Diverse Device Controlled By Information Embedded In Video Signal Patents (Class 348/460)
  • Publication number: 20150124164
    Abstract: A display system and a method for displaying items and/or performances is provided. At least a display panel is used to play multimedia content. In an embodiment, at least a portion of the display panel turns transparent for displaying items or performances in a display space. In an embodiment, the display item is moved in accordance with the multimedia played on the display panel. In an embodiment, light effects are adjusted during the display. In an embodiment, audio media is played and adjusted during the display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventors: Ka Leung Sin, Jason Felix Tsz-Kiu Chiu
  • Publication number: 20150109528
    Abstract: Provided are an apparatus and method for providing a motion haptic effect using video analysis. The apparatus includes a camera viewpoint classifier configured to analyze the camera viewpoint of an input video and classify the input video as a first-person viewpoint video or a third-person viewpoint video, a first-person viewpoint video processor configured to estimate a camera egomotion for the first-person viewpoint video, and a third-person viewpoint video processor configured to estimate a global motion of a target object for tracking included in the third-person viewpoint video. Accordingly, it is possible to effectively generate multimedia content capable of providing a motion haptic effect.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Inventors: Seung Moon CHOI, Jae Bong LEE
  • Patent number: 9007523
    Abstract: Provided are a system and a method for controlling a motion using time synchronization between a picture and the motion, and more particularly, a motion code corresponding to a time code is prestored before showing the picture and the motion is controlled according to the prestored motion code when the picture showing starts while a current motion driving time is compared with a reference time of the picture and then synchronized to provide a high-resolution precision motion to a user while achieving accurate synchronization with the picture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: CJ 4D Plex Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae Sung Choi, Jin Yong Park
  • Patent number: 8996380
    Abstract: Systems and methods of synchronizing media are provided. A client device may be used to capture a sample of a media stream being rendered by a media rendering source. The client device sends the sample to a position identification module to determine a time offset indicating a position in the media stream corresponding to the sampling time of the sample, and optionally a timescale ratio indicating a speed at which the media stream is being rendered by the media rendering source based on a reference speed of the media stream. The client device calculates a real-time offset using a present time, a timestamp of the media sample, the time offset, and optionally the timescale ratio. The client device then renders a second media stream at a position corresponding to the real-time offset to be in synchrony to the media stream being rendered by the media rendering source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Shazam Entertainment Ltd.
    Inventors: Avery Li-Chun Wang, Rahul Powar, William Michael Mills, Christopher Jacques Penrose Barton, Philip Georges Inghelbrecht, Dheeraj Shankar Mukherjee
  • Patent number: 8982282
    Abstract: A display apparatus and a method of searching for a channel in the display apparatus includes a plurality of tuners and a plurality of antenna ports respectively connected to the plurality of tuners. The method includes receiving a channel search command; if the channel search command is input, searching for one of the plurality of antenna ports that is connected to a satellite antenna to receive a broadcasting signal, if one of the plurality of antenna ports is connected to the satellite antenna to receive the broadcasting signal, setting one of the plurality of tuners connected to the one antenna port, to a main tuner, and performing a channel search through the tuner set to the main tuner. Therefore, although an antenna port connected to one of the plurality of tuners initially set to a sub tuner, the display apparatus performs a channel search through the corresponding tuner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jun-hee Woo
  • Patent number: 8913189
    Abstract: Audio data and video data are processed to determine one or more audible events and visual events, respectively. Contemporaneous presentation of the video data with audio data may be synchronized based at least in part on the audible events and the visual events. Audio processing functions, such as filtering, may be initiated for audio data based at least in part on the visual events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard William Mincher, Todd Christopher Mason
  • Patent number: 8881191
    Abstract: A system and methods for personalized event notification using real-time video analysis are described. In an embodiment, a live video feed is automatically monitored and characteristics of the video feed are analyzed against criteria which relate to an event which has been identified by a user. The criteria relate to characteristics of the image or the audio in the video feed. If the criteria are satisfied, the user is notified that the event has occurred and this notification may be achieved through messages on the video display screen (e.g. on the television screen) or other messaging techniques (e.g. SMS or email). In an example, the criteria may define a particular logo and the user is notified if the analysis detects the logo in the video feed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Walid Magdy, Motaz El-Saban
  • Patent number: 8878991
    Abstract: Systems, methods, software, and data structures that provide dynamic ambient lighting synchronized to a video program being watched in a premises are described herein. A video program may be associated with a predefined lighting scheme that specifies or identifies a time-sequenced set of lighting effects (e.g., flashing police lights, sunrise, explosion, etc.) that are to be performed by the dynamic ambient lighting system time-synchronously with the video program. Components of the dynamic ambient lighting system may extract the lighting scheme from video data, parse the lighting scheme into individual lighting effects, and then control a single-color or multicolor light source associated with each of a plurality of light channels (e.g., front right, rear right, front left, rear left, center, and burst channel, among others) based on time-sequenced lighting primitives defined by each lighting effect. Light sources may be wirelessly controlled, e.g., using an IEEE 802.15.4 or ZigBee-compliant wireless system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC
    Inventor: Michael J. Cook
