Specific To Individual User Or Household Patents (Class 725/34)
  • Patent number: 10489021
    Abstract: The present invention provides a video playback method and apparatus, where the method includes: obtaining playback progress information of all sub-files in a video file, where the video file includes at least two sub-files; displaying a playback progress bar list, where the playback progress bar list includes playback progress bars of the at least two sub-files, and a playback progress bar of any sub-file displays playback progress of the any sub-file according to playback progress information of the any sub-file; receiving a user instruction used for selecting, according to the playback progress bars, a target sub-file that needs to be played, where the target sub-file is any sub-file of the at least two sub-files; and playing the target sub-file according to the instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignees: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Simon Ekstrand, Zongbo Wang, Rui Li, Guosheng Gu
  • Patent number: 10489182
    Abstract: The disclosure provides an approach for virtualizing a slicer server. A slicer program running in a virtual machine receives a multicast Internet Protocol (IP) signal, re-encodes the signal to a streaming-friendly format, and pushes the re-encoded signal to a content distribution network that distributes the video signal to clients either live or on demand. In one embodiment, a new virtual machine including the slicer is cloned from a template for each broadcast channel that is created, with the newly-cloned VM being used to process IP signals for the corresponding broadcast channel. In addition, the slicer running in the VM may transmit to the content delivery network a time sequence indicating when content in the re-encoded signal should be streamed for play out, and the time sequence may be based on a time that is synchronized to an external server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Dellosa
  • Patent number: 10482089
    Abstract: Methods and computer program products relate to indicating search result relevancy that includes accepting a first set of query terms from a user, providing the user with a first set of search results corresponding to the first set of query terms, accepting from the user at least one indication of result relevancy from the first set of search results, accepting a second set of query terms from the user, the second set of query terms including the same or similar query terms to the first set of query terms, providing the user with a second set of search results corresponding to the second set of query terms, the second set of search results including one or more search results from the first set of search results, and including the indication of result relevancy in the second set of search results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Lisa Seacat DeLuca, Geetika T. Lakshmanan, Dana L. Price, Shelbee D. Smith-Eigenbrode
  • Patent number: 10467282
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes accessing one or more content objects associated with a first user of an online social network; generating a set of tag candidates by extracting one or more n-grams from the content objects, wherein each tag candidate comprises one or more text strings or ideograms from the extracted n-grams; calculating, for each tag candidate of the set of tag candidates, a quality-score for the tag candidate based on an affinity coefficient between the first user and a respective content object from which the n-grams or ideograms comprising the tag candidate were extracted; and sending, to a client system for display, one or more of the tag candidates as suggested tags for the first user, wherein each suggested tag has a quality-score greater than a threshold quality-score.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Aigerim Shorman, Jiawen Connie Yang, Eric Andrew Shrewsberry, Wei Zhong Yeh, Jason Fotinatos, Dustin S. Ho, Jack Murray, Jeffrey Lin, Alisha S. Outridge
  • Patent number: 10462594
    Abstract: An audio content playback method for a portable terminal. The audio content playback method includes checking a channel that is supportable by audio content that is currently engaged in group's simultaneous playback, in group's simultaneous playback of the audio content. The method includes allocating a channel to each of devices included in a group based on position information of each device included in the group or based on an input state in a user interface environment that is preset for channel allocation for each device included in the group, and transmitting the allocated channel information to each device included in the group to allow the device to select its allocated channel and play the audio content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jung-Mi Lee, Kyu-Ok Choi, Ji-Hyun Um
  • Patent number: 10459976
    Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for applying an annotation to a portion of a video sequence. The method comprises the steps of receiving the video sequence in real-time during capture of the video sequence, monitoring in real-time a plurality of signals associated with the video sequence, and receiving an indication associated with a spatial area of interest of at least one frame during capture of the video sequence. The method further comprises selecting, from the plurality of monitored signals, a temporal portion of one of the plurality of monitored signals for annotation, said selection being based upon at least the spatial area of interest and a temporal variation measure in at least one of the plurality of monitored signals, applying an annotation to a portion of the video sequence corresponding to the selected temporal portion; and storing the annotation in an annotation record associated with the video sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ij Eric Wang, Jie Xu
  • Patent number: 10455267
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a method may include receiving subscriber metadata and ad asset metadata from ad campaign manager logic and provisioning the subscriber metadata and the ad asset metadata via a central controller to a subscriber information system and a content information system, respectively; intercepting ad decision messages, ad impression messages, and ad response messages with a digital ad router; accumulating the ad decision messages, the ad impression messages, and the ad response messages in a control structure applied to a measurement system; and operating the measurement system to correlate subregions of the control structure with the subscriber metadata and the ad asset metadata to form a measurement signal to control the ad campaign manager logic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Cadent Tech, Inc.
