Patents Examined by Frank Johnson
  • Patent number: 10970843
    Abstract: A media universe database is configured to store a plurality of elements of media universe content related to a media universe. An analysis of a digital video is performed. Based at least in part on the analysis, a correspondence is determined between one or more objects in the digital video and respective elements of the media universe content. An interactive digital video is generated based on the digital video. The interactive digital video comprises a plurality of video frames including one or more interactive video frames. The one or more interactive video frames comprise one or more interactive objects corresponding to the elements of media universe content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Erik Jacob Olsen, Christian Robert Cabanero, Pilarina Estrada, Matthew George Bell
  • Patent number: 10939148
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method provides a manifest for a media program to a client. The manifest includes a set of bitrate representation links that correspond to a set of bitrates. A pointer is maintained to at least a portion of a current segment that is currently being presented in the media program. A request is received using a bitrate representation link in the set of bitrate representation links. The method then selects at least the portion of the current segment using the pointer for the bitrate that corresponds to the bitrate representation and sends the at least the portion of the current segment to the client.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC
    Inventor: Wendell Sun
  • Patent number: 10861165
    Abstract: A method to identify one or more depth-image segments that correspond to a predetermined object type is enacted in a depth-imaging controller operatively coupled to an optical time-of-flight (ToF) camera; it comprises: receiving depth-image data from the optical ToF camera, the depth-image data exhibiting an aliasing uncertainty, such that a coordinate (X, Y) of the depth-image data maps to a periodic series of depth values {Zk}; and labeling, as corresponding to the object type, one or more coordinates of the depth-image data exhibiting the aliasing uncertainty.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Erroll William Wood, Michael Bleyer, Christopher Douglas Edmonds, Michael Scott Fenton, Mark James Finocchio, John Albert Judnich
  • Patent number: 10848824
    Abstract: A multimedia stream may be abandoned (e.g., terminated) under various contexts. Metadata surrounding the abandonment, such as information regarding multimedia segments shown at or near the time of abandonment, may be stored. A system may detect satisfaction of a condition based at least in part on abandonment metadata associated with an abandoned stream, obtain a set of abandonment metadata sharing a characteristic in common, and determine a cause. Depending on the determined cause, various mitigations may be executed—for example, if abandonment of streams is detected in a specific location at a particular point or period in time, one or more network diagnostics tests may be executed to determine whether there are network connectivity issues for viewers from the specific location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Brinkley, Meera Jindal, Khawaja Salman Shams, Alex Xiaoye Zhang
  • Patent number: 10839492
    Abstract: Providing high-quality images of members of a group moving within a coverage area that includes non-group members is provided. A current location of each member of the group is tracked within the coverage area. Images are obtained of the coverage area. Based on the tracked current location of each member of the group within the coverage area, at least one of the non-group members are selectively redacted from the images of the coverage area such that the members of the group are clearly shown in redacted images and privacy rights of the at least one of the non-group members are protected. The selectively redacted images are provided to at least one of the members of the group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Debra Scott, Christian Eggenberger, Urs Schollenberger, Aaron K. Baughman
  • Patent number: 10805679
    Abstract: A multimedia stream may be abandoned (e.g., terminated) under various contexts. Metadata surrounding the abandonment, such as information regarding multimedia segments shown at or near the time of abandonment, may be stored. A system may detect satisfaction of a condition based at least in part on abandonment metadata associated with an abandoned stream, obtain a set of abandonment metadata sharing a characteristic in common, and determine a cause. Depending on the determined cause, various mitigations may be executed—for example, if abandonment of streams is detected in a specific location at a particular point or period in time, one or more network diagnostics tests may be executed to determine whether there are network connectivity issues for viewers from the specific location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Brinkley, Meera Jindal, Khawaja Salman Shams, Alex Xiaoye Zhang
  • Patent number: 10798468
    Abstract: The present application is a method and system for presenting game-related information. A system for presenting game-related information may include an initiator device, the initiator device including a computing device which includes an application executed by a processor of the computing devices to generate game-related information, a display device operably connected to the initiator device to display game-related information from the initiator device, and a cloud-based server device operably connected to the initiator device for receipt of the game-related information. The system for presenting game related information may include a receiver device, the receiver device including a computing device which includes an application executed by a processor of the computing device to receive the game-related information from the cloud-based server device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Scorevision, LLC
    Inventors: Chad Bokowski, David Sutter, Corey Spitzer, Gordon Whitten
  • Patent number: 10778878
