Patents Assigned to Sony Pictures
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Patent number: 10390090Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for sharing movie information online. In one implementation, the user of an online movie service can share information about the contents of a library or other such rights locker, e.g., under Ultraviolet™ and DECE. Users may also share likes and dislikes. The movie service may make suggestions based on the contents of the user's library and the contents of other user's libraries, such as those of the user's designated friends. A user can become a follower or fan of another user and receive recommendations based on the target user's profile or specific recommendations made by the target. The user can receive a credit on their account or on a related account when another user makes a purchase that is attributable to that user, e.g., from a recommendation. A user may be designated as an influencer when followed by a sufficient number of other users.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2011Date of Patent: August 20, 2019Assignees: SONY CORPORATION, SONY PICTURES TECHNOLOGIES INC.Inventor: Richard Berger
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Patent number: 10339120Abstract: Systems and methods presented here allow recreation of prior scenes, even if assets used in the scenes have evolved over time. The systems and methods employ query of a database to obtain data for backup and retrieval, e.g., information about shots made at prior points in time, where a “shot” refers to a scene or associated set of sequential frames (a single image may also be considered a shot in some instances), rendered or not depending on context. In the VP-VCR systems and methods, information may be obtained about rendered scenes which allow knowledge and subsequent use of each asset employed in the scene, including its proper version and representation at the time of the rendering. Such may be employed not only to obtain prior versions of shots, but also to allow modification of assets in prior shots to obtain new effects.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2013Date of Patent: July 2, 2019Assignees: SONY CORPORATION, SONY PICTURES TECHNOLOGIES INC.Inventors: Alan L. Davidson, Steve LaVietes, Blair J. Zajac, Jr., Robert B. Engle
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Patent number: 10308393Abstract: Module for playing a plurality of promotions, including: a plurality of fixtures sequentially configurable into the plurality of promotions by rotating at least one fixture while maintaining an original position of each fixture within the reconfigurable module, each fixture including a plurality of sides; and a plurality of fasteners to combine the plurality of fixtures into the reconfigurable module. Key words include corrugate, modular, and rotate.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2016Date of Patent: June 4, 2019Assignees: SONY CORPORATION, SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT INC.Inventor: Cesar Montoya
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Patent number: 10257548Abstract: Delivering, protecting, and playing content, including: executing a content-bound executable application in a trusted execution environment by a player device; performing an integrity check of the player device using the content-bound executable application; sending a request from the player device for update information to at least one of the license server and the content server using the content-bound executable application; receiving update information at the player device from the at least one of the license server and the content server; updating local environment of the player device using the content-bound executable application; and decrypting the content data by the content-bound executable application. Key words include content-bound and executable.Type: GrantFiled: July 2, 2014Date of Patent: April 9, 2019Assignees: SONY CORPORATION, SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT INC.Inventors: Christopher Taylor, Spencer Stephens
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Patent number: 10229467Abstract: Embedding a watermark payload in content, including: a counter configured to store a random seed; a permutation generator configured to receive and process the watermark payload and the random seed, and generate a shuffled payload based on the random seed; and a watermark embedder configured to receive and embed the shuffled payload into the content. Key words include watermark payload and collusion.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2017Date of Patent: March 12, 2019Assignees: SONY CORPORATION, SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT INC.Inventor: Eric Diehl
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Patent number: 10223508Abstract: Storing, building, managing, and controlling consumer personal information, including: building at least one level of personal information according to a standard; storing the personal information on a consumer rights locker; defining a scope of access under terms of a consumer to control access to the consumer rights locker; transmitting a plurality of parameters needed to access the consumer rights locker; receiving a request to access the consumer rights locker and the plurality of parameters; comparing the plurality of parameters to the scope of access; and granting access to the consumer rights locker when it is determined that the request is valid, wherein the request is valid when the plurality of parameters includes an access right that is consistent with information in the scope of access. Keywords include consumer rights locker and personal information.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2012Date of Patent: March 5, 2019Assignees: SONY CORPORATION, SONY PICTURES TECHNOLOGIES INC.Inventors: Richard Berger, Mitch Singer