  • Publication number: 20140313410
    Abstract: Provided are a system and a method for controlling a motion using time synchronization between a picture and the motion, and more particularly, a motion code corresponding to a time code is prestored before showing the picture and the motion is controlled according to the prestored motion code when the picture showing starts while a current motion driving time is compared with a reference time of the picture and then synchronized to provide a high-resolution precision motion to a user while achieving accurate synchronization with the picture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2012
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicant: CJ 4D PLEX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jae Sung Choi, Jin Yong Park
  • Patent number: 8860891
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for increasing the effective contrast ratio and brightness yields for digital light valve image projectors using a variable luminance control mechanism (VLCM), associated with the projector optics, for modifying the light output and provide a correction thereto; and an adaptive luminance control module (ALCM) for receiving signals from the video input board, the adaptive luminance control module producing a signal on a VLCM bus connecting the variable luminance control mechanism and the adaptive luminance control module, the signal causing the variable luminance control mechanism to change the luminance of the light output and provide a corrected video signal for the projector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Inventors: Eddie E. Allen, Thomas D. Strade, Christopher Coley
  • Patent number: 8856641
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems for displaying content-related metainformation, and display of content-related tag metainformation in correspondence, and synchronized, e.g., time-based, with the content, so as to display content together with related time-tag information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventor: Lluis Garcia Pueyo
  • Publication number: 20140293130
    Abstract: A video reception device connected to an image recognition device for performing image recognition includes: a video input unit that receives a video including content items switches of which occur as time elapses; a video extraction unit that extracts from the video a partial video which is a portion of the video; a content switchover detection unit that detects whether or not the partial video includes content switchover indicating switchover of the content items; and a control unit that performs, when the content switchover detection unit detects that the partial video includes no content switchover, a control to output the partial video to the image recognition device to obtain a result of the image recognition for the partial video from the image recognition device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2013
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi YABU
  • Publication number: 20140293129
    Abstract: A video reception device includes: a video input unit that receives a video including content items switches of which occur as time elapses; a recognition cycle determination unit that determines a cycle for repeating the image recognition for the video; a video extraction unit that repeatedly extracts from the video a partial video which is a portion of the video, at the cycle; and a control unit that performs, every time the video extraction unit extracts the partial video, a control to output the partial video to the image recognition device to obtain a result of the image recognition for the partial video from the image recognition device, in which when determining a possibility that content switchover has been or will be found in the video, and determining that there is the possibility, the recognition cycle determination unit shortens the cycle, the content switchover being switchover of content items.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2013
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi YABU
  • Patent number: 8842223
    Abstract: The present technology relates to a transmitter apparatus, an information processing method, a program, and a transmitter system capable of easily transmitting a wideband signal. The transmitter apparatus includes: a first acquisition unit that obtains first transmission control information; a second acquisition unit that obtains second transmission control information similar to information input to another transmitter apparatus; and a generating unit that processes transmission target data based on a parameter contained in the first transmission control information and generates data including the processed transmission target data and the second transmission control information. The present technology can be applied to a transmitter apparatus that transmits a DVB-C2 signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroo Takahashi, Lachlan Bruce Michael, Takashi Yokokawa, Naoki Yoshimochi, Takahiro Okada
  • Publication number: 20140267904
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to generating haptic feedback based on video content analysis, sensor information that includes one or more measurements of motion of one or more objects on a video, and/or sensor information that includes one or more measurements of motion of one or more image capture devices. The video content analysis may include image processing of the video. The system may identify one or more events based on the image processing and cause a haptic feedback based on the one or more events. The haptic feedback may vary based on an estimated acceleration of an object of a scene of the video, wherein the estimated acceleration is based on the image processing. The estimated acceleration may be made more accurate at high speeds using the sensor information and an estimated acceleration based on the sensor information may be made more accurate at lower speeds based on the image processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: IMMERSION CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jamal SABOUNE, Juan Manuel CRUZ-HERNANDEZ
  • Publication number: 20140267903
    Abstract: Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a system for controlling a physical effect in a theatre, the system comprising: an audio/video (A/V) component, the A/V component being capable of processing A/V media that is associated with data indicating when the physical effect should be activated; a show control device communicably linked to the A/V component, the show control device being capable of translating the data into one or more signals that are capable of causing the physical effect to be activated; and a control assembly communicably linked to the show control device, the control assembly capable of receiving the one or more signals and activating the physical effect in response.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: SIMEX INC.
