Patents Assigned to CBS Interactive, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20140187334
    Abstract: Various embodiments are generally directed to use of ancillary information related to play of a game event in which actions in the game are timestamped to enable synchronized presentation alongside an audio/visual program of the game event. An apparatus includes logic to receive a program data comprising a video recording of a game event, receive ancillary data including an indication of an action related to play of the game event, a first timestamp indicating a first time for start of the video recording, and a second timestamp indicating a second time for the action; visually present the video recording in a first portion of the display; and use the first and second timestamps to synchronize a visual presentation of the action in a second portion of the display with a depiction of the action in the visual presentation of the video recording. Other embodiments are described and claimed herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: CBS INTERACTIVE INC.
    Inventor: Brett Marcus Crossley
  • Publication number: 20140179442
    Abstract: Techniques to implement a fantasy game application in a computer environment include defining multiple roles within the fantasy game application. One or more rules may be defined for each of the roles wherein the rules govern how a role is scored within the fantasy game application. Real world event data relevant to one or more of the roles may be obtained. The rules and roles to which the real world event data applies based may be determined and applied accordingly. A performance score for the applicable roles based on the real world event data may then be calculated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: CBS INTERACTIVE INC.
    Inventors: Patrick Quinlivan Quinlivan, Brijesh Sutaria, Jeffrey Bisbee, Louis Miller, Jeffery Platter
  • Patent number: 8762413
    Abstract: A computer system for generating a user data store and analyzing the user data store comprises a memory and a processing circuit. The memory is configured to store a user data store comprising a plurality of graphs, each graph having a user identity node. The processing circuit is configured to, for each of the plurality of graphs: receive asset data representing an asset that a user has interacted with on a website; generate a first node representing the asset data and a first link coupling the first node to the user identity node of the graph; store the first node and first link as part of the graph; receive usage data representing user interaction with a website; generate a second node representing the usage data and a second link coupling the second node to the user identity node of the graph, wherein at least one of the first node and second node further represents opinion data for a product or evaluation data for a product; and store the second node and second link as part of the graph.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: CBS Interactive, Inc.
    Inventors: William W. Graham, Jr., Tushar R. Pradhan, John F. Potter, Mark A. Kaufman, Stephanie Lone, Keric Donnelly
  • Publication number: 20140172138
    Abstract: A technique to automatically provide assistance with the selection of an app for an electronic game is described. An apparatus may comprise an app rating application arranged to receive as input game performance information representing gameplay of an electronic game. The app rating application may process the game performance information and output an app rating indicator of an app corresponding to the app identifier parameter based on the performance information to assist a user in selecting the app. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2014
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: CBS INTERACTIVE INC.
    Inventor: Antonio Fernandez
  • Patent number: 8753183
    Abstract: Techniques to automatically provide assistance for electronic games are described. An apparatus may comprise a game strategy application arranged to receive as input game telemetry information representing gameplay of an electronic video game on a client device. The game strategy application may process the game telemetry information to determine whether a player of the electronic video game potentially needs assistance, and if so, automatically retrieve appropriate game strategy information from a local or remote datastore. The game strategy application may then send the retrieved game strategy information to the same or different client device. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: CBS Interactive, Inc.
    Inventors: John Davison, Simon Whitcombe, Robyn Tas
  • Publication number: 20140165097
    Abstract: Techniques to automatically switch among video signals in a television broadcast are disclosed. A trigger decoder may receive a network video signal for a network program. The network video signal may be comprised of a video signal and a trigger control signal. The trigger control signal may comprise a time period indicative of how long until a station break is to occur within the network program. The trigger decoder may separate the video signal from the trigger control signal. A latency adjuster may determine a delay between the transmission of the network video signal and the reception of the network video signal. A master control switcher clock may be reset based on the delay. The master control switcher may receive the video signal for the network program, and one or more video signals from one or more video servers containing video content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2012
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: CBS INTERACTIVE INC.
