Patents Assigned to Rovi Technologies
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Publication number: 20100333136Abstract: A wireless communications device provides users with opportunities to access interactive media guidance or other applications and to control interactive media guidance applications running on user equipment. The wireless communications device may have a touch-sensitive screen with controls that are coordinated with the features of the interactive media guidance or other applications. The wireless communications device may function as a remote controller for user equipment.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2009Publication date: December 30, 2010Applicant: Rovi Technologies CorporationInventors: Erwin Lau, Terry Tam, Kay Chiu
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Publication number: 20100333135Abstract: A wireless communications device provides users with opportunities to access interactive media guidance or other applications and to control interactive media guidance applications running on user equipment. The wireless communications device may have a touch-sensitive screen with controls that are coordinated with the features of the interactive media guidance or other applications. The wireless communications device may function as a remote controller for user equipment.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2009Publication date: December 30, 2010Applicant: Rovi Technologies CorporationInventors: Erwin Lau, Terry Tam, Kay Chiu
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Publication number: 20100332560Abstract: Methods and systems are described for providing editing tools that allow a user to manipulate media provided by a media content source. Media editing tools may include content analysis tools capable of extracting information from the media content itself, and may include segment identification and editing tools. Editing tools may be created by a user, and stored or shared with other users. Users may be able to specify and customize a set of storage space requirements that impose constraints on the type, quantity and content of stored assets. Automatic storage management tools provide tools with which stored and to-be-stored assets may be transformed in order to maintain satisfaction of storage preferences and requirements.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2009Publication date: December 30, 2010Applicant: Rovi Technologies CorporationInventor: Ronald A. Gerbasi, III
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Publication number: 20100333032Abstract: A wireless communications device provides users with opportunities to access interactive media guidance or other applications and to control interactive media guidance applications running on user equipment. The wireless communications device may have a touch-sensitive screen with controls that are coordinated with the features of the interactive media guidance or other applications. The wireless communications device may function as a remote controller for user equipment.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2009Publication date: December 30, 2010Applicant: Rovi Technologies CorporationInventors: Erwin Lau, Terry Tam, Kay Chiu
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Publication number: 20100315426Abstract: Systems and methods for integrating graphic animation technologies with fantasy sports contest applications are provided. This invention enables a fantasy sports contest application to depict plays in various sporting events using graphic animation. The fantasy sports contest application may combine graphical representation of real-life elements such as, for example, player facial features, with default elements such as, for example, a generic player body, to create realistic graphic video. The fantasy sports contest application may provide links to animated videos for depicting plays on contest screens in which information associated with the plays may be displayed. The fantasy sports contest application may play the animated video for a user in response to the user selecting such a link. In some embodiment of the present invention, the fantasy sports contest application may also customize animated video based on user-supplied setup information.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 4, 2010Publication date: December 16, 2010Applicant: Rovi Technologies CorporationInventors: Patrick J. Hughes, David Barber
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Patent number: 7853344Abstract: A method and system for analyzing audio files is provided. Plural audio file feature vector values based on an audio file's content are determined and the audio file feature vectors are stored in a database that also stores other pre-computed audio file features. The process determines if the audio files feature vectors match the stored audio file vectors. The process also associates a plurality of known attributes to the audio file.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2007Date of Patent: December 14, 2010Assignee: Rovi Technologies CorporationInventors: Rehan M. Khan, George Tzanetakis
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Publication number: 20100293497Abstract: Systems and methods for simplifying text entry are provided. A visual keypad may include a plurality of user-selectable buttons corresponding to at least some of the buttons of the alphabet. The layout of the visual keypad may be determined based on an n-gram table. The layout of the visual keypad may be rearranged based at least in part on the most likely next character in response to receiving a user selection of a button on the visual keypad.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 24, 2009Publication date: November 18, 2010Applicant: Rovi Technologies CorporationInventor: Brian Craig Peterson
