Patents Assigned to Sony United Kingdom Limited
  • Patent number: 7487355
    Abstract: A watermarking system comprises an encoding data processor operable to generate at least one marked version of an original item of material by introducing one of a predetermined set of code words into a copy of the original material item. The encoding data processor is arranged to form other code words of the set by cyclically shifting a first code word. The system includes a detecting data processor operable to identify the code word in the marked material item. The detecting data processor is operable to recover the code word from the marked material item and to form a Fourier transform of the recovered code word and a Fourier transform of the first code word of the set. The data detecting processor forms correlation samples by forming an inverse transform of a combination of the recovered and the first code word. Each of the correlation value samples provides the correlation value for one of the set of code words.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: Sony United Kingdom Limited
    Inventors: Jason Charles Pelly, Daniel Warren Tapson
  • Publication number: 20090028528
    Abstract: A camera configured to generate audio/video signals, the camera including a recording unit configured to record the audio/video signals on a recording medium, a meta data generation processor configured to generate automatically meta data identifying the content of the audio/video signals in response to the audio/video signals, a wireless communications processor configured to communicate the meta data separately from the recording medium, and a communications interface configured to communicate the automatically generated meta data to a personal data processing apparatus and to receive user generated meta data from the personal data processing apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Applicant: SONY UNITED KINGDOM LIMITED
    Inventors: Vincent Carl HARRADINE, Alan Turner, Richard Daniel Foster, Martin Rex Dorricott, Mark John McGrath
  • Patent number: 7483421
    Abstract: A network interface connectable to a packet-based data network on which a plurality of different types of payload data are distinguished by network-based packet header data; comprises: a plurality of data handling nodes; and a routing arrangement responsive to a packet identifier for routing data packets between the data handling nodes; in which: one of the data handling nodes is a network processor for receiving data packets from and transmitting data packets to the packet-based network; the network processor being operable: a) in the case of a data packet received from the data network, to detect the type of payload data from the network-based packet header data; to remove the network-based packet header data from the packet; and to associate with the packet an identifier which specifies a route across the routing arrangement to a target data handling node and a data handling operation to be carried out by the target data handling node; and b) in the case of a data packet received from another data handl
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: Sony United Kingdom Limited
    Inventor: Matthew Compton
  • Publication number: 20090022363
    Abstract: A client device for use in a system having a server, the client device including: a receiving device configured to receive information material from the server, the information material containing a reversible modification providing a perceptible disturbing effect to the information material, and to receive identifying information that distinguishes the information material from other information material available from the server and condition information which defines a predetermined condition that should be met in order for the reversible modification to be reversed; a transmission device which, in response to a user input providing enabling data which satisfies the predetermined condition, configured to transmit the identifying information and the enabling data to the server, wherein in response to the transmission of the enabling data and the identifying information, the receiving device is configured to receive a key and removing data defining an algorithm for removing the perceptible effect, the removi
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Publication date: January 22, 2009
    Applicant: SONY UNITED KINGDOM LIMITED
    Inventors: Jonathan James STONE, Jason Charles PELLY, Paul GUGENHEIM, Isabel DELACOUR, Richard FOSTER, Andrew COLLINS
  • Patent number: 7478238
    Abstract: A data encryption apparatus operable to apply encryption to input data having at least a format identifying portion and a payload portion comprises means for discriminating between the format identifying portion of the input data and the payload portion of the input data; and means for selectively applying encryption to the input data in dependence upon an output of the discriminating means so as to encrypt at least a part of the payload portion of the input data but not to encrypt the format identifying portion. A corresponding decryption apparatus is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Sony United Kingdom Limited
    Inventors: Daniel Luke Hooper, Andrew Robert Taylor
  • Publication number: 20090002553
    Abstract: A video processing apparatus generates an output frame from two or more input images by deriving pixels to interleave between lines of pixels of a base field. The pixels are derived from one of: a first pixel generator generating a pixel value from one or more fields other than the base field, dependent on a respective motion vector having a sub-pixel resolution; or a second pixel generator generating a pixel value from other pixels of the base field. A spatial phase-correcting filter receives an input group of derived pixels including a current derived pixel, and generates an output phase-corrected current pixel value. A pre-compensation mechanism, operable if a pixel forming part of the derived pixels group has been generated by the second pixel generator, applies spatial phase alteration to approximate the phase of that pixel to the phase of the current derived pixel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2006
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Applicant: SONY UNITED KINGDOM LIMITED
    Inventor: Jonathan Living
  • Publication number: 20080317286