    Inventor: James M. Chase
  • Patent number: 8751331
    Abstract: A system and method for rating of each of plural products comprising identifying plurality of attributes associated with a category of product, applying a scalar structure for each attribute to provide scalar value of each attribute for each of the plural products, determining an incremental competitive index for each attribute of each product based on the scalar value of each attribute and a number of products having the scalar value, and rating each product based on the determined competitive index.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: CBS Interactive Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy A. Musgrove, Robin Hiroko Walsh, Russell Gilchrist
  • Publication number: 20140156437
    Abstract: A method and system for automatically generating a self-updating naturally-reading narrative product summary including assertions about a selected product. In one embodiment, the system and method includes evaluating an existing narrative product summary, comparing an existing attribute name, attribute value, attribute unit, and assertion model, respectively, to a current attribute name, attribute value, attribute unit, and assertion model to determine if one of the comparisons shows a change. The system and method further determines a new attribute associated with the selected product, selects an alternative product, retrieves a new assertion model with assertions that describe the selected product and identify an alternative product in a natural manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: CBS Interactive Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel R. BARAN, Timothy Allen MUSGROVE, Robin Hiroko WALSH
  • Publication number: 20140156363
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for modifying media player functionality and controlling advertisements included with media content played on media players. Chromeless media players may be created by content providers but modified by third party clients that wish to adapt the players to their purposes. These chromeless players may have defined modified functionality, such as removing the ability to fast forward, rewind, and skip chapters, according to a given circumstance. In an embodiment, the third party client may also define in a profile the specific advertisement sets to include with media content played on its chromeless player. In other embodiments, other types of additional media may be defined by the third party client. A proxy server, or intermediary server, detects these factors prior to retrieving media content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2012
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: CBS Interactive Inc.
    Inventor: James Kong Hsu
  • Publication number: 20140152832
    Abstract: Techniques to provide a micro-broadcast of an event are described. Video data streams of a live event at a venue may be captured in one or more wireless camera devices. The data streams may be sent to one of a network of wireless access points where they are relayed to a control center. A computer system in the control center may select one of the video data streams to be broadcast as a micro-broadcast. The selected video data stream may then be formatted for the micro-broadcast before a micro-broadcast transmitter broadcasts the formatted selected video data stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: CBS INTERACTIVE INC.
    Inventors: Bruce Goldfeder, Stephen Martin Milton
  • Publication number: 20140155177
    Abstract: Various embodiments are generally directed to automated identification and prediction of game milestones, and to automated presentation of those predictions and of the milestones as they are achieved. A method comprises searching statistical data for an indication of a milestone specified in an alerts data towards achievement of which an extent of progress has been made; identifying the milestone in the statistical data; predicting a time required to achieve the milestone; comparing the predicted time required to a condition specified in the alerts data; comparing the predicted time required to an indication of time that remains in scheduled game events in a game season in a scheduling data; and transmitting an alert that predicts achievement of the milestone based on the predicted time required meeting the condition and on the time that remains in the season providing at least the predicted time required. Other embodiments are described and claimed herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2012
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: CBS INTERACTIVE INC.
    Inventor: Brett Marcus Crossley
  • Patent number: 8745639
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for using an application program interface (API) client controller to build a model view include a requestor, an executor, a converter, and one or more web APIs. Developers can create web pages that are a collection of references to API queries. The requestor maps an API path to an API request or an API call. The executor executes the API request to an API to retrieve content data. The converter then converts the retrieved content data returned by the API request to a data structure. The retrieved content data (structure) can be stored in a memory device. Multiple content data structures may be requested and stored. The data structure or data structures are then inserted in a web page template to create a model view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: CBS Interactive Inc.
    Inventors: William W. Graham, Jr., David Huang
  • Publication number: 20140150007
    Abstract: Various embodiments are generally directed to automated provision of online interactive activities to members of the audience of an audio/visual program (e.g., a program comprising audio and/or video). An apparatus comprises a processor circuit and a storage communicatively coupled to the processor circuit and arranged to store instructions operative on the processor circuit to receive a signal from a presentation server that indicates a selected possibility of multiple possibilities of an aspect of an episode of an audio/visual program; determine whether a bet placed on one possibility of the multiple possibilities was placed on the selected possibility; and update an individual account associated with the bet to add a quantity of points won to a quantity of accrued points of the individual account if the one possibility on which the bet was placed matches the selected possibility. Other embodiments are described and claimed herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2012
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: CBS INTERACTIVE INC.
