Patents Examined by Benjamin R Bruckart
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Patent number: 10250925Abstract: A method, a system, and a computer program product for providing media to a requester at a particular playback rate associated with the requester. The method includes receiving a request from a requester for a playback session of media that includes a time varying content. In response to receiving the request, a profile associated with the requester is accessed to determine a playback rate of the media for the requester. In response to determining the playback rate of the media for the requester, the media is provided to the requester at the determined playback rate. The method further includes monitoring the playback session of the media for playback changes by the requester and dynamically adapting the playback rate associated with the requester based on the type and frequency of playback changes.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2016Date of Patent: April 2, 2019Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLCInventor: Amit Kumar Agrawal
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Patent number: 10237629Abstract: The present disclosure provides a channel classification method and device. The method comprising: receiving preset channel tags and content information of channels; the content information includes program contents that individual channels broadcast in periods of time or program content tags corresponding to included non-live contents; classifying the current individual channels according to the channel tags and generating first classification items; determining a program content tag corresponding to the program content or the non-live content that is currently being broadcasted, respectively, according to the program content or the non-live content that is currently being broadcasted by the channels; and classifying the channels according to the program content tag corresponding to the program content or the non-live content that is currently being broadcasted and generating second classification items.Type: GrantFiled: April 13, 2015Date of Patent: March 19, 2019Assignee: STARTIMES COMMUNICATION NETWORK TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.Inventors: Jiangtao Wen, Yi Pang, Liang Zhang, Hongwei Yao
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Patent number: 10225612Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for estimating audience member engagement with content, or distinguishing between users consuming content and users who have become distracted or have left. User presence or attention may be estimated from user interactions with or skipping of content, with the user interactions either compared to high quality engagement data from small audience measurement panels, or extrapolated based on a temporal-engagement curve. An attention gap may be estimated, representing users that were not present for or not engaged with or paying attention to a presentation of content at a client device. This allows the measurement system to distinguish between users who consumed and potentially enjoyed the content, and users who did not, even as client devices of both sets of users receive and present the content items.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2016Date of Patent: March 5, 2019Assignee: Google LLCInventors: Eyal Oren, Farzan Rohani
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Patent number: 10225618Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a device including a base station communicatively coupled to a communication system, and a communicative device communicatively coupled to the base station for providing voice communication services to a user, wherein the communicative device serves as a proxy to make telephone calls on behalf of a set-top box presenting media services to a presentation device. Other embodiments are disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2018Date of Patent: March 5, 2019Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.Inventors: Steven M. Belz, Larry B. Pearson
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Patent number: 10219040Abstract: A method, system, computer program product, and computer readable storage medium provide the ability to bookmark a frame of media content. 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. A frame within the media content is identified and bookmarked. A bookmark is displayed on the circular progress bar and reflects the location of the bookmarked frame. The bookmark is selected to begin play from the bookmarked frame.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2015Date of Patent: February 26, 2019Assignee: THE DIRECTV GROUP, INC.Inventors: Arpi Mardirossian, Don E. Cansino
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Patent number: 10219033Abstract: A method of managing visual content. In one instance, the method includes receiving a stream of video fingerprints, derived in a fingerprint generator by an irreversible data reduction process, from respective temporal regions within a particular visual content stream and at a fingerprint processor that is physically separate from the fingerprint generator via a communication network. The fingerprints are processed in the fingerprint processor to generate metadata which is not directly encoded in the fingerprints. Processing of the fingerprints includes windowing the stream of fingerprints with a time window, deriving frequencies of occurrence of particular fingerprint values or ranges of fingerprint values within each time window, determining statistical moments or entropy values of said frequencies of occurrence, comparing said statistical moments or entropy values with expected values for particular types of content, and generating metadata representing the type of the visual content.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2017Date of Patent: February 26, 2019Assignee: SNELL ADVANCED MEDIA LIMITEDInventor: Jonathan Diggins
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Patent number: 10212478Abstract: The present invention proposes a method for transmitting broadcast signals. The method for transmitting broadcast signals, according to the present invention, proposes a system which can support next-generation broadcast service in an environment which supports next-generation hybrid broadcast which uses terrestrial broadcast networks and the Internet. In addition, the present invention proposes an efficient signaling method, which can embrace terrestrial broadcast networks and the Internet, in an environment which supports next-generation hybrid broadcast.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2016Date of Patent: February 19, 2019Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.Inventors: Minsung Kwak, Jangwon Lee, Woosuk Ko, Sungryong Hong