    Inventor: SimEx Inc.
  • Patent number: 8830393
    Abstract: Spatial or temporal interpolation may be performed upon source video content to create interpolated video content. A video signal including the interpolated video content and non-interpolated video content (e.g. the source video content) may be generated. At least one indicator for distinguishing the non-interpolated video content from the interpolated video content may also be generated. The video signal and indicator(s) may be passed from a video source device to a video sink device. The received indicator(s) may be used to distinguish the non-interpolated video content from the interpolated video content in the received video signal. The non-interpolated video content may be used to “redo” the interpolation or may be recorded to a storage medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: ATI Technologies ULC
    Inventor: David Glen
  • Patent number: 8819262
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, when receiving a reproduction instruction, a reproduction apparatus performs image display based on second image information acquired through a network. When the reproduction apparatus receives a stop instruction while performing the image display based on the second image information, the reproduction apparatus performs the image display based on received first image information after performing the image display for a predetermined time based on third image information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Morioka, Naozumi Koshino
  • Patent number: 8819727
    Abstract: A digital video program is obtained. The program includes: (i) at least one broadcast segmentation message specifying at least one location for at least one broadcast advertisement, and (ii) at least one time-shifted segmentation message specifying at least one location for at least one time-shifted advertisement. The program is broadcast with at least one broadcast advertisement in accordance with the at least one broadcast segmentation message, and is made available to a subscriber at a time after the broadcasting, with at least one time-shifted advertisement in accordance with the at least one time-shifted segmentation message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC
    Inventors: Louis Williamson, Steven Riedl
  • Patent number: 8804606
    Abstract: In a satellite-based communication network comprised of a central hub and plurality of remote terminals configured to transmit data to and receive data from the central hub in accordance with EN 301 790 (DVB-RCS), and where one or more of these remote terminals may be configured to include an additional receiver module configured to receive MF-TDMA transmission of other remote terminals, a mesh receiver and methods for coupling the mesh receiver with the host remote terminal. In addition, described herein are methods for synchronizing the mesh receiver on the network's timing and frequency and for utilizing the available link power for achieving efficient connectivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd.
