Patents Examined by Scott Beliveau
  • Patent number: 8291445
    Abstract: In one of many possible embodiments, a system includes a content provider subsystem providing media content over a closed media network and an open network. At least a subset of the media content provided over the closed media network is provided over the open network. The system further includes a user access subsystem communicatively connected to the closed media network and the open network. The user access subsystem is configured to access the media content over the closed media network and the open network and to process and provide at least a component of the accessed media content for presentation to a user. The user access subsystem includes a content processing device configured to decode the media content accessed over the closed media network and an expansion content processing device configured to decode the media content accessed over the open network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Roberts, Heath Stallings, Don Relyea, Ruchir Rodrigues, Sathya Bhaskaran, Ramakrishnan Ramaswamy Sankaranarayan
  • Patent number: 8286206
    Abstract: Automatic rating optimization is described. In an embodiment, ratings of a program can be received from one or more rating sources. Based on these ratings, a representation of a content selection mechanism can be sent to potential consumers of the content. Access events for the content can be counted over a duration of time so a determination can be made regarding how the ratings provided by each of the rating sources affect popularity of the content. A weight accorded to ratings received from each of the rating sources can be adjusted based on the determination. Profiles can be established for consumers and/or rating sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, LP
    Inventors: Jeffrey Aaron, Thomas Anschutz
  • Patent number: 8266663
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a system and method of providing interactive content. The method can include receiving a video signal from a first source of a television system, where the video signal includes video content but does not include data relating to an interactive application. The method can also include retrieving an interactive application from a second source of the television system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Mary McCarthy, Scott Pettit, John McClenny, Roland Noll
  • Patent number: 8266667
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing and promoting television programming, advertisements, and other content to selected viewers. A display is provided on a remote control device, prompts are provided on the display, and viewer responses to those prompts are monitored, stored in memory, and thereafter processed to reward viewers for responding properly to the prompts. Various methods for promoting such programs are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Logitech Europe S.A.
    Inventors: Frank O'Donnell, Brandt Thompson, Paul V. Darbee
  • Patent number: 8266645
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for detecting a channel change event are disclosed. capturing a television audio signal having first, second, and third portions, the first portion occurring earlier in time than the second portion and the second portion occurring earlier in time than the third portion, identifying at least one of a first muted audio condition or a first transient audio condition in the second portion of the television audio signal, and identifying a channel change event in response to: 1) identifying the at least one of the first muted audio condition or the first transient audio condition, 2) failing to identify a second muted audio condition or a second transient audio condition in the first and third portions of the television audio signal, and 3) determining that a time domain length of the second portion of the television audio signal is greater than a first threshold and less than a second threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventor: Kevin K Deng
  • Patent number: 8261311
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for transmitting video data to a receiving terminal is disclosed. The apparatus comprises an event processing unit for outputting a signal to store a selected portion of the video data that is currently being reproduced, a video data reproduction unit for receiving the signal from the event processing unit and storing the selected portion of the video data that is currently being reproduced in response to the outputted signal while reproducing the video data. A message transmission unit is further provided for attaching the stored selected portion of the video data that is currently being reproduced to a message and transmitting the message to the receiving terminal. A data storage unit stores the video data and the selected portion of the video data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Sang-Cheol Shin
  • Patent number: 8250604
    Abstract: A method of presenting a video electronic program guide (EPG), consistent with certain embodiments involves establishing a sorting of television channels, with a selected channel having a highest sorting priority, and other channels being arranged in pairs in a hierarchy below the selected channel; displaying a plurality of windows representing a plurality of the channels in a cross media bar menu arrangement, with the principal focus channel being represented at a window appearing at an intersection of horizontal and vertical bars in the cross media bar menu arrangement and the pairs of channels arranged on either side of the selected channel in the cross media bar menu arrangement; and retrieving sample clips of the channels in focus section of the sort order, and presenting the clips as repeating clips in their respective windows. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Allan Unger, James Amendolagine
