Patents Assigned to Sling Media, L.L.C.
  • Patent number: 11355156
    Abstract: Video production systems and methods are provided for generating annotated class discussion videos, which contain real-time student commentary post-production annotations responsive to such student commentary, or a combination thereof. In an embodiment, the video production system includes a display device, a dedicated video input source, and a video processing device. The video processing device contains, in turn, a wireless receiver configured to receive wireless input signals from the dedicated video input source and a plurality of devices executing a student commentary capture application during a presentation, a controller operably coupled to the wireless receiver, and a memory storing computer-readable instructions. When executed by the controller, the computer-readable instructions cause the video processing device to generate an output video containing student commentary synchronized with the presentation as captured, at least in part, utilizing the dedicated video input source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Sling Media L.L.C.
    Inventor: Ramgopal Madduluri
  • Publication number: 20220137789
    Abstract: A three-dimensional graphical user interface system comprises a media component configured to produce a signal comprising media content (e.g., a movie or television show being viewed by a user) and a three-dimensional graphical user interface (e.g., an interactive program guide). A display device communicatively coupled to the media component is configured to simultaneously display the three-dimensional graphical user interface and a media content image corresponding to the media content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2022
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Applicant: SLING MEDIA L.L.C.
    Inventor: Ilya Asnis
  • Patent number: 11270539
    Abstract: Techniques are described for keyless entry to a structure (e.g., hotel room) utilizing a set-back box. Registrants (e.g., hotel guest) may scan a barcode from their mobile device to check-in to the structure. Upon scanning the barcode or by other means, a mobile device identifier (e.g., a Bluetooth low-energy address (BLE)) is registered and associated with the checked-in structure. Receiving the registered mobile device identifier, the backend server pushes such to the set-back box associated with (e.g., resides in) the checked-in structure. The set-back box is enabled (e.g., BLE enabled) to actively scan addresses of nearby mobile devices. When the registered mobile device identifier is detected within a predetermined signal strength range (e.g., by using received signal strength indicator (RSSI) levels), the set-back box transmits a command to a smart lock (e.g., via BLE or Wifi or other radio) or to a lock controlling backend processor, to open the lock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Sling Media L.L.C.
    Inventor: Mudit Mathur
  • Patent number: 11265690
    Abstract: Various arrangements for configuring wireless network access for a first wireless device using a previously-configured second wireless device are presented. The first wireless device may output a temporary wireless network hotspot and advertise an identifier. A second wireless device may search for and identify the based on the advertised identifier. The second wireless device may connect with the temporary wireless network hotspot and provide wireless network credentials for a wireless network for which the second wireless device has previously been granted access. The may then establish a network connection with the wireless network based on the wireless network credentials transmitted by the second wireless device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Sling Media L.L.C.
    Inventor: Vikal Kumar Jain
  • Patent number: 11237695
    Abstract: A three-dimensional graphical user interface system comprises a media component configured to produce a signal comprising media content (e.g., a movie or television show being viewed by a user) and a three-dimensional graphical user interface (e.g., an interactive program guide). A display device communicatively coupled to the media component is configured to simultaneously display the three-dimensional graphical user interface and a media content image corresponding to the media content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: SLING MEDIA L.L.C.
    Inventor: Ilya Asnis
  • Publication number: 20210409469
    Abstract: Systems, devices and processes are provided to facilitate the streaming of video content in a video streaming system. Specifically, the various embodiments provide an improved user interface for a video streaming system. In general, this user interface displays indications of program content of past time slots along with current and future time slots in a way that give the user an intuitive understanding of the percentage of remaining time in the current program. Thus, a user can immediately ascertain the percentage of the current program that has already been streamed relative to the percentage of the current program remaining. This information allows a user to more quickly decide if they would like to start viewing a program that has already been streaming for some period of time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2020
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Applicant: SLING MEDIA L.L.C.
    Inventor: ERIK HOLLEY
  • Patent number: 11188636
    Abstract: An account management server, a communication device and a service device are provided for managing access to an account. The account management server, for example, includes, but is not limited to, a storage device configured to store identifying information for each of a plurality of service devices and configured to store an account associated with each of the plurality of service devices, and a processor communicatively coupled to the storage device, wherein the processor is configured to: receive identifying information from a communication device; identify at least one service device whose stored identifying information matches the received identifying information; and grant management access to the account associated with the identified at least one service device to the communication device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: SLING MEDIA L.L.C.
