Patents Examined by An Nguyen
  • Patent number: 10091555
    Abstract: A machine system for operating a content recommendation system includes a monitor to detect and identify user actions on network connected digital devices, a first associator to relate the user actions to digital content, a timer operable to control a minimum time period filter on the user actions, a sequencer operable in conjunction with the timer, the minimum time period filter, and a combiner to transform the user actions into aggregate user actions. The content recommendation system is responsive to the aggregate user actions to evolve a computer-stored user profile according to the aggregate user actions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: ThinkAnalytics
    Inventors: Peter Docherty, Ewen Cattanach, Bruce Zhang, David Scott, Shahad Ahmed, Alan Ryman, Asim Ullah, Darren Callaghan, Gordon McIntyre
  • Patent number: 9992251
    Abstract: According to one aspect, a method includes identifying a request for a piece of content, and obtaining a Moving Picture Expert Group (MPEG) Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP (DASH) manifest after identifying the request for the piece of content. The method also includes identifying at least one location at which the piece of content is located using the DASH manifest, wherein the at least one location at which the piece of content is located is a location from which the piece of content is arranged to be fetched.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Andre Surcouf, William Mark Townsley, Thierry Gruszka
  • Patent number: 9986304
    Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a media content processor having a controller adapted to transmit to a web server one or more configurations of said media content processor. The web server can record said one or more configurations to perform one among re-provisioning of the media content processor after it experiences a loss of configuration information and provisioning of another media content processor. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Scott White, James Cansler
  • Patent number: 9794635
    Abstract: A distribution device includes a distribution unit configured to distribute, to a user terminal, a content control program for controlling content displayed on the user terminal. The content control program causes the user terminal to execute a viewable area acquisition procedure of acquiring, as information on a viewable area, information on an area of the content displayed by a browser program, a reference position acquisition procedure of acquiring pieces of information on a plurality of reference positions defined on a display area of the content on which a video image is displayed, a determination procedure of determining whether the plurality of reference positions are located in the viewable area, and a playback start procedure of starting playback of the video image when it is determined that the plurality of reference positions are located in the viewable area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: YAHOO JAPAN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eiji Sumitomo, Kanta Suzuki, Kazutaka Kimura
  • Patent number: 9641872
    Abstract: A network TV includes a network interface, a user interface, and a controller. The network interface establishes a connection with at least one content provider server through a network. The user interface receives an input signal selecting an icon for display. The controller controls output of the selected icon for display along with an image corresponding to the selected icon. The selected icon corresponds to the content provider and is displayed with one or more other icons that correspond to additional content providers, and the image is based on information received through the network interface from the content provider. Further, a method is disclosed for displaying a real-time broadcast screen and icons for receiving contents at the same time, and easily switching between the real-time broadcast screen and a content providing screen in response to user input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Hyung Nam Lee, Uni Young Kim, Sang Jun Koo, Sae Hun Jang, Kyung Hee Yoo
  • Patent number: 9591378
    Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a media content processor having a controller adapted to transmit to a web server one or more configurations of said media content processor. The web server can record said one or more configurations to perform one among re-provisioning of the media content processor after it experiences a loss of configuration information and provisioning of another media content processor. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Scott White, James Cansler
  • Patent number: 9538247
    Abstract: Methods and systems for image alteration. A video signal having multiple images is accessed, and images are altered to blur the video signal based on a subscriber alteration request. The alteration request is selectable among a partial blur, a full blur, and a restore image. The request includes instructions to selectably blur a partial portion of an image by stretching a first portion, without stretching a second portion. The alteration includes accessing an alternation setting selected from a cycle of alteration settings, a group of preprogrammed alteration settings and combinations thereof. The blurred video signal is provide for presentation by subscriber equipment. The video signal is restored in response to a restorative event detected within the blurred video signal. The detecting of the restorative event includes determining a location of a scene change in the blurred video signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Ryan Kenneth Conter
  • Patent number: 9516374
    Abstract: An application on a second-screen device can receive an advertisement stream and an interactive component. The application can display at least a partial display of the advertisement stream and the interactive component in a video display area on the second-screen device. The displayed advertisement stream can be associated with an advertisement stream being displayed by a primary display with the two advertisement streams being associated with the same content and substantially synchronized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: CISCO TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Neil Cormican, Ronnie Dan, Patricia Patitucci, Peter Rogers
  • Patent number: 9491518
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for monitoring video games are disclosed. Example methods disclosed herein to identify a video game include generating a memory signature based on a pattern of memory locations of a game medium accessed by a device to play the video game. Such example methods also include determining an identity of the video game based on the memory signature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: David Howell Wright, Bradley R. Lawrence, III, Arun Ramaswamy
  • Patent number: 9445143
    Abstract: An approach is described that includes determining that a remote device has moved outside of a pre-defined area associated with a digital video recorder (DVR), and transmitting program data from the DVR to the remote device while the remote device remains outside of the pre-defined area. Another approach includes a digital video recorder (DVR) having a memory and a processor. The DVR operates to: receive an incoming transmission signal; transmit a selected program to a primary display device; determine that a remote device has moved outside of a pre-defined area; and transmit program data corresponding to the selected program to the remote device while the remote device remains outside of the pre-defined area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: HULU, LLC
    Inventors: Kulvir S. Bhogal, Gregory J. Boss, John J. Gontkof, Rick A. Hamilton, II, Brian M. O'Connell
  • Patent number: 9386351
    Abstract: In a method and system for selecting an advertisement for video on demand, a video player is connected to a video content provider over a network via an access gateway. The video content provider receives a request for a video content from the video player, determines a popularity count for the video content and a geographical area for the video player, selects the advertisement based on the popularity count and the geographical area, and sends the video content combined with the advertisement to the video player. In one embodiment, the advertisement has a corresponding advertisement rule with an advertising condition which specifies a required popularity count and geographical area. If the advertisement condition is satisfied, then the advertisement is selected. In this manner, an advertisement for video on demand is selected based upon both demographics information and location of the video player increasing the effectiveness of the advertisement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: TP Lab, Inc.
