Victor Odryna, Stephen D. Metzger, David J. Feng, Preston C. Shimer, Jeremy L. Mordkoff, Oscar Purwin, Jeffrey Bacon
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Patent number: 8434121Abstract: A method for monitoring a bandwidth configuration for a plurality of customer premises connected to a video head-end office in an Internet Protocol television network is disclosed. The bandwidth configuration is received for each of the plurality of customer premises. The bandwidth configuration is stored for each of the plurality of customer premises in a memory of a first server. A data file is received from the video head-end office. The data file indicates that a set-top box device located at one of the customer premises has requested a video stream that would exceed a first number of video streams available to the one of the customer premises and that would exceed a first bandwidth currently available between the video head-end office and the one of the customer premises. The data file is stored in the memory of the first server.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2009Date of Patent: April 30, 2013Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.Inventors: Kenneth Ospalik, Marissa Earnshaw, Daniel P. Malee, John Mathew, Giya Tektumanidze
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Patent number: 8397253Abstract: Described are methods and apparatuses, including computer program products, for inserting personalized information into digital content. A request for digital video content is received by a computing device. The request includes authentication data associated with a user of a client device. Personalized data to be inserted into the requested video content is generated by the computing device. The personalized data and the requested video content are combined by the computing device. The combining includes replacing one or more frames of the requested video content with the personalized data to generate personalized video content.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2009Date of Patent: March 12, 2013Assignee: FMR LLCInventors: John C. McDonough, Hadley Rupert Stern
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Patent number: 8365218Abstract: A television and a method thereof are provided. The television includes a display, a first network interface to a packet-based network, and a decoder operable to process a multimedia data stream received via the first network interface, wherein the television is operable to display video content of the multimedia data stream on the display promptly upon receipt of a user request to power up the television. The method includes receiving a multimedia data stream at a network interface of a television, wherein the network interface is coupled to a packet-based network, processing the multimedia data stream at a decoder of the television to generate video content and providing the video content to a display of the television, wherein the television displays video content of the multimedia data stream promptly upon receipt of a request to power up the television.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2005Date of Patent: January 29, 2013Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.Inventors: Edward Walter, Yolius Diroo, Steven M. Wollmershauser
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Patent number: 8341675Abstract: A method and system for providing program guide data to a user network device associated with a user identifier includes a partner service provider in communication with the user network device and a primary service provider in communication with the partner service provider authenticating the user network device provider using the user identifier. The user network device generates a request for program guide data and communicates the user identifier and the request to the partner service provider. The partner service provider or the primary service provider communicates program guide data to the user network device based on the identifier data. The user network device displays the program guide data on a display device.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2007Date of Patent: December 25, 2012Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.Inventor: Kapil Chaudhry
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Patent number: 8302147Abstract: A method for processing an input signal is disclosed. The method includes receiving an input signal. The method also includes applying a first transfer function to the input signal to produce a first signal, wherein the first transfer function exhibits a high pass characteristic. The method further includes applying a second transfer function to the input signal to produce a second signal, the second transfer function exhibiting a low pass characteristic.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2003Date of Patent: October 30, 2012Assignee: CSR Technology Inc.Inventors: Kurt J. Richter, Angelika Schneider
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Patent number: 8286213Abstract: An HTTP based video streaming apparatus and method of a mobile communication system is disclosed. A memory, such as a storing disk, stores content files received from a server of a transmitting party, a random access searching unit searches the random access point in the memory and transmits a content file request message to the transmitting server if the random access point does not exist in the memory, and a display unit displays the files from the random access point. Therefore, HTTP streaming service from a random point required by a user can be provided when the streaming has begun, and the random access function can be supported by even if the part required by the user has not yet been transmitted to receiving party.Type: GrantFiled: October 6, 2003Date of Patent: October 9, 2012Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.Inventor: Kwang-Deok Seo
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Patent number: 8276181Abstract: A content distribution system includes a distribution center, a processor, a switch, and first and second multiplexers. The distribution center receives and applies program content on program channels. The processor identifies subsets of the program channels in response to a respective score associated with the program channels. The switch couples the distribution center to the multiplexers. The switch applies program channels to respective inputs of the first and second multiplexers in response to the processor. A method for optimizing a multiplexed transport channel includes the steps of identifying a set of program channels designated for distribution via the multiplexed transport channel, arranging the set of program channels in subsets, the program channels within a subset grouped in accordance with a viewing score, multiplexing the program channels of the subsets to a respective transport channel and applying the respective transport channels to a distribution medium for delivery to the destination.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2007Date of Patent: September 25, 2012Assignee: General Instrument CorporationInventor: Glenn Altchek
