Patents Examined by Ricky Chin
  • Patent number: 9699494
    Abstract: Various embodiments that may generally relate to presentation of content in a coordinated manner through a plurality of output devices is described. A smartphone, for example, may enhance a visual presentation made by a digital billboard by adding audio to the presentation. Various methods are described. Various apparatus are described. Further embodiments are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: EL MEDIA HOLDINGS USA, LLC
    Inventor: Chris Dow
  • Patent number: 9686577
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes determining available media content from one or more content sources and providing at least a portion of the available media content for display in a programming guide on a display device of a user. The programming guide includes a plurality of entries each associated with one of the available media content. The method further includes determining that an update action button should be displayed on the display device, providing the update action button for display on the display device when it is determined that the update action button should be displayed, and updating the programming guide in response to a user selection of the update action button. The update action button is operable to cause the social-networking system to update the programming guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Facebook
    Inventors: Erick Tseng, Colin Cameron Campbell, Gregory John Moeck
  • Patent number: 9686590
    Abstract: A method comprises retrieving a profile of a given user, the given user having a given-user device; delivering a content item to the given-user device; receiving one or more user-specified tags associated with the content item; identifying one or more buddies of the user as indicated in the profile; and delivering the one or more tags to the one or more buddies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: YAHOO! INC.
    Inventors: Ronald Jacoby, Brenda O'Kane
  • Patent number: 9661363
    Abstract: An information apparatus connectable with plural external apparatuses including an audio visual data outputting portion, a command input portion which inputs a command from an external apparatus for requesting audio visual data, an information managing portion which manages a number of external apparatuses to audio visual data can be distributed to be simultaneously viewed or recorded and a controller portion which controls distribution of the data to the external apparatus which sent the command depending upon a distributing condition. The controller portion makes a decision on whether the number of external apparatuses to which data can be distributed is equal to or smaller than a limited number, and controls the distribution of data to the external apparatus based on a result of the decision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Hitachi Maxell, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chiyo Akamatsu, Tetsuo Shinagawa, Yoshimichi Kudo
  • Patent number: 9661389
    Abstract: The systems and methods of the present invention provide for a number of improvements to the TV consumption process, including personalization, community viewing, shared presence and context, messaging, access to ratings and recommendations (including community reviews), alerts, etc. One method that the present invention provides allows for the indication of a given user's context to be provided to other users, such as users in the given user's social network. The method comprises generating an indication of a change in context for a given user, the context comprising information regarding an action of the given user. The indication of the change in context for the given user is propagated to one or more users in the social network for the given user. The indication of the change in context of the given user is presented to users in the given user's social network in conjunction with TV content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: YAHOO! INC.
    Inventors: Ronald Jacoby, Michael Mills
  • Patent number: 9661357
    Abstract: A user device may send a request for a data file to an access point. The user device may then receive, from the access point, data indicating that a segment of the data file has been previously cached in a local cache at the access point. In response to receiving the data, the user device may display an indicator configured to indicate that the segment of the data file is cached in the local cache.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas Chan, Jay Iyer, Wei-Jen Hsu
  • Patent number: 9648383
    Abstract: A method of transmitting and receiving a measurement report frame in a wireless local area network (WLAN) is disclosed. A method of transmitting a measurement report frame form a first station to a second station in a regulatory domain where a licensed device and an unlicensed device are permitted to operate together in a wireless local area network (WLAN) comprising: receiving, at the first station, a measurement request frame from the second station; and transmitting, to the second station, the measurement report frame including a Primary Service Signal Map field indicating which TV channels are occupied by a primary service signal, wherein the primary service signal is a signal that requires protection by regulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Eunsun Kim, Yongho Seok
  • Patent number: 9648373
    Abstract: The present technology concerns cell phones and other portable devices, and more particularly concerns use of such devices in connection with media content (electronic and physical) and with other systems (e.g., televisions, digital video recorders, and electronic program directories). One particular aspect of the technology concerns complementing primary content viewed on one screen (e.g., a television screen) with auxiliary content displayed on a second screen (e.g., a cell phone screen). Different auxiliary content can be paired with the primary content, depending on the profile of the user (e.g., age, location, etc.). Some embodiments make use of location information provided by the primary screen device. Other embodiments make use of content identification data provided by the primary screen device. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
    Inventors: Bruce L. Davis, Tony F. Rodriguez
  • Patent number: 9635303
    Abstract: One embodiment provides a communication device for transmitting a video to an external device through first to third transmission lines, the communication device including: a transmission module configured to transmit first color difference information and second color difference information concerned with adjacent two pixels through the first transmission line, to transmit first luminance information concerned with one of the two pixels through the second transmission line, and to transmit second luminance information concerned with the other of the two pixels through the third transmission line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Nobuaki Suzuki, Makoto Sato, Masahiko Mawatari
  • Patent number: 9628833
    Abstract: An embodiment of a method of requesting and receiving a media stream can include, as performed by a computing device, responsive to a control input to control an enhanced playback mode for a media stream, determining a video frame to display in the enhanced playback mode of the media stream; requesting the determined frame from a media source over at least one connection between the computing device and the media source; predicting a second video frame for the enhanced playback mode; and requesting the predicted second frame from the media source over the at least one connection before receiving the determined video frame over the at least one connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventor: Roger N. Pantos