    Inventor: Leslie M Carter
  • Patent number: 10448121
    Abstract: An online system presents content in videos to users. Content providers may value having their content injected into videos from certain sources more than others. This preference is quantified as a brand value score. The brand value score is determined as a function of user engagement with a source of the video and, to account for brand value, the system performs a two-stage auction. First, the system determines whether to inject any content into a video by determining a distribution of brand value of videos per demand for videos in a previous period and filling a projected demand for the content in a current period to determine a brand value threshold. Then, any videos having a brand value above the threshold are eligible for the second stage of the selection process where the system performs an auction where projected benefit of presenting the content is compared to projected loss.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventor: Abhishek Bapna
  • Patent number: 10437874
    Abstract: A method, an apparatus and computer program code is provided. The method comprises: responding to user input by making at least one alteration to a recording of a real scene in a first image content item; determining at least one altered characteristic of the recording of the real scene; determining whether one or more further image content items, different from the first image content item, have a recording of a real scene comprising the at least one determined altered characteristic; and causing at least one further image content item, having a recording of a real scene comprising the at least one determined altered characteristic, to be indicated to a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Jussi Leppänen, Francesco Cricri, Antti Eronen, Arto Lehtiniemi
  • Patent number: 10423987
    Abstract: Particular embodiments take first screen media assets and can derive second screen appropriate media assets. Then, particular embodiments may determine a target application for the second screen media assets. Layout characteristics for the target application is determined. Particular embodiments correlate the layout characteristics and the second screen media assets to select a second screen media asset for the target application. The correlation may generate scores based on the second screen media assets and the layout characteristics to determine a best fit of a second screen media asset for the target application. Then, the second screen media asset may be transcoded based on the characteristics of the target application or target device. After transcoding, particular embodiments may create a view of the second screen media asset in the target application, such as an overlay of the second screen media asset over a screen capture of the target application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC
    Inventors: Jehan Wickramasuriya, Venugopal Vasudevan
  • Patent number: 10425698
    Abstract: A method for presenting advertisements for commercial products in video productions, whereby the commercial product is placed in the video production as an element of the video production. A viewer is enabled to interact with the video production to select the product. Information is then displayed about the selected product; and the viewer is enabled to purchase the selected product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: AiBUY, Inc.