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Patent number: 8272005Abstract: An information monitoring and updating method and system for a transport stream is provided. First, a transport stream is received. The transport stream includes a program specific information (PSI) table, and the PSI table is divided into a plurality of sections. Next, by setting a first filtering parameter of a monitor-section filter, the header of each section of the PSI table is filtered out and is then checked whether to be a latest version or not. When all the section headers of the PSI table are of the latest version, each section of the PSI table is filtered by setting a second filtering parameter of a table-section filter.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2007Date of Patent: September 18, 2012Assignee: Industrial Technology Research InstituteInventors: Chien-Yu Yang, Cheng-Peng Kuan
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Patent number: 8250612Abstract: A digital broadcasting system and a method for processing data in the same are disclosed. A method for controlling a digital television (DTV) located in one independent space among a plurality of independent spaces physically separated from one another is disclosed. The DTV includes an access point (AP) card. The method includes receiving guest information recorded in a storage area of a compact wireless device and a wired equivalent privacy (WEP) key value of the AP card, receiving the WEP key value corresponding to the AP card of the DTV from a management server, comparing the WEP key value received from the compact wireless device with the WEP key value received from the management server, switching an operation mode of the DTV from a power-off mode to a wake mode, if the WEP key values are identical to each other, and controlling at least one guest information received from the compact wireless device to be displayed.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2009Date of Patent: August 21, 2012Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.Inventors: Tae Wook Kim, Sang Rea Woo
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Patent number: 8248493Abstract: A video signal processing apparatus includes a non-equidistant section determination circuit, a sample data register, and an interpolation computation circuit. The non-equidistant section determination circuit detects a non-equidistant section having different intervals between plural sample points set for the dynamic range of a video signal to be inputted. The sample data register holds the signal level (correction level) of a video signal after correction for each sample point. The interpolation computation circuit obtains the signal level of the video signal after correction by executing cubic interpolation computation with reference to the correction level. Here, a first section is defined as a section located on a lower signal level side and having intervals of X (X>0) between sample points, and a second section is defined as a section located on a higher level side and having intervals of Y (Y>0, X?Y) between sample points.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2008Date of Patent: August 21, 2012Assignee: Renesas Electronics CorporationInventor: Fuminori Higashi
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Patent number: 8250601Abstract: A configuration apparatus includes a user interface allowing a user to initiate configuration of at least a target configurable device selected from a plurality of configurable devices. A command module is coupled to the user interface for dynamically generating a sequence of commands required to configure the target configurable device. The sequence of commands includes commands for entering a hidden service-configuration menu of the target configurable device. A communication module is coupled to the command module for transmitting the sequence of commands to the target configurable device.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2011Date of Patent: August 21, 2012Assignee: Guest Tek Interactive Entertainment Ltd.Inventor: Brian King
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Patent number: 8245254Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes an obtaining unit configured to obtain program information on programs that are to be broadcast in a predetermined time period; an extraction unit configured to extract keywords indicating the content of the programs from text data contained in the program information; a storage unit configured to prestore theme definition information containing information on the keywords; a theme identifying unit configured to identify which theme a predetermined program belongs to on the basis of the keyword and the theme definition information; and a rate-of-change computation unit configured to compute, for each of the identified themes, a rate of change of the number of times a program belonging to the identified theme is broadcast on a first day in the predetermined time period to the number of times the program is broadcast on a second day.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 2009Date of Patent: August 14, 2012Assignee: Sony CorporationInventor: Tsuyoshi Takagi
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Patent number: 8239909Abstract: A video and audio stream is predicted that is to be selected for reception next to a video and audio stream that is being received by the terminal or that is after a video and audio stream that has been selected for reception by the terminal. Resources necessary for delivering the predicted video and audio stream, in addition to resources necessary for the video and audio stream that is being received by the terminal or that has been selected for reception by the terminal, are secured in advance before a user of the terminal selects the next video and audio stream. The predicted video and audio stream is not delivered to the terminal before it coincides with a video and audio stream that is selected at the next zapping.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2008Date of Patent: August 7, 2012Assignee: NEC CorporationInventors: Shuhei Miura, Katsuhiro Ochiai, Akira Kobayashi, Motonobu Kimura, Kaname Naito, Junichi Sato
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Patent number: 8230465Abstract: The invention relates to an ad-hoc peer to peer network for providing recommendations. User terminals (100, 103) of the data network comprise a local database (115) with community reference information. A processor (111) determines if a communication with a second user terminal (103) is possible and if so, communication is established by a direct wireless link. Community preference information is exchanged between the two user terminals (100,103) and the database (115) is updated accordingly by a database controller (113). The user terminal (100) also comprises a recommendation processor (117) which generates a recommendation based on the community preference information. The invention is particular applicable to small low cost terminals, such as mobile phones or wireless equipped Personal Digital Assistants.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2003Date of Patent: July 24, 2012Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.Inventor: Maarten Peter Bodlaender
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Patent number: 8212941Abstract: A digitized analog television signal processing system is disclosed, comprising an analog-to-digital converter, a demodulation unit, a decoding unit, and a control unit. The analog-to-digital converter samples a television signal comprising a video signal. The demodulation unit demodulates the video signal. The decoding unit decodes the demodulated video signal. The control unit adjusts the demodulation unit according to a signal quality indicator generated during and/or after the decoding of the decoding unit.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2008Date of Patent: July 3, 2012Assignee: Mediatek Inc.Inventors: Ming-Luen Liou, Ray-Kuo Lin, Yi-Fu Chen