Patents by Inventor George M. Higa

George M. Higa 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: 11115704
    Abstract: An exemplary method includes a media channel navigation user interface system detecting, while media content distributed on a media channel is being presented for display on a display screen, a user request to launch a media channel navigation user interface, and providing, in response to the detected user request and for concurrent display with the presentation of the media content on the display screen, a media channel navigation user interface pane comprising a set of media channel navigation tools that include at least media content channel navigation tools selectable by a user to launch different types of menus of media channels in the media channel navigation user interface pane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: George M. Higa, Brian F. Roberts
  • Patent number: 10070171
    Abstract: An exemplary method includes a user interface navigation assistance system detecting user input representative of an impending selection of a button of a remote control device associated with a media content processing device while a navigable user interface is being displayed by the media content processing device on a display screen, determining a current position of a selector object within the navigable user interface, and providing, based on the current position of the selector object, audio feedback that indicates an action that will occur if the user selects the button of the remote control device while the selector object is in the current position. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventor: George M. Higa
  • Patent number: 9967610
    Abstract: An exemplary computer-implemented television service system detects, while a media content processing device is presenting a user interface view associated with a television service within a display screen in communication with the media content processing device, an input command provided by a user of the media content processing device and representative of a request for customer support. In response, the system identifies a context within which the input command is provided by the user, selects, based on the identified context, customer support content provided by the television service and associated with the user interface view being presented within the display screen, and directs the media content processing device to present the customer support content within the user interface view. Corresponding systems and methods are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Brian F. Roberts, George M. Higa, Anthony Lemus
  • Patent number: 9886169
    Abstract: In an exemplary method, a media service user interface system provides, for display on a screen of a primary display device, a media menu tray user interface view that includes a media menu tray representing a menu of one or more media programs and provides, for display on a display screen of a mobile device while the media menu tray user interface view is provided for display on the display screen of the primary display device, a remote control user interface view dynamically tailored to facilitate remote user interaction with the media menu tray included in the media menu tray user interface view provided for display on the display screen of the primary display device. In certain examples, the remote control user interface view is dynamically tailored based on a current state of the media menu tray user interface view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: George M. Higa, Deron Bauman, Lilian Mi Quach, Hao Tzu Kong, Sherrily Huang
  • Patent number: 9788047
    Abstract: Exemplary systems and methods provide a media guide graphical user interface having distinct views dedicated to presenting different sets of information about media content distributed by way of a media service, such as a first view dedicated to presenting information about media programs scheduled for distribution by way of a media service during one or more time slots that overlap a current time and a second view dedicated to presenting information about media programs scheduled for distribution by way of the media service during one or more time slots that are temporally subsequent to the one or more time slots that overlap the current time. In certain examples, a requested view of the media guide graphical user interface is dynamically populated with a select set of categories and category-specific media programs based on one or more predefined selection factors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Brian F. Roberts, George M. Higa, Anthony Lemus
  • Patent number: 9743127
    Abstract: An exemplary computer-implemented media service user interface system detects a request for information about a media program series and, in response, generates a media program series page for the media program series and provides a view of at least a portion of the media program series page for display on a display screen. In certain examples, the system generates the media program series page by determining, across multiple different media content presentation sources by way of which media content is accessible through a media service for presentation by a media content access device, episodes of the media program series that are available for access by the media content access device through the media service, and populating the media program series page with page content that represents the episodes of the media program series that are available for access by the media content access device through the media service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Brian F. Roberts, George M. Higa, Anthony Lemus
  • Patent number: 9699496
    Abstract: An exemplary method includes a media service user interface system 1) providing a media service graphical user interface (“GUI”) for display, 2) detecting user input to launch a user interface customization mode, 3) launching the user interface customization mode, 4) receiving user input defining a customization of the GUI, 5) implementing the customization, and 6) exiting the user interface customization mode. In certain examples, the GUI may include a main menu bar that includes a set of menu objects representing a set of feature modules of the media service and a menu bar management object, the customization mode may be launched in response to a user selection of the menu bar management object included in the main menu bar, and the customization may be of the main menu bar. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.