    Inventors: Christian Briggs, Heath McBurnett, Delfino Galindo, Freddy Knuth
  • Patent number: 10390065
    Abstract: An online system receives a video-presentation request from a third party system. The video-presentation request comprises a video and a target audience specification for the video. The online system selects a plurality of users as the target audience of the video based on the target audience specification. From the target audience, the online system generates a sample subset of users and determines a sampled video reach count for the subset of users. A sample user who, as determined by the online system, would have viewed the view for at least a threshold duration, is included in the sampled video view count. The online system estimates a total video reach count for target audience by extrapolating the sampled video reach count for the subset of users to the target audience. The total video reach count can be used to determine a parameter for presenting the video on an online system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Jiajin Yu, Max K. Comer, Zhengyong Zhu, Kevin Wenkai Heh, Spencer Powell
  • Patent number: 10372995
    Abstract: A device for previewing a video includes a memory device configured to store instructions, and one or more processors configured to execute the instructions to receive a video captured by a camera and analyze the video. The one or more processors are also configured to detect a special event from the analysis of the video. The special event includes at least one of an object, a moving object, or a sound detected in the video. The one or more processors are further configured to extract, from the video, at least one of a video preview frame or audio segment corresponding to the special event, and generate a preview video including the at least one of the video preview frame or audio segment corresponding to the special event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: SHANGHAI XIAOYI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Junfeng Zhang, Lili Zhao, Feng Li
  • Patent number: 10368135
    Abstract: A system and method is disclosed to transmit electronic information to a user of a step-top box. The system includes a database that stores user registration and product information data. A set-top box is also provided that communicates with a remote controller with a touch screen and a server broadcasts the product information data to a plurality of set-top boxes for display on touch screens of remote controller communicating with the set-top boxes, respectively, without the product information being designated for a specific user of one set-top box. The server also transmits updated product information data that replaces a portion of the original product information data. Furthermore, a processor compares data relating to a transaction request from a user of one set-top box with user registration data stored in the database to identify the user, and that generates customized transaction data that is transmitted to the identified user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: HSNi, LLC
    Inventors: Gerard C. Johnson, Sean Bunner, John McDevitt
  • Patent number: 10361802
    Abstract: An adaptive interface for a programmable system, for predicting a desired user function, based on user history, as well as machine internal status and context. The apparatus receives an input from the user and other data. A predicted input is presented for confirmation by the user, and the predictive mechanism is updated based on this feedback. Also provided is a pattern recognition system for a multimedia device, wherein a user input is matched to a video stream on a conceptual basis, allowing inexact programming of a multimedia device. The system analyzes a data stream for correspondence with a data pattern for processing and storage. The data stream is subjected to adaptive pattern recognition to extract features of interest to provide a highly compressed representation that may be efficiently processed to determine correspondence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: Blanding Hovenweep, LLC
    Inventors: Linda I. Hoffberg-Borghesani, Steven M. Hoffberg
  • Patent number: 10362365
    Abstract: Systems and methods to address shortcomings in conventional systems that traditionally provide interactive television services. In some aspects, the systems and methods provide for a method for managing an interactive session in an interactive media guidance application. The interactive media guidance application receives a user selection of a media asset. The interactive media guidance application stores, in a buffer, an advertisement received during display of the media asset. The interactive media guidance application receives a user request to initiate an interactive session. The interactive media guidance application analyzes the buffer for information relating to the advertisement based on the user request to initiate the interactive session. The interactive media guidance application receives a user request for information in the interactive session.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: Ravi Guides, Inc.
