Patents Represented by Attorney Hanley, Flight & Zimmerman, LLC
  • Patent number: 8348745
    Abstract: Certain example embodiments relate to a gaming system which includes a symbol selector which is arranged to select a plurality of symbols from an available set of symbols. The set of symbols may include one or more predetermined symbols. The predetermined symbols form a predetermined symbol arrangement, such as a pattern or word. When a predetermined symbol is selected it is placed in a symbol store. When the predetermined symbol arrangement is completed, by selection of all of the predetermined symbols, then a prize may be won.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited
    Inventor: Hyong Joo Kim
  • Patent number: 8351645
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for embedding a watermark are disclosed. An example method disclosed herein to embed a watermark in a compressed data stream comprises obtaining a set of transform coefficients included in the compressed data stream, the set of transform coefficients having a respective first set of mantissa codes and a respective set of exponents, the first set of mantissa codes associated with a respective set of mantissa step sizes, identifying a first transform coefficient from the set of transform coefficients having a smallest magnitude among the set of transform coefficients, determining a second set of mantissa codes based on the first transform coefficient and the set of step sizes, and replacing the first set of mantissa codes included in the compressed data stream with the second set of mantissa codes to embed the watermark without uncompressing the compressed data stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventor: Venugopal Srinivasan
  • Patent number: 8352979
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed to broadcast advanced television system committee (ATSC) video in switched digital video (SDV) systems. An example SDV broadcast method includes de-multiplexing at least one program stream from at least one of a plurality of multiple program transport streams (MPTSs), and connecting at least one program stream to a SDV broadcast engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Brad Allen Medford, Debra Ann Phillips, Vernon Daniel Reed
  • Patent number: 8351453
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to allocate shared resources of a high speed packet access channel in a communication network are disclosed. An example method to allocate shared resources of a high speed packet access channel disclosed herein comprises providing information to a user device describing a plurality of service options for exchanging data over the high speed packet access channel, wherein the information comprises a plurality of costs based on an availability of the shared resources, and allocating at least a portion of the shared resources of the high speed packet access channel to the user device according to a selected service option from the plurality of service options.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Sun-Uk Park, Jian Li, Zhi Li
  • Patent number: 8352451
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to classify text communications are disclosed. An example method includes determining a first conditional probability of a first feature occurring in a text given that the text belongs to a classification mode, wherein the first feature is included in the text, determining a second conditional probability of a second feature occurring in a text given that the text belongs to the classification mode, wherein the second feature is included in the text, determining a probability of the classification mode occurring, multiplying the first conditional probability, the second conditional probability and the probability of the classification mode to determine a product, and storing the product in a tangible memory as a score that the message belongs to the first classification mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Tal Eden, Eliyahu Greitzer, Yakir Krichman, Michael Fuks
  • Patent number: 8351712
    Abstract: Example methods and apparatus to perform image classification based on pseudorandom features are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes generating first and second pseudorandom numbers, extracting a first feature of an image based on the first and second pseudorandom numbers, and determining a classification for the image based on the first extracted feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: The Neilsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventor: Morris Lee
  • Patent number: 8348736
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a gaming system including a game controller arranged to generate a skill outcome in response to an input from a player and that is at least partially dependent on a skill of the player. The game controller is arranged to generate an artificial outcome that is controlled by the game controller. The gaming system also includes a game outcome controller arranged to generate a game outcome based on a criterion such that, if the criterion is met, the game outcome is at least partially determined by one of the skill outcome and the artificial outcome and, if the criterion is not met, the game outcome is at least partially determined by the other one of the skill outcome and the artificial outcome. A reward allocator is arranged to allocate a reward that is at least partially dependent on the game outcome.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited
    Inventor: Boris Mitelman
  • Patent number: 8346971
    Abstract: Asynchronous network interface and method of synchronization between two applications on different computers is provided. The network interface contains snooping hardware which can be programmed to contain triggering values comprising either addresses, address ranges or other data which are to be matched. These data are termed “trip wires”. Once programmed, the interface monitors the data stream, including address data, passing through the interface for addresses and data which match the trip wires which have been set. On a match, the snooping hardware can generate interrupts, increment event counters, or perform some other application-specified action. This snooping hardware is preferably based upon Content-Addressable Memory. The invention thus provides in-band synchronization by using synchronization primitives which are programmable by user level applications, while still delivering high bandwidth and low latency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, LP
    Inventors: Derek Edward Roberts, Steven Leslie Pope, Glenford Ezra Mapp, Stephen John Hodges
  • Patent number: 8346804
    Abstract: An example method for mapping of medical code schemes includes processing a plurality of coded concepts to determine a potential match between a code from a first code scheme in the plurality of coded concepts and a code from a second code scheme in the plurality of coded concepts. The method includes assigning a probability to each potential match of a code from the first code scheme and a code from the second code scheme. The method includes generating an alphanumeric indication of the probability of each potential match between the first code scheme and the second code scheme from the plurality of coded concepts and generating a graphical representation of the plurality of coded concepts. The method includes outputting the alphanumeric indication and the graphical representation to a user and accepting user input to select a match between the first code scheme and the second code scheme.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: John N. Phillips
  • Patent number: 8345543
