Patents Assigned to Interactive Media, LLC
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Patent number: 9892730Abstract: Speech recognition may be improved by generating and using a topic specific language model. A topic specific language model may be created by performing an initial pass on an audio signal using a generic or basis language model. A speech recognition device may then determine topics relating to the audio signal based on the words identified in the initial pass and retrieve a corpus of text relating to those topics. Using the retrieved corpus of text, the speech recognition device may create a topic specific language model. In one example, the speech recognition device may adapt or otherwise modify the generic language model based on the retrieved corpus of text.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 2009Date of Patent: February 13, 2018Assignee: Comcast Interactive Media, LLCInventors: David F. Houghton, Seth Michael Murray, Sibley Verbeck Simon
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Patent number: 9626424Abstract: Tagging of content items and entities identified therein may include a matching process, a classification process and a disambiguation process. Matching may include the identification of potential matching candidate entities in a content item whereas the classification process may categorize or group identified candidate entities according to known entities to which they are likely a match. In some instances, a candidate entity may be categorized with multiple known entities. Accordingly, a disambiguation process may be used to reduce the potential matches to a single known entity. In one example, the disambiguation process may include ranking potentially matching known entities according to a hierarchy of criteria.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2013Date of Patent: April 18, 2017Assignee: Comcast Interactive Media, LLCInventor: David F. Houghton
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Patent number: 9477712Abstract: The invention pertains to methods, systems, and apparatus for identifying media items relevant to a selected subject matter, the method comprising determining the subject matter of a first media item, the first media item comprising at least one of audio content and video content, determining the classification within an ontology of the subject matter of the first media item, analyzing the ontology to identify other subject matter related to the subject matter of the first media item, and performing a search for other media items relevant to the subject matter of the first media item as a function of at least the other related subject matter according to the ontology.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2014Date of Patent: October 25, 2016Assignee: Comcast Interactive Media, LLCInventors: Leslie Eugene Chipman, Evelyne Tzoukermann, Anthony R. Davis, David F. Houghton, Ryan M. Farrell, Hongzhong Zhou, Oliver Jojic, Vladimir Kronrod, Bageshree Shevade, Geetu Ambwani
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Patent number: 9442933Abstract: The invention pertains to methods, systems, and apparatus for identifying segments within a media item, the media segment including at least one of audio content and video content, comprising segmenting the media item into a plurality of segments as a function of subject matter, storing data identifying each segment and its subject matter, and organizing each segment within an ontology based on its subject matter.Type: GrantFiled: December 24, 2008Date of Patent: September 13, 2016Assignee: Comcast Interactive Media, LLCInventors: Evelyne Tzoukermann, Leslie Eugene Chipman, Anthony R. Davis, David F. Houghton, Ryan M. Farrell, Hongzhong Zhou, Oliver Jojic, Vladimir Kronrod, Bageshree Shevade, Geetu Ambwani
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Patent number: 9348915Abstract: Content items and other entities may be ranked or organized according to a relevance to a user. Relevance may take into consideration recency, proximity, popularity, air time (e.g., of television shows) and the like. In one example, the popularity and age of a movie may be used to determine a relevance ranking Popularity (i.e., entity rank) may be determined based on a variety of factors. In the movie example, popularity may be based on gross earnings, awards, nominations, votes and the like. According to one or more embodiments, entities may initially be categorized into relevance groupings based on popularity and/or other factors. Once categorized, the entities may be sorted within each grouping and later combined into a single ranked list.Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 2012Date of Patent: May 24, 2016Assignee: Comcast Interactive Media, LLCInventors: Ken Iwasa, Seth Michael Murray, Goldee Udani
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Patent number: 9241028Abstract: A communication interface and a device control, management and monitoring system are provided to enable the networking of and communication between multiple devices operating under different protocols. The communication interface may act as a translator or protocol converter that reformats transmissions from one protocol to another based on protocol compatibility between the recipient and transmitting devices. The device control and monitoring system may store predefined rules that are triggered when specified conditions associated with the networked devices are detected. The rules may specify an action to take, such as transmitting a discount offer to a user or turning off a light. According to one or more arrangements, the communication interface may act as an intermediary between the networked devices and the device control system, so that the device control system is not required to understand or be compatible with the various other protocols used by the networked devices.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2013Date of Patent: January 19, 2016Assignee: COMCAST INTERACTIVE MEDIA, LLCInventors: Christopher Dixon, James Poder
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Patent number: 9223943Abstract: Content access may be provided and processed by assigning responsibility for obtaining entitlement data to the client's browser. Thus, in one example, the client may be configured to synchronize and coordinate data lookups associated with a content request, rather than relying on the server to do so. The network architecture may use a mediator design pattern, in which the client's browser acts as the mediator (i.e., middleman) between a content server and an entitlement data server. Accordingly, synchronous calls between server-side services might not be required. Instead, data necessary for the content server to process a client request for access to protected content may be received in the incoming request from the client's browser.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2014Date of Patent: December 29, 2015Assignee: COMCAST INTERACTIVE MEDIA, LLCInventor: Jonathan T. Moore