    Inventors: George M. Higa, Donald H. Relyea, Ruchir Rodrigues
  • Patent number: 9665241
    Abstract: An exemplary method includes a media content search system providing a media content search creation tool in a graphical user interface, detecting a user-submission of one or more user-selectable graphical objects representing one or more media programs to the media content search creation tool in the graphical user interface, and generating a set of media content search parameters based on the one or more media programs represented by the one or more user-selectable graphical objects submitted to the media content search creation tool. Corresponding systems and methods are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.
    Inventors: Senthil K. Raghavan, Sankar Ram Dhanabalan, George M. Higa
  • Patent number: 9654819
    Abstract: An exemplary computer-implemented media service system detects user input representative of a request by a user to flag a set of related media programs, monitors an availability of the media programs from a plurality of different presentation sources, determines when the user is likely to access each media program included in the set of related media programs, dynamically selects, based on the monitored availability of the media programs from the different presentation sources and on when the user is likely to access each media program included in the set of related media programs, a presentation source from the plurality of different presentation sources for each media program included in the set of related media programs, and provides the user with access to each media program included in the set of related media programs by way of a single user interface. Corresponding systems and methods are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.
    Inventors: Brian F. Roberts, George M. Higa, Anthony Lemus
  • Patent number: 9588677
    Abstract: In an exemplary method, a user interface system receives touch screen input data representative of a touch screen input provided by a user on a touch screen of a remote control device configured to communicate wirelessly with an electronic device that provides a graphical user interface (“GUI”) for display on a display screen, converts the touch screen input to GUI input associated with the GUI provided by the electronic device for display on the display screen, and applies the GUI input to the GUI displayed on the display screen. In certain examples the user interface system converts the touch screen input to GUI input in accordance with a touch-screen-based directional-hop movement mode or a touch-screen-based free-cursor directional movement mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.
    Inventors: Donald H. Relyea, Andrew Allman, Ryan J. Trees, George M. Higa
  • Patent number: 9584875
    Abstract: A method includes receiving a request, associated with a user profile, for an integrated video guide for a video service. The integrated video guide is time based, and the video service includes broadcast video content and video service selected video content. The video service selected video content is provided via unicast or multicast. The method includes identifying basic video channels that are provided to all subscribers of the video service, and identifying user selected channels that are provided based on the user profile. Broadcast channels that are included in the user selected channels are identified. Online channels that are included in the user selected channels are also identified. The method also includes presenting the basic video channels, the broadcast channels, and the online channels in a same manner in the integrated video guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.
    Inventors: Ruchir Rodrigues, Shafiq Kassam, Enrique Ruiz-Velasco, Donald H. Relyea, George M. Higa, Mark W. Phillips, Japan A. Mehta, Arjun Baskaran
  • Patent number: 9571784
    Abstract: Exemplary media content watch list systems and methods are disclosed. An exemplary method includes a media content watch list subsystem maintaining media content watch list data representing a plurality of media content instances available for experiencing by a user, receiving a request for a media content watch list from a media content access device associated with the user, generating the media content watch list based on the media content watch list data and the request, and transmitting data representative of the media content watch list to the media content access device for presentation to the user. The maintaining of the media content watch list data includes updating the media content watch list data based on at least one predetermined non-watch-list-specific operation performed by the media content access device associated with the user. Corresponding systems and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.
    Inventors: Brian F. Roberts, George M. Higa, Joseph M. Geiger, Jayson Sellers, Donald H. Relyea, Greg A. Johns, Heath Stallings
  • Patent number: 9560409
    Abstract: An exemplary media service personalization system maintains profiles for multiple media service access devices associated with an end-user account with a media service, generates a merged profile based on the profiles for the media service access devices, and directs a communal media service access device associated with the end-user account to personalize the media service based on the merged profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.