    Inventors: Jason Randall, Steven Leung
  • Patent number: 8738662
    Abstract: An invention is described herein that provides methods and apparatus for collecting, distributing and storing product data. A data structure suitable for use in collecting, distributing or storing product data for use in a catalog is disclosed. More particularly, the data structure is based on a data model having one or more classes, where each of the classes has one or more associated categories. The data structure includes at least one class definition, each class definition being arranged to identify one or more associated categories. In addition, the data structure includes a plurality of category definitions, each category definition being arranged to identify an associated attribute group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: CBS Interactive Inc.
    Inventors: Albert Henricus Franciscus de Heer, Rudolf Cornelius Wilhelmus de Heer, Constantin Nickolayvich Zabrodine, Alexandre Igorevitch Kviatkevitch, Eric Oscar Blaettler
  • Publication number: 20140143813
    Abstract: Techniques to selectively provide a video feed to broadcasting equipment are disclosed. A master control switcher may receive video feeds from video servers containing video content. The master control switcher may select one of the video feeds to output. At least one localized switcher may also receive video feeds from the video servers and select one of the video feeds to output. One of the video feeds supplied to the localized switcher(s) is the output from the master control switcher. An air server may receive video feeds from the master control switcher and the at least one localized switcher and out put the video feeds to separate broadcasting equipment. The video feeds may be arranged to reflect a schedule of programming for a local television station. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: CBS INTERACTIVE INC.
    Inventor: James M. Chase
  • Publication number: 20140142921
    Abstract: Various embodiments are generally directed to automated searching and comparison of game statistics to identify, rank and present statistically significant events related to game play during and/or after a game in automatically generated sentences. An apparatus comprises a processor circuit and storage storing instructions operative on the processor circuit to receive signals conveying a first set of statistical information closely related to play of a first game; search the first set of statistical information for a first set of statistical anomalies; and in response to the first set of statistical anomalies comprising an insufficient number of statistical anomalies, search a second set of statistical information less closely related to play of the first game for a second set of statistical anomalies, and transmit a multitude of sentences describing statistical anomalies of the first and second sets of statistical anomalies to a computing device. Other embodiments are described and claimed herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2012
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: CBS INTERACTIVE INC.
    Inventors: George Barry Gleadall, Ronnie Paskin, Shawn Stewart
  • Patent number: 8732278
    Abstract: A fantasy server application may comprise a platform generator component to generate a resource document with a host segment arranged to present a host resource document and a guest segment arranged to present a guest resource document, a host manager component to send a request to generate the host resource document with fantasy content from a fantasy content database to a host server program, receive a response with the host resource document, and add the host resource document to the host segment, and a guest manager component to generate a guest reference for use by a client device, the guest reference arranged to refer the client device to a guest server program arranged to generate the guest resource document with fantasy content from the fantasy content database, and add the guest reference to the guest server program to the guest segment. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: CBS Interactive, Inc.
    Inventors: Antonio L. Fernandez, Francis J. Olearczyk, Louis M. Thomas, Louis E. Miller, Patrick M. Quinlivan, Jeffrey H. Platter, Brijesh D. Dutaria
  • Patent number: 8719296
    Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention include tools for extracting data of interest from the world wide web (WWW). The extraction is accomplished using descriptions of data of interest. The descriptions of data of interest can include computer programs comprising a sequence of instructions and extractor patterns. The extractor patterns can be developed interactively using a web browser integrated into the graphical development environment for creating the descriptions of data of interest. The instructions can be selected from a predetermined list of instructions designed for extracting information from the WWW. The descriptions of data of interest can be grouped into categories sharing common query elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: CBS Interactive Inc.
    Inventors: Yeogirl Yun, Brad Park
  • Publication number: 20140114901
    Abstract: A system and method to recommend one or more application resources to a user with consideration for the various devices and computing platforms the user operates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Applicant: CBS Interactive Inc.
    Inventors: Tushar PRADHAN, Sacha Lien, Brooke Bishop, Matt Siegel
  • Publication number: 20140108206
    Abstract: Product listings from a product catalog are organized by implementing programmatic processes that de-duplicate, cluster and/or group product listings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2012
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: CBS Interactive Inc.
    Inventor: Dmitry CHECHUY