Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Hans R. Mahr
  • Patent number: 6809747
    Abstract: For an interactive operation with a receiver which receives unidirectionally broadcast data, a signal of a picture including an object are multiplexed with information relevant to the object with a visible symbol to which reference is made when selecting the object, being presented in the picture correspondingly to the object. The relevant information is transmitted by a unidirectional broadcasting system in which the information is displayed when the object is selected referring to the symbol. The relevant information is displayed by making a selection between a channel from a first tuber (2) and a one from a second tuner (3) by means of a remote controller (1) with reference to the symbol corresponding to the object displayed on a color CRT (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hidetoshi Ichioka
  • Patent number: 6803967
    Abstract: A solid generator allows multiple identical solids to be produced in respective ones of the tiles of a rectangular array of tiles. The tiles may occupy a whole frame, may be shifted relative to the edges of the frame. One row of tiles may be shifted relative to another row. The array may be passed across the frame. The tiles may occupy a part of the frame. A single ramp is defined by R=Ah+Bv_C where A, B and C are signed values, h=pixels along a line and v=lines. Values of A, B and C for various tiles are stored in registers C1, C2, C3, FB1, FB2, FB3 and used in relation to the individual tiles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: Sony United Kingdom Limited
    Inventor: Jonathan Mark Greenwood
  • Patent number: 6799180
    Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for navigating through source content to identify a desired feature within the source content, semantic source metadata being associated with portions of the source content. The system includes an input interface for receiving a request for the desired feature, and a processing unit for generating from the request a search request specifying the desired feature with reference to semantic metadata, and for causing the search request to be processed to identify semantic source metadata indicative of the desired feature. An output interface is provided for outputting as the desired feature a representation of the portion of the source content associated with the identified semantic source metadata. This provides an accurate and efficient technique for finding particular features within the source content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Sony United Kingdom Limited
    Inventors: John Mark McGrath, Andrew Collins, Rex Martin Dorricott
  • Patent number: 6799162
    Abstract: To prevent adaptation to misrecognized words in unsupervised or on-line automatic speech recognition systems confidence measures are used or the user reaction is interpreted to decide whether a recognized phoneme, several phonemes, a word, several words or a whole utterance should be used for adaptation of the speaker independent model set to a speaker adapted model set or not and, in case an adaptation is executed, how strong the adaptation with this recognized utterance or part of this recognized utterance should be performed. Furtheron, a verification of the speaker adaptation performance is proposed to secure that the recognition rate never decreases (significantly), but only increases or stays at the same level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony International (Europe) GmbH
    Inventors: Silke Goronzy, Ralf Kompe, Peter Buchner, Naoto Iwahashi
  • Patent number: 6795097
    Abstract: According to the present invention, when displaying a jog-dial window menu on a liquid crystal display, hierarchically-structured menu items are displayed with a hierarchy icon, thereby enabling the user to easily recognize whether or not that menu item is hierarchically structured and improving the operation of menu selection. Furthermore, scroll display of a character string indicating a menu item is performed in an identification frame, thereby enabling the user to read the entire character string from beginning to end for easy recognition thereof and improving the operation of menu selection. Still further, a character string of a menu selected from among a plurality of menu items is displayed in a different color from other character strings, thereby enabling the user to easily recognize the selected menu item and improving the operation of menu selection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Yamaguchi, Naoki Fujisawa, Keigo Ihara, Tetsuya Kohno, Tota Hasegawa, Junichiro Sakata, Tomoe Tanaka, Junji Ooi
  • Patent number: 6794566
    Abstract: The method serves to automatically identify in a set of data sequences at least one specific type of information contained in each data sequence of the set, wherein the type of information has an unknown presentation in the data sequences. It comprises the steps of: initially defining at least one characteristic feature of the specific type of information, and of expressing the characteristic feature(s) in terms of at least one recognition rule executable by processor means (2), applying the recognition rule(s) through the processor means to analyze the set of data sequences, determining in each data sequence a data portion thereof satisfying the recognition rule(s), and identifying the data portion as corresponding to the specific type of information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Sony France S.A.
