Patents Assigned to The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
  • Patent number: 11134284
    Abstract: Devices, computer-readable media, and methods for presenting segments of at least one video program in accordance with a definition document are disclosed. For example, a processor may load a definition document for at least one video program. The definition document may specify segments of the at least one video program for presentation and further specify segment types for the segments. The segment types may identify whether a segment is to include video content, include audio content, or include both video and audio content. The processor may further obtain the at least one video program, present a first segment of the at least one video program in accordance with the definition document, and present a second segment of the plurality of segments of the at least one video program in accordance with the definition document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: THE DIRECTV GROUP, INC.
    Inventors: Kenneth Lee, Brady Court Tsurutani
  • Publication number: 20210297690
    Abstract: A system and method for compressing video is disclosed, in which video frames that are only between consecutive I-frames are grouped into a video data set. The video data set is split into separate homogeneous files, and each of the homogeneous files are individually compressed. In one embodiment, the individually compressed files are multiplexed to form a bit stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2021
    Publication date: September 23, 2021
    Applicant: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Ashish Banerji, Kumar Swaminathan
  • Publication number: 20210281717
    Abstract: A method and system for synchronizing an audio signal and a video signal includes a source device receiving an audio-video signal comprising the audio signal and the video signal. The video signal has a video time stamp. The source device communicates the audio signal from the source device to a first sink device through a wireless network with a second time stamp and communicates the video signal to the second sink device with the video time stamp. The second sink device generates a synchronization (synch) signal and communicates the synch signal to the first sink device. The first sink device compares the synch signal to the second time stamp, adjusts a relative timing of the playback of the audio signal in response to comparing and generates an audible signal from the audio signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2021
    Publication date: September 9, 2021
    Applicant: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan Smith, Dennis M. Hardwick
  • Patent number: 11113333
    Abstract: In embodiments, the present invention provides a method and system for delivery of content on a mobile media platform, providing an automated tag processing facility, and delivering content to a mobile device, wherein content delivery is based at least in part on the automated tag processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: THE DIRECTV GROUP, INC.
    Inventors: Kavi Maharajh, Bart MacNeil, Torin Walker
  • Patent number: 11100157
    Abstract: A processor may create a preference vector by generating preference vector entries in fields that correspond to content attributes associated with at least one media program presented via a media device, each entry including a playback duration and a year. The processor may create a media entity matrix of entity vectors for entities associated with production of media programs. For each entity vector, the processor may generate matrix entries in fields that correspond to content attributes associated with at least one media program associated with the entity, each matrix entry including a year and a score, the score weighted by an epoch factor based upon a time span associated with the at least one media program presented via the media device. The processor may determine entity rankings based upon dot products between the preference vector and the entity vectors and provide a recommendation based upon the rankings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: THE DIRECTV GROUP, INC.