    Inventor: Milan Indu Patel
  • Patent number: 10356366
    Abstract: During output of a primary media stream from a cable, satellite, television, radio or internet source, a condition, signal or indication of a commercial break is detected causing a context switch to occur and enabling other services, programming or devices to intervene during the commercial break and causing an alternative output to be produced by a process or device. When the commercial break is over, the system may optionally rejoin with the primary media stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment America LLC
    Inventors: Gary M. Zalewski, Riley R. Russell
  • Patent number: 10349106
    Abstract: A system may include a user interface module, a video services module, and a targeting module. The targeting module may be configured to receive addressability information from the video services module, receive receptiveness information from the video services module, apply filtering information to the receptiveness information, associate filtered receptiveness information with an end user using at least one of an IP address associated with the user interface module or a video services user identifier, perform an aging operation on the filtered receptiveness information, determine whether the end user is part of a target audience, determine an item of targeted content to provide to the end user, and transmit the selected item of the targeted content. The user interface module may be configured to detect signals embedded in an item of video-on-demand content and insert the targeted content from the local cache into a video stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventor: Steven D. Whitehead
  • Patent number: 10346872
    Abstract: A split and merge advertisement method, system, and non-transitory computer readable medium, include an advertisement splitting circuit configured to split the first advertisement to be played on a second device when a moving user of the first group of users moves from a proximity of the first device to a proximity of the second device as detected by the user identifying unit of each of the first device and the second device, an optimization circuit configured to optimize a second advertisement to be played on the first device for the first group of users having a new group composition and a third advertisement to be played on the second device for the moving user, and an advertisement merging circuit configured to merge the third advertisement with the second advertisement when the moving user moves from the second device to the first device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Saritha Arunkumar, Kuntal Dey, Nizar Lethif, Enara C. Vijil
  • Patent number: 10341725
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described herein for determining a level of user engagement based on user interactions. A media guidance application is configured to retrieve a first record of a first plurality of user inputs, including input type, received during consumption of a media asset. A second time interval, prior to the first time interval, is selected by shifting the first start time and the first end time. A second record of a second plurality of user inputs received during the second time interval, including input type, is retrieved. A first media asset consumed during the first time interval and a second media asset consumed during the second time interval are determined, and the level of user engagement for the first media asset is determined based on the first record and the second record.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin H. Maughan, Paul Stathacopoulos, Sean Matthews
  • Patent number: 10339571
    Abstract: A client computing system inserts selected advertising into digital content. Ads may be inserted into content based on a dynamic advertising matching process that is securely implemented within a hardware-based root of trust. User profiles used in ad matching may be privacy protected and maintained with confidentiality protection in the client computing system and/or a service provider server, respectively. When a client computing system makes a request to the service provider server for content with specified ad slots, the request may be made with the client's EPID signature, which is inherently privacy protected. The hardware-based root of trust protects insertion of selected ads into the linear rendering flow of the content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Ramesh Pendakur, Gyan Prakash, Walter C. Gintz
  • Patent number: 10313753
    Abstract: A processing device for generating a viewing data report is disclosed. The processing device may include a memory device and a processor. The memory device may store instructions. The processor may be operatively coupled to the memory device. The processor may execute the instructions to: determine first viewing data associated with a first ACR event; determine second viewing data associated with a second ACR event; determine that a data field of a plurality of data fields in the first viewing data is incomplete; derive new data for the data field using other data fields of the first viewing data; aggregate the first viewing data and the second viewing data into a single data model to obtain aggregated viewing data of viewing behavior of a first viewer and a second viewer; and create a viewing data report as a compilation of the aggregated viewing data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Steven M. Cormie, Stefan Liassides
  • Patent number: 10306325
    Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a system having a controller to present an overlay that is combined with a presentation of media content, collect one or more user-generated remarks from each of a plurality of computing devices where the one or more user-generated remarks are temporally associated with media content presented at the plurality of computing devices according to the overlay, monitor one or more user-generated comments from each of the plurality of computing devices, and selectively filter the one or more user-generated comments from each of the plurality of computing devices. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Linda Ann Roberts, E-Lee Chang, Ja-Young Sung, Natasha Barrett Schultz, Robert King
  • Patent number: 10290006
    Abstract: Methods and systems providing digital signage and interactive gaming services in compliance with federal and state laws and regulations are described. A service fee is collected from a retailer, and a service fee may or may not be collected from a retailer (e.g., a bar). An advertising fee is collected from a first advertising provider. The first advertising provider is involved in alcohol distribution/wholesaling or manufacturing. A second advertising fee from a second advertising provider is collected. The second advertising provider is involved in a non-alcohol related industry. A portion of a subscription fee is collected based on a separate source of fees (e.g., text message or jukebox fee) received from a patron. The message may contain information indicating that the patron wishes to pay a service fee.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: TOUCHTUNES MUSIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Stephen D. Straus
  • Patent number: 10257588
    Abstract: Described herein are systems and methods for inserting breakpoints and reference links into a multimedia file. A method may comprise receiving breakpoint information from a content provider, wherein the breakpoint information is specific to a first digital media file of a plurality of digital media files, inserting a plurality of breakpoints into the first digital media file based on the breakpoint information, wherein the plurality of breakpoints designate at least one clip within the first digital media file, receiving a user share request from a user device to share the at least one clip within the first digital media file, and providing the user device with a sharable reference link to the at least one clip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Viacom International Inc.