    Inventor: François Pachet
  • Patent number: 6792541
    Abstract: A code range which is the range of usable identification codes (corresponding to file names or directory names) is stored in an area defining area corresponding to a directory, and a layer structure in which the area defining area concerned is set as a parent layer and the other area defining areas are set as child layers is constructed on the basis of the code range. Further, the capacity (empty capacity) of the usable storage area is stored in the area defining area, and the capacity and identification codes which are usable in the layer of an area defining area are restricted by the empty capacity and the code range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Susumu Kusakabe, Masayuki Takada, Masachika Sasaki
  • Patent number: 6780113
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to make it possible to execute a video-game software program read from a video-game program recording medium, to convert contents data to print data, and to enable a printer of an unknown type to print the print data. To achieve the object, a data-reading module determines whether the printer connected to a video game apparatus is of an unknown type (Step S11). If the printer is of an unknown type, or a type not designated by the printer driver, printing parameter is read from the printer, the parameter of a device engine module is changed in accordance with the printing parameter (Step S12). And the print data is printed (Steps S13 to S17).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kohei Nojiri, Hiroshi Udagawa, Koichiro Ishigami, Haruo Asano
  • Patent number: 6782539
    Abstract: Data processing apparatus is disclosed in which a core program object interacts with and controls operation of a plurality of plug-in program objects operable to carry out data processing tasks, the apparatus providing for communication between the core program object and each such data processing task: (i) a synchronous interface to allow interaction between the core program object and a plug-in program object operable to carry out that task; and (ii) an asynchronous interface to allow interaction between the core program object and a hardware device operable to carry out that task.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Assignee: Sony United Kingdom Limited
    Inventor: Antony James Gould
  • Patent number: 6754155
    Abstract: An information recording medium and information processing device are provided so that recording medium-identifying ID information cannot be rewritten. Unique ID information specific to a recording medium is recorded in a servo zone, which is not a data zone in which data recording/reproduction can be performed. After the medium is installed in the disk drive, a user cannot rewrite the recorded ID information and can only read it. When information distributed via a network is stored in a storage device, the ID in the servo zone is verified so that the information can be stored in the storage device only when the storage device is properly licensed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Hayashi, Hiroaki Yada, Munekatsu Fukuyama
  • Patent number: 6749507
    Abstract: The present invention provides an entertainment apparatus that can serve to display images and to reproduce sound either by connecting to a television set or only by itself. It has an apparatus body (1) for generating and outputting sound and video signals and a monitor device (90) attached to the apparatus body for outputting sound and displaying images based on the sound and video signals outputted from the apparatus body. The apparatus body generates sound and video signals and outputs them via a signal output terminal. The monitor device (90) comprises a monitor portion (91) which includes a display device (911) for displaying an image and a sound device (912) for outputting sound, a fixing portion (95) for connecting and fixing the monitor portion to the casing, a signal input terminal for receiving a signal from the signal output terminal connected thereto when the monitor device is connected to the casing. The monitor portion (91) is rotatably connected to the fixing portion (95).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Ken Kutaragi, Teiyu Goto, Mitsuyuki Tokusashi
  • Patent number: 6745389
    Abstract: The present invention provides a system of objects and program components wherein an object accesses different associated program components for different implementations of a corresponding function of the object. The system comprises: a first object having one or more functions; a first program component having one or more functions, the first program component being dynamically linked to the first object at a run-time of the first object; and wherein the first object access the first program component using a function call which may result in the access to a second program component having one or more functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Service Center (Europe) N.V.
