Patents Assigned to General Instrument
  • Publication number: 20140304373
    Abstract: Creating a filtered adaptive streaming playlist in a content delivery network. The playlist is for delivery of a plurality of chunks of stored video content to a streaming client device. The filtering is based on a determination of whether information associated with each chunk is in compliance with a personalized rule set associated with the streaming client device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2013
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicant: General Instrument Corporation
    Inventors: Brian J. Tarbox, Robert E. Mack, Albert F. Elcock
  • Publication number: 20140301482
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method determines buffer parameter settings for a plurality of layers in a scalable video stream for a video. Each layer includes a respective buffer parameter setting. Then, the method applies respective buffer parameter settings to individual buffers for respective layers in the plurality of layers. The respective layers are buffered in the individual buffers according to the respective buffer parameter settings where the respective layers are combined after the buffers to form a combined bitstream including the respective layers for decoding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2014
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicant: General Instrument Corporation
    Inventors: Mandayam A. Narasimhan, Ajay K. Luthra
  • Patent number: 8855441
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for image processing a lens-distorted image (e.g., a fisheye image) is provided. The method includes partitioning coordinate points in a selected output image into tiles. The output image is an undistorted rendition of a subset of the lens-distorted image. Coordinate points on a border of the tiles in the output image are selected. For each tile, coordinate points in the lens-distorted image corresponding to each selected coordinate point in the output image are calculated. In addition, for each tile, a bounding box on the lens-distorted image is selected. The bounding box includes the calculated coordinates in the lens-distorted image. The bounding boxes are expanded so that they encompass all coordinate points in the lens-distorted image that map to all coordinate points in their respective corresponding tiles. Output pixel values are generated for each tile from pixel values in their corresponding expanded bounding boxes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: General Instrument Corporation
    Inventors: Sek M. Chai, Malcolm R. Dwyer, Ruei-Sung Lin, Daniel A. Linzmeier, Nikolas Bellas
  • Patent number: 8855212
    Abstract: A device is provided for use with an encoder, source video data and a source video clock. The encoder can encode video data at a timebase corrected video clock and can encode audio data at a timebase corrected audio clock. The source video data includes a video data portion and an audio data portion. The device includes a video processing portion, an audio processing portion and a clock generating portion. The video processing portion is arranged to receive the source video data based on the source video clock. The audio processing portion is arranged to receive the source video data based on the source video clock. The clock generating portion can generate the timebase corrected video clock and can generate the timebase corrected audio clock. The video processing portion can provide, to the encoder, the video data portion of the source video data based on the timebase corrected video clock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: General Instrument Corporation
    Inventor: Talha Najeeb
  • Patent number: 8854964
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for determining a transport bit rate for a multiprogram transport stream (MPTS) is described. In one example, a plurality of transport bit rates is computed for a respective plurality of programs in the MPTS. A highest transport bit rate and a lowest transport bit rate are selected from the plurality of transport bit rates. An average transport bit rate is computed from the highest transport bit rate and the lowest transport bit rate. The average transport bit rate is provided as an initial transport bit rate for the MPTS. Jitter in the MPTS may be compensated using the initial transport bit rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: General Instrument Corporation
    Inventor: Vincent C. Liu
  • Patent number: 8856290
    Abstract: A method of exchanging configuration information needed to authenticate an unregistered Wi-Fi client device to an access point of a wireless local area network is described. A SSID of the AP and a temporary hidden secondary SSID of the AP are enabled for a preset time period with a residential gateway providing the AP of the WLAN. A message is received in the form of IP UDP packets by the residential gateway to the temporary hidden secondary SSID of the AP during the preset time period requesting network configuration information. The residential gateway transmits the requested network configuration information via return message in the form of IP UDP packets on the temporary hidden secondary SSID of the AP. Additional methods and apparatus are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: General Instrument Corporation
    Inventors: Paul Couto, Kwoktung B. Lo, Rodney E. Okano, Gabriel E. Rubinsky
  • Publication number: 20140297745
