Patents Examined by Fred Peng
  • Patent number: 9626694
    Abstract: Targeted content is delivered to and received by at least one user device based on user information stored locally at the user device. Program content and targeted content are received. The targeted content received is associated with user information stored locally on the user device, while the program content is broadcast to multiple users. A determination by a scanning process is made at what position or at what time in the program content to include the targeted content. The program content and the targeted content are rendered, with the targeted content included at the determined position or time in the program content, for presentation to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventors: Ke Yu, William Brown
  • Patent number: 9628761
    Abstract: A method for arranging virtual channels and linear channels for a content processing system includes establishing a linear channel number assignment for linear channel, generating a virtual channel assignment and arranging the virtual channel assignments with a predetermined relationship to the linear channel number assignment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Michelle L. Vagnati
  • Patent number: 9628741
    Abstract: A method includes processing media content. The media content includes audio data corresponding to a first audio playback rate and video data corresponding to a first video playback rate. Processing the media content includes identifying a speech portion of the audio data. The speech portion includes a consonant portion. The method further includes producing modified media content. The modified media content is produced based on modifying the video data and modifying the audio data. Modifying the audio data includes applying a non-linear transformation to the speech portion identified in the audio data. The method further includes storing the modified media content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Andrej Ljolje, Ann Syrdal, Alistair Conkie
  • Patent number: 9609387
    Abstract: A communication device that receives, from a different communication device, video data being encoded in a scalable manner, decodes received video data, and reproduces and outputs the video data, that comprises: a subjective-quality information acquiring unit acquiring subjective quality information where a combination of values of multiple items related to a coding setting of video data is related to an evaluation result of a subjective quality with regard to video data; a determining unit determining levels of priority of the items in accordance with one of a purpose of video data received from the different device and a user's setting operation; a generating unit generating coding setting information for determining a coding setting of video data received from the different device in accordance with the subjective quality information and the levels of priority of the items; and a notifying unit notifying the coding setting information to the difference device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Shoh Nagamine, Takuya Imai, Kenichiro Morita
  • Patent number: 9608766
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of processing data. The method of processing data includes receiving a broadcasting signal where mobile service data are multiplexed with main service data, extracting transmission-parameter-channel signaling information and fast-information-channel signaling information from a data group within the received mobile service data; obtaining first program table information describing virtual channel information of an ensemble and a service provided by the ensemble using the fast-information-channel signaling information, the ensemble the ensemble corresponding to a virtual channel group of the received mobile service data, obtaining information indicating that second program table information, which describes an additional service provided by the ensemble, is included in the ensemble and parsing the second program table information according to the obtained information; and providing the additional service by using the second program table information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Hui Sang Yoo, In Hwan Choi, Chul Soo Lee, Jae Hyung Song, Min Sung Kwak
  • Patent number: 9596511
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a receiving device for receiving an AV content broadcast by a broadcasting wave, including: an obtaining section adapted to obtain a description document described in a predetermined computer language for displaying another content different from the AV content; a determining section adapted to determine whether the obtained description document is managed by a broadcaster which broadcasts the AV content or is managed by a different operator other than the broadcaster; and a controlling section adapted to control execution of the obtained description document in response to a result of the determination by the determining section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: Saturn Licensing LLC.
    Inventors: Jun Kitahara, Naohisa Kitazato, Yoshiharu Dewa, Yasuaki Yamagishi
  • Patent number: 9596500
    Abstract: A system for accessing content corresponding to a matrix barcode, such as a video and/or audio content. The system may include a mobile computing device in communication with a content receiver. The mobile computing device may be configured to capture the matrix barcode, for example, via using an optical component and/or barcode scanner to record and/or scan the matrix barcode. The mobile computing device may also include a network interface component configured to transmit the matrix barcode to the content receiver. The content receiver may then receive the matrix barcode from the mobile computing device. The content receiver may include a processor to determine and/or access the content corresponding to the matrix barcode. The content receiver may then transmit the content to a display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: EchoStar Technologies L.L.C.
