Patents Examined by Franklin Andramuno
  • Patent number: 8082572
    Abstract: Information such as audio/visual signals, books, video games, etc. are broadcast via satellite and received in a set top box. When requested by a hand held computing device (HHCD), the information is transmitted by the set top box to the HHCD and stored in the HHCD. The HHCD may be configured to display the information on the HHCD's display screen, play back the audio, read a book on the display screen, play a video game on the hand held device, etc. The HHCD may also be configured to transmit the information to a set top box that is connected to an output device (e.g., a television, stereo, etc.). The information is played back or utilized by the output device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Arthur R. Tilford
  • Patent number: 8074250
    Abstract: A tuner for receiving a satellite broadcast signal via an antenna means, said tuner being coupled to a control unit. The tuner is characterized in that it comprises a standard bilateral digital interface for transmitting a base-band signal obtained from the received signal received via the antenna means and for receiving control signals transmitted by the control unit, said signals being transmitted/received via a first bilateral bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Pieter Werner Hooijmans, Cicero Silveira Vaucher
  • Patent number: 8060906
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and system for automatically identifying and presenting video clips or other media to a user at a client device. One embodiment of the invention provides a method for updating a user profile or other persistent data store based on user feedback to improve the identification of video clips or other media content responsive to the user's profile. Embodiments of the invention also provide methods for processing user feedback. Related architectures are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.
    Inventors: Lee Begeja, David Crawford Gibbon, Zhu Liu, Bernard S. Renger, Kenneth H. Rosen, Behzad Shahraray
  • Patent number: 7992180
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus and method for displaying images, which enables a selected image to be displayed in full screen mode or slide show mode on the TV receiver, while images stored in the recording medium are being displayed on the remote controller. The apparatus and method can also display the thumbnail in an image display area by putting time periods on the vertical axis and photography locations on the horizontal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Takeshi Hayakawa
  • Patent number: 7987478
    Abstract: A method of advertising during sequences of video images includes alerting a viewer of available video advertising content associated with an object displayed in a sequence of video images. A viewer selection of the object is received during the sequence of video images responsive to alerting the viewer, and an end of the sequence of video images is detected. The video advertising content is displayed responsive to receiving the viewer selection and after the end of the sequence of video images such that viewing of the sequence of video images is not interrupted. Related devices and computer program products are also discussed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Inventor: Sten Hakan Minor