Patents by Inventor Andrew W. Walters

Andrew W. Walters 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: 8619192
    Abstract: Techniques are described to provide closed captioning preferences. In an implementation, a user interface is output that is configured to accept preferences for a plurality of closed captions. A first one of the closed captions is output, based on the preferences, when available via a particular channel. A second one of the closed captions is output, based on the preferences, when the first closed caption is not available via the particular channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Victor Smith, Andrew W. Walters, Vyacheslav Gurevich
  • Publication number: 20100020234
    Abstract: Techniques are described to provide closed captioning preferences. In an implementation, a user interface is output that is configured to accept preferences for a plurality of closed captions. A first one of the closed captions is output, based on the preferences, when available via a particular channel. A second one of the closed captions is output, based on the preferences, when the first closed caption is not available via the particular channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2007
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Victor Smith, Andrew W. Walters, Vyacheslav Gurevich
  • Patent number: 7636392
    Abstract: Systems and methods for transcoding a transport stream or a video stream. A video stream includes a quantization matrix and a quantization scale that define how DCT frequency coefficients are quantized. A transport stream is transcoded by updating the quantization matrix and/or the quantization scale such that a new set of DCT frequency coefficients may be generated. Typically the quantization scale and/or the quantization matrix are updated such that the DCT frequency coefficients are more coarsely quantized such that their encoding consumes fewer bits. The quantization matrix can be updated such that select frequency coefficients are affected. Transcoding can operate at any level of the video stream, such as the frame level, the slice level, or the macroblock level. The bit rate of the video stream can therefore be adjusted or altered according to a current quantization level and a current bit rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2009
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Shankar Moni, Andrew W. Walters, John A. Tardif, Padma Parthasarathy
  • Patent number: 7587526
    Abstract: Embedding endianness information within data and sending and receiving data with the embedded endianness information. Data may be contained in a data structure. To embed endianness information in a data structure, unused bits in a data structure are identified. A number of the unused bits are then selected based on the possible unpacking combinations of the data structure. The endian bit values are set to a pattern to indicate the endianness of the data structure. Data that has been packed by a transmitting module can be unpacked by a receiving module based on the detected endian bits. An algorithm may be used to determine which unused bits to select as the endian bits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew W. Walters, Ankur Varma
  • Patent number: 6950463
    Abstract: Systems and methods for transcoding a transport stream or a video stream. A video stream includes a quantization matrix and a quantization scale that define how DCT frequency coefficients are quantized. A transport stream is transcoded by updating the quantization matrix and/or the quantization scale such that a new set of DCT frequency coefficients may be generated. Typically the quantization scale and/or the quantization matrix are updated such that the DCT frequency coefficients are more coarsely quantized such that their encoding consumes fewer bits. The quantization matrix can be updated such that select frequency coefficients are affected. Transcoding can operate at any level of the video stream, such as the frame level, the slice level, or the macroblock level. The bit rate of the video stream can therefore be adjusted or altered according to a current quantization level and a current bit rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Shankar Moni, Andrew W. Walters, John A. Tardif, Padma Parthasarathy
  • Patent number: 6859235
    Abstract: Adaptive deinterlacing of interlaced video to generate a progressive frame on a per pixel basis. Two consecutive fields of interlaced video are converted into a frame of progressive video. One of the fields is replicated to generate half the lines in the progressive frame. Each of the pixels in the other half of the progressive frame are generated pixel-by-pixel. For a given output position of the pixel in the other half of the progressive frame, a correlation is estimated between the corresponding pixel in the non-replicated field and at least one vertically adjacent pixel of the replicated field, and optionally one or more vertically adjacent pixels in the non-replicated fields. Also, three consecutive input fields of interlaced video may be converted into two output fields of interlaced video on a per pixel basis taking into consideration differences in the consecutive input fields.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignee: WebTV Networks Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew W. Walters
  • Publication number: 20030002581
    Abstract: Systems and methods for transcoding a transport stream or a video stream. A video stream includes a quantization matrix and a quantization scale that define how DCT frequency coefficients are quantized. A transport stream is transcoded by updating the quantization matrix and/or the quantization scale such that a new set of DCT frequency coefficients may be generated. Typically the quantization scale and/or the quantization matrix are updated such that the DCT frequency coefficients are more coarsely quantized such that their encoding consumes fewer bits. The quantization matrix can be updated such that select frequency coefficients are affected. Transcoding can operate at any level of the video stream, such as the frame level, the slice level, or the macroblock level. The bit rate of the video stream can therefore be adjusted or altered according to a current quantization level and a current bit rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2001
    Publication date: January 2, 2003
    Inventors: Shankar Moni, Andrew W. Walters, John A. Tardif, Padma Parthasarathy
  • Publication number: 20020191105
    Abstract: Adaptive deinterlacing of interlaced video to generate a progressive frame on a per pixel basis. Two consecutive fields of interlaced video are converted into a frame of progressive video. One of the fields is replicated to generate half the lines in the progressive frame. Each of the pixels in the other half of the progressive frame are generated pixel-by-pixel. For a given output position of the pixel in the other half of the progressive frame, a correlation is estimated between the corresponding pixel in the non-replicated field and at least one vertically adjacent pixel of the replicated field, and optionally one or more vertically adjacent pixels in the non-replicated fields. In one example, a one pixel wide by five pixel high range of pixels is evaluated centering on the pixel in the non-replicated field that corresponds to the output pixel position. A value is then assigned to the output pixel that corresponds to the output position, the value depending on the correlation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2001
    Publication date: December 19, 2002
    Inventor: Andrew W. Walters
  • Patent number: 6459454
    Abstract: Systems for adaptively deinterlacing interlaced video to generate a progressive frame on a per pixel basis. Two consecutive fields of interlaced video are converted into a frame of progressive video. One of the fields is replicated to generate half the lines in the progressive frame. Each of the pixels in the other half of the progressive frame are generated pixel-by-pixel. For a given output position of the pixel in the other half of the progressive frame, a correlation is estimated between the corresponding pixel in the non-replicated field and at least one vertically adjacent pixel of the replicated field, and optionally one or more vertically adjacent pixels in the non-replicated fields. A value is then assigned to the output pixel that corresponds to the output position, the value depending on the correlation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2002
    Assignee: WebTV Networks, Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew W. Walters