    Inventors: Mark H. Gomez, John T. Kennedy, Henry Gregg Martch
  • Patent number: 9584785
    Abstract: A video composition model that provides a set of application programming interfaces (APIs) to set device contexts, and determine capabilities of graphics hardware from a device driver. After the model determines a configuration, the model determines input video stream states applicable to frame rates, color-spaces and alpha indexing of input video streams, interactive graphics, and background images. The model prepares the input video frames and reference frames, as well as a frame format and input/output frame index information. The input video streams, interactive graphics and background images are processed individually and mixed to generate an output video stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventor: Kazuyuki Nakayama
  • Patent number: 9584238
    Abstract: Apparatuses may perform and methods may include receiving a digital broadcast signal that includes a physical layer pipe identified by a predetermined identifier indicating that the physical layer pipe includes service guide bootstrap information. The bootstrap information may identify one or more service guides available for download. The physical layer pipe may include header information that identifies one or more other physical layer pipes containing portions of the service guides identified in the bootstrap information. Based on the bootstrap information and header information, a selected service guide is retrieved and presented to a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventors: Jani Petteri Väre, Jyrki Tapio Alamaunu, Reino Juhani Hiltunen, Juhani Huttunen
  • Patent number: 9569009
    Abstract: A method and apparatus wherein a plurality of functions are implemented on a multimedia presentation device. A user can access several of the functions by depressing a single button. A particular function is specified by the duration of the button depression. For one embodiment the functions affect a favorite program list and allow a user to access the list, update the list, and delete entries from the list depending upon button depression duration. For example, the user may depress button number (#) 3 of a remote control device. A brief depression (e.g., less than 1 second), results in the remote control interpreting this click as a digit for selecting a channel, and the system will tune to channel #3. A longer depression (e.g., between 1 and 2 seconds), results in the system recalling previously programmed selection #3. Likewise, other functions are implemented by depression the button for various durations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: JLB Ventures LLC
    Inventors: Yakov Kamen, Dan Kikinis
  • Patent number: 9544657
    Abstract: A method and system for providing video content on a data network connected device having a display and a device display controller including a player. The method comprises the steps of a data network connected device, accesses a reference file including a plurality of player control parameter values and linking data for one or more content sources. Play control commands are provided to the player based on the play control parameter values. Content data is acquired by the player from one or more content sources via the data network using the linking data, and the content acquired from each source played on the display in accordance with the player control commands. The reference file may be a pre-existing reference file or a reference file created in response to a request to play the video content data. A reference file compiler is provided for generating the reference file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Linius (AUST) Pyt Ltd.
    Inventor: Finbar O'Hanlon
  • Patent number: 9532081
    Abstract: A central device includes a first information storage unit in which an image-contents-distribution management table and image contents are stored and a first information control unit that determines an image display device that is to store therein the image contents based on the image-contents-distribution management table, and distributes the image contents to the image display device, and the image display device includes a second information storage unit in which the image-contents-distribution management table and the image contents are stored and a second information control unit that determines a location where the image contents are stored among the image display device and the central device based on the image-contents-distribution management table and displays the image contents read from a determined location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazunari Morimoto
  • Patent number: 9525907
    Abstract: Devices and methods for viewing visual content and accompanying methods are provided. Devices include a digital video connector, a power supply and a computing unit which can have software components which are preprogrammed for connecting with a remote server without user interaction to provide visual content. Methods include connecting to a network, connecting to the remote server, receiving visual content from the remote server and displaying that content on a display. The content can be manipulated locally or from a remote site and can be updated continually.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: SmugMug, Inc.
