Patents Assigned to Rovi Guides, Inc.
  • Patent number: 11956514
    Abstract: Systems and methods for rewinding a video to a point before the video was first viewed. Video transmitted by a media source is cached by a remote server. Upon a trick-play request for the video, the server generates a rewind stream that includes the video that was transmitted by the media source before the user started to view the video. Upon receiving the rewind stream, the user's equipment may cache the rewind stream in a rewind buffer and rewind or play from the rewind buffer. The server may also generate and transmit a forward stream of the video that the media source has not yet transmitted. The user's equipment may cache the forward stream in a forward buffer. To perform trick-play operations with the video, the user's equipment may migrate the playback of the video to the rewind and forward buffers and rewind or fast-forward the video from the buffers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael L. Craner
  • Patent number: 11948257
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for generating an AR image are described herein. A physical camera is used to capture a video of a physical object in front of a physical background. The system then accesses data defining a virtual environment and selects a first position of a virtual camera in the virtual environment. While capturing the video, the system displays captured video of the physical object, such that the physical background is replaced with a view of the virtual environment from the first position of the virtual camera. In response to detecting a movement of the physical camera, the system selects a second position of the virtual camera in the virtual environment based on the detected movement. The system then displays the captured video of the physical object, wherein the view of the physical background is replaced with a view of the virtual environment from the second position of the virtual camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc.
    Inventor: Warren Keith Edwards
  • Patent number: 11949960
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described herein for selective playback of portions of audio at normal speed during a fast-forward operation. Upon receiving a command to perform a fast-forward operation, a current playback position is identified, as well as a plurality of portions of audio of the content item that will be subject to the fast-forward operation. A subset of the audio portions that will be subject to the fast-forward operation are selected. The fast-forward operation is initiated, and video of the content item is played back at the increased speed while the selected portions of audio of the content item are played back at normal speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc.
    Inventors: Akshay Chetan Shah, Padmassri Chandrashekar
  • Patent number: 11949956
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided herein for generating notifications based on the interests of guests. Guests may request notifications on their host's television, and the system will generate notifications based on the guest's interests and preferences as stored in the guest's user profile. In doing so, the guest will be notified of events of interest, such as when a favorite sports team scores a point or when an important scene in a favorite movie is playing. The system monitors the network of the apartment or house and detects when a guest device is accessing the network. The system then accesses the guest's interests and identifies a set of programs based on these interests. The system then monitors these programs and generates notifications on the display device when an event of interest has occurred in one of the identified programs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc.
    Inventors: Barbara F. Skliba, Claire Marie Wallters, George John Oehling, Milan Indu Patel
  • Patent number: 11948551
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed and described for correcting errors in ASR transcriptions. For an incorrect transcription, different words or phrases from the transcription, and/or related words or phrases, are submitted as hint words to the ASR system, and the voice query is submitted again, to determine new transcriptions. This process is repeated with different transcription terms, until a different and more proper transcription is generated. This increases the accuracy of ASR systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc.
    Inventors: Ankur Anil Aher, Jeffry Copps Robert Jose
  • Patent number: 11943499
    Abstract: A media guidance application is provided by which users can define rules for assigning user equipment devices as destinations for media content. For example, a user may define a rule by which selected media content having attributes that satisfy a user-defined condition are downloaded, recorded, or streamed to a particular, user-specified user equipment device. The user may define and manage rules using media guidance menus, and may restrict other users from accessing the rules (e.g., parents restricting children).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc.
    Inventors: Jay S. Bryant, Edgar A. Fereira
  • Patent number: 11941059
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described herein for generating a search query using flexible autocomplete suggestions. A text input is received, and a plurality of portions of the text input, each corresponding to a different search parameter, are identified. For each of the identified portions, at least one suggested alternate text is retrieved based on the corresponding attribute, and a user interface element is generated for display in which the original text of the respective portion is displayed, along with the suggested alternate texts for that portion, which are selectable by the user. Upon receiving selection of a suggested alternate text in at least one user interface element, a search query is generated based on each portion for which no alternate has been selected, and each selected alternate text. Search request are retrieved in response to the search query, and the results are generated for display to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc.