    Inventors: Tom Frans Maurits Hostyn, Michel Feret, Magdalena Anna Wasowska
  • Patent number: 6744788
    Abstract: Data transmission apparatus for multiplexing one or more channel data streams of equal, predetermined, data rate into a transmission data stream comprises: means for generating a control data stream of the same data rate as the channel data rate, in which first periodically repeating portions of the control data stream provide a synchronisation signal and second periodically repeating portions of the control data stream provide identification data specifying information about the channel data streams with reference to a predetermined ordering of the channel data streams; and means for multiplexing the control data stream with the one or more channel data streams in a cyclic pattern of equally-sized data portions so that a data portion from the control data stream is followed by data portions from each of the channel data streams according to the predetermined ordering of channel data streams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Assignee: Sony United Kingdom Limited
    Inventor: Peter Charles Eastty
  • Patent number: 6741294
    Abstract: A digital signal processing apparatus for parallel executing a plurality of data processes with a single common command is disclosed, that comprises a plurality of input storing means, each of which is composed of a plurality of storing elements, an input controlling means for controlling the input storing means, a calculating means, having a plurality of element calculating means corresponding to the plurality of the storing elements of the input storing means, for parallel calculating data stored in each storing element of the input storing means, a data storing means, having a plurality of storing elements corresponding to the plurality of element calculating means of the calculating means, for storing calculated result data of the element calculating means corresponding to the storing elements, a plurality of output storing means, each of which is composed of a plurality of storing elements corresponding to the plurality of element calculating means of the calculating means, for storing the calculated res
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Izawa
  • Patent number: 6731594
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a transmission apparatus for transmitting OFDM-signals comprising modulation means 4 for modulating said signals onto a plurality of subcarriers using a OFDM-modulation method, transformation means 5 for transforming said modulated signals into the time domain, and transmission means for transmitting said signals, whereby in said modulation means every M-th subcarrier is modulated, wherein M is an integer and M≧2. The present invention also relates to a corresponding transmission method for transmitting OFDM-signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Assignee: Sony International (Europe) GmbH
    Inventor: Ralf Böhnke
  • Patent number: 6728469
    Abstract: The present invention enables to obtain a video representation with a smooth motion during a fast reproduction of a video signal which has been prediction coded in the time axis direction. A video signal reproduction apparatus 100 includes a controller 11 having a detection block 11a, a decision block 11b, and mode switching block 11c. According to an information from a demultiplexer 5 and a decode information from a video decoder 6, the controller 11 detects a reproduction speed in the detection block 11a. The detected reproduction speed is supplied to the decision block 11b where it is compared to a predetermined threshold value so as to select a first fast reproduction mode requiring reproduction of all the reference pictures of the video signal which has been prediction coded or a second fast reproduction mode requiring reproduction of some the reference pictures. According to this decision result, the mode switching block 11c switches between the first and the second rast reproduction modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Toru Okazaki, Kenji Ogawa
  • Patent number: 6724364
    Abstract: A learning-type movement control apparatus that learns the movement of an operation control device, predicts the movement thereof, and drives it so as to automatically move. The apparatus comprises an operation control device having a predetermined portion that is displaced according to a force exerted in an arbitrary direction, outputs the amount of the displacement at least as one-dimensional position-representing information, receives a feedback signal carrying information generated by adding displacement information to the position-representing information, and drives the predetermined portion according to a direction and a displacement that are based on the feedback signal. The apparatus also includes a learning section that receives the position-representing information and performs learning of the movement of the operation control device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Jun Tani
  • Patent number: 6721437
    Abstract: The invention provides a data processing apparatus and method which processes data in which additional data is embedded and inhibits illegal accessing from the outside to prevent alteration of information. The data processing apparatus includes a coding section for coding the data, a detection section for detecting the additional data from the data, a processing section for processing the coded data coded by the coding section, and a control section for controlling operation of the processing section in response to the additional data detected by the detection section. The coding section controls an output thereof in response to the additional data detected by the detection section, and accessing to the additional data used to control the coding section is inhibited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tadashi Ezaki, Hideo Sato
  • Patent number: 6717568
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for controlling the movement of a position indicating item displayed on a screen in accordance with an output signal of control means including a pressure-sensitive resistor which outputs a signal whose level varies depending upon a pressing force applied to an operating element. The method includes a signal level detection step for detecting the signal level of the signal output by the control means; a moving speed setting step for setting the moving speed of the position indicating item displayed on the screen in accordance with the signal level detected in the signal level detection step; and an item moving step for moving the position indicating item at the moving speed set in the moving speed setting step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Susumu Takatuka, Satoru Miyaki
  • Patent number: 6711737
    Abstract: A data processing system includes at least one execution subject including at least one object, and at least one execution environment including at least one object for providing the execution subject with services. In the system, based on a request from the object constituting the execution subject or the object constituting the execution environment, the object constituting the execution environment is deleted and a new object is captured from an external system. This performs processing for replacement of the object constituting the execution environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hideaki Okamura