Patents Examined by Sahar Aqil Riaz
  • Patent number: 11647237
    Abstract: A method to provide secure delivery of a manifest file for use in playback of a video signal on a video player. The method includes establishing a connection with the video player, wherein the connection has a session identifier identifying the connection with the video player, receiving a request from the video player for the video signal, wherein the video signal is associated with the manifest file created for the video signal, customizing, using the session identifier identifying the connection with the video player, the manifest file created for the video player to provide a customized manifest file that is unique to the video player, the customized manifest file to be used in playback of the video signal on the video player, encrypting the customized manifest file using a manifest encryption key which is based on the session identifier identifying the connection with the video player, and transmitting the encrypted manifest file to the video player.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Ismail R. Haritaoglu, Oztan Harmanci
  • Patent number: 11627379
    Abstract: Systems and methods for presenting custom navigation options are described herein. In some embodiments, the media guidance application displays a first portion of a media asset, and receives a user selection of an entity depicted within the portion. The media guidance application identifies a playlist of media asset portions associated with the entity, and generates for display a transport bar associated with the entity comprising an indicator identifying the entity and only one or more regions associated with the playlist of media asset portions. The media guidance application then receives a second user selection, and generates for display a second portion of the media asset associated with the entity in response. In some embodiments, the media guidance application identifies the playlist by searching a custom presentation database for entries associated with the entity, and retrieves the playlist from the identified entry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: ROVI GUIDES, INC.
    Inventors: William L. Thomas, Margret B. Schmidt, Ajay Kumar Gupta, Alexander W. Liston, Jonathan A. Logan, Mathew C. Burns, Gabriel C. Dalbec
  • Patent number: 11606595
    Abstract: A digital signage system allows a person to use the person's own mobile device as a voice input device to the digital signage system and also can leverage the person's mobile device in other ways such as by accepting other inputs from the mobile device, providing various outputs to the mobile device, or utilizing communication capabilities of the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Inventor: Joseph F. Kirley
  • Patent number: 11606626
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, by a device, playback content. The playback content is associated with an ATSC signal. The method also includes identifying, by the device, one or more markers in the playback content, communicating, by the device, information associated with the one or more markers to an advertisement decision engine, and receiving, by the device, a URL for an addressable targeted programmatic advertisement from the advertisement decision engine. The method further includes inserting, by the device, the addressable targeted programmatic advertisement URL into the playback content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Przemyslaw Kamela, Sonali Behera, Rajesh Krishna
  • Patent number: 11606630
    Abstract: A system may receive an entity identifier for a user. The entity identifier may identify an entity that is associated with a category. The system may identify channel(s) for the category by obtaining data for the user, and analyzing the data to determine a score for each channel. The system may use the scores to select one or more of the channels. The system may provide content related to the selected channel(s) to a client device of the user, and the user may interact with the content via the client device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Mathew Cowan, Christopher Pedregal
  • Patent number: 11582527
    Abstract: A method for aligning a translation of original caption data with an audio portion of a video is provided. The method includes identifying, by a processing device, original caption data for a video that includes a plurality of caption character strings. The processing device identifies speech recognition data that includes a plurality of generated character strings and associated timing information for each generated character string. The processing device maps the plurality of caption character strings to the plurality of generated character strings using assigned values indicative of semantic similarities between character strings. The processing device assigns timing information to the individual caption character strings based on timing information of mapped individual generated character strings. The processing device aligns a translation of the original caption data with the audio portion of the video using assigned timing information of the individual caption character strings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Terrence Paul McCartney, Jr., Brian Colonna, Michael Nechyba
  • Patent number: 11575955
    Abstract: A moderator client device may add program information for multi-media content using interactive elements. The moderator client device may associate an interactive component with the multi-media content using the interactive elements on a moderator interface. An interactive program may be generated from the multi-media content, tags and time-codes, and the interactive component. A response to the interactive program may be received from a viewer client device based on an interaction of the user of the viewer client device with the interactive component. The response received from the viewer client device may be displayed simultaneously with the updated interactive program on the display of each of a plurality of viewer client devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: MEDIAIP, LLC
    Inventor: Chad W. Shusman
  • Patent number: 11570520
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for data processing, a server, and a live broadcast system. The method includes: in response to a gift giving instruction sent by a first electronic device through a first user account on a first live broadcast platform, the gift giving instruction including a gift identifier of a virtual gift, and a platform identifier and a host identifier of a second live broadcast platform, determining a second virtual currency value of the virtual gift on the second live broadcast platform according to the gift identifier, and converting the second virtual currency value to a first virtual currency value on the first live broadcast platform; and sending information corresponding to the virtual gift to a second electronic device in response to deducting the first virtual currency value from the first user account.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: BEIJING DAJIA INTERNET INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yang Zhang
  • Patent number: 11570513
    Abstract: A method of identifying media content presented on a display device includes determining a selected input source providing a video signal to the display device, and then selecting a first set of content identification rules when it is determined that the selected input source is a first input source, and selecting a second set of content identification rules when it is determined that the selected input source is a second input source. The method further comprises applying the selected first set or second set of content identification rules to the video signal in order to generate content identification data for the media content presented on the display device. Application of the content identification rules includes waiting for a trigger event and applying an algorithm to one or more frames of the video signal following the trigger event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Hyphametrics, Inc.