    Inventors: Snir Brener, Eran Haccoon, Haim Halfon, Guy Levitas
  • Patent number: 8793742
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention is a t-commerce platform, which is linked to the content from a video signal that the user is currently watching. At some point during the broadcast of the content, a close-up of the product is shown. Simultaneous with this, a VBI-based trigger is added to the video signal of the broadcast. This trigger causes the television, a set-top box, or a similar device to capture in a memory, a “freeze-frame” of the image being shown. This action is transparent to the user while the video being displayed on the television is continuing normally. If the user chooses to perform an interactive “buy” transaction the saved image data is used as part of the interactive screen display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Index Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas B. Macrae, Thomas E. Westberg
  • Patent number: 8725207
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining a posture of a mobile terminal are provided. The mobile terminal includes a first camera module located in a rear surface thereof and a second camera module located in a front surface thereof, and the method includes measuring illuminance in each of the first camera module and the second camera module, comparing an illuminance value measured in the first camera module and an illuminance value measured in the second camera module with a predetermined critical value, and determining a posture of the mobile terminal according to a result of the comparison. Therefore, a posture of the mobile terminal can be determined without an acceleration sensor or a gyro sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Moon Soo Kim
  • Patent number: 8713624
    Abstract: A unified system of programming communication. The system encompasses the prior art (television, radio, broadcast hardcopy, computer communications, etc.) and new user specific mass media. Within the unified system, parallel processing computer systems, each having an input (e.g., 77) controlling a plurality of computers (e.g., 205), generate and output user information at receiver stations. Under broadcast control, local computers (73, 205), combine user information selectively into prior art communications to exhibit personalized mass media programming at video monitors (202), speakers (263), printers (221), etc. At intermediate transmission stations (e.g., cable television stations), signals in network broadcasts and from local inputs (74, 77, 97, 98) cause control processors (71) and computers (73) to selectively automate connection and operation of receivers (53), recorder/players (76), computers (73), generators (82), strippers (81), etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Personalized Media Communications LLC
    Inventors: John Christopher Harvey, James William Cuddihy
  • Patent number: 8700791
    Abstract: Haptic information in a series of frames of a media transport stream is identified and time stamps corresponding thereto are determined in accordance with a master time code signal embedded in the media transport stream. Each media transport stream frame containing haptic information is subsequently assigned a time stamp so that it will be used to activate an actuator at a proper time responsive to the time stamp to generate a haptic effect in accordance with the haptic information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Immersion Corporation
    Inventors: Robert A. Lacroix, Andrianaivo Rabemiarisoa, Henrique D. da Costa, Herve Thu Timone, Stephen D. Rank, Christopher J. Ullrich
  • Patent number: 8656434
    Abstract: In a system, tabulated information on broadcasting programs is supplied through a network. When a user selects information on a desired program from the tabulated information of programs, supplemental information attached to the individual program information is converted into an remote control signal to remote-control a user's receiver to receive the desired program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Sato
  • Patent number: 8634030
    Abstract: The present invention achieves wireless delivery of media streams to portable devices for providing media information related to a show or attraction for the purposes of captioning, language translation, and assistive listening. As a person moves about a venue, the device receives infrared or radio signals from transmitters at venue locations. The device decodes each signal as venue location, event time, or device trigger for presentation on the device. The device memory contains audio, text, graphics and device playback may contain one or many of these stored contents. The stored content is synchronized with the user's location, time of travel, time of day, time of a show, or an event in a show and may be in one or many languages. Presentation of stored content on the device may also be altered by user preference, stored logic constraints, automatic learning of user behavior, or user interaction with other devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Greg B. Hale, Phu V. Nguyen, William G. Wiedefeld
  • Publication number: 20140016034
    Abstract: HDMI extenders based on HDBaseT technology are disclosed for extending HD signals from a video source to a display over a twisted pair cable. The extenders include local and remote units. The local unit receives HD signals from the video source; converts them into differential multimedia signals based on HDBaseT technology communicated over the cable to the remote unit which recovers the HD signals for the display. The local and remote units can also facilitate exchange of USB information, and/or digital or analog audio as differential common mode signals, and/or power as common mode signals along with the differential multimedia signals through the twisted pair cable. The remote unit can also receive IR commands, generate modulated signals preserving the IR carrier frequency of the commands; and transmit the modulated signals over the cable to the local unit for recovery of the IR commands to communicate to the video source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2012
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicant: VIDEO PRODUCTS, INC.
    Inventor: Madalin Cirstea
  • Patent number: 8629940
    Abstract: Remote control signal detection systems and methods are operable to set media device operation preferences in a media device. An exemplary embodiment detects a remote control communication signal transmitted from a remote control, wherein the remote control communication signal includes a unique identifier associated with the transmitting remote control; determines that at least one foreign language preference is associated with the transmitting remote control; and reconfigures information generated by the media device into the preferred foreign language.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: EchoStar Technologies L.L.C.