    Abstract: An apparatus for processing an image includes a camera configured to obtain a fixed image signal based on non-movement of the camera and obtain a variable image signal based on movement of the camera; a communication interface configured to receive a command; a driver configured to move the camera in response to the command; and a processor configured to process the fixed image signal based on a fixed image signal process parameter value, and process the variable image signal based on a variable image signal process parameter value, the variable image signal process parameter value having an image signal process parameter value based upon which a high frequency component of the variable image signal is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Hanwha Techwin Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seong Gon Kim, Yun Seok Kwon
  • Patent number: 10735798
    Abstract: A method and system for distributing video content across a distributed network is described. The system comprises a first device having video data provided thereon. A first application is operable on the first device and is configured for associating control data with the video data, wherein the control data contains information for creating auxiliary data which is to be presented with the video data subsequent to the video data being broadcast to one or more second devices across the network. A control centre is in communication with the first application for receiving the video data and the associated control data from the first device. The control centre is operable to broadcast the video data and the associated control data to one or more second devices. A media player is provided on the respective second devices which is operable in response to reading the control data to create the auxiliary data on the respective second device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: HELEN BRADLEY LENNON
    Inventors: Helen Bradley Lennon, Damien Purcell
  • Patent number: 10721125
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to propagate an update between nodes in a distributed environment are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a first virtual appliance configured to install an update using an update file from a first update repository, the first update repository located apart from the first virtual appliance, the first virtual appliance configured to form a second update repository at the first virtual appliance, the second update repository to include a copy of the update file from the first update repository. The example apparatus also includes a second virtual appliance, the second virtual appliance formed as a replica of the first virtual appliance, the second virtual appliance to install the update using the copy of the update file from the second update repository.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: VMware, Inc.
    Inventors: Diana Kovacheva, Miroslav Mitevski, Ivo Petkov, Borislav Ivanov, Gospodin Gochkov
  • Patent number: 10652608
    Abstract: A receiving apparatus and method, and a transmitting apparatus, and method capable of improving a reproduction quality in a state where a packet loss occurs. The transmitting apparatus including a memory and an electronic processor communicatively connected to the memory. The electronic processor is configured to encode a data unit, generate a data packet by packetizing the data unit that is encoded, generate a time information packet by packetizing information indicating a decode and a display time relative to the data unit, and generate a stream by multiplexing the data packet, the time information packet, and identification information to identify the data unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Ishigaya, Shinji Negishi, Noriaki Ooishi
  • Patent number: 10638194
    Abstract: A method includes receiving, at a media device, overlay data associated with media content. The overlay data includes information indicating a time and a position at which a particular object is represented within the media content, and the overlay data includes information associating the particular object with supplemental information. The method further includes, during playback of the media content, receiving user input at the media device, and, responsive to the user input, generating an overlay display based on the overlay data, where the overlay display causes the particular object to be highlighted in a display of the media content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Mehmet Ozkan
  • Patent number: 10609364
    Abstract: A lens for a head mounted display is configured for directing and collimating image light from pixels of an electronic display to a pupil of a user's eye to lessen a pupil swim effect. A method of configuring a lens for directing and collimating image light from an electronic display to a pupil of a user's eye includes configuring the lens to lessen a difference between observed distortions of imagery displayed by the electronic display at different gaze angles of the user's eye.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ying Geng, Yusufu Njoni Bamaxam Sulai, Jacques Gollier, Brant Carlton Lewis, Brian Wheelwright
  • Patent number: 10582254
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, receiving a request for recording a real-time media presentation of a live event accessible by way of a direct broadcast satellite service, wherein the request is associated with equipment of a subscriber of the direct broadcast satellite service. A source of the real-time media presentation is identified and monitored to determine whether the live event has ended. A termination is facilitated of the recording of the real-time media presentation of the live event by the equipment of the subscriber responsive to the determined end of the real-time media presentation of the live event. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Mark Shurgot, Adam Mara, Forrest Donald Miller, II
  • Patent number: 10575054
    Abstract: Non-canonical user sessions can be identified. Demographics associated with a device identifier can be compared with demographics associated with requested content (e.g. video, website, etc.). If the demographics match above a threshold, then the session may be assumed to be canonical or associated with the original user. If the demographics of the content do not match the demographics of the user, then the session may be considered non-canonical. Upon identifying a non-canonical session, content selection based on demographics may be suspended until a timer expires or the session ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC.