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Patent number: 10206204Abstract: A communications system is for an aircraft carrying at least some personnel having PEDs, and the communications system may include a ground-based communications network, and a satellite-based communications network. The system may include at least one access point in the aircraft for providing a wireless local area network (WLAN) within the aircraft to receive a web content request from a given PED and transmit corresponding web content to the given PED. An air-to-ground communications device in the aircraft may cooperate with the at least one access point for sending the web content request to the ground-based communications network defining a return link. Further, a satellite communications device in the aircraft may cooperate with the at least one access point for receiving the corresponding web content from the satellite-based communications network defining a forward link.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2015Date of Patent: February 12, 2019Assignee: Thales, Inc.Inventors: Michael J. Lynch, R. Michael Keen, Jeffrey A. Frisco
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Patent number: 10205981Abstract: Systems and methods for synchronizing the playback of streamed content on multiple playback devices is disclosed. The systems and methods include receiving time information based on a network time source in the playback devices connected to a defined network. The playback clock in each playback device is set based upon the time information. A first playback device then generates presentation time information including a start time for playback and broadcast the presentation time information to the other playback device over the defined network. The playback devices use the presentation time information to adjust the presentation time stamps of the frames of the media content in the stream.Type: GrantFiled: August 11, 2016Date of Patent: February 12, 2019Assignee: DIVX, LLCInventor: William David Amidei
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Patent number: 10206000Abstract: Disclosed herein is a receiving apparatus, a receiving method, and a program which are configured to provide application programs to be executed in response to AV content. The receiving apparatus includes: a receiving block; a trigger acquisition block; an application acquisition block; and a control block. The control block acquires trigger information and, on the basis of a command obtained from the acquired trigger information, acquires a data broadcast application from an application server on the Internet or a data broadcast application transmitted as NRT content of an NRT service using a FLUTE session by referencing an FDT identified by an SMT and an NRT-IT. In accordance with a command obtained from the acquired trigger information, the control block controls an operation of the acquired application program. The present technology is applicable to television receivers configured to receive digital television broadcast signals.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2016Date of Patent: February 12, 2019Assignee: Saturn Licensing LLCInventors: Naohisa Kitazato, Yoshiharu Dewa, Yasuaki Yamagishi, Jun Kitahara, Mark Eyer
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Patent number: 10205988Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed herein for presenting, when there are multiple users at a media device, content that is associated with a user, of the multiple users, with the highest priority level, and upon detecting that only one user is left at the media device, automatically resuming content that the one user was previously consuming. For example, media guidance application may track playback positions in content A and B that users A and B are respectively consuming at different locations. Upon user A joining, while user B is still consuming content B, user B at location B, media guidance application may determine that user B has higher priority level than user A and accordingly, continue playing content B. When the media guidance application detects that user B, but not user A, has left location B, the media guidance application may automatically present content A from a point where the user A left off.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2017Date of Patent: February 12, 2019Assignee: ROVI GUIDES, INC.Inventors: Herbert Alan Waterman, Richard William Matthews
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Patent number: 10206009Abstract: There is provided a contents processing device of a contents processing system having a plurality of contents input units including network input units, a plurality of contents output units that is related to a plurality of zones and outputs the contents to the plurality of zones, respectively, an NET selector for outputting the contents input into the network input units to a specific contents output unit of the plurality of contents output units, and an NET selector controller for, when a receiving unit receives the contents reproduction notification, controlling an operation of the NET selector according to a predetermined NET selector procedure so that a user's estimated reproduction requirement is satisfied.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2015Date of Patent: February 12, 2019Assignee: Onkyo CorporationInventor: Ryo Hirae
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Patent number: 10200650Abstract: The plug-in television provided by this invention integrates the master control module of the television into a plug card and separately configures the plug card and the display, and the display is mainly used to play and control the audio and video data, and the plug card is mainly used to receive and process the audio and video data; since the plug card and the display are separately configured in physical structure, it allows users to carry out the operations like repairing, maintenance, upgrading and replacement on them separately; moreover, since the display is the main structure of the television, and the plug card is plugged into the slot provided on the display to form the television, the problem in the current television field that the upgrading speed of the screen terminal device is exceedingly unmatched with the upgrading speed of the master control device is effectively solved.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2015Date of Patent: February 5, 2019Assignee: AMLOGIC (SHANGHAI) CO., LTD.Inventors: John Zhong, Mike Yip, Kevin Chen, Robin Zhu
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Patent number: 10187693Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for controlling access to media content includes defining a viewing profile for at least one viewing user according to a multiplicity of attributes associated with the media content, assigning allowable limits to the multiplicity of attributes in the viewing profile, where each of the allowable limits indicates a rating limit for one of the multiplicity of attributes, receiving attribute ratings associated with a media content item, where each of the attribute ratings is associated with one of the multiplicity of attributes, determining viewing permissibility for the media content item by the at least one viewing user by comparing the attribute ratings with the allowable limits, and based on the viewing permissibility, allowing or disallowing the at least one viewing user to view the media content item.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2015Date of Patent: January 22, 2019Assignee: SYNAMEDIA LIMITEDInventors: Altan Stalker, Stephen Tallamy, Andrew Valentine