    Inventor: Curtis Norman Daly
  • Publication number: 20140009676
    Abstract: Systems and methods for saving and restoring scenes in a multimedia system with minimal configuration are provided. The techniques of the present invention can allow the states of the components in the multimedia system to be captured in a scene. Once the scene has been saved, the scene can be restored at a later time. A remote control system for recommending scenes by comparing states of components in the current scene with states of components in saved scenes is also provided. The remote control system can also recommend scenes based on usage patterns. Moreover, the remote control system can allow users to designate one or more saved scenes as favorite scenes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Alan Cannistraro
  • Publication number: 20130342759
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus includes a receiver, a reproducer, a display, a transmitter, and a processor. The receiver receives video content data. The reproducer generates first video data by reproducing the video content data. The display displays an image corresponding to the first video data on a screen of the display. The transmitter transmits image data including the first video data to an external display device. The processor transmits a mode switching request including identification information to identify the video content data to the external display device from a first mode to a second mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2013
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventor: Masaya Sahashi
  • Patent number: 8601528
    Abstract: A unified system of programming communication. The system encompasses the prior art (television, radio, broadcast hardcopy, computer communications, etc.) and new user specific mass media. Within the unified system, parallel processing computer systems, each having an input (e.g., 77) controlling a plurality of computers (e.g., 205), generate and output user information at receiver stations. Under broadcast control, local computers (73, 205), combine user information selectively into prior art communications to exhibit personalized mass media programming at video monitors (202), speakers (263), printers (221), etc. At intermediate transmission stations (e.g., cable television stations), signals in network broadcasts and from local inputs (74, 77, 97, 98) cause control processors (71) and computers (73) to selectively automate connection and operation of receivers (53), recorder/players (76), computers (73), generators (82), strippers (81), etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Personalized Media Communications, L.L.C.
    Inventors: John Christopher Harvey, James William Cuddihy
  • Patent number: 8588345
    Abstract: Provided is an OFDM receiver which extracts a time sync signal from a prefix having a symmetric structure. The OFDM receiver, according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention, generates the sync signal (e.g., start point) of a symbol by using only the MSB (e.g., sign bit) of the cyclic prefix of an OFDM symbol, reducing the overhead of a logic circuit for generating the sync signal of the symbol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Junyoung Jeong
  • Patent number: 8587720
    Abstract: A unified system of programming communication. The system encompasses the prior art (television, radio, broadcast hardcopy, computer communications, etc.) and new user specific mass media. Within the unified system, parallel processing computer systems, each having an input (e.g., 77) controlling a plurality of computers (e.g., 205), generate and output user information at receiver stations. Under broadcast control, local computers (73, 205), combine user information selectively into prior art communications to exhibit personalized mass media programming at video monitors (202), speakers (263), printers (221), etc. At intermediate transmission stations (e.g., cable television stations), signals in network broadcasts and from local inputs (74, 77, 97, 98) cause control processors (71) and computers (73) to selectively automate connection and operation of receivers (53), recorder/players (76), computers (73), generators (82), strippers (81), etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Personalized Media Communications LLC
    Inventors: John Christopher Harvey, James William Cuddihy
  • Patent number: 8576322
    Abstract: An image shooting apparatus records video information obtained by shooting a subject, and transfers the video information to an external appliance by communication conforming to the HDMI standards. The image shooting apparatus also records rotation information representing how, when a video based on the video information is displayed on the external appliance, the video is to be rotated, and, when transferring the video information, transmits the rotation information to the external appliance by use of CEC conforming to the HDMI standards. Thus, an image shooting apparatus that transmits a shot video to an external appliance also transmits rotation information by use of CEC so as to be capable of making the external appliance display the shot image in a rotated state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yutaka Kitamori, Ichiro Yamada
  • Patent number: 8558950
    Abstract: A unified system of programming communication. The system encompasses the prior art (television, radio, broadcast hardcopy, computer communications, etc.) and new user specific mass media. Within the unified system, parallel processing computer systems, each having an input (e.g., 77) controlling a plurality of computers (e.g., 205), generate and output user information at receiver stations. Under broadcast control, local computers (73, 205), combine user information selectively into prior art communications to exhibit personalized mass media programming at video monitors (202), speakers (263), printers (221), etc. At intermediate transmission stations (e.g., cable television stations), signals in network broadcasts and from local inputs (74, 77, 97, 98) cause control processors (71) and computers (73) to selectively automate connection and operation of receivers (53), recorder/players (76), computers (73), generators (82), strippers (81), etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Personalized Media Communications LLC
    Inventors: John Christopher Harvey, James William Cuddihy
  • Patent number: 8553146
    Abstract: A device obtains a video and a matrix code (such as a QR code) to divide into portions and interlace with the video. The device generates a modified interlaced video by including at least a first portion in a first but not a second field of a first frame, a second portion in a second but not a first field of a second frame, and so on such that all of the portions of the matrix code are included in the modified interlaced video. Subsequently, the device transmits the modified interlaced video to a display. When the modified interlaced video is displayed, the matrix code is present but not visually perceptible. A matrix code reader detects and/or records and analyzes the displayed modified video to identify the portions of the matrix code included therein, extract such portions, and combine the extracted portions to form the matrix code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: EchoStar Technologies L.L.C.