  • Patent number: 8250621
    Abstract: A broadcasting receiver and a method for upgrading firmware of a cable card are disclosed. When firmware upgrading of the cable card is completed and a reset request is transmitted from the cable card to a host, if an application which is being executed is affected by rebooting of the cable card, the host defers the reset, so that a user can normally use the existing application service through the cable broadcasting receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Sang Hoon Cha
  • Patent number: 8239768
    Abstract: A system for adjusting audiovisual content having a server including a receiver for receiving a first content from a media source, a first circuitry configured to generate a second content based on the first content, the second content having multiple audio channels, a first transceiver for sending the second content to one or more clients, each client including a second transceiver for receiving the second content, and a second circuitry configured to generate a third content based on the second content and provide the third content to an audio device, wherein the second circuitry is configured to provide a graphical user interface to a user, the graphical user interface having a plurality of icons representing the user and the multiple audio channels, wherein movement of any of the plurality of icons will alter the second content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Enhanced Personal Audiovisual Technology, LLC
    Inventors: Anthony B. Sokol, Michael D. Orosz, James E. Ziegler, Barry Berk
  • Patent number: 8234674
    Abstract: Disclosed are a method of constructing information on associate meanings between segments of a multimedia stream, which can describe the cause/effect or abstract/detail relationship between segments of the video streams to efficiently browse the video stream and a method of browsing a video using the same. The present invention defines the cause/effect or abstract/detail relationship between the segments, event intervals, scenes, shots, etc. existing within one video stream or between the video streams, and provides a method of describing the relationship in a data region based on the content of a video stream as well as a method of browsing a video by using the information on the cause/effect or abstract/detail relationship obtained by the aforementioned method. Accordingly, a video browsing on associate meanings is available with easy manipulation and easy access to a desired part, thereby providing an effective video browsing interface for easy browsing of desired segments in a short period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Sung Bae Jun, Kyoung Ro Yoon
  • Patent number: 8234675
    Abstract: Disclosed are a method of constructing information on associate meanings between segments of a multimedia stream, which can describe the cause/effect or abstract/detail relationship between segments of the video streams to efficiently browse the video stream and a method of browsing a video using the same. The present invention defines the cause/effect or abstract/detail relationship between the segments, event intervals, scenes, shots, etc. existing within one video stream or between the video streams, and provides a method of describing the relationship in a data region based on the content of a video stream as well as a method of browsing a video by using the information on the cause/effect or abstract/detail relationship obtained by the aforementioned method. Accordingly, a video browsing on associate meanings is available with easy manipulation and easy access to a desired part, thereby providing an effective video browsing interface for easy browsing of desired segments in a short period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Sung Bae Jun, Kyoung Ro Yoon
  • Patent number: 8234671
    Abstract: A broadcast terminal including a broadcast receiver configured to receive an Electronic Program Guide (EPG) including broadcast program information about a plurality of broadcast programs, a display configured to display any one of the plurality of broadcast programs, an input unit configured to input a selection signal to select one of the plurality of broadcast programs, and a controller configured to extract broadcast program information included in the EPG that corresponds to the selected broadcast program and to store the extracted broadcast program information as a favorite broadcast program information in a memory of the broadcast terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Ji Yeong Ku, Seung Kyo Seo
  • Patent number: 8234684
    Abstract: A Wireless Regional Area Network (WRAN) receiver comprises a transceiver for communicating with a wireless network over one of a number of channels, and an Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) signal detector for use in forming a supported channel list comprising those ones of the number of channels upon which an ATSC signal was not detected, wherein the ATSC signal detector is a threshold-based detector and detects an ATSC signal as a function of at least one threshold, and wherein the ATSC signal detector is responsive to at least one of a carrier tracking loop lock signal, a symbol timing recovery lock signal and a synchronization (sync) lock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Ivonete Markman, Gabriel Alfred Edde, Max Ward Muterspaugh
  • Patent number: 8230467