    Inventor: Susanto Sen
  • Patent number: 11943507
    Abstract: Systems and methods are presented herein for selectively preventing display of brand and business identifiers in content that is considered offensive, objectionable, disturbing, and/or unsettling, to prevent an unintended association by viewers of the content between the content and the brand or business. A request to display media content, comprising at least one frame with objectionable subject matter, is received. In response to determining the at least one frame comprises objectionable subject matter, a determination is made as to whether an entity identifier is visible in the at least one frame. In response to determining at least one entity identifier is visible in the at least one frame, a first context of the objectionable subject matter and a second context of the entity identifier are determined. The first context is compared to the second context and, based on the comparing, a masking action is determined to be required for the entity identifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc.
    Inventors: Vishwas Sharadanagar Panchaksharaiah, Vikram Makam Gupta, Reda Harb
  • Patent number: 11943511
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for generating for display identified supplemental content relevant to metadata of a particular scene of a media asset. The systems and methods may identify metadata of the media asset corresponding to the time of the particular scene, identify supplemental content relevant to the metadata of the particular scene, and determine the particular scene of the media asset has concluded. In response to determining the particular scene of the media asset has concluded, the identified supplemental content relevant to the metadata of the particular scene may be generated for display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc.
    Inventors: Vikram Makam Gupta, Vishwas Sharadanagar Panchaksharaiah
  • Patent number: 11943509
    Abstract: System and methods are described to determining a recommendation for a user based on changes in objects detected on a network-connected surface. The system receives, from the network-connected surface, a plurality of object identifiers for a plurality of physically inanimate objects of different types detected on the network-connected surface, wherein the object identifiers indicate a positioning of each object; determines, based on the object identifiers, a first arrangement of the plurality of physically inanimate objects; detects one or more changes in the plurality of object identifiers, wherein the one or more changes correspond to one or more changes in positioning from the first arrangement; in response to detecting the one or more changes, determines a second arrangement of the plurality of physically inanimate objects; and generates a content recommendation based on the second arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc.
    Inventors: Sara Dever, Jennifer L Holloway, Daniel P. Rowan, Mark D. Thompson
  • Patent number: 11934372
    Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed herein for updating a knowledge graph based on a user confirmation. A media guidance application receives a user communication and isolates a term of the user communication. The media guidance application identifies a candidate component of a knowledge graph associated with the term. The media guidance application requests user input directed to confirming whether the term is associated with the candidate component. In response to receiving the user input, the media guidance application modifies a strength of association between the term and the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy Christensen Kelly, Patrick Gerard Morgan, Brian Peterson, Walter R. Klappert
  • Patent number: 11936941
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for identifying related media content items. First media content item is outputted on a device. A user interface input requesting media content related to the first media content item is received. Metadata is accessed for a portion of the first media content item within a predetermined time period away from a pause position of the first media content item to identify topic keyword. An offer to interrupt the first media content item to output content related to the topic keyword is displayed. In response to offer's acceptance, a portion of an identified related media content item that is associated with the identified topic keyword is identified. The portion of the identified related media content item is transmitted for display while the media content is paused. The device then resumes displaying the media content item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc.
    Inventors: Reda Harb, Charishma Chundi
  • Patent number: 11936946
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided herein to dynamically update content restrictions for multiple users by detecting a first user in the proximity of a media device playing a first content item and detecting a second user entering the proximity of the media device. In response to detecting a second user entering the proximity of the media device and receiving a command from the first user that controls playing the first content, the system modifies a stored relationship between the first user and the second user to track the relationship between the first user and the second user. Thereafter, when the system detects the first user and the second user in the proximity of a media device playing a second content, in response, the system automatically performs an action that controls the playing of the second content (e.g., without user having to issue those commands).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc.
    Inventors: Rohit Dhiman, Vaibhav Gupta, Ashish Gupta, Senthil Kumar Karuppasamy, Anil Kumar
  • Patent number: 11936487
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided herein for providing context to users who access video conferences late. This may be accomplished by a system receiving an audio segment of a video conference and generating a subtitle corresponding to the audio segment. The system may determine a summary relating to the audio segment and then display the subtitle, summary, and video conference on a device. The system allows a user, who accesses a video conference late, to quickly and accurately understand the current video conference discussion, improving the user's experience and increasing the productivity of the video conference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc.