    Inventor: John T. Kennedy
  • Patent number: 8522266
    Abstract: A system and method for prioritizing the insertion of recorded media into a broadcast stream according to a comparison of priority indicators in the broadcast stream and in the recorded media insertion. The recorded media insertion may be multi-media in nature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: JLB Ventures LLC
    Inventors: Dan Kikinis, Yakov Kamen
  • Patent number: 8514761
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus enable ATSC-M/H mobile devices to conserve power by entering a high power state at a slot reception start time that is after the start of an ATSC M/H slot and entering a low power state at a slot reception stop time before the end of the ATSC M/H slot. Data lost due to the device being in a low power state during the time between the start time of the ATSC M/H slot and the activation time and during the time between the deactivation time and the end of the ATSC M/H slot are recovered using error correction processing. The slot receive and slot reception stop times may be based on the received signal quality. The receiver circuitry may also be deactivated when the entire payload has been received and skip reception of remaining slots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Yuval Carmel, Alecsander P. Eitan
  • Patent number: 8505058
    Abstract: A synchronization mechanism embeds synchronization triggers into a television signal or stream at regular intervals. The triggers include an accurate representation of the time in which the triggers were embedded. A receiving device decodes the triggers and synchronizes its internal timer based on the triggers. In this regard, the receiving device obtains a reference time from the internal timer and computes an offset between the reference time and the trigger time. The computed offset is then applied to the reference time. With the receipt of each new trigger, the application compares the trigger time to a new reference time with the most recently computed offset value applied. If there is any variance between these two values, the application creates a new smoothed offset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Ericsson Television Inc.
    Inventors: Jon Dakss, Paul Milazzo, Karen Sarachik, Allan Kotmel, V. Michael Bove, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8499329
    Abstract: A power saving device is described that is disposed in use between a further device and a mains power supply for supplying power to the further device. The power saving device includes: a communications channel input connected in operation to a communications channel output of the further device. The communications channel input is operable to receive control instructions from the further device. The power saving device also includes: a switch for disconnecting the further device from the mains power supply in response to the control instructions received from the further device; and an internal power source operable to provide power to the power saving device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Cisco Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Ian Bastable, Bijal Shah, Peter Yaxley
  • Patent number: 8482614
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a technique for controlling the presentation of content in a venue to provide an optimal presentation, as well as one or more standard and or user defined presentations. The present disclosure includes optimal setup data along with content to permit devices operating according to the present disclosure to decode the setup data and configure themselves to provide an optimal presentation of the content. A content presentation optimizer according to the present disclosure provides the necessary mechanism for any compliant device to understand a basic set of control commands, so that any one device within a connected network of compliant devices can initiate these control commands toward a destination device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: THX Ltd
    Inventor: Rick Dean
  • Patent number: 8482577
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are a method for controlling the output of a display unit to meet various requirements of the user, and an output control apparatus employing the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Hong Su Kim, In Hoon Kim
  • Publication number: 20130169865
    Abstract: Disclosed are terminals having a television function and display methods thereof. The terminal comprises a display, a first port, a first hardware system, and a second hardware system, the display is connected with the first hardware system and the second hardware system, the first port is connected with the first hardware system. The first port is adapted to receive a television signal. In a first operation mode, the first hardware system is adapted to generate a first display data to be displayed by the display according to the television signal, and instruct the display to display the first display data. In a second operation mode, the second hardware system is adapted to generate a second display data to be displayed by the display according to the television signal, and instruct the display to display the second display data. A generation procedure of the second display data is different from a generation procedure of the first display data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicants: Beijing Lenovo Software Ltd., Lenovo (Beijing) Limited
    Inventor: Donghua Liang
  • Patent number: 8467402