    Inventor: David Randolph Eyler
  • Publication number: 20210368242
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for searching media files using a set-top box (STB), a television receiver, digital video recorder (DVR), placeshifting device or other media device, or any type of network host that communicates with a media device of any sort. Search criteria is received from a user, and the search criteria is identified in listings of media programming available from one or more sources. In some implementations, a combined search result can be provided that identifies instances of the search criteria found in program guide listings, files stored on a digital video recorder (DVR), available on-demand content, or any other sources as desired. Some implementations may prioritize search results using information about files stored on a DVR, user preferences, or any other information as desired.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2021
    Publication date: November 25, 2021
    Applicant: SLING MEDIA L.L.C.
    Inventors: John Paul, Myles Cagney, Peter Mark Hennessy
  • Patent number: 11172266
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed towards the analysis of the audiovisual content to adjust the timing, duration, or positioning of closed captioning so that the closed captioning more closely aligns with the scene being presented. Content that incudes video, audio, and closed captioning is obtained, and the audio is converted to text. A duration and timing for the closed captioning is determined based on a comparison between the closed captioning and the audio text. Scene context is determined for the content based on analysis of the video and the audio, such as by employing trained artificial neural networks. A display position of the closed captioning is determined based on the scene context. The duration and timing of the closed captioning are modified based on the scene context. The video and closed captioning are provided to a content receiver for presentation to a user based on the display position, duration, and timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: SLING MEDIA, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Mudit Mathur
  • Patent number: 11153613
    Abstract: A system includes a computing device programmed to generate an aggregated media item that includes individual media items from a plurality of inputs. The aggregated media item combines one or more of the individual media items for a common display. The computing device is further programmed to send the aggregated media item to a media device and receive commands from the media device. The commands identify data from the aggregated media content item to be included in a media output item. The computing device is further programmed to generate the media output item based on the aggregated media content item and the commands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignees: Sling Media L.L.C., Sling Media PVT Ltd.
    Inventors: Padmanabha R. Rao, Satish Iyer
  • Patent number: 11153628
    Abstract: A portable video delivery device includes data storage, a secure processor, and a wireless network interface that acts as an access point for a secure personal wireless network. Transcoded media files are stored in the data storage so that the portable device maintains a library of stored media programs that can be carried along with the user during commuting, travel and/or other activities. To playback the stored programming, other media player devices use the personal wireless network to securely connect to the portable device and to obtain previously-transcoded content from the data storage of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: SLING MEDIA L.L.C.
    Inventor: Padmanabha R. Rao
  • Patent number: 11134299
    Abstract: Media content is paired with context-relevant supplemental content, and the media and supplemental content are provided to a user. A media stream containing the media content may be received from a source system, and context information about the media content is determined from information about the media stream. The supplemental content may be selected based on the determined context information. This may enable a business model in which third parties can register advertising or other supplemental content and specify the criteria that cause it to be combined with the media content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: SLING MEDIA L.L.C.
    Inventors: Jason Gary Krikorian, Blake Gary Krikorian, Brian Meckler
  • Patent number: 11108481
    Abstract: Various arrangements for integrating over-the-air (OTA) television programming with streaming media are presented. An OTA integration module may request, from an OTA tuner device, a stream of an OTA television channel, wherein the OTA television channel is broadcast over a geographic region on the VHF band or UHF band. The OTA integration module may receive, from the OTA tuner device, the stream of the OTA television channel. The OTA integration module may provide, to a media presentation application, the stream of the OTA television channel. The media presentation application executed by the streaming media player device may output the steam of the OTA television channel for presentation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Sling Media L.L.C.
    Inventor: Vikal Kumar Jain
  • Patent number: 11089380
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for searching media files using a set-top box (STB), a television receiver, digital video recorder (DVR), placeshifting device or other media device, or any type of network host that communicates with a media device of any sort. Search criteria is received from a user, and the search criteria is identified in listings of media programming available from one or more sources. In some implementations, a combined search result can be provided that identifies instances of the search criteria found in program guide listings, files stored on a digital video recorder (DVR), available on-demand content, or any other sources as desired. Some implementations may prioritize search results using information about files stored on a DVR, user preferences, or any other information as desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Sling Media L.L.C.
