Patents Examined by Andrew Koenig
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Patent number: 8149331Abstract: A method for stabilizing delay during conversion between Standard Definition (SD) video and High Definition (HD) video includes the step of establishing an integer divide ratio (M/N) corresponding to a ratio of clock rates with the output and input formats. The output clock rate is generated from the input clock rate by a Phase Lock Loop (104) using the M/N divide ratio to provide a known phase relationship between the two clocks rates at a repetitive interval. The video frame can be transferred at the known repetitive interval to provide coarse control over the input-to-output video delay. A separate fine tuning control (delay block) is provided to enable any programmable delay in video throughput to be accommodated to an accuracy of ±0.5 output pixel periods.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2007Date of Patent: April 3, 2012Assignee: GVBB Holdings S.A.R.LInventors: Ken Gordon Buttle, Tim John Lascano Callahan
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Patent number: 8141118Abstract: Systems and methods for data broadcasting and power management techniques for data broadcast receiving devices are disclosed. A data broadcast receiving device receives a broadcast schedule from a data broadcast server and correlates the broadcast schedule with profile information in the data broadcast receiving device to determine a schedule for activating a receiver module in the data broadcast receiving device. The receiver is activated in accordance with the schedule. The broadcast schedule may include a content identifier that identifies content associated with a specific broadcast schedule. A data broadcast may include metadata that identifies the content of the broadcast. The receiver may use the content identifier and the metadata to determine whether the broadcast data corresponds to the data scheduled for broadcast, and may implement an error routine in the event that there is not a correspondence.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2004Date of Patent: March 20, 2012Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Tim Regan, Pablo Rodriguez, Ken Wood
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Patent number: 8132208Abstract: Methods and computer-readable media are provided for presenting program guide information using a mosaic of video sources broadcast in a television services system. An application program executed on a television services set-top box generates a matrix of still images representing multiple video sources presently being broadcast in the television services system. The matrix of still images is presented as a video mosaic representing current program guide information in the television services system.Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 2007Date of Patent: March 6, 2012Assignee: Cox Communications, Inc.Inventor: Francisco Gonzalez
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Patent number: 8127335Abstract: A communication error message is displayed on a TV when an error is noted on a control data link between the TV and an Internet adapter module connected thereto.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2007Date of Patent: February 28, 2012Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.Inventors: Seth Hill, Takashi Hironaka, Rajesh Rao, Yuko Nishikawa
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Patent number: 8127326Abstract: The present invention is directed towards a primary device that detects the proximity of additional remote devices, which are intended to be within the same local network. The primary device communicates with the remote devices using wireless communication. In the event that the remote devices are outside of a predetermined range, the remote devices are disabled.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2003Date of Patent: February 28, 2012Inventors: Paul J. Claussen, Ajith N. Nair, Samuel H. Russ
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Patent number: 8122470Abstract: An apparatus such as a television signal receiver provides an electronic program guide based on user preference data collected at different time intervals in a day. According to an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus includes a memory operative to store first and second sets of user preference data collected at respective first and second time intervals in a day, and a processor operative to enable display of an electronic program guide including a list of channels. The channels are arranged in the list based on one of the first and second sets of user preference data.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2005Date of Patent: February 21, 2012Assignee: Thomson LicensingInventors: Scott Allan Kendall, Carrie Michelle Evans
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Patent number: 8112775Abstract: An IPTV receiver and a method of providing channel details information are provided. A network interface transmits and receives an IP packet through a network. An IP network stack checks a destination of the received IP packet and classifies the IP packet according to a protocol. A Service Information (SI) decoder parses a channel map record included in the IP packet to read a channel map instance included in the channel map record, parses a channel details record included in the IP packet to read the channel details information included in the channel details record, wherein the channel map instance includes channel details reception information. an IPTV terminal function (ITF) operation controller controls the reception of the channel details record based on the channel details reception information.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2008Date of Patent: February 7, 2012Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.Inventors: Joon Hui Lee, Jae Hyung Song, Gomer Thomas
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Patent number: 8112783Abstract: An apparatus and a method of arbitrarily adjusting the output time of caption information included in a received multimedia transport stream for broadcasting, by user input. The method includes: receiving an input of a time value for adjusting the output time of caption information, from a user through a user interface; by demultiplexing the multimedia transport stream, dividing the transport stream into video, audio, and data packets, decoding each packet, and storing the decoded packets in buffers corresponding to a type of each packet; resetting the output time of the caption information by adding the input time value to or subtracting the input time value from the output time included in the video or audio packet; and according to the output time of the reset caption information, blending the data stored in the buffer with the video information and presenting the blended information on the screen.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2006Date of Patent: February 7, 2012Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Dong-keun Lim, Tae-hee Kim, Byong-ki Lee
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Patent number: 8112779Abstract: A method for validating antenna installation to a broadcast provider to ensure proper alignment of the antenna with the broadcast provider's satellite system. The feedback provided by the customer, the installer, and signal strength and quality information communicated from the receiver to the broadcast provider are used to confirm proper installation. Upon confirmation of proper installation, the data can be used to troubleshoot equipment, or issue payment to the installer.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2004Date of Patent: February 7, 2012Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.Inventor: Laura J. O'Donnell
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Patent number: 8107013Abstract: An apparatus for recovering a chrominance signal from a sequential color with memory (SECAM) composite video baseband signal (CVBS), and more particularly, to a frequency demodulator and method of recovering a SECAM chrominance signal which can utilize both a real number portion and an imaginary number portion, and generate a frequency-demodulated chrominance signal using an arctangent approximation, and thereby can simplify a circuit configuration of a frequency demodulator to perform a fixed-point calculation is provided.Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 2007Date of Patent: January 31, 2012Assignee: Nextchip Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hyo-Ju Kim, Seong-Won Lee, Do-Gyun Kim, Yun-Sung Wang, Ji-Hoon Jang