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention allow users to post or publish audio information to a destination on a digital network. A particular embodiment provides a user interface for recording and uploading a short comment, remark, song segment, sound effect or any other audio portion. The comment can be sent directly to another user's device or can be published or uploaded to a network site, web page, user group or other location. A user interface allows organizing, reviewing, editing, tagging, transferring and other types of processing or manipulation in association with the audio portion to be transferred, or which has been received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Miselu, Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshinari Yoshikawa, Kaoru Zeren, Justin Mayer, Toshiaki Takada, Noriyuki Okada
  • Patent number: 8467001
    Abstract: A video system suitable for being set in one of several scene modes and controlling one of several ambient light sources is disclosed. The video system includes a storage unit, a signal transceiver, and a control module. The storage unit stores several brightness setting values, in which the brightness setting values correspond to the scene modes and/or several specification data respectively, and the specification data is contained in the several ambient light sources respectively. The signal transceiver is used for receiving the specification data of one of the ambient light sources. The control module is electrically coupled to the signal transceiver, and controls the signal transceiver to transmit a corresponding brightness setting value in the storage unit to the ambient light source according to the set scene mode and the received specification data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: AmTRAN Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chien-Chou Chen, Wen-Kang Wei
  • Publication number: 20130148020
    Abstract: Systems, methods, software, and data structures that provide dynamic ambient lighting synchronized to a video program being watched in a premises are described herein. A video program may be associated with a predefined lighting scheme that specifies or identifies a time-sequenced set of lighting effects (e.g., flashing police lights, sunrise, explosion, etc.) that are to be performed by the dynamic ambient lighting system time-synchronously with the video program. Components of the dynamic ambient lighting system may extract the lighting scheme from video data, parse the lighting scheme into individual lighting effects, and then control a single-color or multicolor light source associated with each of a plurality of light channels (e.g., front right, rear right, front left, rear left, center, and burst channel, among others) based on time-sequenced lighting primitives defined by each lighting effect. Light sources may be wirelessly controlled, e.g., using an IEEE 802.15.4 or ZigBee-compliant wireless system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: COMCAST CABLE COMMUNICATIONS, LLC
    Inventor: Michael J. Cook
  • Patent number: 8462271
    Abstract: A communication system 100 includes a content repository storing a plurality of content files, a content delivery network 280 communicating with a content repository 274, a content management system 221 determining a plurality of publication times respectively corresponding to each of the plurality of content files and a content distribution system 260 communicating with the content management system and content delivery network. The content distribution system determines an earliest publication time and transfers the plurality of content files to the content delivery network in order of publication in response to determining the earliest publication time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Xavier D. Riley
  • Patent number: 8441574
    Abstract: A system and method for displaying images or video on an electronic display. A unique identifier may be embedded within the frames of images or video and detected by a light sensor. The data from the light sensor is analyzed to determine if the proper image or video was actually shown at the display. Some embodiments analyze the data from the light sensor in real time and may stop displaying the image or video if the data is not in the format of a unique identifier. Using this embodiment, the system can prevent unintended images or video from being shown on the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Manufacturing Resources International, Inc.
    Inventors: William Dunn, Rick De Laet, John Schuch, Jerry Wasinger
  • Patent number: 8418199
    Abstract: In a system, tabulated information on broadcasting programs is supplied through a network. When a user selects information on a desired program from the tabulated information of programs, supplemental information attached to the individual program information is converted into an remote control signal to remote-control a user's receiver to receive the desired program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Sato
  • Patent number: 8401359
    Abstract: A video receiving apparatus having an input terminal to receive pixel-based video data transmitted with pixel clock synchronized with the video data is provided. The video receiving apparatus may include a separation unit, an information acquisition unit, and a determination unit. The separation unit may be configured to separate auxiliary data added to the video data from the video data obtained at the input terminal. The information acquisition unit may be configured to acquire information on the number of horizontal pixels and the number of vertical pixels for the input video data from the auxiliary data separated at the separation unit. The determination unit may be configured to determine a type of the input video data based on the information on the number of horizontal pixels and the number of vertical pixels that is obtained at the information acquisition unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Takuro Shoji, Akira Nishiyama