    Inventors: Raymond Hsu, Ashok Sahu
  • Patent number: 11070880
    Abstract: Customized recommendations of multimedia content streams are provided herein. A method can include facilitating, by a network device of a wireless network and comprising a processor, an output of a recommendation of a first multimedia content stream at a communications device based on a monitored interaction determined to have been performed by an identified entity at the communications device. The method can also include facilitating, by the network device, a first transmission of the first multimedia content stream to the communications device in response to an acceptance of the recommendation of the first multimedia content stream received from the communications device. The first multimedia content stream can be renderable for consumption at the communications device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Greenstein, Percival Pacifico, Jason Payabyab, Kue Xiong
  • Publication number: 20210216265
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling an in-vehicle infotainment system to control content in using a primary display includes a mobile device and the in-vehicle infotainment system in communication with the mobile device. The in-vehicle infotainment system comprises the primary display and a first secondary display. The in-vehicle infotainment system receives a first content selection signal for a first content. The first secondary display displays the first content in response to the first content selection signal. The primary display displays a content identifier corresponding to the first content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Publication date: July 15, 2021
    Applicant: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Don E. Cansino, Stephen H. Chu, Bhavyank V. Shah, Viswanadha Raju Kovvuru, Kenneth H. Lee, Ricardo Mancinas Lopez, Edgar C. Camacho
  • Patent number: 11064214
    Abstract: A system and method for compressing video is disclosed, in which video frames that are only between consecutive I-frames are grouped into a video data set. The video data set is split into separate homogeneous files, and each of the homogeneous files are individually compressed. In one embodiment, the individually compressed files are multiplexed to form a bit stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Ashish Banerji, Kumar Swaminathan
  • Patent number: 11044386
    Abstract: A method and system for synchronizing an audio signal and a video signal includes a source device receiving an audio-video signal comprising the audio signal and the video signal. The video signal has a video time stamp. The source device communicates the audio signal from the source device to a first sink device through a wireless network with a second time stamp and communicates the video signal to the second sink device with the video time stamp. The second sink device generates a synchronization (synch) signal and communicates the synch signal to the first sink device. The first sink device compares the synch signal to the second time stamp, adjusts a relative timing of the playback of the audio signal in response to comparing and generates an audible signal from the audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: THE DIRECTV GROUP, INC.
    Inventors: Alan Smith, Dennis M. Hardwick
  • Patent number: 11038890
    Abstract: A method, non-transitory computer readable medium and apparatus for controlling access of a custom browser function are disclosed. For example, the method includes a processor that sends a request to a third party website, receives a hypertext markup language code and a browser script, renders the hypertext markup language code, detects that the browser script is trying to access a custom browser function, compares one or more parameters associated with the custom browser function to an access control list to control an access of the custom browser function, and executes the custom browser function when a match of the one or more parameters is found in the access control list.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: THE DIRECTV GROUP, INC.
    Inventors: Rudy Ruiz, Mark T. Thorson
  • Publication number: 20210168425
    Abstract: A system and method for audibly displaying an audio signal at an in-vehicle infotainment system received through a mobile device to provide continual access to the content when the user enters a vehicle includes the mobile device comprising a first audio player and a second audio player. The mobile device receives an audio-video signal through a network. The first audio player playing a first audio signal. The mobile device receives a second signal. The second audio player receives a second audio signal based on the second signal and playing the second audio signal. The mobile device communicates the first audio signal and the second audio signal to the in-vehicle infotainment system. The in-vehicle infotainment system audibly displays the first audio signal and the second audio signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2021
    Publication date: June 3, 2021
    Applicant: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Don E. Cansino, Bhavyank V. Shah, Brady C. Tsurutani, Yeung K. Chan
  • Patent number: 11025740
    Abstract: Devices, computer-readable media, and methods for pre-loading video chunks of a video program at an edge server are disclosed. For example, a processor may receive a manifest file for a video program, determine a bitrate for a first segment of the video program, request a video chunk of the first segment at the first bitrate from an edge server in accordance with the manifest file, and request a subset of a video chunk of a second segment of the video program from the edge server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: THE DIRECTV GROUP, INC.
