Patents by Inventor Alex Holtz

Alex Holtz has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11109114
    Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product enables automation and control of the sales, management, accounting, reporting, and traffic functions necessary to manage advertisement sales, content management, and administrative processes for media production environments, including, but not limited to, broadcast television, radio and webcasting stations, and newspapers. The advertisement management and automation system operates on a PC-based platform and is networked for communications with local area networks, wide area networks, and the Internet, including both wired and wireless appliances. Distribution and tracking is enabled for both local and national advertisement and content management, whereby data, advertisements, content, and reports are pushed and pulled from individual nodes (e.g., television stations) to a central network hub or point that feeds and/or gathers data and communicates with the individual nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: GRASS VALLEY CANADA
    Inventors: Alex Holtz, Marcel LaRocque, John R Benson, William H Couch, Charles M Hoeppner, Benjamin Jay McAllister, Robert J Snyder, Keith Gregory Tingle
  • Publication number: 20200322664
    Abstract: A system is provided for live video production and asset management that includes an orchestration software and platform that uses artificial intelligence or machine learning to automate show rundown and playlist assembly based on social topical trends, historical and predictive content and associated advertising performance by type and consumer demographics by platform viewership. The system and method provides an automated lineup (or suggested lineup that can be modified by the producer) of the best predictive performance results rather than solely based on experience of the producer himself or herself.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2020
    Publication date: October 8, 2020
    Inventors: Alex HOLTZ, Charles S. MEYER
  • Publication number: 20200160536
    Abstract: Automatic tracking by a camera of an object such as on-air talent appearing in a television show commences by first determining whether the object lies within the camera field of view matches a reference object. If so, tracking of the object then occurs to maintain the object in fixed relationship to a pre-set location in the camera's field of view, provided the designated object has moved more than a threshold distance from the pre-set location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Inventors: Alex Holtz, Scott Raymond Matics, Lionel Oisel
  • Patent number: 10546612
    Abstract: A production system having a first production path, a second production path, and a control system that causes the first production path to generate a show in a first aspect ratio and the second production path to generate the same show in a second aspect ratio. Moreover, the product system can product a show from live material and from archived material. This aspect operates by producing a first show including multiple stories, segmenting the first show, and storing the show segments in an archive. Then, the system produces a second show using live portions as well as show segments retrieved from the archive. The product system can include a media manager that interacts with a server that may be integrated with the production system. The media manager automatically assigns channels/ports of the server when accessing material stored in the server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: GVBB HOLDINGS S.A.R.L.
    Inventors: Alex Holtz, Robert J. Snyder, John R. Benson, William H. Couch, Marcel LaRocque, Charles M. Hoeppner, Keith Gregory Tingle, Richard Todd, Maurice Smith
  • Patent number: 10489917
    Abstract: Automatic tracking by a camera of an object such as on-air talent appearing in a television show commences by first determining whether the object lies within the camera field of view matches a reference object. If so, tracking of the object then occurs to maintain the object in fixed relationship to a pre-set location in the camera's field of view, provided the designated object has moved more than a threshold distance from the pre-set location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: GVBB HOLDINGS S.A.R.L.
    Inventors: Alex Holtz, Scott Raymond Matics, Lionel Oisel
  • Publication number: 20190348077
    Abstract: A production system having a first production path, a second production path, and a control system that causes the first production path to generate a show in a first aspect ratio and the second production path to generate the same show in a second aspect ratio. Moreover, the product system can product a show from live material and from archived material. This aspect operates by producing a first show including multiple stories, segmenting the first show, and storing the show segments in an archive. Then, the system produces a second show using live portions as well as show segments retrieved from the archive. The product system can include a media manager that interacts with a server that may be integrated with the production system. The media manager automatically assigns channels/ports of the server when accessing material stored in the server.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Publication date: November 14, 2019
    Inventors: Alex HOLTZ, Robert J. SNYDER, John R. BENSON, William H. COUCH, Marcel LAROCQUE, Charles M. HOEPPNER, Keith Gregory TINGLE, Richard TODD, Maurice SMITH
  • Patent number: 10360944
    Abstract: A production system having a first production path, a second production path, and a control system that causes the first production path to generate a show in a first aspect ratio and the second production path to generate the same show in a second aspect ratio. Moreover, the product system can product a show from live material and from archived material. This aspect operates by producing a first show including multiple stories, segmenting the first show, and storing the show segments in an archive. Then, the system produces a second show using live portions as well as show segments retrieved from the archive. The product system can include a media manager that interacts with a server that may be integrated with the production system. The media manager automatically assigns channels/ports of the server when accessing material stored in the server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: GVBB HOLDINGS S.A.R.L.