    Inventors: Vincenza Pizzo, Joel Sanders
  • Patent number: 10248714
    Abstract: Concepts for protecting domain-specific language of a dialogue service are presented. The presence of a protected term in a domain-specific query may be identified based on the domain that is specific to the query. The identified protected term may then be substituted with an associated substitute term.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Agnia Barsukova, David M. Curran, Scott P. Joynt, Simon P. O'Doherty
  • Patent number: 10237585
    Abstract: A system for rendering media having content displayed comprises a receiving unit to receive media, a scanner to detect an object in the media for placing a placeholder, a checker to provide the placeholder to a user for feedback and receive the feedback. The system also includes a template generator to generate a template indicating the placeholder in the media. The system also includes a rendering unit in communication with the template generator to render, upon receiving a request for watching the media, the media having content to display to the user, based on at least one of a storage space and a processing capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: ACCENTURE GLOBAL SOLUTIONS LIMITED
    Inventors: Christian Souche, Edouard Mathon, Alexandre Naressi
  • Patent number: 10235027
    Abstract: A method includes monitoring media content at media content locations to identify media content items. The media content locations are identified in social network data stored by a set-top box device. The method includes receiving, at the set-top box device, a command to present image cells to a display device. The command is responsive to an alert sent from the set-top box device. The method also includes presenting the image cells at the display device. At least one of the image cells includes an image corresponding to an identified media content item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: FACEBOOK, INC.
    Inventor: Kurt Trauth
  • Patent number: 10231031
    Abstract: In accordance with the invention, advertisement identifiers are stored in a queue in memory in the set top box or elsewhere corresponding to individual subscribers of a television service delivery network. The advertisements are retrieved and displayed in the order dictated by the queue as advertisement avails are detected in the particular channel information stream being watched by that subscriber. Accordingly, the subscriber sees the advertisements regardless of what channel or television program is being watched and sees them in the order dictated by the queue. The invention also is applicable to other information streams including Internet advertising, audio/radio advertising and advertising in electronic program guides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: PRIME RESEARCH ALLIANCE E., INC.
    Inventors: Charles A. Eldering, Gregory C. Flickinger, John A. Schlack, John P. Blasko
  • Patent number: 10229438
    Abstract: A management and delivery method and system for a distributed marketing network. Access to one or more network service gateways associated with a distributed marketing network can be authorized, if particular criteria are satisfied. A business transaction may be coordinated with the distributed marketing network through network service gateways in a near real time fashion and without manual intervention, in response to authorizing the access to the network service gateways. The network service gateways may include a partner interface, a centralized hub that communicates with the partner interfaces, and/or a local market integrated service layer that communicates with the centralized hub and the partner interface. The distributed marketing network may be, for example, a network of radio stations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: IHEARTMEDIA MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Bobbi Denise Schuster, Matthew Ferry, John Fulbright, David C. Jellison, Jr., Kohinoor Basu, Steven M. Gable
  • Patent number: 10225625
    Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for real-time metatagging and captioning of an event and caption extraction and analysis for such event. The method for the real-time metatagging and captioning and caption extraction and analysis of an event may include embedding metatag information in a caption file provided by a captioner. The embedded and/or extracted metatag information may allow a user to access additional information via the text of the captioned event. Data, words, or phrases can be provided by the captioner during captioning or, post-captioning, extracted from the one or more segments of the caption transcript. Metadata based on said providing and/or extracting is provided. The metadata is stored in a metadata archive, where the metadata is associated with the caption transcript.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: VITAC Corporation