    Inventor: Timothy Olds
  • Patent number: 10542315
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure include, for example, embodiments that include determining a content context of a first segment of content being presented by a media processor at a display to an audience. Further embodiments include determining an expected audience reaction according to the content context of the first segment, and receiving sensor data captured from a sensor device in proximity to the audience where the sensor data is indicative of a sensed audience reaction to the first segment of the content. Additional embodiments include comparing the sensed audience reaction with the expected audience reaction to determine a level of interest in the first segment, and adjusting a second segment of the content according to the level of interest to generate an adjusted second segment displayable at the display. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Venson Shaw, Sangar Dowlatkhah, Zhi Cui
  • Patent number: 10521952
    Abstract: A stored volumetric scene model of a real scene is generated from data defining digital images of a light field in a real scene containing different types of media. The digital images have been formed by a camera from opposingly directed poses and each digital image contains image data elements defined by stored data representing light field flux received by light sensing detectors in the camera. The digital images are processed by a scene reconstruction engine to form a digital volumetric scene model representing the real scene. The volumetric scene model (i) contains volumetric data elements defined by stored data representing one or more media characteristics and (ii) contains solid angle data elements defined by stored data representing the flux of the light field. Adjacent volumetric data elements form corridors, at least one of the volumetric data elements in at least one corridor represents media that is partially light transmissive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Quidient, LLC
    Inventors: David Scott Ackerson, Donald J. Meagher, John K. Leffingwell, Kostas Daniilidis
  • Patent number: 10469885
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method provides a manifest for a media program to a client. The manifest includes a set of bitrate representation links that correspond to a set of bitrates. A pointer is maintained to at least a portion of a current segment that is currently being presented in the media program. A request is received using a bitrate representation link in the set of bitrate representation links. The method then selects at least the portion of the current segment using the pointer for the bitrate that corresponds to the bitrate representation and sends the at least the portion of the current segment to the client.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC
    Inventor: Wendell Sun
  • Patent number: 10430396
    Abstract: A method of facilitating a device to obtain a version of an item of content. For each section of the item of content, a content distribution system is arranged to provide one or more versions of that section. At least one section includes a plurality of differently watermarked versions of that section. A request for a section of the item of content is received. If the requested section is a section for which the content distribution system is arranged to provide a plurality of differently watermarked versions of that section, a particular version is identified based on an identifier of the device and a response a response containing an indication of the particular version of the requested section is provided to the device. The response is arranged to cause the device to request the particular version of the requested section from a corresponding location on the content distribution system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: IRDETO B.V.
    Inventor: Dmitri Jarnikov
  • Patent number: 10432986
    Abstract: There is provided a recall and triggering system and method for the control of on-air graphics at remote locations. The system including a television network and an affiliated station, the television network configured to insert a command into a video and transmit the video including the command to the affiliated station, and the affiliated station configured to receive the video including the command from the television network, store the video in the memory, detect the command from the video stored in the memory, retrieve the data from a database based on the command, modify the video using the data to generate a modified video, and transmit the modified video to a display device. The database may be stored in the memory of the affiliated station or on a separate server. The data may include graphics, content, databases, spreadsheets, tables, websites, news, or other graphical content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Strein, David Teeter, Frank Zimmerlich, Anil Abraham, Renford Beckford