Patents Examined by Kieu-Oanh T Bui
  • Patent number: 9992549
    Abstract: A transmission method includes: generating one or more transfer frames that each store one or more streams used for content transfer; and transmitting the one or more generated frames through broadcast, each of the one or more streams storing one or more second transfer units, each of the one or more second transfer units storing one or more first transfer units, and each of the one or more first transfer units storing one or more Internet Protocol (IP) packets. In at least one stream among the one or more streams, each of the first transfer units positioned at a head contains reference clock information indicating time used for reproduction of the content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
    Inventors: Noritaka Iguchi, Tadamasa Toma, Hisaya Katou
  • Patent number: 9992529
    Abstract: Accordingly, there is provided a method in a first media device arranged to display a video. The method comprises receiving a selection of a video, and receiving an instruction from a user to display the video on a second media device. The method further comprises, in response to said instruction from the user, requesting an indication from the user as to where on a display of the second media device to display the video. The method further comprises receiving an indication from the user as to where on the display of the second media device to display the video. The method further comprises sending an instruction to the second media device, the instruction indicating where the second media device should display the video; and transferring video playback from the first media device to the second media device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
    Inventor: Yvo Bogers
  • Patent number: 9992550
    Abstract: A transmission method includes generating one or more frames for content transfer using IP (Internet Protocol) packets, and transmitting the one or more generated frames by broadcast. Each of the one or more frames contains a plurality of second transfer units, each of the plurality of second transfer units contains one or more first transfer units, and each of the one or more first transfer units contains at least one of the IP packets. An object IP packet of the IP packets which is stored in a first transfer unit positioned at a head in the one or more frames contains reference clock information that indicates time for reproduction of the content in data structure different from data structure of an MMT (MPEG Media Transport) packet, and header compression processing on the object IP packet is omitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
    Inventors: Noritaka Iguchi, Tadamasa Toma, Hisaya Katou
  • Patent number: 9967623
    Abstract: According to embodiments of the present invention, a receiver obtains service location information which defines current and next sources from which a data stream can be obtained, and a switching time at which the source of the data stream will be switched from the current source to the next source. Before the switching time, the receiver receives the data stream from the current source, and after the switching time, the receiver receives the data stream from the next source. The next source can be defined in initial service location information, or in updated service location information obtained later. An apparatus and method for providing the service location information are also disclosed. In some embodiments, a broadcast provider and/or the receiver can execute a method to compensate for an IP delay experienced by the receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Arthur Simon Waller
  • Patent number: 9967602
    Abstract: Provided is a method for transmitting a broadcasting content and a line content, the broadcasting content and the line content being synchronously displayed, the method including: generating a line parity packet from a plurality of line data packets in each of which the line content is stored; transmitting the line data packet and the line parity packet through a communication line; and transmitting a plurality of broadcasting data packets in each of which the broadcasting content is stored, from a base station using a broadcasting wave, a transfer clock time of the broadcasting content being delayed by a predetermined time compared with a transfer clock time of the line content. At this point, video quality can be improved when the real-time broadcasting program content and the real-time line content are simultaneously displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
    Inventors: Yutaka Murakami, Tomohiro Kimura
  • Patent number: 9966110
    Abstract: In one aspect, an example method includes (i) receiving, by a computing system, a first command; (ii) responsive to receiving the first command, executing, by the computing system, a first portion of a digital-video effect (DVE) by sequentially performing a first subset of ordered steps, wherein executing the first portion of the DVE causes the computing system to generate a first portion of video content at a first frame rate; (iii) receiving, by the computing system, a second command that is different from the first command; and (iv) responsive to receiving the second command, executing, by the computing system, a second portion of the DVE by sequentially performing a second subset of ordered steps, wherein executing the second portion of the DVE causes the computing system to generate a second portion of the video content at a second frame rate that is different than the first frame rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Tribune Broadcasting Company, LLC
    Inventor: Hank J. Hundemer
  • Patent number: 9961392
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method, apparatus and a system of synchronizing audio with video. A receiving device receives a video signal embedded with a video sync signal and an audio signal embedded with an audio sync signal provided by a sending device; searches for the video sync signal in the video signal, searches for the audio sync signal in the audio signal; and processes the video signal and the audio signal according to a time when the video sync signal occurs in the video signal and a time when the audio sync signal occurs in the audio signal to make the processed audio signal synchronized with the processed video signal during playback.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Tencent Technology (Shenzhen) Company Limited