    Inventors: Alex Holtz, Robert J. Snyder, John R. Benson, William H. Couch, Marcel Larocque, Charles M. Hoeppner, Keith Gregory Tingle, Richard Todd, Maurice Smith
  • Publication number: 20190174184
    Abstract: The insertion of an advertisement or other new content into a time slot between content segments advantageously occurs by selecting the new segment to fill its associated slot as closely as possible. Play out of a successive content segment occurs for distribution over at least one of a first set of channels and at least one second channel until the occurrence of the time slot whereupon the new content segment undergoes play out for distribution over the at least one second channel. If the new content segment has a duration longer than the time slot, the length of at least one content segment gets reduced to provide substantially seamless play out.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Inventors: Benjamin McCallister, Alex Holtz
  • Patent number: 10210903
    Abstract: A production system having a first production path, a second production path, and a control system that causes the first production path to generate a show in a first aspect ratio and the second production path to generate the same show in a second aspect ratio. Moreover, the product system can product a show from live material and from archived material. This aspect operates by producing a first show including multiple stories, segmenting the first show, and storing the show segments in an archive. Then, the system produces a second show using live portions as well as show segments retrieved from the archive. The product system can include a media manager that interacts with a server that may be integrated with the production system. The media manager automatically assigns channels/ports of the server when accessing material stored in the server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: GVBB HOLDINGS S.A.R.L.
    Inventors: Alex Holtz, Robert J. Snyder, John R. Benson, William H. Couch, Marcel Larocque, Charles M. Hoeppner, Keith Gregory Tingle, Richard Todd, Maurice Smith
  • Patent number: 10200749
    Abstract: The insertion of an advertisement or other new content into a time slot between content segments advantageously occurs by selecting the new segment to fill its associated slot as closely as possible. Play out of a successive content segment occurs for distribution over at least one of a first set of channels and at least one second channel until the occurrence of the time slot whereupon the new content segment undergoes play out for distribution over the at least one second channel. If the new content segment has a duration longer than the time slot, the length of at least one content segment gets reduced to provide substantially seamless play out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: GVBB HOLDINGS S.A.R.L.
    Inventors: Benjamin McCallister, Alex Holtz
  • Publication number: 20190014390
    Abstract: An analytic platform, article of manufacture, system, computer-readable medium, and method for selecting and inserting advertisements for delivery to a content viewing device. A plurality of advertising metrics are generated from data originating from a plurality of content viewing devices. Then, an advertisement is selected for presentation along with content directed to one of the content viewing devices, the advertisement being selected based on the advertising metrics. Once selected, the advertisement is added to the content for delivery to said one of the content viewing devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2018
    Publication date: January 10, 2019
    Inventors: Alex HOLTZ, Charles MEYER
  • Publication number: 20180358051
    Abstract: A production system having a first production path, a second production path, and a control system that causes the first production path to generate a show in a first aspect ratio and the second production path to generate the same show in a second aspect ratio. Moreover, the product system can product a show from live material and from archived material. This aspect operates by producing a first show including multiple stories, segmenting the first show, and storing the show segments in an archive. Then, the system produces a second show using live portions as well as show segments retrieved from the archive. The product system can include a media manager that interacts with a server that may be integrated with the production system. The media manager automatically assigns channels/ports of the server when accessing material stored in the server.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2018
    Publication date: December 13, 2018
    Inventors: Alex HOLTZ, Robert J. SNYDER, John R. BENSON, William H. COUCH, Marcel LAROCQUE, Charles M. HOEPPNER, Keith Gregory TINGLE, Richard TODD, Maurice SMITH
  • Patent number: 10129604
    Abstract: An analytic platform, article of manufacture, system, computer-readable medium, and method for selecting and inserting advertisements for delivery to a content viewing device. A plurality of advertising metrics are generated from data originating from a plurality of content viewing devices. Then, an advertisement is selected for presentation along with content directed to one of the content viewing devices, the advertisement being selected based on the advertising metrics. Once selected, the advertisement is added to the content for delivery to said one of the content viewing devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: GVBB HOLDINGS S.A.R.L.
    Inventors: Alex Holtz, Charles Meyer
  • Patent number: 10056111
    Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product for producing a show. In an embodiment, the invention is directed to a production system having a first production path, a second production path, and a control system that causes the first production path to generate a show in a first aspect ratio (4:3), and that causes the second production path to generate the same show in a second aspect ratio (16:9). In another embodiment, the invention is directed to producing a show from live material and from archived material. This aspect of the invention operates by producing a first show comprising a plurality of stories, segmenting the first show, and storing the show segments in an archive. Then, the invention produces a second show using live portions as well as show segments retrieved from the archive. The invention is also directed to a media manager that interacts with a server. In some cases, the server is integrated with the production system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: GVBB HOLDINGS S.A.R.L.
