Patents Assigned to Sony Electronics, Inc.
  • Patent number: 10372748
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are described for organizing audio/visual content and prefetching selected audio/visual content configured to be displayed to a user. In one embodiment, the methods and apparatuses for presenting content identifies a preference corresponding to a user; detects a current display window; and prefetches at least one audio/visual content in response, in part, to the current display window and the preference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Edward Eytchison, Dan M. Phan, Nisha Srinivasan, Ganesh B. Gopalakrishnana
  • Patent number: 10057641
    Abstract: Generation of secret keys is carried out in a smartcard for use by a receiver device's main processor, or alternatively, decryption processing for selectively encrypted content is carried out in the smartcard itself in order to thwart hacking and pirating of protected video content. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Brant L. Candelore
  • Patent number: 9961471
    Abstract: Techniques for personalizing audio levels, in accordance with embodiments of the present technology, provide different audio volumes to different locations in a room allowing for two of more users to enjoy the same audio content at different volumes. Differential level and delay compensation filtering based on a position of each of a plurality of speakers, the location of each user and the preferred relative audio volume of each user are utilized to produce different effective audio levels in localized regions of a room.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Hardacker, Steven Richman
  • Patent number: 9948517
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for discovery and notification of services are described for creating a service, discovering the service, and providing notification of the service. In one embodiment, the methods and apparatuses for discovery and notification of services identifies a content provider; identifies a service wherein the service corresponds with the content provider; forms a service record within the service registry wherein the service record represents the service; and allows a content user to discover the service through the service registry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Edward Eytchison
  • Patent number: 9947367
    Abstract: A state of an application program can be stored and transferred to a remote system. The remote system attempts to recreate the original state of the application program. If the remote system is unable to do so, an image of the state of the application program is obtained, instead. Assignment of control to various functions of an application program is achieved by associating a function (i.e., modifying a parameter) with a user control at a remote location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Sukendeep Samra, Mark A. van den Bergen, Steven Hall, Jason Peterson, Stephen Dyson
  • Patent number: 9852442
    Abstract: A method an apparatus is provided for providing selected media files, which are chosen from among a plurality of media files, to a user over a packet-switched network such as the Internet. The method begins by receiving over the packet-switched network a request from the user to receive media content. Next, a user profile associated with the user is retrieved from a database. The user profile reflects user preferences in media content to be received over the packet-switched network. The plurality of media files are ranked based at least in part on the user profile. At least one highly ranked media file is selected from among the ranked plurality of media files. At least one of the highly ranked media files is forwarded to the user over the packet-switched network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Brian M. Siegel, Philip M. Abram, Marc Beckwitt, Gregory D. Gudorf, Kazuaki Iso, Brian Raymond, Christopher M. Tobin
  • Patent number: 9842350
    Abstract: A method an apparatus is provided for providing selected media files, which are chosen from among a plurality of media files, to a user over a packet-switched network such as the Internet. The method begins by receiving over the packet-switched network a request from the user to receive media content. Next, a user profile associated with the user is retrieved from a database. The user profile reflects user preferences in media content to be received over the packet-switched network. The plurality of media files are ranked based at least in part on the user profile. At least one highly ranked media file is selected from among the ranked plurality of media files. At least one of the highly ranked media files is forwarded to the user over the packet-switched network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian M. Siegel, Philip M. Abram, Marc Beckwitt, Gregory D. Gudorf, Kazuaki Iso, Brian Raymond, Christopher M. Tobin
  • Patent number: 9760893
    Abstract: A system and method for distributing reminder information in an electronic network includes an information service that is configured to provide information distribution services through said information distribution network. User devices are provided for device users to communicate with the information service for receiving the information distribution services. A transport structure communicates with network entities in the information distribution network for collecting appropriate types of metadata. A transport server then performs a metadata analysis procedure upon the various types of metadata to responsively generate the reminder information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Jacobs, Rajiv Rainier, Milton Frazier, Austin Noronha, Tim Smith, Donald L. Loughery, III
  • Patent number: 9692888
    Abstract: A network device such as a wireless network device is configured using information input from a user computer or a user telephone for a specific home network to which the device will belong. This may be accomplished by obtaining from the user account information which is sent to a configuration server that automatically sets up the device for network use without the users further direct involvement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignees: Sony Electronics Inc., Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Tohru Doumuki
  • Patent number: 9681178
    Abstract: One and only instance of a video service model component (for example, an electronic program guide (EPG) model description) is executed in a home network gateway, with multiple instantiations of a view/controller module associated with the model module being generated, one for each display device seeking to simultaneously display the video service. In this way the functionality of a single video service model is shared in the network without requiring the underlying model module itself to be replicated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignees: Sony Electronics Inc., Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Stephane Lejeune
  • Patent number: 9628321
    Abstract: A receiver of network data dynamically filters packets by packet type from a network device CPU based on usage information, such as time, day, location, and feature (e.g., “video” or “application”) selection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignees: Sony Electronics Inc., SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Fredrik Carpio, Milton Massey Frazier, Nikolaos Georgis