    Inventors: Chi Fai Ho, Shin Cheung Simon Chiu, John Chiong
  • Patent number: 9369765
    Abstract: System and methods for formatting a virtual channel are provides in which, responsive to a user selection of a plurality of time-bounded multimedia events, there is formatted for display the plurality of time-bounded multimedia events in a first virtual channel. The user is enabled to fill a first time slot in the first virtual channel with overlapping time-bounded multimedia events from the plurality of time-bounded multimedia events. A representation of a numeric count of the overlapping time-bounded multimedia events is formatted for display in the first time slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: GOOGLE INC.
    Inventors: Richard Carl Gossweiler, III, John Blackburn, David A. Brown, Manish Gordhan Patel, Mehran Sahami, Thomas H. Taylor, Daniel John Zigmond
  • Patent number: 9307298
    Abstract: The present invention discloses methods and systems of statistical video multiplexing to improve the performance of video encoding by minimizing delay while achieving high video quality. The video encoders used in the system are capable of calculating the complexity of underlying video sources and communicating the complexity to the multiplexer. Furthermore, the video encoders are capable of estimating the look-ahead complexity, i.e. the future complexity and communicating the future complexity values to the multiplexer. A processor associated with the multiplexer allocates bit rates for the video encoders according to the received complexity values and future complexity values. The bit rate information is then communicated to the video encoders. Each video encoder will then exercise its coding control parameters to regulate the resulting bit rate to be within or close to the allocated bit rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Harmonic, Inc.
    Inventors: Mike Milne, Shahab Hamidi-Rad, Dror Levin
  • Patent number: 9281909
    Abstract: An Emergency Alert System (EAS) alert message is distributed in multiple languages. The multiple language EAS alert message can be provided via a single channel and/or multiple channels. The multiple language EAS alert message can be provided with a language vector indicating the languages provided and the location of respective language specific EAS alert messages. A mobile device receiving the multiple language EAS alert message, selects a preferred language specific EAS alert message and renders the EAS alert message in the preferred language.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC
    Inventors: DeWayne Allan Sennett, Brian Kevin Daly
  • Patent number: 9241135
    Abstract: Methods and systems for image alteration. A video signal having a plurality of images may be accessed. An alteration request may be received from a user. A portion of the plurality of images of the video signal may be altered to blur the video signal. The blurred video signal may be provided for presentation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, LP
    Inventor: Ryan Kenneth Conter
  • Patent number: 9236965
    Abstract: A method may include receiving identification information associated with each of one or more users. Interactions may be received from the one or more users relating to content displayed on a television device. Interaction information associated with the interactions may be captured, wherein the interaction information includes at least interaction type information, interaction status information, interaction origin information, and user identification information. The captured interaction information may be stored. A request to display at least some of the captured interaction information may be received. At least some of the captured information may be retrieved and displayed responsive to the request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Venkata S. Adimatyam, Sameer Vasant Gavade
  • Patent number: 9204204
    Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a media content processor having a controller adapted to transmit to a web server one or more configurations of said media content processor. The web server can record said one or more configurations to perform one among re-provisioning of the media content processor after it experiences a loss of configuration information and provisioning of another media content processor. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, LP
    Inventors: Scott White, James L. Cansler
  • Patent number: 9197927
    Abstract: Commercial break content that is viewed during fast-forwarding through a commercial break is provided by embedding one or more frames of commercial break content at various points in time during a commercial break segment. During fast-forwarding, the video stream for at least some of those points in time are displayed by the recording device to the viewer. Accordingly, multiple occurrences of frames that have been embedded are displayed during the fast-forwarding such that the commercial break content expressed by the frames is conveyed to the viewer during the fast-forwarding period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Inventor: Jeramie Jay Keys
  • Patent number: 9191613
    Abstract: Various embodiments are described herein for a universal television receiver that is capable of processing a television channel signal to provide phase-adjusted video information for the desired television channel signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Inventors: Larry Silver, Vyacheslav Shyshkin, Edmund Tam, Gary Cheng
  • Patent number: 9111279
    Abstract: A media system configured to select personalized programming for individual users is disclosed. The programming may include content, advertisements, and/or interactive queries, each of which may be selected based on profiles of the users.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Glenbrook Associates, Inc.
    Inventor: Gregory P. Benson