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Patent number: 9028328Abstract: A method of interactive gaming includes identifying a broadcast event, generating interactive questions for the broadcast event based upon a subject of the broadcast event, organizing the generated questions based on a structure of the broadcast event, and providing the organized questions to a user during a broadcast of the broadcast event through an interactive gaming interface based on the structure of the broadcast event.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 2013Date of Patent: May 12, 2015Assignee: Fox Sports Interactive Media, LLCInventors: James Bernard, Matthew Calos, Keith Dobkowski, Kevin Goldner, Edward Goren, Ryan Kuttler, Patrick Miller, Adam Slotnick, Darrin Vaniglia, Thomas Zentmeyer
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Publication number: 20140373179Abstract: Content access may be provided and processed by assigning responsibility for obtaining entitlement data to the client's browser. Thus, in one example, the client may be configured to synchronize and coordinate data lookups associated with a content request, rather than relying on the server to do so. The network architecture may use a mediator design pattern, in which the client's browser acts as the mediator (i.e., middleman) between a content server and an entitlement data server. Accordingly, synchronous calls between server-side services might not be required. Instead, data necessary for the content server to process a client request for access to protected content may be received in the incoming request from the client's browser.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 16, 2014Publication date: December 18, 2014Applicant: COMCAST INTERACTIVE MEDIA, LLCInventor: Jonathan T. Moore
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Publication number: 20140258284Abstract: The invention pertains to methods, systems, and apparatus for identifying media items relevant to a selected subject matter, the method comprising determining the subject matter of a first media item, the first media item comprising at least one of audio content and video content, determining the classification within an ontology of the subject matter of the first media item, analyzing the ontology to identify other subject matter related to the subject matter of the first media item, and performing a search for other media items relevant to the subject matter of the first media item as a function of at least the other related subject matter according to the ontology.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2014Publication date: September 11, 2014Applicant: COMCAST INTERACTIVE MEDIA, LLCInventors: Leslie Eugene Chipman, Evelyne Tzoukermann, Anthony R. Davis, David F. Houghton, Ryan M. Farrell, Hongzhong Zhou, Oliver Jojic, Vladimir Kronrod, Bageshree Shevade, Geetu Ambwani
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Patent number: 8819848Abstract: Content access may be provided and processed by assigning responsibility for obtaining entitlement data to the client's browser. Thus, in one example, the client may be configured to synchronize and coordinate data lookups associated with a content request, rather than relying on the server to do so. The network architecture may use a mediator design pattern, in which the client's browser acts as the mediator (i.e., middleman) between a content server and an entitlement data server. Accordingly, synchronous calls between server-side services might not be required. Instead, data necessary for the content server to process a client request for access to protected content may be received in the incoming request from the client's browser.Type: GrantFiled: November 24, 2009Date of Patent: August 26, 2014Assignee: Comcast Interactive Media, LLCInventor: Jonathan T. Moore
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Patent number: 8782149Abstract: An apparatus, method, system, and computer-readable medium are provided for maintaining contact information associated with a contact. In some embodiments a request associated with a contact may be received. Contact information may be obtained from one or more external or internal sources. One or more confidence scores may be generated for the obtained contact information and for one or more values received with the request. Based on the confidence score(s), one or more values associated with the contact may be incorporated in one or more data stores. In some embodiments, suggestions for contact related information may be generated. Responses to the suggestions may be used to update the generated confidence score(s).Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 2010Date of Patent: July 15, 2014Assignee: Comcast Interactive Media, LLCInventors: Peter Lester, Justin Miller, Hendrick Lee, Aseem Sharma, Galen Trevor Gattis, Amber Dixon, Huy Tuan Nguyen, Derek McGowan, John McCrea
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Publication number: 20140189080Abstract: A communication interface and a device control, management and monitoring system are provided to enable the networking of and communication between a multiple devices operating under different protocols. The communication interface may act as a translator or protocol converter that reformats transmissions from one protocol to another based on protocol compatibility between the recipient and transmitting devices. The device control and monitoring system may store predefined rules that are triggered when specified conditions associated with the networked devices are detected. The rules may specify an action to take such as transmitting a discount offer to a user or turning off a light. According to one or more arrangements, the communication interface may act as an intermediary between the networked devices and the device control system so that the device control system is not required to understand or be compatible with the various other protocols used by the networked devices.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2013Publication date: July 3, 2014Applicant: Comcast Interactive Media, LLCInventors: Christopher Dixon, James Poder
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Patent number: 8713016Abstract: The invention pertains to methods, systems, and apparatus for identifying media items relevant to a selected subject matter, the method comprising determining the subject matter of a first media item, the first media item comprising at least one of audio content and video content, determining the classification within an ontology of the subject matter of the first media item, analyzing the ontology to identify other subject matter related to the subject matter of the first media item, and performing a search for other media items relevant to the subject matter of the first media item as a function of at least the other related subject matter according to the ontology.Type: GrantFiled: December 24, 2008Date of Patent: April 29, 2014Assignee: Comcast Interactive Media, LLCInventors: Leslie Eugene Chipman, Evelyne Tzoukermann, Anthony R. Davis, David F. Houghton, Ryan M. Farrell, Hongzhong Zhou, Oliver Jojic, Vladimir Kronrod, Bageshree Shevade, Geetu Ambwani