    Inventors: Michael W. Homyack, Richard T. Polumbus, Troy A. Greenwood
  • Patent number: 10223713
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for selecting and delivering advertising or promotional content based on, e.g., the attributes of a desired demographic. In one embodiment, the invention enhances advertising or promotional penetration into a particular demographic of a network subscriber pool by correlating the advertising/promotion (and even the contextual program content) with specific users or groups of users within the pool. This approach decouples the advertising or promotion from any given program or lineup, and gives the network operator flexibility in deciding where, when, and how often to insert advertisements or promotions in order to achieve the desired result. Dynamic network architectures such as broadcast switched architectures can also be leveraged to further enhance flexibility and targeting precision. In effect, the network advertising or promotion model is made results-driven (versus program-centric).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC
    Inventor: Michael L. LaJoie
  • Patent number: 10218575
    Abstract: A method of configuring a telecommunications network comprising the steps of: providing a first set of time dependent network data, a network related parameter varying with time; identifying abnormalities embedded within said first set of data; providing a first set of external event data; associating respective abnormalities with corresponding event data; generating a model to represent an impact of the, or each, class of event, represented by the event data; using the, or each, model in combination with extrapolated data to predict future variation in the network related parameter; repeating this simulation for alternative input conditions; selecting a solution from the output of one the simulations; and implementing a modification to the network corresponding to the/or each respective input condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: BAE SYSTEMS plc
    Inventors: Iain Norman Nicol Reid, Richard Thomas Jarvis, David Nicholson
  • Patent number: 10212479
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method receives interest indications for entities, entitlements, and location information that are indexed by user profiles in databases. The interest indications for the entities, the entitlements, and the location information are transformed from being indexed by the user profiles to indexing the entities and indexing entitlement and location information as availability pairs in an index and associating user profiles in the user profiles as entries for the index. The method receives a notification of a live programming event before the event starts and uses the notification to determine an entity of a media program and an availability pair. A second database is queried using the entity and the availability pair to determine a set of user profiles associated with the entity and the availability pair. Then, an action is performed for at least a portion of the set of user profiles before the live programming event occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: HULU, LLC
    Inventors: Minlin Zhang, Hank Hwang, Yingan Wang
  • Patent number: 10205764
    Abstract: Provided are methods and systems for inserting custom content. An example method can comprise receiving, at a first computing device, an insertion instruction over a first non-packet-switching protocol information stream. The method can also comprise querying, by the first computing device, a second computing device in response to receiving the insertion instruction. The method can further comprise receiving, at the first computing device, content over a packet-switching protocol information stream in response to querying the second computing device. The content can be customized for an end-user associated with the first computing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Gregory Allen Broome, Jason Burgess, Richard Fliam
  • 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
  • Patent number: 10198152
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for providing live-streaming online content, including video segments married with related online information in a single online platform. In accordance with one implementation, a method is provided that includes generating, using at least one processor, a series of videos having a sequential order to display in a web browser and publishing the videos in the web browser. The method further includes determining online data that relates to each video in the series and displaying the related data in the web browser. Further, the method includes playing the videos in the web browser in a sequential order and updating the data that relates to a video while the video is playing in real-time. The related data may include user comments, social media comments, pictures, videos, webpages, or hyperlinks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Oath Inc.