    Abstract: A security device and system is disclosed. This security device is particularly useful in a security system where there are many security cameras to be monitored. This device automatically highlights to a user a camera feed in which an incident is occurring. This assists a user in identifying incidents and to make an appropriate decision regarding whether or not to intervene. This highlighting is performed by a trigger signal generated in accordance with a comparison between a sequence of representations of sensory data and other corresponding sequences of representations of sensory data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2008
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Applicant: SONY UNITED KINGDOM LIMITED
    Inventors: Jonathan Richard Thorpe, Morgan William Amos David
  • Publication number: 20080310828
    Abstract: A television signal recording apparatus comprises a recording unit capable of making recordings of television signals and stores metadata representing information in respect of the recordings including the channel and the recording time. A graphical display of made recordings and scheduled recordings is produced. In the graphical display, graphical objects representing respective recordings are arranged in two dimensions. The graphical objects are ordered in a first dimension on the basis of the channels and ordered in a second dimension on the basis of the recording times. In the second dimension, the graphical objects are arranged along a time axis which includes discontinuities at times when no recording is scheduled to be made, the discontinuities being graphically represented. An electronic program guide is produced with a similar format, the programs being filtered to select programs and discontinuities being present at times where there is no selected program.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2008
    Publication date: December 18, 2008
    Applicant: SONY UNITED KINGDOM LIMITED
    Inventors: Nigel Stuart MOORE, Martin Selby George
  • Publication number: 20080313179
    Abstract: An information retrieval apparatus is described for searching a set of information items and displaying the results of the search, the information items each having a set of characterizing information features. The apparatus comprises a search processor to search information items in accordance with user-defined characterizing information features and identify information items with corresponding characterizing information features. A mapping processor generates a map of information items, similar information items mapping to similar positions in the array, from a set of information items identified in the search. The apparatus includes a graphical user interface with a user control for selecting information items, and the search processor refines the search to identify information items relating to the selected information item. As such the user is provided with a facility for refining a search, and searching and navigating large amounts of data are thereby made easier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2008
    Publication date: December 18, 2008
    Applicant: SONY UNITED KINGDOM LIMITED
    Inventors: David William TREPESS, Jonathan Richard THORPE
  • Patent number: 7466822
    Abstract: Data coding apparatus in which input data having a range of possible data values and a smaller sub-range of legal data values is coded by applying a coder mapping which maps input data values in the range of possible input data values and corresponding coded data values within the range of possible data comprises means for detecting, for each coded data value, whether the coded data value lies within the sub-range of legal data values; and means for remapping a coded data value lying outside the sub-range of legal data values to an unused coded data value lying within the sub-range of legal data values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: Sony United Kingdom Limited
    Inventor: Jason Charles Pelly
  • Publication number: 20080298487
    Abstract: A data processing apparatus maps input symbols to be communicated onto a predetermined number of carrier signals of an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) symbol. The data processor includes an interleaver memory which reads-in the predetermined number of data symbols for mapping onto the OFDM carrier signals. The interleaver memory reads-out the data symbols on to the OFDM carriers to effect the mapping, the read-out being in a different order than the read-in, and the order being determined from a set of addresses. The set of addresses are generated from an address generator. The address generator includes a linear feedback shift register and a permutation circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Applicant: SONY UNITED KINGDOM LIMITED
    Inventor: Jean-Luc PERON
  • Patent number: 7461406
    Abstract: A recording system for applying access control processing to input data content and for recording access-controlled data content on a computer readable storage medium. The recording system includes an encryption apparatus for encrypting portions of the input data content and an access control memory device which securely stores information from which a private key of a public key/private key pair associated with a data content recording user or user group is derivable. The encryption apparatus and the access control memory device co-operate to provide access control data including content recorder access control data and default access control data. The default content access control data provides the same level of access to the input data content as the level of access available to the data content recording user/user group. A recorder is provided for recording the encrypted input data content and the content access control data on the computer readable storage medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Sony United Kingdom Limited
    Inventors: Jason Charles Pelly, Andrew Robert Taylor, Daniel Warren Tapson, Daniel Luke Hooper, Emmanuel Alves-Moreira
  • Publication number: 20080278624
    Abstract: A video processing apparatus in which at least a subset of output pixels of an output image are generated from one or more input images using motion vectors having a sub-pixel accuracy. A band filter derives lower and higher spatial frequency portions from the one or more input images. A lower frequency contribution relating to a pixel position nearest a required output pixel position from the lower spatial frequency portion is derived using a respective motion vector. A higher frequency contribution from the higher spatial frequency portion is derived using the respective motion vector. A spatial filter generates, from one or more of the higher frequency contributions, a higher frequency pixel value at the required pixel position. A combiner combines the lower frequency contribution and the higher frequency pixel value to generate an output pixel value relating to the required pixel position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2006