    Inventors: Padmassri Chandrashekar, Daina Emmanuel
  • Patent number: 11934438
    Abstract: Systems and methods for summarizing captions, configuring playback speed, and rewriting the caption file for a media asset are disclosed. The system determines whether to display the original captions or a summarized version of the captions, which are based on user's language proficiency level, reading pace, and historical data, and can be generated either on-demand or automatically when rewinds and pauses are detected. The caption file which includes the original captions can be rewritten. The system determines whether to stream a caption or a rewritten file to a media device based on user or system selections. In the absence of a caption file, or when the caption file cannot be summarized, the playback speed of the media asset is slowed down to provide additional reading time to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc.
    Inventors: Padmassri Chandrashekar, Daina Emmanuel, Reda Harb
  • Patent number: 11934777
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed herein for generating content based on format-specific screenplay parsing techniques. The techniques generate and present content by generating new dynamic content structures to generate content segments for output on electronic devices. In one disclosed technique, a first instance of a first character name is identified from the screenplay document. A first set of character data following the first instance of the first character name from the screenplay document and preceding an instance of a second character name from the screenplay document is then identified. Upon identification of the first set of character data, a content structure including an object is generated. The object includes attribute table entries based on the first set of character data. A content segment is generated for output based on the content structure (e.g., a 3D animation of the first character interacting within a scene).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc.
    Inventors: Shakir Sharfraz Ashfaq Ahamed, Susanto Sen, Sriram Ponnusamy, Alan Waterman
  • Patent number: 11936710
    Abstract: A sidelink connection is created between each device of a plurality of devices. A first device connected to a content source retrieves a manifest file for the media from the content source. The first device then notifies other devices, including a second device not connected to the content source, that the manifest file is available from the first device. Based on connection metrics of each device, it is determined which of the devices has the highest quality connection to the content source. If, for example, the first device is determined to have the highest quality connection, then the first devices retrieves a segment of the media from the content source, stores the segment in a cache of the first device, and delivers the segment to other devices in response to requests for the segment received from each device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc.
    Inventors: Antti Heikkinen, Mikko Uitto
  • Patent number: 11936711
    Abstract: A sidelink connection is created between each device of a plurality of devices. If the sidelink connection quality is not sufficient to transmit a first version of a segment encoded at a first quality level, a lower quality version of the segment may also be retrieved. The lower quality version of the segment may be retrieved by a different device than the device that retrieved the first version of the segment. If the segment is requested from a first device by a second device and the sidelink connection between the first device and the second device is not sufficient to transmit the first version of the segment, the first device may cause transmission of the lower quality version of the segment retrieved by a third device to the second device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc.
    Inventors: Antti Heikkinen, Mikko Uitto
  • Patent number: 11936947
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed herein for determining a preference of a user for or against a participant of an event when a media asset relating to the event is being played based on monitoring user reactions to the event. Specifically, the media guidance application may detect a change of at least one of the biometric state (e.g., pulse rate, blood pressure, etc.) and physiological state (e.g., facial expression, gesture, body movement, etc.) with a user. The media guidance application may determine that an event has occurred within the sporting event that triggered the change. The media guidance application may determine that the user favors the first participant over the second participant, if the user reacts positively towards a score for the first participant in the event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc.
    Inventors: Maria Rocio Ramirez, Denisse Breaux, Angel Merced
  • Patent number: 11928122
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed herein for creating query results displays. Parameters for building queries are received from an administrative user (e.g., a designer or operator) or from another source (e.g., another program or a different device). The received queries may be stored in memory for later insertion into a query results display. The system enables one or more queries to be selected to be assigned to a query results display. The selection may also be performed by another application on the same device or be received from another device. When the selection has been received the application may store the assignments to the query results display together with the queries so that, those assignments and the queries can be transmitted to a client device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Traynham, Pratik H. Patel, Thomas Becker, Bryan Scappini