    Inventor: Don Macaskill
  • Patent number: 9525851
    Abstract: A head end application server is coupled to a photo-sharing server having an Internet interface. A video content network is coupled to the head end application server, and a terminal is coupled to the video content network at a location remote from the head end application server and the photo-sharing server. The photo-sharing server is configured to accept upload of digital still images via the Internet interface, and the digital still images are in a format other than MPEG I-frames. The head end application server is configured to receive a request from the terminal and, responsive to the request, to fetch the digital still images from the photo-sharing server, transcode the digital still images into MPEG I-frames, and make the MPEG I-frames available, over the video content network, for selective display via the terminal. The system can advantageously function without use of a video-on-demand server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: TIME WARNER CABLE ENTERPRISES LLC
    Inventors: Vipul Patel, Scott Miller, Mehul Shah, David Chen
  • Patent number: 9516392
    Abstract: A method and system for providing video content on a data network connected device having a display and a device display controller including a player. The method comprises the steps of a data network connected device, accesses a reference file including a plurality of player control parameter values and linking data for one or more content sources. Play control commands are provided to the player based on the play control parameter values. Content data is acquired by the player from one or more content sources via the data network using the linking data, and the content acquired from each source played on the display in accordance with the player control commands. The reference file may be a pre-existing reference file or a reference file created in response to a request to play the video content data. A reference file compiler is provided for generating the reference file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: Linius (AUST) Pyt Ltd.
    Inventor: Finbar O'Hanlon
  • Patent number: 9509796
    Abstract: A content processing device is provided. Media content is selectively provided to the content processing device. A profile is used to determine the media content. A software application is included on the content processing device and is configured to receive a message from a remote computer, receive user inputs in response to the message, and update the profile based on the user inputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: VERIZION PATENT AND LICENSING INC.
    Inventor: Michael Runne
  • Patent number: 9497493
    Abstract: A video communication system having: an encoder coding input video data and outputting a video stream; and a packet processing part grouping into packets the output video stream from said encoder and outputting the same to a communication path; wherein said packet processing part generates an original data cluster consolidating a packet for each group of a prescribed number of MB processes and redundant data for correcting data errors of said original data cluster; and controls the insertion quantity of redundant data so that the combined number of bits of said original data cluster and said redundant data works out to be equal to or less than the target number of bits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: Hitachi Maxell, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Okada, Hironori Komi, Taku Nakamura, Tomoyuki Myojin, Hiroki Mizosoe, Yusuke Yatabe
  • Patent number: 9479815
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing digital video recorder services with a portable wireless device (PWD). The PWD includes at least a transceiver, a processing unit and a memory unit. The transceiver receives a video content signal transmitted from a broadcaster of mobile broadcast digital TV, and an electronic program guide (EPG). The processing unit is in communication with the transceiver and the memory unit and the processing unit: stores the TV programming information on the memory unit; displays, responsive to a first user input, the TV programming information; records on the memory unit, responsive to a second user input, a selected video content signal received by the transceiver; and plays back the selected video content signal, responsive to a third user input, from the memory unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC
    Inventors: Shekhar Gupta, Mike A. Roberts
  • Patent number: 9479550
    Abstract: A communication system (10) comprises a plurality of clients (12) including a first client (18) and a second client (20). Within the communication system (10), continuity of one or more of a plurality of broadcast events (14) is provided between the plurality of clients (12). The first client (18) monitors a broadcast event (34). Thereafter, the second client (20) launches monitoring of the broadcast event (34) in response to an occurrence associated with the broadcast event (34).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: GOOGLE TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS LLC
    Inventors: David Jeffery Hayes, Eric Thomas Eaton, Von Alan Mock
  • Patent number: 9479806
    Abstract: A user recovers and records multiple programs communicated simultaneously using a communications channel, e.g., QAM communications channel. The simultaneous communication may be by communicating, e.g., an MPEG-2 transport stream including data corresponding to multiple programs through a corresponding to QAM communications channel. Thus a user device, e.g., a set top box, is able to receive and record programs corresponding to multiple simultaneously broadcast programs using a single tuner. This allows a device to receive and record or display more programs at any given time, than the number of QAM tuners and/or receivers in the user device. Novel user interface features which facilitate a user's ability to identify and record multiple programs corresponding to a QAM channel are also described. Methods and apparatus for determining program to communication channel mappings based on user program recordation information are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: TIME WARNER CABLE ENTERPRISES LLC
    Inventors: Howard Pfeffer, Kenneth Gould