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatus for processing social media posts. The methods may include certain multimedia content being identified as multimedia content for which social media posts relating to a broadcast of that multimedia content are to be stored. Using this identifying information, one or more filtering criteria may be provided for use by a filtering module. The filtering module may receive (e.g., from a social networking service) a stream of social media posts, filter the received stream to extract social media posts that relate to the broadcast of the certain multimedia content, and stores the extracted social media posts. Alternatively, a storage module may store the stream of social media posts, and a filtering module may filter the stored social media posts to identify social media posts that relate to the broadcast of the certain multimedia content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2013
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: General Instrument Corporation
    Inventors: Brian J. Tarbox, Stewart M. Wiener
  • Publication number: 20140289654
    Abstract: An interactive interface for a computing device enables a user to select the medium of expression in which a segment of a narrative will be presented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2013
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: General Instrument Corporation
    Inventors: Santosh S. Basapur, Shirley A. Chaysinh, Hiren M. Mandalia, Narayanan Venkitaraman
  • Publication number: 20140289625
    Abstract: Segments of plural media expressions of a narrative are defined and linked by metadata enabling substitution of a segment of one medium expression of the narrative for a segment of another medium expression the narrative when requested by a user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2013
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: General Instrument Corporation
    Inventors: Hiren M. Mandalia, Santosh S. Basapur, Shirley A. Chaysinh, Narayanan Venkitaraman
  • Publication number: 20140282692
    Abstract: A method implemented in a computer system for inserting advertisements into an audio/video stream. The method receives the audio/video stream, and monitors it to detect an advertisement insertion notification for the audio/video stream. The advertisement insertion notification references an advertisement insertion point at a position in the audio/video stream. The method determines a disposition of the audio/video stream at the position, and examines at least one advertisement stream to identify a matching advertisement stream having an advertisement disposition that agrees with the disposition of the audio/video stream at the position. The method inserts the matching advertisement stream into the audio/video stream at the position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: GENERAL INSTRUMENT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Dinkar N. Bhat
  • Publication number: 20140282804
    Abstract: Improved systems and methods for delivering CATV content over a fiber optic network from a transmitter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: GENERAL INSTRUMENT CORPORATION
    Inventor: General Instrument Corporation
  • Publication number: 20140282803
    Abstract: Improved systems and methods for delivering CATV content over a fiber optic network from a transmitter. The transmitter preferably monitors performance attributes of a transmitted signal and selectively configures the transmitter based on the monitored attributes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: General Instrument Corporation
    Inventors: David B Bowler, Gerard White, John Holobinko, Clarke V. Greene, Bruce C. Pratt, Xinfa Ma, Shaoting Gu, Xiang He
  • Publication number: 20140267923
    Abstract: A video processing device is provided that includes a buffer, a luminance component, a maximum threshold component, a minimum threshold component and a flagging component. The buffer can store frame image data for a plurality of video frames. The luminance component can generate a first luminance value corresponding to a first frame image data and can generate a second luminance value corresponding to a second frame image data. The maximum threshold component can generate a maximum indicator signal when the difference between the second luminance value and the first luminance value is greater than a maximum threshold. The minimum threshold component can generate a minimum indicator signal when the difference between the second luminance value and the first luminance value is less than a minimum threshold. The flagging component can generate a flagged signal based on the maximum indicator signal and the minimum indicator signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: General Instrument Corporation
    Inventors: Renxiang Li, Faisal Ishtiaq
  • Publication number: 20140282682
    Abstract: A media content broadcast blackout control method, comprising receiving a retune message requesting a blackout of a primary media content broadcast in specific regions, generating a playlist for each region comprising a content key wrapped in a region-specific media key, wherein the content key in the playlists for regions that are not subject to the blackout is configured to access the primary media content broadcast, and the content key in the playlists for regions that are subject to the blackout is configured to access an alternate media content broadcast, providing the playlists to client devices within each region, providing the primary media content broadcast to client devices whose region-specific media key unwraps the content key for the primary media content broadcast, and providing the alternate media content broadcast to client devices whose region-specific media key unwraps the content key for the alternate primary media content broadcast.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: General Instrument Corporation