    Abstract: A method for managing video segments from an aerial sensor platform using a media asset management system includes collecting the video segments from the aerial sensor platform, associating corresponding geospatial data with each video segment, and creating a search thesaurus including search descriptors with cross-references therebetween. At least one respective search descriptor from the search thesaurus is associated with each video segment. The method further includes storing each video segment, its geospatial data and its at least one search descriptor on the media asset management system for later search and retrieval, such as by a surveillance organization. The search descriptors may be geospatial search descriptors that are cross-referenced in a hierarchical relationship.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Harris Corporation
    Inventors: Gary J. Faulkner, Kevin L. Fox, Tahía Infantes Morris, Eric D. Wilson
  • Patent number: 8225370
    Abstract: A digital broadcast signal processing apparatus for multiplexing on a digital broadcast signal any combination of the GPS position information of a movable body, mapping information generated by the mapping of the position information of the movable body and/or the position information of an imaging apparatus on a map, imaging area information by the imaging apparatus, object information by the imaging apparatus, and the profile information concerning the movable body, and transmitting the multiplexed signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tadahiro Ohata, Keiko Abe, Yasushi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8225354
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed herein for merging EPG data associated with a variety of program sources. In one aspect, EPG data is accessed for different program sources and rules are selected that define how entries in the EPG data are to be merged. The rules may be selected based on whether the EPG data was collected in-band or out-of-band. In addition, the merging rules can be dependent on the program source, which allows the flexibility of applying different rules to different program sources. The EPG data from the different program sources is merged into a single EPG based on the selected rules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Colin Lee Acton, Cory Jon Cirrincione, Michael S. Hayton, Shawn Pickett, Renaud Bordelet, Paul Irwin, Hans Peter Hess, Hiroshi Ohno, Frederic Azera
  • Patent number: 8225364
    Abstract: A method of searching the Internet and a video receiving apparatus, such as an Internet TV, to use the same to enable currently-displayed video to be transmitted to an external apparatus, such as a remote controller, and the video received from the external apparatus to be controlled, thereby increasing user convenience. Specifically, the video captured from the video receiving apparatus is transmitted to the external apparatus which receives coordinate data and performs an operation indicated by a menu of the currently-displayed video corresponding to the coordinate data received from the external apparatus so that websites having menus requiring user control can be used without requiring redesign even if the websites are not designed for use with the video receiving apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: SAMSUNG Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jin-a Jeon
  • Patent number: 8220020
    Abstract: Systems and methods for enhanced navigation of streaming video are disclosed. An exemplary method involves receiving a video as it is streamed from a server over a computer network. A first user request is received to display a first navigation video strip on the display device. The first navigation video strip includes a first plurality of video frames from the video. In response to the first user request, first instructions are obtained for displaying the first navigation video strip. The first navigation video strip is then displayed on the display device in accordance with the first instructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Sachin G. Deshpande
  • Patent number: 8218093
    Abstract: A remote controller includes a base unit having a transmission section configured to transmit a remote control signal, a plurality of function operation units connected to the base unit and configured to operate different functions, and a priority setting section configured to set priorities of the plurality of function operation units. When each of the plurality of function operation units is operated, the transmission section of the base unit sends transmission data, the transmission data including operation data and priority data that indicates the priorities of the plurality of function operation units set by the priority setting section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsujiro Kondo, Hiroto Kimura, Yoshiaki Oikawa
  • Patent number: 8214864
    Abstract: A delivery control central device installed in a lead car of a train delivers video information including moving image information and still image information to a delivery control terminal device of each subsequent car via an inter-car transmission path. The video information is delivered based on video content and a content display schedule that are both wirelessly received from a ground station through a transceiver device. The delivery control terminal device of each car is sequentially connected to the delivery control terminal device of an adjacent car, sequentially delivers the delivered video information to the adjacent car, and delivers the delivered video information to a video output device via an in-car transmission path inside its own car. A video output device generates video signals from the delivered video information, outputs the video signals to a display device, and displays the video signals by the display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Norishige Emoto, Tetsuya Shigeeda, Masao Oki, Yoichi Masubushi