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Patent number: 10187670Abstract: A method and system for datacasting and content management. Such a system may have, as its core, a dashboard system for managing data feeds. A dashboard system may receive data feeds from one or more associated devices, such as the hardware devices of first responders or other public safety officers, and may aggregate and prioritize them. The dashboard system may then manage, prioritize and encrypt the video, files and other data in preparation for broadcast over the television or satellite transmitter, via, for example, a television broadcasting station, and may then broadcast the video, files, or other data to a plurality of users. Alerts and notifications may be created, files attached and links to video streams distributed over this same broadcast network. The broadcasting system may be able to send multiple streams of content simultaneously, may be able to target specific users to be broadcast to, and may be able to incorporate data from public data sources, such as public security cameras.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2017Date of Patent: January 22, 2019Assignee: SpectraRep, LLCInventors: Thomas J. Buono, Mark O'Brien, Rodney G. Herrmann
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Patent number: 10187674Abstract: Techniques are described for promoting original media titles. Given metadata tags associated with the original title and other media titles, a tag data matrix is generated and factored into two matrices, one of which includes vectors representing the media titles in a first latent space. Similarity scores are computed between a vector representing the original title and each of the other media title vectors to determine a set of media titles most similar to the original title. Then, a play data matrix is factorized, and an average of vectors representing the most similar titles in a second latent space is taken to be a vector representation of the original title in the second latent space. This representation is compared with representations of users in the second latent space to generate similarity scores, and the original title is then promoted to users associated with the highest similarity scores.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2013Date of Patent: January 22, 2019Assignee: NETFLIX, INC.Inventor: Harald Steck
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Patent number: 10187697Abstract: A content receiver determines that a communication connection recipient identifier is associated with content received from a content provider. An associated communication device is identified by the content receiver. The content receiver then signals the communication device to initiate a communication connections utilizing the communication identifier. In some implementations, the content receiver may provide a user with a notification and may signal the communication device after receiving a responses to the notification. In one or more implementations, the communication connection recipient identifiers may be telephone numbers, the communication devices may be telecommunication devices, and the communication connections may be telephone connections.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2015Date of Patent: January 22, 2019Assignee: DISH TECHNOLOGIES LLCInventor: Md. Mashfique Iqbal
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Patent number: 10171853Abstract: Systems and methods for managing available bandwidth in a household are provided. A request to access a first media asset is received. A determination is made as to whether a bandwidth currently available in the household is sufficient for enabling access to the first media asset. When the bandwidth currently available in the household is insufficient for enabling access to the first media asset, a search is performed for a second media asset currently consuming a portion of the household bandwidth needed for enabling access to the first media asset. A third media asset is identified having a remaining duration that is more than a remaining duration of the second media asset. A message is displayed that indicates the bandwidth currently available in the household is insufficient to access the first media asset and that has an option to access the third media asset instead of the first media asset.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2017Date of Patent: January 1, 2019Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc.Inventors: Claire M. Wallters, Lauren Palmateer
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Patent number: 10165330Abstract: A method and system for providing television programming content and interactive data services is provided. In one embodiment, the interactive content is displayed on the television concurrently with television programming content and facilitates game play between viewers. The game may be scored for each viewer based on selection data from the viewer and event data that is determined by events occurring in the television programming content. In addition, the interactive content may present a message that conveys an incentive to the viewer to take some action such as actuating a button when a particular commercial is presented thereby allowing the service provider and advertisers to determine how many, and which, viewers watched a particular commercial.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2015Date of Patent: December 25, 2018Assignee: YOUR CHOICE INTERACTIVE, INC.Inventors: Angelo J. Pino, Jr., Mohammed Sattar, Peter M. Redling
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Patent number: 10148987Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and systems are disclosed to correlate census measurement data with panel data. An example method includes accessing a message sent from a requesting device in response to accessing media that includes a tag causing the requesting device to send the message to a monitoring entity with an identification of a geographic location of the requesting device and media identifying information. The example method also includes determining locations of a plurality of panelist homes and comparing the geographic location of the requesting device with the locations of the panelist homes. When the geographic location of the requesting device is within a threshold distance of a first one of the panelist homes, identifying a user of the requesting device as a panelist residing at the first panelist home, and associating the media identifying information with panelist data associated with the first one of the panelist homes.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2017Date of Patent: December 4, 2018Assignee: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLCInventor: F. Gavin McMillan