    Inventors: Gabriel A. Lewis, Roy Sekoff, Mitchell R. Semel, Kim-Leigh Pontin, Adam Denenberg
  • Patent number: 10198502
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for managing data deliver for data constrained user devices. In one aspect, a method includes the actions of receiving, from a user device, requests for resources. For each of the requests, determining whether the user device is currently subject to a data constraint for receiving data responsive to the request. For each request for which the user device is determined to be subject to the data constraint, provide data that causes the user device to display a prompt to choose whether a resource responsive to the request is to be provided in the unrestricted data form or a restricted data form. A resource can be provided in an unrestricted data form has a first data size and provided in a restricted data form has a second data size that is less than the first data size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventor: Justin Min
  • Patent number: 10194177
    Abstract: An electronic device and method for media content to be replaced other media content is disclosed. The method includes receiving first media content comprising a set of media content segments. The method includes receiving second media content comprising a first media content segment. The method includes receiving scheduling information identifying a second media content segment of the set of media content segments to be replaced with the first media content segment. The method includes determining that the first content feed is transmitted according to a first broadcast timing and that the second content feed is transmitted according to a second broadcast timing. The method includes syncing the first broadcast timing with the second broadcast timing. The method includes replacing the second media content segment with the first media content segment when the first content feed and the second content feed are synced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: Sorenson Media, Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew L. Ashbacher
  • Patent number: 10187696
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided herein for automatically overriding an auto-skip command embedded in a media asset annotation when a user profile indicates a preference for content that is to be auto-skipped. To this end, a media guidance application may play back a media asset to a user, and detect therein a skip annotation that corresponds to a portion of the media asset that is to be played back. The media guidance application may, in response to detecting the skip annotation, access metadata indicating content of the portion, compare the metadata to entries of a profile of the user, and determine whether the user prefers the content based on the comparing. if the user prefers the content, the media guidance application may refrain from executing a skip command indicated by the skip annotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc.
    Inventors: Arevik Chimayan, China Arai, Marine Chimayan, Kim T. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 10187669
    Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example to access a broadcast of media content in response to a request to record the media content from a mobile communication device, and adjust a format of the media content based at least in part on a user profile associated with the mobile communication device where the user profile comprises device format preferences. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Kelley Casimere
  • Patent number: 10178442
    Abstract: In a method for delivering targeted television advertisements based on online behavior, IP addresses indicating online access devices and IP addresses indicating television set-top boxes are electronically associated for a multitude of users. Using user profile information derived from online activity from one of the online access IP addresses, a television advertisement is selected, such as by using behavioral targeting or demographic information, and automatically directed to the set-top box indicated by the set-top IP address associated with that online access IP address. Preferably neither the user profile information nor the electronic association of online access and set-top box IP addresses includes personally identifiable information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: INTENT IQ, LLC
    Inventor: Roy Shkedi
  • Patent number: 10171601
    Abstract: Disclosed aspects relate to availability-based video presentation management using a social networking environment. A user request for a provision of a set of contents is received from a user of the social networking environment. A video request to present at least one video of a set of videos to the user in advance of the provision of the set of contents is detected. A set of user profile data in the social networking environment is analyzed with respect to a busyness factor for the user. Based on the set of user profile data with respect to the busyness factor, a selected video of the set of videos is determined. In response to determining the selected video of the set of videos, the selected video of the set of videos is presented to the user in advance of the provision of the set of contents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Alaa Abou Mahmoud, Paul R. Bastide, Fang Lu
  • Patent number: 10163079
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes purchasing an amount of cryptocurrency assets from a cryptocurrency source system and storing, in a cryptocurrency wallet maintained by a payment service, private encryption keys representative of the purchased cryptocurrency assets. The method also includes assigning, in a ledger maintained by the payment service, ownership of amounts of cryptocurrency to the payment service and users of the payment service. The method further includes receiving, via an application executing on a device of a user of the payment service and associated with the payment service, a request from the user to acquire or sell an amount of cryptocurrency and, based on the request, processing the transfer of the amount of cryptocurrency by adjusting, in the ledger, the respective amounts of cryptocurrency owned by the user and the payment service, wherein the transfer is processed via the payment service instead of the cryptocurrency source system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Square, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Michael Brock, Brian Grassadonia, Michael Moring