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Patent number: 8104056Abstract: A method is disclosed that includes receiving a command to blackout a full screen version of content at a component of a multimedia content distribution system. The method includes updating a first entry within a control matrix to reflect that the full screen version of the content is to be blacked out. The method also includes automatically updating a second entry within the control matrix to reflect that a picture-in-picture (PIP) version of the content is to be blacked out.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2008Date of Patent: January 24, 2012Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property, L.P.Inventors: James T. Sofos, Lee M. Chow, David Piepenbrink, Michael Reid
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Patent number: 8104068Abstract: A program replacing method capable of updating a program by executing instead a temporarily downloaded program without deleting the existing program as well as capable of easily restoring such existing program. Moreover, when a function not equipped to the existing program is required to be added, said program replacing method downloads a program so that it can be executed concurrently with the existing program.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2004Date of Patent: January 24, 2012Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventor: Takakazu Shiomi
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Patent number: 8104059Abstract: A system and method are disclosed including a computer program, the computer program comprising instructions to receive at an IPTV system node, advertising tokens data having advertising characteristics data and address data; instructions to filter at the IPTV system node the advertising tokens based on a correlation between the advertising characteristic data and filtering criteria data; instructions to extract from the filtered advertising tokens, address data representing at least two advertising addresses on the Internet World Wide Web; instructions to concatenate at the IPTV node the address data for the advertising addresses to form a uniform resource indicator (URI) for a resource on the Internet resource; and instructions to send advertising data from the Internet resource to an end user device through the IPTV node.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 2007Date of Patent: January 24, 2012Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, LPInventors: Roland Noll, Mary Catherine McCarthy
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Patent number: 8099753Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a satellite media receiver having a controller adapted to detect a service outage associated with a media program derived from satellite signals supplied to a satellite port of the satellite media receiver, and transmit a request for a portion of the media program for delivery to a broadband port of the satellite media receiver to mitigate the service outage. Other embodiments are disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2007Date of Patent: January 17, 2012Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.Inventors: Scott White, Ankur Mukerji
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Patent number: 8095953Abstract: An image processing apparatus is provided. The image processing apparatus includes a receiver which receives a broadcasting signal of a program corresponding to at least one of a plurality of categories; a UI generator which generates a UI having at least one of a plurality of attributes and capable of being displayed for the program; an image processing unit which performs image processing for the received broadcasting signal; and a controlling unit which controls the UI generator so that the attribute of the program can correspond to the category of the program.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2008Date of Patent: January 10, 2012Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Ki-joo Hong, Duk-jin Kang
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Patent number: 8091113Abstract: A media reproducing apparatus includes a receiving unit for receiving primary content, memory for storing replay content from an identified portion of the primary content for time-shifted display of the primary content, and a control unit. The control unit is configured to cause a display to display at a first display rate the primary content on a first region of a display, and further cause the display to display the replay content at a second display rate, which is different than the first display rates on a second region of the display. The replay content being displayed simultaneously with the primary content. The control unit is further configured to terminate the display of the replay content upon an occurrence of a timing event. The terminating operation causes the primary content to be displayed on both the first region and the second region of the display.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2007Date of Patent: January 3, 2012Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.Inventor: Yoen Lae Lim
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Patent number: 8087041Abstract: Estimating the reach and device frequency of a proposed advertising campaign based on the probability that advertising content delivery devices (e.g., a television set top box, radio) were used to deliver advertising content (e.g. television ad, radio ad) during specific time periods on specific delivery device channels.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2008Date of Patent: December 27, 2011Assignee: Google Inc.Inventors: Qi Fu, Robert Murray, Varun Y. Patel, Pishoy S. Maksy, Ravi K. Desu, Sean Sullivan, Darren Robert Davis
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Patent number: 8079050Abstract: A method for configuring a device using a remote control, includes transmitting a signal from the remote control to a configuration proxy requesting configuration status of the device; waiting for a predetermined period of time for a response from the configuration proxy to the remote control; obtaining help information based on the response received at the remote control from the configuration proxy; and displaying the help information on a display.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2007Date of Patent: December 13, 2011Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Thomas David Lawrence, William C. Russell, Lee Farrell
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Patent number: 8074242Abstract: An information supply apparatus for providing broadcasting contents summary information for the input of specified conditions of a program desired to view by an information utilization apparatus, the storage of the summary playback information representing the summary content of the broadcasting contents information and additional screen information, the extraction of a specific summary playback information and additional screen information according to the specified condition information sent from the information utilization apparatus, distribution to the information utilization apparatus by the information supply apparatus. The information utilization apparatus creates the summary based on the distributed information and replays the same.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2007Date of Patent: December 6, 2011Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Toshimichi Nagashima, Keiichi Totsuka, Yukinari Takashima
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Patent number: 8074241Abstract: A method for providing panoramic videos and images to a user using a server-client architecture while minimizing the wait time necessary before still images are available for viewing or videos begin playing. A series of location-referenced panoramic images are separated into one-dimensional tracks. Intuitive user controls are provided which allow the user to start and stop video playback, step through the panoramas in a track one at a time, and change the viewing orientation within the panorama. A video will start playing as soon as the video files for the preferred projected cube faces have been downloaded. This delay is reduced by storing the videos as keyframe distance files for opposing directions for each cube face and further reduced by encoding videos with different starting points so that they are staggered by a portion of the keyframe distance.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2008Date of Patent: December 6, 2011Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Jr. UniversityInventors: Joakim Arfidsson, Hendrik Dahlkamp, Andrew Lookingbill, Sebastian Thrun