    Inventors: Niranjan R. Samant, Erik J. Elstermann, Robert E. Mack, Erik C. Metz, Lawrence D. Vince
  • Publication number: 20140281493
    Abstract: A method for providing identity data to network-enabled devices includes receiving a request for identity data from a network-enabled device that is deployed to an end-user. The network-enabled device is pre-provisioned with a PIN, a global key pair, a user-accessible first device identifier, and a second device identifier usable by a service provider delivering a service to the device. The identity data request includes the first and second identifiers, a protected rendition of the PIN, and an encryption key or other data from which an encryption key is derivable. The identifiers, the protected rendition of the PIN, and the encryption key or the other data are signed by a private key in the global key pair. The validity of the PIN included in the request is verified to authenticate the device. If the PIN is valid, identity data for the device is generated, encrypted and sent to the network-enabled device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: General Instrument Corporation
    Inventor: Madjid F. Nakhjiri
  • Publication number: 20140270504
    Abstract: A video processing system detects an overlay image, such as a logo, in a picture of a video stream, the overlay for example being a broadcaster's logo. The detection is based on evaluation of blending characteristics of a picture frame. The method of detection of an overlay defines first and second areas within the image, the first and second areas being non-overlapping. Next an alpha-blended value is calculated for the mean color value of the second area with an overlay color value. Then, if the mean color value of the first area is closer to the alpha-blended value than it is to the mean color value of the second area, the overlay can be indicated as detected and defined within the picture. Detection of the overlay can be used to identify an owner of the video, or detect when a scene change such as a commercial occurs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: General Instrument Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin L. Baum, Faisal Ishtiaq
  • Publication number: 20140266782
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices for determining contexts and determining associated health profiles using information received from multiple health sensor enabled electronic devices, are disclosed. Contexts can be defined by a description of spatial and/or temporal components. Such contexts can be arbitrarily defined using semantically meaningful and absolute descriptions of time and location. Health sensor data is associated with or includes context data that describes the circumstances under which the data was determined. The health sensor data can include health sensor readings that are implicit indications of health for the context. The sensor data can also include user reported data with explicit descriptions of health for the context. The health sensor data can be filtered by context data according a selected context. The filtered sensor data can then be analyzed to determine a health profile for the context that can be output to one or more users or entities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: GENERAL INSTRUMENT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Di You, Mir F. Ali, Paul C. Davis, Jianguo Li, Dale W. Russell
  • Publication number: 20140280571
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatus for processing social media posts. The methods may include a filtering module receiving a stream of social media posts. The filtering module may acquire one or more filtering criteria. The filtering module may, using the acquired filtering criteria, filter the received stream to extract, from the stream, those social media posts that relate to the certain multimedia content. The filtering module may then, without providing the extracted social media posts for playback, at a current time, on a client device, store (e.g., within a database) the extracted social media posts for future provision to the client device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: General Instrument Corporation
    Inventors: Brian J. Tarbox, Stewart M. Wiener
  • Publication number: 20140281985
    Abstract: Techniques for enhancing a user's viewing experience include providing new opportunities for viewing information or manipulating data during the viewing experience. The user may take an action that has an intended purpose of changing a mode of play of content displayed at the client device. An event prompted by the user action, such as a pause or rewind of the displayed content, may be an event that triggers at least one extended option associated with the displayed content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: General Instrument Corporation
    Inventors: William J. Garrison, Albert F. Elcock
  • Publication number: 20140280649
    Abstract: In an implementation, a selection of a program is received by a computing device. The program is associated with a duration of time. In response to the selection, a plurality of messages is retrieved by the computing device. Each message is associated with a time during the duration of time. Playback of the selected program is caused by the computing device on a display associated with the computing device. One or more of the retrieved plurality of messages are presented on the display at the times associated with the messages during the duration of time associated with the program by the computing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: General Instrument Corporation
    Inventors: Leonard Soukka, Henrik Lindmark, Susanne Ulltjarn