    Inventor: Jiawen Huang
  • Patent number: 9961395
    Abstract: The invention presents a method of providing a modified manifest to a video client for streaming a video sequence associated with the manifest. An original manifest is modified to replace references to locations of lower quality, or bit rate, segments with references to equivalent segments at a higher quality, or bit rate, if the higher quality segment is cached locally. Then, when the video client determines that a given quality of segment should be streamed, it uses the modified manifest to retrieve the appropriate reference for that segment, and if a replacement has taken place, will be provided with the reference to the replacement segment at the higher quality. Thus, the client will always be provided with the highest possible quality segment taking into account local caching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: BRITISH TELECOMMUNICATIONS public limited company
    Inventors: Ian B Crabtree, Timothy S Stevens, Brahim Allan, Rory S Turnbull
  • Patent number: 9948962
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for improving the bandwidth efficiency of delivering electronic program guide (EPG) data to consumer premises equipment (CPE). In one exemplary embodiment, electronic guide data is rendered by devices away from the CPE, shifting the executing data- and bandwidth-heavy operations away from the CPE. In particular, one or more gateways at the user's home bears the processing, memory, bandwidth load to reduce the inefficiency of delivering redundant information to CPE(s) interfacing with the gateway(s). Using guide data it receives from the cloud, the gateway produces and delivers to the CPE one or more “simple views” of the guide data, including a video stream, still image, or simple HTML or other renderable formats. As the end user interacts with the CPE, the user receives a series of the simple views, allowing the rich experience that is typically given by EPG rendered directly by the CPE.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: TIME WARNER CABLE ENTERPRISES LLC
    Inventors: Nicholas Nielsen, Thomas Reed, Eric Hybertson
  • Patent number: 9930402
    Abstract: In embodiments, apparatuses, methods and storage media are described that are associated with adjusting audio during content presentation. While content is being presented, one or more persons may be identified that are consuming the content. The persons may be identified via various techniques, such as voice recognition, facial recognition, and distance detection. When persons may be uniquely identified, user audio preferences may be retrieved and used to adjust audio. Audio may be adjusted when persons are not uniquely identified, such as based on a number of persons or their location relative to a content consumption device. Audio adjustment may include volume adjustment and/or adjustment of audio, such as through application of audio effects, as it being presented. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventor: Junhua Hou
  • Patent number: 9927879
    Abstract: An intelligent television, methods for displaying content, and methods for user interaction between the intelligent television and the user are provided. In general, a user is provided with an application panel allowing for navigation, categories, favorites, and search options that enable one or more functions associated with the intelligent television. The presentation of options is based on input received by the intelligent television. As a user provides input to the intelligent television via a remote control or other input device. The intelligent television is configured to interpret the input and provide interactive functionality in the form of content presented to the display of the intelligent television without obstructing the user from viewing content displayed on the screen of the intelligent television.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Flextronics AP, LLC
    Inventors: Sanjiv Sirpal, Mohammed Selim
  • Patent number: 9930328
    Abstract: A device having a test module configured to connect with a server through a cellular telephone network and a wireless area network. The test module is also configured to initiate, in the server, a diagnostic test of an interactive television network and a media processor. The test module is further configured to receive information indicating problems with the television network and the media processor, and to display the information on a display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Michael Boatright, Nathan L. Edwards, Sean T. Hamrick
  • Patent number: 9930386
    Abstract: A method transmitting a video program having an initial video quality and information related to the video program to multiple devices having an initial information quality is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Yan Xu, Lin Du, Wei Zhou
  • Patent number: 9918117
    Abstract: Method and system for managing advertising in program streams. Advertisement opportunities (avails) in a program stream may be divided into sections (subavails) with the goal of directing advertising at a particular target audience (group). A program stream is split into one or more sub-streams to produce additional advertising avail sections (subavails) able to be targeted to a subgroup of subscribers. Subavails may also refer to various advertisement opportunities in different presentation streams (sub-streams). Each sub-stream may be targeted at a subgroup of subscribers with demographic and product preference characteristics. By correlating the subscriber characteristics with advertisement parameters supplied by an advertiser, the system/method determines which advertisement is best to display in the one or more subavails. Accordingly, such a subavail, or group of subavails may be sold to an advertiser, e.g., via an auction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: PRIME RESEARCH ALLIANCE E., INC.