    Inventors: John Paul, Myles Cagney, Peter Mark Hennessy
  • Publication number: 20210240798
    Abstract: A multi-device digital rights management server is provided. The server may include, but is not limited to, a processor communicatively coupled to a communications system and a memory, the processor configured to receive, from the communications system, a request to transfer digital content from a first user device to a second user device, update, upon receipt of the request, digital rights management data stored in the memory to enable both the first user device and the second user device to consume the digital content, receive, from the communications system, notice that one of the first user device and the second user device is consuming the digital content, update, upon receipt of the notice, the digital rights management data to disable the other of the first user device and the second user device from consuming the digital content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2021
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Applicant: SLING MEDIA L.L.C.
    Inventor: ANDREY ABRAMOV
  • Patent number: 11039199
    Abstract: A set-top box and a method of operating the same are provided. The set-top box, for example, may include, but is not limited to, a communication system configured to receive media content from a broadcast content source and communicate with a personal electronic device, and a media continuity system configured to receive, from the communication system, an indication that a user is watching media content through an over the top source on the personal electronic device, buffer the media content from the broadcast content source in a memory, determine, when the set-top box receives a request to play the media content, a difference between a timestamp associated with the media content as broadcast by the over the top source and the media content as broadcast by the broadcast content source, and output the media content using the buffer based upon the difference in the timestamp when the user returns home.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: SLING MEDIA L.L.C.
    Inventor: Yashaswini Harish
  • Patent number: 11032592
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for securely providing a media stream from a server device to a remote player via a communications network. A request for a connection is received from the remote player at the server device via the communications network. In response to the request for the connection, an authorization credential is requested from a central server via the communications network. Further, in response to the authorization credential received from the central server, the media stream between the server device and the remote player can be established over the communications network. At least a portion of the media stream may be encrypted based upon the authorization credential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: SLING MEDIA L.L.C.
    Inventor: Padmanabha R. Rao
  • Patent number: 11010453
    Abstract: A multi-device digital rights management server is provided. The server may include, but is not limited to, a processor communicatively coupled to a communications system and a memory, the processor configured to receive, from the communications system, a request to transfer digital content from a first user device to a second user device, update, upon receipt of the request, digital rights management data stored in the memory to enable both the first user device and the second user device to consume the digital content, receive, from the communications system, notice that one of the first user device and the second user device is consuming the digital content, update, upon receipt of the notice, the digital rights management data to disable the other of the first user device and the second user device from consuming the digital content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: SLING MEDIA L.L.C.
    Inventor: Andrey Abramov
  • Publication number: 20210112307
    Abstract: Devices, systems and processes for multi-device access, control and presentation of streaming content are described. A system may include a first content access device that includes a first storage component, a first communications component operable to receive first content, and a first hardware processor operable to access a second content access device, control the second content access device, provide a first content to the second content access device, and swap a presentation of the second content on the second presentation device with a presentation of the first content on the second presentation device. A first presentation device may present the first content. A second presentation device may present the second content. Second storage, communications, and hardware processor components are operable to execute the second set of computer instructions that are substantially similar to the first set of computer instructions may be used.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2020
    Publication date: April 15, 2021
    Applicants: Sling Media Pvt. Ltd., Sling Media L.L.C.
    Inventors: Roj Thomas, Padmanabha R. Rao, Dmitry Dimov, Shailesh Deshmukh
  • Publication number: 20210075765
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for delivering messages from one or more service hosts to clients via a network. A first request identifying the client is received at the message server, and a connection is established and maintained between the message server and the client in response to the first request. When a subsequent request that identifies the client is received from the service host, a message is transmitted from the message server to the client over the previously-established connection. The methods and techniques may be used, for example, to provide messages from various services to placeshifting devices or other clients communicating via the network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2020
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Applicant: SLING MEDIA L.L.C.
    Inventors: JOHN MICHAEL PAUL, MARK DAVID MELIN, SYLVAIN JACK NILES, MYLES PATRICK CAGNEY