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Applicant: SONY UNITED KINGDOM LIMITED
    Inventor: Jonathan Living
  • Publication number: 20080282184
    Abstract: An information handling apparatus, in which metadata is generated in respect of a current information item by reference to an ensemble of information items having associated metadata, the metadata having corresponding indicator data representing a degree of trust associated with that metadata, comprises a detector for detecting one or more predetermined properties of the current information item, a detector for detecting a subset of information items from the ensemble of information items, the subset being those which have the one or more predetermined properties most similar to those of the current information item, associating logic arranged to associate with the current information item metadata from one or more of the subset of information items such that the metadata associated with the current information item is allocated indicator data representing a low degree of trust in the association of that metadata and the current information item, and a detector for detecting user interaction with the apparatu
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2008
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Applicant: SONY UNITED KINGDOM LIMITED
    Inventor: Nicolas Pierre ROSE
  • Publication number: 20080273707
    Abstract: An audio processing apparatus in which two audio signals are compared to establish differences between the two audio signals. The apparatus derives, from the two audio signals, a transform response representing a relationship between the two audio signals; applies the transform response to one of the audio signals so as to generate a transformed signal which is more like the other audio signal; and detects a difference signal representing differences between the transformed audio signal and the other audio signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2006
    Publication date: November 6, 2008
    Applicant: SONY UNITED KINGDOM LIMITED
    Inventors: William Edmund Cranstoun Kentish, Nicolas John Haynes
  • Publication number: 20080275697
    Abstract: An audio processing apparatus for processing two sampled audio signals to detect a temporal position of one of the audio signals with respect to the other. The apparatus detects audio power characteristics of each signal in respect of successive continuous temporal portions of each of the two signals, the portions having identical lengths and each portion including at least two audio samples, and correlates the detected audio power characteristics in respect of the two audio signals to establish a most likely temporal offset between the two audio signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2006
    Publication date: November 6, 2008
    Applicant: SONY UNITED KINGDOM LIMITED
    Inventors: William Edmund Cranstoun Kentish, Nicolas John Haynes
  • Publication number: 20080272950
    Abstract: An analog-to-digital conversion arrangement converting an input analog signal into an output digital representation. Two or more analog-to-digital conversion paths each applying a conversion mapping between input analog signal magnitudes and respective digital values generate an intermediate representation of the input analog signal, the conversion paths being operable to apply different respective conversion mappings. An output circuit combines the intermediate representations from at least two conversion paths to generate the output digital representation, the intermediate representations being combined according to a weighting dependent on the magnitude of the input analog signal. At least one of the conversion paths has an enhanced sensitivity mode appropriate to a range of magnitudes of the input signal that are below a threshold magnitude. Control logic inhibits operation in the enhanced sensitivity mode if the magnitude of the input analog signal exceeds the threshold magnitude.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2006
    Publication date: November 6, 2008
    Applicant: SONY UNITED KINGDOM LIMITED
    Inventors: Peter Charles Eastty, Nicholas George Tembe
  • Patent number: 7443385
    Abstract: Data processing apparatus comprises an array of user-operable controls, the controls being adjustable by movement of a user's hand while touching a control; a detector for detecting when a user's hand is touching a control; a display screen for displaying respective screen icons associated with the controls; and a display processor, responsive to a detection that a user's hand is touching one of the controls, for altering the screen icon associated with that control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Sony United Kingdom Limited
    Inventors: Peter Charles Eastty, Peter Damien Thorpe, Christopher Sleight
  • Patent number: 7443982
    Abstract: A system for watermarking and transferring watermarked material comprises a transaction server, first and second clients, first apparatus for applying a perceptible watermark to the material and second apparatus for removing the watermark. The server, clients and first and second apparatus are linked by one or more communications networks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Sony United Kingdom Limited
    Inventors: Jonathan James Stone, Jason Charles Pelly, Paul Gugenheim, Isabel Delacour, Richard Foster, Andrew Collins
  • Patent number: 7440506
    Abstract: A receiver for recovering data from a received symbol of signal samples generated in accordance with Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM), the OFDM symbol including pilot carrier signals, the receiver including a pilot assisted channel estimator comprising a pilot extractor configured to extract the pilot carrier signals from the signal samples, and to generate an estimate of a sample of a channel frequency response for each of the pilot carrier signals in the received OFDM symbol, by comparing the extracted pilot carrier signals with predetermined versions of the pilot carrier signals, and a frequency interpolation filter configured to interpolate the samples of the channel frequency response estimate, and a filter controller, the frequency response of the frequency interpolation filter including a pass bandwidth which is adjustable, and the filter controller configured to adjust the bandwidth of the frequency interpolation filter to reduce noise in the estimate of channel frequency response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Sony United Kingdom Limited
    Inventors: Samuel Asanbeng Atungsiri, Taku Yamagata