    Inventors: Alex Holtz, Robert J. Snyder, John R. Benson, William H. Couch, Marcel LaRocque, Charles M. Hoeppner, Keith Gregory Tingle, Richard Todd, Maurice Smith
  • Publication number: 20170309032
    Abstract: Automatic tracking by a camera of an object such as on-air talent appearing in a television show commences by first determining whether the object lies within the camera field of view matches a reference object. If so, tracking of the object then occurs to maintain the object in fixed relationship to a pre-set location in the camera's field of view, provided the designated object has moved more than a threshold distance from the pre-set location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Publication date: October 26, 2017
    Inventors: Alex Holtz, Scott Raymond Matics, Lionel Oisel
  • Patent number: 9741129
    Abstract: Automatic tracking by a camera (16) of an object (12) such as on-air talent appearing in a television show commences by first determining whether the object lies within the camera field of view matches a reference object. If so, tracking of the object then occurs to maintain the object in fixed relationship to a pre-set location in the camera's field of view, provided the designated object has moved more than a threshold distance from the pre-set location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: GVBB HOLDINGS S.A.R.L.
    Inventors: Alex Holtz, Scott Raymond Matics, Lionel Oisel
  • Patent number: 9711180
    Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product for producing a show. In an embodiment, the invention is directed to a production system having a first production path, a second production path, and a control system that causes the first production path to generate a show in a first aspect ratio (4:3), and that causes the second production path to generate the same show in a second aspect ratio (16:9). In another embodiment, the invention is directed to producing a show from live material and from archived material. This aspect of the invention operates by producing a first show comprising a plurality of stories, segmenting the first show, and storing the show segments in an archive. Then, the invention produces a second show using live portions as well as show segments retrieved from the archive. The invention is also directed to a media manager that interacts with a server. In some cases, the server is integrated with the production system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: GVBB HOLDINGS S.A.R.L.
    Inventors: Alex Holtz, Robert J. Snyder, John R. Benson, William H. Couch, Marcel Larocque, Charles M. Hoeppner, Keith Gregory Tingle, Richard Todd, Maurice Smith
  • Publication number: 20170118533
    Abstract: An analytic platform, article of manufacture, system, computer-readable medium, and method for selecting and inserting advertisements for delivery to a content viewing device. A plurality of advertising metrics are generated from data originating from a plurality of content viewing devices. Then, an advertisement is selected for presentation along with content directed to one of the content viewing devices, the advertisement being selected based on the advertising metrics. Once selected, the advertisement is added to the content for delivery to said one of the content viewing devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2015
    Publication date: April 27, 2017
    Inventors: Alex HOLTZ, Charles MEYER
  • Patent number: 9558786
    Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product for producing a show. In an embodiment, the invention is directed to a production system having a first production path, a second production path, and a control system that causes the first production path to generate a show in a first aspect ratio (4:3), and that causes the second production path to generate the same show in a second aspect ratio (16:9). In another embodiment, the invention is directed to producing a show from live material and from archived material. This aspect of the invention operates by producing a first show comprising a plurality of stories, segmenting the first show, and storing the show segments in an archive. Then, the invention produces a second show using live portions as well as show segments retrieved from the archive. The invention is also directed to a media manager that interacts with a server. In some cases, the server is integrated with the production system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: GVBB HOLDINGS S.A.R.L.
    Inventors: Alex Holtz, Robert J. Snyder, John R. Benson, William H. Couch, Marcel Larocque, Charles M. Hoeppner, Keith Gregory Tingle, Richard Todd, Maurice Smith
  • Publication number: 20160118082
    Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product for producing a show. In an embodiment, the invention is directed to a production system having a first production path, a second production path, and a control system that causes the first production path to generate a show in a first aspect ratio (4:3), and that causes the second production path to generate the same show in a second aspect ratio (16:9). In another embodiment, the invention is directed to producing a show from live material and from archived material. This aspect of the invention operates by producing a first show comprising a plurality of stories, segmenting the first show, and storing the show segments in an archive. Then, the invention produces a second show using live portions as well as show segments retrieved from the archive. The invention is also directed to a media manager that interacts with a server. In some cases, the server is integrated with the production system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2015
    Publication date: April 28, 2016
    Inventors: Alex Holtz, Robert J. Snyder, John R. Benson, William H. Couch, Marcel Larocque, Charles M. Hoeppner, Keith Gregory Tingle, Richard Todd, Maurice Smith