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Publication number: 20100262938Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for navigating a media guidance application with multiple perspective views. A first of a plurality of media guidance objects may be displayed in a first perspective view that appears flat on the screen. A second media guidance object may be displayed in a second perspective view that appears to be going into the screen creating the appearance of a fold between the first and second media guidance application objects at a location where the first perspective view changes into the second perspective view. The second media guidance object in the second perspective view may be caused to slide through the fold into the first perspective view. The second media guidance object displayed in the first perspective view may be selected. An action may be performed for a media asset corresponding to the selected media guidance object.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2009Publication date: October 14, 2010Applicant: Rovi Technologies CorporationInventors: Thomas Steven Woods, Jason Conness, Christopher Bauder
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Patent number: 7791607Abstract: Systems and methods for integrating graphic animation technologies with fantasy sports contest applications are provided. This invention enables a fantasy sports contest application to depict plays in various sporting events using graphic animation. The fantasy sports contest application may combine graphical representation of real-life elements such as, for example, player facial features, with default elements such as, for example, a generic player body, to create realistic graphic video. The fantasy sports contest application may provide links to animated videos for depicting plays on contest screens in which information associated with the plays may be displayed. The fantasy sports contest application may play the animated video for a user in response to the user selecting such a link. In some embodiment of the present invention, the fantasy sports contest application may also customize animated video based on user-supplied setup information.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 2009Date of Patent: September 7, 2010Assignee: Rovi Technologies CorporationInventors: Patrick J Hughes, David Barber
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Publication number: 20100205634Abstract: An interactive television program guide system and method is provided. Time separators are displayed within lists of program listings to allow users to more easily view the program listings. On-screen arrows have their display characteristics changed according to user actions. Similar program listings are displayed only once when using search program listings. Users are provided with an opportunity to view channel information before setting channels as favorites. Information from local information services is provided in program guide display screens that are configurable by a main facility. Users are provided with an opportunity to centrally lock and unlock programs, and to bypass locks when desired.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 7, 2009Publication date: August 12, 2010Applicant: Rovi Technologies CorporationInventors: Edward B. Knudson, Michael D. Ellis, W. Benjamin Herrington, Steven C. Williamson, Pamela L. McKissick, William L. Thomas, David M. Berezowski, Kenneth F. Carpenter, JR., Jeffrey Ross, Daniel C. Hagenbuch, Steven J. Reynolds, David M. Rudnick
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Patent number: 7774816Abstract: The present invention is directed to a conflict manager for a personal video recorder. An embodiment of the present invention includes a set-top box having an internal hard drive or other storage device where broadcasts are transferred to the storage device. The set-top box is connected to an output device such as a television, which displays a graphical user interface (GUI) and an interactive program guide (IPG). The IPG displays a list of broadcasts that are available by tuning to different channels. The GUI allows the user to navigate the IPG, for instance, by viewing different times and dates for broadcasts. The GUI also allows the user to activate a video recorder within the set-top box, by navigating the IPG and selecting broadcasts to later transfer to the storage device. The user may select multiple broadcasts to transfer, may repeatedly transfer the same program, or may repeatedly transfer the same program in a series.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2003Date of Patent: August 10, 2010Assignee: Rovi Technologies CorporationInventors: Jim Bumgardner, Haig H. Krakirian
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Publication number: 20100192180Abstract: A media guidance application is provided by which users can view program listings associated with programming that the user may access using other user equipment devices. The media guidance application, implemented on, for example, a remote system, may determine through communications with television equipment whether or not the television equipment is authorized to provide a particular package of television programming to be viewed by the user. For example, an online program guide application may determine whether or not television equipment allows a user to view particular channels and, based on that determination, proceed to determine what packages of programming the user subscribes to. A customized program guide may then be displayed based on what programming the user subscribes to on various systems.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2009Publication date: July 29, 2010Applicant: Rovi Technologies CorporationInventors: Craig Alan Olague, Kuan Hidalgo Archer, Christopher Strader
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Publication number: 20100186042Abstract: Television schedule information transmission and utilization systems transmit TV schedule data and associated network control messages provided by computer as packets via the Video Blanking Interval (VBI) lines in the TV signal from various television program providers. This data is acquired by regional data processing systems and forwarded by the regional data processing systems to subscriber units and used to construct an internal database. This internal database can be accessed by the subscriber unit to display a TV schedule for the channels that are received by the user's TV.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 14, 2009Publication date: July 22, 2010Applicant: Rovi TechnologiesInventors: John H. Roop, Alan R. Ebright, Jeffrey J. Kochy, David P. Warden, Konstantine Sokolik, Giambattista A. Alegiani