    Inventors: Brian F. Roberts, George M. Higa, Anthony Lemus
  • Patent number: 9544637
    Abstract: An exemplary computer-implemented media service system detects an input command provided by a user to initiate a viewing session by way of a display screen in communication with a media content processing device that operates in accordance with a media service, identifies a context within which the input command is provided by the user, selects, based on the identified context, a media program available by way of the media service and that is potentially of interest to the user, and directs the media content processing device to present the media program by way of the display screen when the viewing session begins in response to the input command. Corresponding systems and methods are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.
    Inventors: Brian F. Roberts, George M. Higa, Anthony Lemus
  • Patent number: 9510037
    Abstract: In an exemplary method, a media service personalization system directs a media service access device to operate in accordance with a shared mode of operation when user interaction with the media service access device is by way of a shared user input device and directs the media service access device to operate in accordance with a personal mode of operation when user interaction with the media service access device is by way of a personal device specific to a user. In certain examples, the media service personalization system may switch between directing the media service access device to operate in accordance with the shared mode of operation and directing the media service access device to operate in accordance with the personal mode of operation based on a status of a remote control session between the personal device and the shared media service access device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.
    Inventors: George M. Higa, Deron Bauman, Lilian Mi Quach, Hao Tzu Kong, Sherrily Huang
  • Patent number: 9418031
    Abstract: An exemplary method includes a media content asset recovery system 1) detecting a migration of a user account from being associated with a first DVR system to being associated with a second DVR system, 2) identifying, in response to the detecting, a media content asset included within a library of one or more media content assets stored by the first DVR system at a time associated with the migration, 3) selecting, in accordance with a source selection heuristic, a media content source other than the first DVR system and that is configured to distribute the media content asset, and 4) directing the second DVR system to acquire the media content asset from the selected media content source for storage by the second DVR system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.
    Inventors: Raul I. Aldrey, Donald H. Relyea, Venkata S. Adimatyam, Kishore Tallapaneni, Michael R. Oliver, George M. Higa
  • Publication number: 20160179463
    Abstract: An exemplary method includes a user interface navigation assistance system detecting user input representative of an impending selection of a button of a remote control device associated with a media content processing device while a navigable user interface is being displayed by the media content processing device on a display screen, determining a current position of a selector object within the navigable user interface, and providing, based on the current position of the selector object, audio feedback that indicates an action that will occur if the user selects the button of the remote control device while the selector object is in the current position. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Publication date: June 23, 2016
    Inventor: George M. Higa
  • Publication number: 20160127780
    Abstract: An exemplary computer-implemented media service user interface system detects a request for information about a media program series and, in response, generates a media program series page for the media program series and provides a view of at least a portion of the media program series page for display on a display screen. In certain examples, the system generates the media program series page by determining, across multiple different media content presentation sources by way of which media content is accessible through a media service for presentation by a media content access device, episodes of the media program series that are available for access by the media content access device through the media service, and populating the media program series page with page content that represents the episodes of the media program series that are available for access by the media content access device through the media service.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Inventors: Brian F. Roberts, George M. Higa, Anthony Lemus
  • Publication number: 20160127789
    Abstract: An exemplary computer-implemented media service system detects user input representative of a request by a user to flag a set of related media programs, monitors an availability of the media programs from a plurality of different presentation sources, determines when the user is likely to access each media program included in the set of related media programs, dynamically selects, based on the monitored availability of the media programs from the different presentation sources and on when the user is likely to access each media program included in the set of related media programs, a presentation source from the plurality of different presentation sources for each media program included in the set of related media programs, and provides the user with access to each media program included in the set of related media programs by way of a single user interface. Corresponding systems and methods are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Inventors: Brian F. Roberts, George M. Higa, Anthony Lemus
  • Publication number: 20160127785
    Abstract: An exemplary method includes a media channel navigation user interface system detecting, while media content distributed on a media channel is being presented for display on a display screen, a user request to launch a media channel navigation user interface, and providing, in response to the detected user request and for concurrent display with the presentation of the media content on the display screen, a media channel navigation user interface pane comprising a set of media channel navigation tools that include at least media content channel navigation tools selectable by a user to launch different types of menus of media channels in the media channel navigation user interface pane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Inventors: George M. Higa, Brian F. Roberts