    Inventors: Charles A. Eldering, Gregory C. Flickinger, John P. Blasko
  • Patent number: 9906823
    Abstract: A server for transmitting and receiving messages for a Signaling (S) layer in a Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) Media Transport (MMT) is provided. The server includes a first sub-layer of the S layer for producing first messages to provide information used for the use of MPEG a second sub-layer of the S layer for producing second messages to provide information used for delivering MPEG media, and a Delivery (D) layer for making external and internal deliveries of the first and the second messages, wherein each of the first and the second messages includes at least one field corresponding to each of the message type, version, length, extension field and payload.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., University of Seoul Industry Cooperation Foundation
    Inventors: Sung-Oh Hwang, Yong-Han Kim, Kyung-Mo Park, Sung-Ryeul Rhyu, Jae-Yeon Song
  • Patent number: 9894416
    Abstract: A video receiving apparatus includes a receiver, a first display, an extractor, an information forming controller, a number-of-viewer detector, a communicator, and a display controller, leading to appropriate display of configuration information and associated information of a video content. The extractor extracts a partial content from the video content. The information forming controller forms the configuration information from the partial content. The number-of-viewer detector detects the number of viewers present within a predetermined area. The communicator receives an identifier transmitted from a mobile terminal having a second display. The display controller can selectively display the configuration information on the second display of the mobile terminal identified by the identifier, and displays the configuration information on at least one of the first and second displays based on the number of the viewers and the number of the identifiers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masataka Ejima, Kenji Takita, Mitsuhiro Mori, Hiroyuki Yoshida
  • Patent number: 9888291
    Abstract: A method and system for self-broadcasting content during an ongoing content viewing activity. The method receives a request from a first user to broadcast the content and determines whether the first user is authorized to broadcast the content, and publishes the availability of the broadcasting content for viewing activity. Additionally, the method receives a request from one or more second users to view the broadcasted content along with criteria associated with the ongoing content viewing activity. The method determines whether one or more second users are authorized to view the broadcasted content. Further, the method creates a list of broadcasted content based on the criteria and sends the list of the broadcasted content to the first user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Basavaraj Jayawant Pattan
  • Patent number: 9883235
    Abstract: A system for providing video motion augmentation is disclosed. In particular, the system provides mechanisms for analyzing video content, metadata, or a combination thereof, to dynamically enhance and adapt regions of small movements or micro-movements in the video content based on a variety of inputs. The regions of small movements or micro-movements may be enhanced based on device characteristics associated with a device consuming the video content, based on a theme associated with the content, based on sensor data, based on user feedback, and based on a variety of other inputs. For example, motion content in the video content may be enhanced and emphasized based on the display resolution or other device characteristics of a device requesting the video content. Once the enhanced video content is generated based on the inputs, the enhanced content may be provided to the device requesting the content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventors: Eric Zavesky, James E. Jackson, James H. Pratt
  • Patent number: 9877055
    Abstract: A system and method for streaming video with dynamic user features enable content distribution systems to increase a user's total watch time. A user behavior server proposes additional watch recommendations to a user in response to detecting certain user behavior. Autoplay and autoscroll functionality is provided that permits a user to browse a video feed during playback of selected content. Global play and pause modes are disclosed that allow a user to select a preferred playback mode and have that mode persist across session and application launches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Kurt Wilms, Bryce Gibson Reid, Andrea Zvinakis, Matthew Turner Smith
  • Patent number: 9861899
    Abstract: A mobile application is disclosed enabling a first sporting event spectator to efficiently record game actions and a second sporting event spectator to simultaneously record real-time video of the game actions. Using a mobile device having a touch screen, the first user can efficiently, and with limited user interaction, indicate fast paced game actions of players engaged in a sport. Using a separate mobile device, or a video system in communication with a network, the second user can record video of a presently occurring game in which the game actions occur. A system in communication with the first and second users' devices can receive indications of game actions, and receive video of the game, and associate each indicated game action with a portion of the video of the game action. The system may, for example, use these associations to generate an index that enables users to view descriptions of the game actions and jump to corresponding video clips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Sports Logic Group, LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey Lowell Lawson, Darrell Knudson