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Publication number: 20100180300Abstract: Advanced features for interactive television applications are described, including a back feature, a forward feature, a history feature, a go to feature, an extras feature, a reminder feature, a favorites feature, a parental control feature, and a search feature. Features may be inter-resource. Support for multiple data paths, Internet access, interactive services, and user profiles are also described.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 8, 2009Publication date: July 15, 2010Applicant: Rovi Technologies CorporationInventors: Kenneth F. Carpenter, Robert A. Knee, W. Benjamin Herrington, Michael D. Ellis
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Publication number: 20100180304Abstract: An electronic program guide that assists a user to navigate through a variety of digital and analog feeds made available by digital television technology is provided. Features such as allowing the user to purchase items, allowing the user to choose the content of the display screen, enabling more efficient use of black areas, among others are provided. Default settings based on prior user settings is provided to allow for an automatically customized environment. This automatic customization may entail, for example, the automatic resizing of windows based on the user's prior preferences. Also provided is a feature that allows for the automatic activation of a local or remote application through the user's set-top box based on the content currently being viewed.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 11, 2009Publication date: July 15, 2010Applicant: Rovi Technologies CorporationInventors: Joel G. Hassell, William L. Thomas, Michael D. Ellis
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Publication number: 20100174776Abstract: Interactive media guidance systems, devices, and methods that enable media content delivery and/or control by a media content user via a user equipment device capable of interfacing with a media content source using a backchannel network.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 6, 2009Publication date: July 8, 2010Applicant: Rovi Technologies Inc.Inventors: Thomas E. Westberg, David Bovenschulte, Edgar A. Fereira
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Publication number: 20100157156Abstract: A television viewer uses a PIP format for display of program related information such as television program listings from a program schedule data base in the background and moving, real time images of a program selected from the displayed listings in the PIP window. All the text of the background information lies outside the PIP window. In one embodiment, as the viewer selects a particular program from the display of current television program listings by means of a cursor or a code number, the corresponding program automatically appears in the PIP window.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 16, 2009Publication date: June 24, 2010Applicant: Rovi Technologies CorporationInventors: Henry C. Yuen, Roy J. Mankovitz, Daniel S. Kwoh, Elsie Y. Leung
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Publication number: 20100153885Abstract: An interactive television application is used to provide search results to a user. The user is provided with an opportunity to indicate a desire to search for programs. In response, the interactive television application generates search criteria and searches for programs. The search results that are displayed to the user include mosaic listings associated with programs that match the search criteria. In some embodiments, the interactive television application displays the mosaic listings in a manner that accentuates the different levels of relevance of the search results to the search criteria.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 12, 2009Publication date: June 17, 2010Applicant: Rovi Technologies CorporationInventor: DOUG YATES
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Publication number: 20100153999Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed that allow a user to efficiently navigate media selections in an interactive media guidance application and easily identify media for viewing. The disclosed methods and systems provide an environment wherein video assets are displayed according to a user preference on a mosaic page with multiple cells. A subset of the assets appropriate for display in a particular cell is determined based on the user preference. Relevance scores of the assets meeting the user preference are computed, and the asset having the greatest relevance for the user is selected and displayed the corresponding cell. The relevance scores can be computed based on the user's historic viewing habits, user interaction with a media guidance application, or on specific user input.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 10, 2009Publication date: June 17, 2010Applicant: Rovi Technologies CorporationInventor: Doug Yates
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Publication number: 20100131770Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method for embedding and authenticating ancillary information in digitally signed content are disclosed. The method and system include loading digital content containing a digitally signed executable into memory for execution, while checking for the integrity of a digital signature and the contents of the executable; and erasing any non-authenticated regions of the digital content by zeroing out or value-filling memory locations corresponding to the non-authenticated regions.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 29, 2010Publication date: May 27, 2010Applicant: Rovi Technologies CorporationInventors: Andres M. Torrubia, Jordi Salvat