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided to automatically reroute logical circuit data. In accordance with an example method, a failure of a dedicated logical circuit in a packet-based network is identified. The dedicated logical circuit has a first logical circuit identifier assigned prior to identifying the failure. The dedicated logical circuit connects a host device to a remote device to communicate data that originates and terminates only at the host device and the remote device. A logical failover circuit comprising an alternate communication path for communicating the data is selected. When the first logical circuit identifier of the dedicated logical circuit does not match a second logical circuit identifier of the logical failover circuit, the second logical circuit identifier is renamed to match the first logical circuit identifier. The data is rerouted to the logical failover circuit without manual intervention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: William Taylor, David Massengill, John Hollingsworth
  • Patent number: 8345624
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to provide extended voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) services are disclosed. An example residential gateway comprises a radio frequency (RF) detector to detect a presence of a cellular communication device, a service controller to enable a VoIP communication device when the cellular communication device is present, wherein the VoIP communication device and the cellular communication device are different devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, LP
    Inventors: Anil Kumar Doradla, Sreenivasa Gorti, David Wolter
  • Patent number: 8345560
    Abstract: Example methods and apparatus to pre-qualify user communities for communication services are disclosed. An example method comprises configuring a first remote network demarcation associated with a first loop to a loop-back state, interrogating the first loop to determine a first parameter representative of the first loop, configuring a second remote network demarcation associated with a second loop to the loop-back state, interrogating the second loop to determine a second parameter representative of the second loop, and compiling a report based on the first and second parameters, the report containing a value that represents a degree to which a communication service can be provided to a user community associated with the first and second loops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, LP
    Inventors: James Gordon Beattie, Jr., Stephen J. Griesmer, Debebe Assefa Asefa, Stephen Francis Triano
  • Patent number: 8347326
    Abstract: A novel approach enables an event-based framework for evaluating a media instance based on key events of the media instance. First, physiological responses are derived and aggregated from the physiological data of viewers of the media instance. The key events in the media instance can then be identified, wherein such key events drive and determine the viewers' responses to the media instance. Causal relationship between the viewers' responses to the key events and their surveyed feelings about the media instance can further be established to identify why and what might have caused the viewers to feel the way they do.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US)
    Inventors: Daniel Weitzenfeld, Michael R. Fettiplace, Hans C. Lee
  • Patent number: 8345537
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for automatically rerouting logical circuit data from a physical circuit failure in a data network. When a failure in a logical circuit is detected, a label or services name associated with the logical circuit is automatically associated with a logical circuit identifier utilized for identifying the logical circuit in the 10 data network. Once the logical circuit is associated with the logical circuit identifier, the logical circuit data may be automatically rerouted to a “failover network,” thereby minimizing lost data until the failure in the logical circuit is resolved. The logical failover circuit may be an already existing logical circuit provisioned over a dedicated backup physical circuit in the data network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: William Taylor, David Massengill, John Hollingsworth
  • Patent number: 8340790
    Abstract: Example methods and apparatus to adjust control loop timing in a process control system are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes receiving a first input signal generated via a first process control device within a process control system, determining within the process control system if the first input signal is received during a first scheduled time period of a control loop, and adjusting within the process control system a timing of a subsequent input signal received from the first process control device to cause the subsequent input signal to be received during a subsequent scheduled time period of the control loop, wherein the timing of the subsequent input signal is based on at least when the first input signal was received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary Keith Law, Marty James Lewis, Godfrey Roland Sherriff
  • Patent number: 8339938
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for tracking the rerouting of logical circuit data in a data network. A disclosed example method involves updating reroute information in response to a dropped packet associated with a quality of service parameter having been exceeded. Transmitted data is rerouted to at least one logical failover circuit in the data network from at least one failed logical circuit associated with the exceeded quality of service parameter. The at least one logical failover circuit is selected based on a bit rate capability specified to be one of a committed bit rate, a variable bit rate, or an unspecified bit rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: William Taylor, David Massengill, John Hollingsworth
  • Patent number: 8340289
    Abstract: A system and method for providing an indication of randomness quality of random number data generated by a random data service. The random data service may provide random number data to one or more applications adapted to generate key pairs used in code signing applications, for example. In one aspect, the method comprises the steps of: retrieving random number data from the random data service; applying one or more randomness tests to the retrieved random number data to compute at least one indicator of the randomness quality of the random number data; associating the at least one indicator with at least one state represented by a color; and displaying the color associated with the at least one indicator to a user. The color may be displayed in a traffic light icon, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Neil P. Adams, Michael G. Kirkup, Herbert A. Little, Michael Rybak, David F. Tapuska
  • Patent number: 8339988
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for provisioning logical circuits for intermittent use in a data network. A customer order requesting the use of a logical circuit for communicating data for a predetermined time period is received in the data network. A logical circuit is then provisioned in the data network prior to the start of the predetermined time period for communicating the customer data. Once the predetermined time period has elapsed, the provisioned logical circuit is deleted from the data network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: William Taylor, David Massengill, John Hollingsworth
  • Patent number: 8340685
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed to generate market segmentation data with anonymous location data. A disclosed example method involves receiving geographic location information associated with a mobile phone user, associating the geographic location information with an identifier unrelated to personal information associated with the mobile phone user, identifying a home location associated with the geographic location information, and associating segmentation information with the identifier based on the home location and without referencing personal information of the mobile phone user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Laura Cochran, David R. Miller, Jeff Stevens, Mark Nelson
  • Patent number: D673917
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Andre A. Dicaire, Bernie Larson, Kent Allan Burr