Patents Examined by Nathan J. Flynn
  • Patent number: 10158925
    Abstract: A user (e.g., a viewer of audio/video content) may select a primary or main content stream (MCS). Metadata regarding the MCS may be generated to indicate a start and a stop within the MCS of content that is not of interest to the user, such as commercials. When the MCS (e.g., a sporting event) provides undesired content, backfill content (BFC) may be provided in place of the undesired content. BFC may include content provided by a fantasy sports platform, a social media website, an email provider, a secondary content stream (e.g., highlights from a different sporting event), and/or any other content. The MCS may be presented to the user with a slight time-delay, so that the metadata identifying commercials may be determined, and to allow the primary stream to be blended seamlessly with BFC. In another example, BFC may include a second game, provided to the user's device and segmented into highlights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Inventors: David S. Thompson, David A. Divine
  • Patent number: 10149009
    Abstract: Several embodiments of present invention relate to indexing a multi-media presentation. The presentation can include a live broadcast or a recording. Several embodiments also include defining portions of digital data recordings based on the occurrence of content events. And, various embodiments relate to creating compilations of and/or access to video recordings based on occurrence of one or more content events recorded therein. Embodiments can include a dwindling buffer that temporarily stores segments of a presentation. The segments can include only temporarily stored segments with limited portions made imperceptible. The limited portions made imperceptible can include language, violent, sexual and drug-related content events. An altered segment can be assembled only on playback with an original recording so as to redact, skip, or otherwise render imperceptible the content event within the presentation without creating a fixed altered version thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Platypus IP LLC
    Inventor: David Allan Jones
  • Patent number: 10129572
    Abstract: The invention relates to encapsulating partitioned timed media data in a server, the partitioned timed media data comprising timed samples, each timed sample comprising a plurality of subsamples. After having selected at least one subsample from amongst the plurality of subsamples of one of the timed samples, one partition track comprising the selected subsample and one corresponding subsample of each of the other timed samples is created for each selected subsample. Next, at least one dependency box is created, each dependency box being related to a partition track and comprising at least one reference to one or more of the other created partition tracks, the at least one reference representing a decoding order dependency in relation to the one or more of the other partition tracks. Each of the partition tracks is independently encapsulated in at least one media file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Franck Denoual, Frederic Maze, Jean Le Feuvre, Cyril Concolato
  • Patent number: 10110958
    Abstract: A video services receiver for presenting video content, and related methods of operating the video services receiver, are presented here. An exemplary operating method identifies, at the video services receiver, an upcoming program event having content preferred by a user of the video services receiver. The method continues by generating, at the video services receiver, a graphical program notification comprising information related to the upcoming program event. The graphical program notification is provided for presentation on a display associated with the video services receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: ECHOSTAR UKRAINE LLC
    Inventor: Iurii Shovkoplias
  • Patent number: 10108718
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for detecting potential repeating content, such as commercials, in a video data stream by receiving one or more video data streams, parsing each video data stream into a plurality of segments, creating a representation of each segment such as a segment fingerprint, storing the plurality of segment representations in a database, and identifying any segment representations in the received and parsed one or more video data streams that match segment representations in the database that were previously stored from video data streams that were previously received and parsed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Alphonso Inc.
    Inventors: Lampros Kalampoukas, Manish Gupta, Raghu Srinivas Kodige
  • Patent number: 10091462
    Abstract: A method for use in providing content includes hosting a network site on a computer network, displaying on the network site links to one or more videos, and displaying on the network site at least an on-demand preview of a first video in response to a corresponding one of the links being selected. A storage medium stores a computer program for use on a client computer. Several other methods, systems and programs are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Crackle, Inc.
    Inventors: Aviv Eyal, Piers Haken, David Charles Alexander Hodgson, Steven Hazel
  • Patent number: 10075745
    Abstract: A content sending device is provided, having a communication part, a storage part and a controller. The communication part is connectable to an external device. The storage part stores a content and an attribute information of the content. The controller sends the content based on a request from the external device. If the controller is unable to send the content, the controller sends the attribute information comprising a predetermined operation instruction to the external device and executes an operation based on the predetermined operation instruction from the external device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: FUNAI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Mitsuru Kawakita
  • Patent number: 9924231
    Abstract: An information presenting device (100) presents image information; an operative device (200) accepts a predetermined input operation during the presentation of the image information; a guide information managing device (300) stores date and time information indicating a date and a time at which the input operation is accepted, image specifying information specifying image information presented when the input operation is accepted, and guide destination information indicating a guide destination to which the user is guided is stored in a database in association with one another, the guide destination information being specified by the date and time information, and the image specifying information; and a guide device (400) presents the guide destination information in response to a request from the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Amano, Toshihisa Nakano, Motoji Ohmori, Takako Hirose, Shunji Harada
  • Patent number: 8839308
    Abstract: A method includes transmitting media content to a set-top box. The media content includes an advertisement having a selectable reminder indicator related to an event. The method further includes receiving an input selection related to the selectable reminder indicator from the set-top box, sending a first menu to the set-top box including at least one option to schedule a reminder associated with the event, and sending a second menu to the set-top box in response to receiving a selection of the at least one option. The second menu includes a device menu including an option to specify a device order in which to send the reminder to a plurality of devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Jerald Robert Howcroft
  • Patent number: 8839287
    Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a network device having a controller programmed to receive a video program in an editable digital format having a repetitive portion that plays every time the video program is played; store video content used in modifying the repetitive portion of the video program; store descriptor files containing instructions for modifying the repetitive portion; and automatically morph the repetitive portion using the video content based on the instructions, the automatic morphing being performed for each instance the repetitive portion is presented. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Srilal Weerasinghe
  • Patent number: 8826343
    Abstract: A display configured to display a list of videos that can be reproduced on the terminal on a screen of the terminal, an input unit configured to select a specific video from the list of videos, and a controller configured to select a plurality of key frames from image frames of the specific video based on a predetermined selection criterion. Further, the display displays the plurality of key frames of the specific video.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Taeyeon Lee
  • Patent number: 8621239
    Abstract: A method of inhibiting the disclosure of confidential information through power analysis attacks on processors in cryptographic systems. The method masks a cryptographic operation using a generator G. A secret value, which may be combined with the generator G to form a secret generator is generated. The secret value is divided into a plurality of parts. A random value is generated for association with the plurality of parts. Each of the plurality of parts is combined with the random value to derive a plurality of new values such that the new values when combined are equivalent to the secret value. Each of the new values is used in the cryptographic operation, thereby using the secret generator in place of the generator G in the cryptographic operation. The introduction of randomness facilitates the introduction of noise into algorithms used by cryptographic systems so as to mask the secret value and provide protection against power analysis attacks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Certicom Corp.