  • Patent number: 9526061
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for a wireless home mesh network with a network topology visualizer is described. In one embodiment, the method may include collecting node topology information by a node of a wireless home mesh network, where the node topology information includes a list of neighbor nodes for the node. Thereafter, a communication socket is opened, and a node topology packet, including a lust of neighbor nodes, is transmitted in order to produce a global network topology map. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Xiangpeng Jing, Abhishek Patil, Anuj Bhatnagar, Aixin Liu, Djung N. Nguyen
  • Publication number: 20160350804
    Abstract: A method an apparatus is provided for providing selected media files, which are chosen from among a plurality of media files, to a user over a packet-switched network such as the Internet. The method begins by receiving over the packet-switched network a request from the user to receive media content. Next, a user profile associated with the user is retrieved from a database. The user profile reflects user preferences in media content to be received over the packet-switched network. The plurality of media files are ranked based at least in part on the user profile. At least one highly ranked media file is selected from among the ranked plurality of media files. At least one of the highly ranked media files is forwarded to the user over the packet-switched network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2016
    Publication date: December 1, 2016
    Applicants: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Brian M. SIEGEL, Philip M. ABRAM, Marc BECKWITT, Gregory D. GUDORF, Kazuaki ISO, Brian RAYMOND
  • Patent number: 9497513
    Abstract: An apparatus, system and method for use in for use in dynamically adjusting an encoder bit rate according to a determined available bandwidth for wirelessly communicating source data. A method detects a first available bandwidth, determines a first encoder bit rate according to the available bandwidth, encodes a signal at the first encoder bit rate, detects a change in the available bandwidth such that there is a second available bandwidth, determines a second encoder bit rate according to the second available bandwidth, and encodes the signal at the second encoder bit rate. Encoding the signal at the second encoder bit rate can include encoding a subsequent frame of the signal. The method can further wirelessly communicate the signal encoded at the first encoder bit rate in real-time and wirelessly communicate the signal encoded at the second encoder bit rate in real-time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Allan Unger
  • Publication number: 20160301977
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a receiving apparatus, a receiving method, and a program which are configured to provide application programs to be executed in response to AV content. The receiving apparatus includes: a receiving block; a trigger acquisition block; an application acquisition block; and a control block. The control block acquires trigger information and, on the basis of a command obtained from the acquired trigger information, acquires a data broadcast application from an application server on the Internet or a data broadcast application transmitted as NRT content of an NRT service using a FLUTE session by referencing an FDT identified by an SMT and an NRT-IT. In accordance with a command obtained from the acquired trigger information, the control block controls an operation of the acquired application program. The present technology is applicable to television receivers configured to receive digital television broadcast signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Applicants: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Naohisa KITAZATO, Yoshiharu DEWA, Yasuaki YAMAGISHI, Jun KITAHARA, Mark EYER
  • Patent number: 9418401
    Abstract: A system for controlling effects performed on an image includes a digital camera having a display that displays the image. Masking tools position graphical representations on the display to define a portion of the image that is altered when the effects are subsequently applied to the image. The several masking tools may be combined to form a single masking tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Edwards, Clay Harvey Fisher, Kurt Jonach, Neal Jacob Manowitz, John Tree
  • Patent number: 9406066
    Abstract: A DRM packager has a programmed processor for receipt of licensing information including a plurality of encryption keys for a corresponding plurality of DRM encryption algorithms and for receipt of content from a content provider. An encrypter encrypts the content under each of the plurality of DRM algorithms to produce multiple DRM selectively encrypted content, where the multiple DRM selectively encrypted content has segments of the specified content that are unencrypted, and selected segments of the content which are duplicated to produce one copy of the selected content for each of the DRM algorithms with each duplicate copy of the selected segments encrypted under a different one of the DRM algorithms, and where the unencrypted segments of content are assembled together with each of the DRM encrypted duplicate selected segments to produce a single unified content assembly that can be played on any of the player devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Brant L. Candelore
  • Patent number: 9392341
    Abstract: Multiple segment identifiers associated with a single item of content and substitute content associated therewith can be utilized as a mechanism to provide content substitution using multiple content formats by utilizing a segment routing state machine. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Brant L. Candelore, Leo M. Pedlow
  • Patent number: 9354787
    Abstract: A portable media player communicates with a host computer for enabling a user of the player to manage media distribution using the control software of the host computer. The host computer can send a GUI that is displayed on the otherwise “dumb” player, and the user can view the GUI and press a single button to command the control software to download a media title to the player. The host computer can periodically poll the player to determine its status.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Cristian Lars Almstrand, Prem Aanand Venkatesan, Hiroyuki Shinkai, Hirokazu Imazeki, Masahiko Seki
  • Patent number: RE46167
    Abstract: An encoder/decoder system usable to decrease the probability of a failed transmission over a lossy wireless network. In one embodiment, data packets unsuccessfully sent over the wireless network may be retransmitted a particular number of times, depending on how important the data in the lost packet is. In another embodiment, when a number of transmission failures is determined to exceed a predetermined threshold, it may be signaled that multiple reference frames should be used for encoding predictions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignees: Sony Coporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Behram DaCosta