  • Patent number: 10157401
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for data processing and content distribution. In one aspect, a method includes providing skippable content items from a given content category to a user device; determining, for the user, an aggregate engagement level with the skippable content items based on portions of the skippable content items that were presented and whether the skippable content items were skipped; determining, for the user, an interest score for the given category based on comparing the aggregate engagement level to a population engagement level with skippable content items from the given content category; determining that the interest score of the user for the given category is below a specified threshold; and in response to receiving a subsequent request for a content item from the given content category distributing, to the user device, a non-skippable content item from the given category.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventor: Timothy Olds
  • Patent number: 10158591
    Abstract: A telecommunication and multimedia management apparatus and method that supports voice and other media communications and that enables users to: (i) participate in multiple conversation modes, including live phone calls, conference calls, instant voice messaging or tactical communications; (ii) review the messages of conversations in either a live mode or a time-shifted mode and to seamlessly transition back and forth between the two modes; (iii) participate in multiple conversations either concurrently or simultaneously; (iv) archive the messages of conversations for later review or processing; and (v) persistently store media either created or received on the communication devices of users. The latter feature enables users to generate or review media when either disconnected from the network or network conditions are poor and to optimize the delivery of media over the network based on network conditions and the intention of the users participating in conversations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: VOXER IP LLC
    Inventors: Thomas E. Katis, James T. Panttaja, Mary G. Panttaja, Matthew J. Ranney
  • Patent number: 10149006
    Abstract: In a substitutional media system, one of a set of media items is selected at a program receiver for output within a predefined programming slot, based on profile data available at the receiver. Sets of the media items are scheduled to slots according to one or more constraints pertaining to that slot and/or to media items scheduled to other slots. The receiver may select a media item for output in a slot by resolving constraints with media items scheduled to other slots, or selected for output in other slots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Sky CP Limited
    Inventors: Christopher John Patten, Christopher David Caines, Jeffrey Russell Eales, Herve Murret-Labarthe
  • Patent number: 10134313
    Abstract: A method and system for authoring templates for personalized video message campaigns in general, and personalized TV commercial campaigns in particular. The invention allows for campaign templates to be authored and edited in such a way that commercials can be automatically generated later on in the process, when the target audience and context are known, while at the same time adhering to the existing (post) production workflows and tools. The invention maintains assembly information for messages in a format that allows easy assembly of variations of commercials at any point in the creation, editing, post-production and delivery process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: Visible World, Inc.
    Inventors: Seth Haberman, Gerrit Niemeijer, Abel van der Burgh, Steven Lubowsky
  • Patent number: 10129593
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for enabling time-based secondary content scheduling and dynamic placement for users of a content distribution network. In one embodiment, the network comprises a managed network, and the secondary content comprises advertising which was scheduled at the time the primary content was stored/recorded. A management process is adapted to identify the originally scheduled advertisements and utilize a temporal reference (e.g., time stamp) or other data associated with the original recording provided to the management process when an advertisement call is made dynamically, thereby preserving such relationship when the recorded content is requested for playback with a certain period of time, without having to store the advertisements with each recording. In another embodiment, a Campaign Management System (CMS) is used to associate campaigns based on a time period “in the past” (e.g., via use of one or more historic records regarding the advertisement placement for each user individually).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Charter Communications Operating, LLC
    Inventor: Basil Badawiyeh
  • Patent number: 10123058
    Abstract: Systems, methods, machine-readable media, and media device are provided to facilitate seamless flow content splicing to dynamically insert particularized content items in television programming content. A plurality of particularized content items may be received and stored in a content store. First content that corresponds to television programming may be received and processed to detect a first set of color characteristics of video content. A subset of the particularized content items may be selected based on matching a second set of color characteristics of the subset of the particularized content items to the first set of color characteristics of the video content corresponding to the television programming. The first content may be output for display. Then, the subset of the particularized content items may be output for display in succession so that display of the subset of the particularized content items directly follows display of the first content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: DISH Technologies L.L.C.
    Inventor: Abhijit Sharma