    Inventor: Robert J. Lambert
  • Patent number: 8411851
    Abstract: Presented is a method for determining the maximum number of key selection vectors (KSVs) supported by an HDCP source. The method includes transmitting a number of KSVs to the HDCP source, determining whether the HDCP source has entered a failure mode in response to the transmitted number of KSVs, increasing or decreasing the number of KSVs in response to the HDCP source not entering or entering the failure mode, transmitting the increased or decreased number of KSVs to the HDCP source, determining whether the HDCP source has entered the failure mode in response to the transmitted increased or decreased number of KSVs, and repeating the increasing, decreasing, and determining steps until the difference between a lowest number of transmitted KSVs resulting in the HDCP source entering the failure mode and a highest number of transmitted KSVs resulting in the HDCP source not entering the failure mode is one.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Crestron Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Jackson, Yun Mao, Robert Carter
  • Patent number: 7853645
    Abstract: A system for controlling a motion device. A motion control system comprises a motion control device, and a first user is associated with the motion control system. An output system is arranged to generate motion signals that may be perceived by the first user. A motion server system comprises a plurality of motion scripts associated with messages to be transmitted to the first user and a motion program web page. A processing system comprises a browser program compatible with the motion program web page. A communications system transfers data between the various systems. A second user controls the server system to form a motion message corresponding to a desired motion signal based on the at least one motion script stored by the server system. The motion control system causes the output system to generate the desired motion signal based on the motion message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Roy-G-Biv Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen J. Brown, David W. Brown
  • Patent number: 7769816
    Abstract: A method for tracking a transmission status of one or more data elements to one or more devices. In one example, the method includes providing a list including one or more devices and one or more data elements; processing the list to determine a data element of the one or more data elements to transmit to a device of one of the one or more devices; and upon successfully transmitting the data element to the device, adjusting the list so that the list indicates that the device has received the transmitted data element. In this manner, the status of whether a particular data element has been sent to a particular device can be easily derived from the list.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony J. Li, Rex Emmanuel Fernando, Henk H. W. Smit, Hasmit S. Grover, Avneesh Sachdev
  • Patent number: 7747778
    Abstract: A method of assigning names to components of a networked computer system is provided. The networked computer system includes at least one modular computer system having at least one service processor module and a plurality of information processing modules removably received in a modular computer system housing. The method comprises: receiving at the service processor module a naming command message including a naming format from a management entity of the networked computer system. The method also comprises assigning at the service processor module a name to the service processor module and to the information processing modules received in the housing in accordance with the naming format; and transmitting a message from the service processor module to a domain name server of the networked computer system, the message including an IP address of each module and the name assigned to each respective module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: James E. King, Karen Roles
  • Patent number: 7734793
    Abstract: A system, method and computer program product are provided for seamless transfer of a conference over different media. Initially, a conference is initiated on a first medium with a first set of associated capabilities utilizing a network. During use, a request to transfer the conference to a second medium is received utilizing the network. A second set of capabilities associated with the second medium is then determined in response to the request. Aspects of the conference requiring the first set of capabilities associated with the first medium are then disabled in response to the request. In a similar manner, aspects of the conference supported by the second set of capabilities associated with the second medium are enabled in response to the request. The conference is thus seamlessly continued on the second medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Accenture Global Services GmbH
    Inventor: Michel K. Bowman-Amuah
  • Patent number: 7673020
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for controlling multiple types of media devices. The method and system also facilitate communication between a computing device and one of a plurality of types of media devices. The system includes device retrieval modules controlled by the computing device for retrieving information from a group of device data sets controlled by the media device. The device data sets including a device information data set that includes a set of properties specific the type of media device. The computing device also includes object retrieval tools for retrieving object information from a group of object data sets stored on the media device and control command modules controlling objects on the media device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Oren Rosenbloom, Joseph D. Ternasky, Vladimir Sadovsky, Blake D. Manders
  • Patent number: 7660907
    Abstract: A transmission packet usable to perform multiple operations including scanning and is transmitted via a network in order to achieve communications in at least one server shared by at least one client via the network. The transmission packet includes a version field, a packet form display field, an operation form display field, an attribute group field and/or a data group field, and an end field. The packet form display field has packet form display information that represents a form in which the transmission packet is generated. The operation form display field has operation form display information that represents a form of an operation using the transmission packet. The attribute group field and/or a data group field have one of first information associated with attributes of the operation and second information associated with data regarding the operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kang-hoon Lee
  • Patent number: 7653686
    Abstract: Disclosed is a content reproducing device and a content reproducing method capable of quickly starting reproduction by making a pause state before starting the reproduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Michiaki Yoneda