    Inventors: Gerardo Lopez Zamudio, Joanna Drews
  • Patent number: 11546669
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for group-watching video streams. In one aspect, the disclosed systems and methods may provide expert commentary and annotations to enhance the enjoyment and engagement with the streaming media. The expert may be identified to join the group-watching event or pre-existing expert annotations may be displayed to the viewers at the group-watching event. In another aspect, the systems and methods nay generate an overlay for the streaming media that includes expert provided annotations and comments about the streaming media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT LLC
    Inventors: Kimberlee Smith, Leslie Espy
  • Patent number: 11540003
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and systems are disclosed for synchronizing streaming media content. An example apparatus includes a storage device, and a processor to execute instructions to identify a first source streaming broadcast media to a first computing device based on an audio fingerprint of audio associated with the broadcast media, identify sources broadcasting the broadcast media streaming to the first computing device, the sources available to a second computing device including the processor, select a second source of the identified sources for streaming the broadcast media to the second computing device, the second source different than the first source, detect termination of the streaming of the broadcast media on the first computing device, the termination corresponding to a termination time of the broadcast media, and automatically start, by using the selected second source, streaming of the broadcast media to the second computing device at the termination time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Gracenote, Inc.
    Inventors: Suresh Jeyachandran, Roger Tsai, Paul Emmanuel Quinn, Markus K. Cremer
  • Patent number: 11509970
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for group-watching video streams. In one aspect, the disclosed systems and methods may provide expert commentary and annotations to enhance the enjoyment and engagement with the streaming media. The expert may be identified to join the group-watching event or pre-existing expert annotations may be displayed to the viewers at the group-watching event. In another aspect, the systems and methods nay generate an overlay for the streaming media that includes expert provided annotations and comments about the streaming media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT LLC
    Inventors: Kimberlee Smith, Leslie Espy
  • Patent number: 11457274
    Abstract: Systems and methods for authorizing operations associated with blocked media assets using two-factor authentication. In some aspects, a media guidance application (e.g., executed by a set-top box or other user equipment used to store and display media assets) prompts a user for a password (e.g., a personal information number) in order to unlock the content for viewing. In response to receiving a second request from the user to perform an operation related to the media asset (e.g., delete), the media guidance application prompts the user for an additional factor confirming his or her identity, consistent with two-factor authentication protocol. If the user's identity is authenticated as a user that has authority to perform the operation related to the media asset (e.g., delete the stored media asset), the media guidance application performs the operation related to the media asset (e.g., deletes the media asset).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc.