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Patent number: 10178360Abstract: A digital imaging device includes: a monochromatic sensor including a plurality of photosensitive elements distributed in an array, the plurality of photosensitive elements configured to convert light falling on the monochromatic sensor into electronic signals; and a plurality of filters, each filter configured to be moved into a position in front of the monochromatic sensor, wherein each filter, when moved into the position in front of the monochromatic sensor, covers substantial portion of the monochromatic sensor. Key words include imaging sensor and layered filter.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2015Date of Patent: January 8, 2019Assignees: SONY CORPORATION, SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT INC.Inventor: Kazunori Tanaka
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Patent number: 10177912Abstract: Content individualization, including: encrypting a first part of a source data set using a first key creating a first encrypted data set; encrypting a second part of the source data set using a second key creating a second encrypted data set; encrypting the second part of the source data set using a third key creating a third encrypted data set; and combining the first encrypted data set, the second encrypted data set, and the third encrypted data set to form a final encrypted data set. Key words include watermarking and content individualization.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2015Date of Patent: January 8, 2019Assignees: SONY CORPORATION, SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT INC.Inventors: Yoshikazu Takashima, Christopher Taylor
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Patent number: 10122982Abstract: Recording images, including: receiving an optical effects selection, which indicates a selected optical effect to apply to raw image data capturing the images; receiving an optical effects parameter, which indicates how to apply the selected optical effects to the raw image data; storing the optical effects selection and the optical effects parameter as effects metadata; recording the raw image data using a sensor of the digital camera; marking the effects metadata with time information to associate the effects metadata with the recorded raw image data over time; applying the selected optical effect to the raw image data according to the optical effects parameter to create processed image data while preserving the recorded raw image data; and displaying the processed image data on a display of the digital camera. Key words include raw image data and effects metadata.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2014Date of Patent: November 6, 2018Assignees: SONY CORPORATION, SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT INCInventors: Spencer Stephens, Chris Cookson, Scot Barbour
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Patent number: 10116995Abstract: A system and method are provided that allow the presentation of content to multiple users while some or all of the users communicate with one another through a network. In some embodiments, a content item such as a movie is viewed synchronously by multiple users while the users interact through, e.g., instant messaging. A viewing event may be arranged with users receiving invitations, responding to the invitations, and receiving reminders about the viewing event. The viewing event allows for contests to be conducted between the users. The users may be charged fees to participate in the viewing event. Items for sale may be offered to the users, such as a copy of the content item.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2014Date of Patent: October 30, 2018Assignees: SONY CORPORATION, SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT INC.Inventors: Don Charles Eklund, Ben Feingold
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Patent number: 10097769Abstract: An image sensor, including: a sensing layer having a plurality of sensing elements, each sensing element configured to record impinging photons; and an attenuation layer coupled to the sensing layer, the attenuation layer configured with a plurality of attenuation elements to modulate light incident on the sensing layer. Key words include sensing layer and attenuation layer.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2015Date of Patent: October 9, 2018Assignees: SONY CORPORATION, SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT INC.Inventor: Kazunori Tanaka
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Patent number: 10090015Abstract: An information processing device includes: a data processing unit which executes a reproduction process of recorded data of a disc, in which the data processing unit reads disc type information that is recorded on the disc, and ascertains a recorded data configuration of the disc based on the disc type information that is read, and executes data reading-out and reproduction processes according to a reading-out rate corresponding to the ascertained recorded data configuration.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2014Date of Patent: October 2, 2018Assignees: SONY CORPORATION, SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT INC.Inventors: Kouichi Uchimura, Yoshikazu Takashima
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Patent number: 10031352Abstract: System and apparatus including: a plurality of lens elements; and an aperture module coupled to the plurality of lens elements and including an array of pixels, wherein the aperture module is configured to be variable in pattern and transparency. Key words include variable aperture and pixels.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2016Date of Patent: July 24, 2018Assignees: SONY CORPORATION, SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT INC.Inventor: Kazunori Tanaka