    Inventors: Robert G. Arsenault, Denny Lai, Thai Lam, Michael A. Makhijani
  • Patent number: 11023115
    Abstract: A method, system, computer program product, and computer readable storage medium provide the ability to control media content play. A media content user interface component that controls playback of the media content in a media player is activated. The component includes a circular progress bar and a progress marker that coincides with the circular progress bar. As the media content plays in the media player, the progress marker moves around the circular progress bar. User input moves the progress marker along the circular progress bar to rewind or fast forward the media content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Zarah T. Delrosario, Arpi Mardirossian
  • Publication number: 20210136136
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a system for indicating a program boundary in an adaptive bitrate media stream, where the system includes a memory and a processor that performs operations including generating multiple transcoded media output streams of different bit rates from an input linear media stream, fragmenting the multiple transcoded media output streams into chunks, detecting a program boundary in the input linear media stream, and supplying a program change indicator in a manifest file for implementing program change features in mobile communication devices. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2021
    Publication date: May 6, 2021
    Applicant: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Binny Asarikuniyil, Kiran Vokkarne
  • Patent number: 10996911
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling an in-vehicle infotainment system to control content in using a primary display includes a mobile device and the in-vehicle infotainment system in communication with the mobile device. The in-vehicle infotainment system comprises the primary display and a first secondary display. The in-vehicle infotainment system receives a first content selection signal for a first content. The first secondary display displays the first content in response to the first content selection signal. The primary display displays a content identifier corresponding to the first content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Don E. Cansino, Stephen H. Chu, Bhavyank V. Shah, Viswanadha Kovvuru, Kenneth H. Lee, Ricardo Mancinas Lopez, Edgar Camacho
  • Patent number: 10977631
    Abstract: Secure content transfer systems and methods to operate the same are disclosed. Disclosed example systems include a client device for use at a physical location and a media server for use at the physical location. The example media server includes a security device to determine a first encryption secret based on a first encryption key and to determine a second encryption secret based on a second encryption key. The media server also includes a decrypter to decrypt received encrypted content for requested content based on the first encryption secret and an encrypter to re-encrypt the decrypted content data for the requested content based on the second encryption secret. In addition, the media server includes an interface to send the re-encrypted content data to the client device, wherein the client device is to decrypt the re-encrypted content data based on the second encryption secret to access the requested content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: THE DIRECTV GROUP, INC.
    Inventors: Raynold M. Kahn, Peter M. Klauss, Stephen P. Dulac, David N. Schlacht, Hanno Basse, Thomas H. James
  • Patent number: 10956491
    Abstract: A system and method for searching using a user device associated with a display includes a controller displaying a plurality of search screens on the display device, each of the plurality of search screens perform a content search. The user device also includes a search module generating respective search results from each of the plurality of search screens and a search retention module storing the respective search results in a memory of the user device and retrieving saved search results from the memory corresponding to the previously accessed search screen when a previously accessed search screen is displayed. The controller displays the saved search results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Peter Leong
  • Patent number: 10951942
    Abstract: A system and method for audibly displaying an audio signal at an in-vehicle infotainment system received through a mobile device to provide continual access to the content when the user enters a vehicle includes the mobile device comprising a first audio player and a second audio player. The mobile device receives an audio-video signal through a network. The first audio player playing a first audio signal. The mobile device receives a second signal. The second audio player receives a second audio signal based on the second signal and playing the second audio signal. The mobile device communicates the first audio signal and the second audio signal to the in-vehicle infotainment system. The in-vehicle infotainment system audibly displays the first audio signal and the second audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Don E. Cansino, Bhavyank V. Shah, Brady C. Tsurutani, Yeung Chan
  • Publication number: 20210073477
    Abstract: A system and method for operating the same includes a language processing module generating a search request text signal and determining identified data from the search request text signal. A search module generates search results in response to the search request text signal. A dialog manager classifies the search request text signal into a response classification associated with a plurality of templates, selects a first template from the plurality of templates in response to the response classification and corrects search results in response to the identified data and the template to form a corrected response signal. A device receives and displays the corrected response signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Applicant: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Huy Q. Tran, Vlad Zarney, Kapil Chaudhry, Douglas T. Kuriki, Todd T. Tran, David K. Homan, An T. Lam, Michael E. Yan, Ashley B. Tarnow
  • Patent number: 10944806
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a system for indicating a program boundary in an adaptive bitrate media stream, where the system includes a memory and a processor that performs operations including generating multiple transcoded media output streams of different bit rates from an input linear media stream, fragmenting the multiple transcoded media output streams into chunks, detecting a program boundary in the input linear media stream, and supplying a program change indicator in a manifest file for implementing program change features in mobile communication devices. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Binny Asarikuniyil, Kiran Vokkarne