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Patent number: 8667100Abstract: A communication interface and a device control, management and monitoring system are provided to enable the networking of and communication between a multiple devices operating under different protocols. The communication interface may act as a translator or protocol converter that reformats transmissions from one protocol to another based on protocol compatibility between the recipient and transmitting devices. The device control and monitoring system may store predefined rules that are triggered when specified conditions associated with the networked devices are detected. The rules may specify an action to take such as transmitting a discount offer to a user or turning off a light. According to one or more arrangements, the communication interface may act as an intermediary between the networked devices and the device control system so that the device control system is not required to understand or be compatible with the various other protocols used by the networked devices.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 2010Date of Patent: March 4, 2014Assignee: Comcast Interactive Media, LLCInventors: Christopher Dixon, James Poder
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Publication number: 20140040272Abstract: Tagging of content items and entities identified therein may include a matching process, a classification process and a disambiguation process. Matching may include the identification of potential matching candidate entities in a content item whereas the classification process may categorize or group identified candidate entities according to known entities to which they are likely a match. In some instances, a candidate entity may be categorized with multiple known entities. Accordingly, a disambiguation process may be used to reduce the potential matches to a single known entity. In one example, the disambiguation process may include ranking potentially matching known entities according to a hierarchy of criteria.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 28, 2013Publication date: February 6, 2014Applicant: Comcast Interactive Media, LLC.Inventor: David F. Houghton
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Patent number: 8533223Abstract: Tagging of content items and entities identified therein may include a matching process, a classification process and a disambiguation process. Matching may include the identification of potential matching candidate entities in a content item whereas the classification process may categorize or group identified candidate entities according to known entities to which they are likely a match. In some instances, a candidate entity may be categorized with multiple known entities. Accordingly, a disambiguation process may be used to reduce the potential matches to a single known entity. In one example, the disambiguation process may include ranking potentially matching known entities according to a hierarchy of criteria.Type: GrantFiled: May 12, 2009Date of Patent: September 10, 2013Assignee: Comcast Interactive Media, LLC.Inventor: David F. Houghton
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Patent number: 8489515Abstract: Recommendations for content may be generated based on social networking communities. For example, a user may receive a list of recommended content items based on content that has been viewed by others in the user's social networks. Recommendations may further be based on content information such as reviews, ratings, tags, attributes and the like from various sources internal and external to the user's social networks. Content items may be given a weight that corresponds to a determined level of relevance or interest to a user. Using the weight, a list of recommended items may be sorted or filtered. In one or more configurations, the weight may be modified based on an age of the content item. For example, the relevance, importance or interest of a news report may decline as the news becomes older and older.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2009Date of Patent: July 16, 2013Assignee: Comcast Interactive Media, LLC.Inventor: Arpit Mathur
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Publication number: 20120221566Abstract: Content items and other entities may be ranked or organized according to a relevance to a user. Relevance may take into consideration recency, proximity, popularity, air time (e.g., of television shows) and the like. In one example, the popularity and age of a movie may be used to determine a relevance ranking Popularity (i.e., entity rank) may be determined based on a variety of factors. In the movie example, popularity may be based on gross earnings, awards, nominations, votes and the like. According to one or more embodiments, entities may initially be categorized into relevance groupings based on popularity and/or other factors. Once categorized, the entities may be sorted within each grouping and later combined into a single ranked list.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 4, 2012Publication date: August 30, 2012Applicant: COMCAST INTERACTIVE MEDIA, LLCInventors: Ken Iwasa, Seth Michael Murray, Goldee Udani
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Publication number: 20120162538Abstract: A communication network device facilitates communication between devices and/or applications in a network without requiring each device to register with every other device or application. The communication network device may generate and assign a unique identifier to each device or application upon registration and store a role of the device or application (e.g., sender or receiver or both) in addition to capability and compatibility information. The communication network device may then dynamically broker and manage communications from each of the devices or applications to other devices and applications in real-time. Using a communication network device, communications may be directed to devices or applications without requiring a sending device to know of the recipient's network address. Additionally, the communication network device allows for the direct targeting of communications to specific applications.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 28, 2010Publication date: June 28, 2012Applicant: COMCAST INTERACTIVE MEDIA, LLCInventors: Christopher Dixon, James Poder