    Inventors: Harshith Kumar Gejjegondanahally Sreekanth, Ashwini Dharwa, Sourabh Kumar, Sukanya Agarwal
  • Patent number: 11451855
    Abstract: A digital signage system allows a person to use the person's own mobile device as a voice input device to the digital signage system and also can leverage the person's mobile device in other ways such as by accepting other inputs from the mobile device, providing various outputs to the mobile device, or utilizing communication capabilities of the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Inventor: Joseph F. Kirley
  • Patent number: 11451867
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to monitor media are disclosed. An example apparatus includes an orderer to order metadata according to timing information, the metadata corresponding to digital media from a media provider; a data shifter to adjust the ordered metadata using a plurality of offsets to generate a plurality of adjusted ordered metadata; a comparator to perform a plurality of comparisons by comparing the plurality of adjusted ordered metadata to reference data; and compute a plurality of errors corresponding to the plurality of comparisons; and the data shifter to identify an offset of the plurality of offsets corresponding to a lowest computed error of the plurality of errors; and adjust the ordered metadata using the offset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Bo Qiang, Jone M. Burr, Lois Price, Scott L. Brown, Chris Nicotra, Arun Ramaswamy, Matthew M. Campbell, Kevin K. Gaynor
  • Patent number: 11388485
    Abstract: The present technology relates to a receiving device, a receiving method, a transmission device, and a transmission method for operation of various services. The receiving device acquires trigger information for providing various functions, the trigger information containing type information indicating the type of trigger information and channel information indicating a series for each function provided by the trigger information. The receiving device performs processing corresponding to each function on the basis of the trigger information identified by the type information and the channel information. The present technology is applicable to a television receiver being able to receive a digital broadcast signal, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: SATURN LICENSING LLC
    Inventors: Naohisa Kitazato, Yasuaki Yamagishi, Yoshiharu Dewa, Jun Kitahara
  • Patent number: 11381873
    Abstract: A method for assessing viewer interest in content and advertisements may include receiving an indication regarding a content playback mode change (e.g., a change from a skip or fast-forward mode to a pause or rewind mode) occurring during playing of a media content segment such as a television program or movie. The method then proceeds to associate the playback mode change with a sub-segment of the television program, such as an advertisement or commercial, and a level of interest of a user in the advertisement or commercial is determined based on the associated content playback mode change. An item, such as an advertisement or promotional offer can be selected to be presented to the user based on the determined level of interest of the user in the advertisement or commercial. Systems for assessing viewer interest in content and advertisements include devices and components configured to perform or enable such methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: DISH Technologies L.L.C.
    Inventor: John Card, II
  • Patent number: 11375246
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for supporting content delivery service are described. In accordance with the invention content can be supplied to temporary storage of a regional or local server used to supply the content to a customer's premises when the requested content is not already available in the regional or local server. A content server hierarchy may be implemented with servers higher up in the hierarchy including more content, e.g., titles, than the number of titles stored in the lower level servers. By storing less frequently accessed content in servers higher in the hierarchy and frequently requested titles lower in the hierarchy, a vast number of titles can be supported without overburdening the storage available at local and regional servers. In addition, a national or other server high in the hierarchy can be used to store, move, and distribute local or other content as part of an on demand service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC
    Inventors: Robert Benya, James Kasanin, Glen Hardin
  • Patent number: 11368754
    Abstract: The present application discloses a video playing method, an apparatus, an electronic device and a storage medium, and relates to the field of video playing. A specific implementation is as follows: receiving a video playing request input by a user and starting playing a video that is requested, pausing the playing when the playing of the video reaches a target video content, and pushing prompt information to the user, where the target video content is of a higher video rating than a preset video rating of the user, and the prompt information is used to prompt the user that the target video content to be played is not suitable for the user to watch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: BAIDU ONLINE NETWORK TECHNOLOGY (BEIJING) CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jianming Wang
  • Patent number: 11363331
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method of using video viewer interaction data as input to a measurement engine which then calculates: demographic level and aggregate level (a) household reach for advertisements and video content based on user defined reach periods, (b) One-minute, Thirty-minute, and Sixty-minute channel viewing metrics, and (c) One-minute, Thirty-minute, and Sixty-minute aggregate viewing metrics, all based on second-by-second household level viewing activity. Also shows creation of Commercial Schedule Cumulative Audience, Impressions for Reach Periods, Demographic Group Impressions, Average Audience, Average Audience Share, Average Rating, Households Using Television, and Households Using Television Percent using household level data. Works with IP and linear video delivery. Together these metrics provide detailed information on customer viewing behavior which can be used to drive business decisions for service providers, advertisers, and content producers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC
    Inventor: Robert Alan Orlowski