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Patent number: 10015463Abstract: Comparing images, including: selecting a target image; selecting one or more search images; comparing the target image to a negative image corresponding to each search image to generate an image comparison score for each search image; and identifying the search image with the best image comparison score. Keywords include logging events and frame matching.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2012Date of Patent: July 3, 2018Assignees: SONY CORPORATION, SONY PICTURES TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventors: Jason Brahms, Oleksandr Zhukov, Oleg Sharov
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Patent number: 9986309Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided to implement a technique for providing supplemental information and interactive features for content, such as a movie. In one implementation, a content provider builds a package of information and interactive features (“interactive extras”) using a defined structure and API (application programming interface). The content provider gives the package of extras to several distributors (or provides access to some or all of the package through a network resource). Each distributor uses the package in the distributor's content distribution platform or system by conforming to the API for the package. In this way, the content provider can provide the same package of extras to multiple distributors that may have incompatible platforms without having to build custom packages for each platform. This allows the content provider to build the package once and also provides a more consistent experience across the distributor services.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2017Date of Patent: May 29, 2018Assignees: SONY CORPORATION, SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT INC.Inventors: Richard Berger, Ellen Goodridge
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Patent number: 9979907Abstract: An image sensor including: a plurality of sensing elements, each sensing element including a plurality of layers of varying sensitivities, wherein the plurality of layers is configured to record impinging photons, and wherein each layer of each sensing element is configured to attenuate flow of the photons into the next layer. Key words include a multi-layered sensor and high-dynamic range.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2015Date of Patent: May 22, 2018Assignees: SONY CORPORATION, SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT INC.Inventor: Kazunori Tanaka
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Patent number: 9978798Abstract: Recording photons incident on an image sensor; and storing the recorded photons on the image sensor in varying densities, wherein the photons are recorded in varying densities by storing electrons non-linearly. Key words include a sensor and storing non-linearly.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2015Date of Patent: May 22, 2018Assignees: SONY CORPORATION, SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT INC.Inventor: Kazunori Tanaka
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Patent number: 9911171Abstract: A method of identifying a source of media, including: performing the following actions using at least one computer: identifying a plurality of segments arranged to form said media; generating a representative master key (RMK) of said media from the arrangement of the plurality of segments, wherein the RMK comprises a first listing of master identifiers corresponding to the plurality of segments, each master identifier of the first listing of master identifiers identifying a source master of each segment of the plurality of segments; receiving a listing of fingerprints, each fingerprint of the listing of fingerprints having a corresponding identifier that identifies the source of said media, said each fingerprint also including a second listing of master identifiers; and comparing the first listing of master identifiers in the RMK to the second listing of master identifiers in said each fingerprint in the listing of fingerprints to identify the source.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2016Date of Patent: March 6, 2018Assignees: SONY CORPORATION, SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT INC.Inventors: Sumit Malik, Raja Sahi
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Patent number: 9881139Abstract: Managing and accessing media items, including: a plurality of domains configured to provide access to media items; a plurality of clients associated with the plurality domains, and providing a pathway for accessing the media items; and a spanning application configured to track and aggregate accessible media items from the plurality of domains based on authentication and registration information and associated rights of the plurality of clients and the plurality of domains, wherein the spanning application enables accessing of the media items across the plurality of domains.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2016Date of Patent: January 30, 2018Assignees: SONY CORPORATION, SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT INC.Inventor: Richard Berger
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Patent number: 9858633Abstract: Embedding a watermark payload in content, including: a counter configured to store a random seed; a permutation generator configured to receive and process the watermark payload and the random seed, and generate a shuffled payload based on the random seed; and a watermark embedder configured to receive and embed the shuffled payload into the content. Key words include watermark payload and collusion.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2016Date of Patent: January 2, 2018Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc.Inventor: Eric Diehl