Patents Assigned to Sony Corporation, Inc.
  • Patent number: 8695037
    Abstract: In a system and method for enabling a user to simultaneously display a set of selectable categories, a set of channels related to a selected category, and individual content associated with a selected channel, of potential interest to the user. The system includes a graphical user interface which includes a set of selectable categories, sets of channels, each set of which includes channels which are relevant to each selectable category, and individual content, each of which is associated with a selectable channel and a selectable category. The graphical user interface uses hypertext markup language as the content description language, for enabling generation of guide information with links to related information and search functionality. The graphical user interface is further adapted to enable the selection of a category, a related channel, and associated individual content by the user. The internet websites and the internet content may be displayed in the same context as the video content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Corporation Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Rosin, Yumie Sonoda
  • Patent number: 8631137
    Abstract: A web protocol request is received from a web-based device for aggregated A/V content information associated with A/V content stored within the DLNA home network. The web protocol request is converted to one or more DLNA search messages each associated with one or more active DLNA servers. A/V content information associated with each of the one or more active DLNA servers is aggregated using the one or more DLNA search messages. The aggregated A/V content information is formatted into a web protocol response. The web protocol response is sent to the web-based device. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Corporation Inc.
    Inventors: Ludovic Douillet, Ted Dunn, David Tao
  • Patent number: 7792294
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, a selective encryption encoder has a packet identifier that identifies packets of a specified packet type. The specified packet type includes packets carrying data representing a video slice wherein the video slice contains a larger amount of data than a threshold amount of data. A packet duplicator duplicates the identified packets to produce first and second sets of the identified packets. Packets are sent and received to and from a primary encryption encoder to encrypt the first set of identified packets under a first encryption method. A secondary encrypter encrypts the second set of identified packets under a second encryption method. This abstract should not be considered limiting since embodiments consistent with the present invention may involve more, different or fewer elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Corporation, Inc.
    Inventors: Brant L. Candelore, Henry Derovanessian, Leo M. Pedlow, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20100159855
    Abstract: Techniques for sending and receiving signals include pre-distorting signals before transmission across a communication path. The signals are pre-distorted as a function of a distortion on the communication path. In one embodiments, transmitter a broadcasts to receiver b and there is also a transmitter b broadcasting to receiver a. This return channel enables both transmitters a and b to have a priori information regarding the transmission medium and path the signal takes. In this way, the nature of the distortion or interference is known to the transmitter, therefore, it pre-distorts the transmitted signal to compensate for the receiver exceeding its capabilities in recovering signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Applicants: SONY CORPORATION, INC., SONY ELECTRONICS
    Inventors: Robert Hardacker, Kenichi Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 7463877
    Abstract: In accordance with certain embodiments consistent with the invention, a power line communication (PLC) bridge circuit, consistent with certain embodiments, has a first coupler that couples data signals to and from a main power line circuit. A second coupler couples data signals to and from a branch power line circuit, wherein the branch power line circuit is branched from the main power line circuit. A first communication transceiver is connected to the first coupler for transferring data signals to and from the first coupler. A second communication transceiver is connected to the second coupler for transferring data signals to and from the second coupler. A controller examines data signals from the first transceiver and determines if the data is destined for the second transceiver, so that data that is not destined for the second transceiver is considered local data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Corporation Inc.
    Inventor: Ryuichi Iwamura
  • Patent number: 7389457
    Abstract: A chain of boundary scan registers is configured to use a two-phase clock signal to avoid data timing race conditions. The two-phase clock signal is generated according to a two-phase clock generator, which includes two self-timed clock pulse generators for each boundary scan register. The two-phase clock generator locally generates a self-timed clock pulse at the rising edge of a clock signal, which triggers a first stage of the boundary scan register. The two-phase clock generator also generates a self-timed clock pulse at the falling edge of the input clock signal, which triggers a second stage of the boundary scan register. The two-phase clock controlled boundary scan register includes two latches, each latch is triggered by one of the self-timed clock pulse generated locally from the rising and falling edge of the input clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Corporation, Inc.
    Inventors: Hsin-Ley Suzanne Chen, Patrick T. Chuang, Michelle Huang
  • Publication number: 20020152473
    Abstract: Broadcast receivers operate in a power-saving standby mode while retaining the ability to receive broadcast program, software, and firmware updates. The most power hungry circuits are deprived of power in the standby mode using a wake-up switch controlled by an update sensor that actively monitors the broadcast channel in the standby mode. If the receiver receives an update-pending indication while in the standby mode, then the wake-up switch provides power to those components needed to receive the update without indicating a power-on condition to the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2001
    Publication date: October 17, 2002
    Applicant: Sony Electronics and Sony Corporation, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert A. Unger
  • Patent number: 5987479
    Abstract: A system for allocating block sizes in a computer file system is described. Input/output bandwidth requirements for disk access from an application is determined. Also determined is a data transfer characteristic for the drive being accessed. The minimum block size which reduces file fragmentation below a minimum threshold is then calculated as a function of the determined maximum input/output bandwidth and the data characteristic of the drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1999
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Inc., Sony Pictures Entertainment
    Inventor: Richard Joseph Oliver