  • Patent number: 9621940
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods to manage recording of streaming packetized content (such as for example live IP packetized content) for access, retrieval and delivering thereof to one or more users. In one embodiment, the foregoing is accomplished via communication between a recording manager and a receiver/decoder device. The recording manager manages and schedules recording of content on behalf of the receiver/decoder device (and/or mobile devices) disposed at a user's premises. The recording manager runs one or more computer programs designed to receive requests to record packetized content from one or more consumer devices, and use metadata contained within the requests to cause a cloud storage entity or premises storage device to record the content at its scheduled date/time (either via the receiver/decoder device itself, or another network entity).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: TIME WARNER CABLE ENTERPRISES LLC
    Inventors: George Sarosi, Wilfred Jaime Miles, Chris Cholas
  • Patent number: 9621945
    Abstract: The disclosure discloses a method and system for continuously playing a media resource in a device. The method includes that a Digital Media Player (DMP) or a Digital Media Renderer (DMR) obtains breakpoint information corresponding a media resource before playing the media resource, wherein the breakpoint information includes a Message-Digest Algorithm 5 (MD5) value of the media resource, a unique device Identifier (ID) of the DMP or the DMR, and breakpoint time when the DMP or the DMR stops playing in the last playing process of the media resource; the DMP or the DMR sends to a Digital Media Server (DMS) according to the breakpoint information, a request for sending data of the media resource from a breakpoint; the DMP or the DMR obtains the data of the media resource from the DMS and plays the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: ZTE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Xianlun Deng
  • Patent number: 9621941
    Abstract: A system to provide an interactive experience with a participant device operating in relation to a vehicle is disclosed. The interactive experience may include live experience presentations synchronized across multiple participant devices. The multiple participant devices may be operating within or outside of the vehicle. The system may identify a relationship between the participant device and the vehicle. A live experience presentation on the participant device is configured based on the identified relationship. One or more of multimedia and/or multi-sensory streams may be communicated amongst the multiple participant devices and an experience service as layers. The layers are composed to generate the live experience presentation. The experience service may be implemented by an experience platform system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: WICKR INC.
    Inventors: Tara Lemmey, Stanislav Vonog, Nikolay Surin
  • Patent number: 9609365
    Abstract: In at least one example embodiment, a system may include a television device configured to: transmit a request to execute an application; and a server configured to: execute the application that uses at least one function of the television device to generate an image; transmit the generated image to the television device; and transmit a request to execute the at least one function of the television device, and wherein the television device is further configured to: execute the requested function of the television device and transmit a result of the execution to the server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: KT Corporation
    Inventors: Ji-hoon Ha, Dong-hoon Kim, Mi-jeom Kim, Gyu-tae Baek, Yoon-bum Huh
  • Patent number: 9596508
    Abstract: In order to acquire a viewer's enjoyment and interest when viewing three-dimensional contents on a consumer electronic device, a viewer's eyes are monitored in real-time. Biometric data from the monitoring can be used for delivery of highly accurate and personalized viewing experiences for the viewer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignees: SONY CORPORATION, SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT LLC
    Inventors: Charles McCoy, Leo Pedlow, True Xiong
  • Patent number: 9591375
    Abstract: A mobile broadcast service center and a mobile wireless network to deliver broadcast video to mobile wireless devices is described. When the mobile broadcast service center receives a request to deliver a broadcast video channel to a target mobile wireless device, it designates as target an intermediate node in the network that serves the target mobile wireless device. The mobile broadcast service center first determines if an existing channel bundle is routed to the target intermediate node. If this first determination is negative, the mobile broadcast service center routes a new channel bundle to the target intermediate node, including the requested broadcast video channel. If the first determination is positive, the mobile broadcast service center then determines if the requested broadcast video channel is in the existing channel bundle. If this second determination is negative, then it adds the requested broadcast video channel to the existing channel bundle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC
    Inventors: Jun Shen, Yung Shirley Choi-Grogan, Ming Zhang
  • Patent number: 9588677
    Abstract: In an exemplary method, a user interface system receives touch screen input data representative of a touch screen input provided by a user on a touch screen of a remote control device configured to communicate wirelessly with an electronic device that provides a graphical user interface (“GUI”) for display on a display screen, converts the touch screen input to GUI input associated with the GUI provided by the electronic device for display on the display screen, and applies the GUI input to the GUI displayed on the display screen. In certain examples the user interface system converts the touch screen input to GUI input in accordance with a touch-screen-based directional-hop movement mode or a touch-screen-based free-cursor directional movement mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.
    Inventors: Donald H. Relyea, Andrew Allman, Ryan J. Trees, George M. Higa
  • Patent number: 9584837
    Abstract: There is provided a receiving device including a receiving unit configured to receive a stream of a content to be distributed live, an analysis unit configured to analyze fragmented text information corresponding to subtitle data included in the received stream, and a control unit configured to control display of first text information so as to allow the display to be continued when second text information out of the text information is displayed based on a result of the analysis, the second text information being started to be displayed temporally after the first text information is displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshiharu Dewa
  • Patent number: 9578374
    Abstract: A system is provided for the provision of DVR playlists. DVR playlists allow for consumers to manage the availability, arrangement, and type of content to be provided from a DVR such that content items are intelligently added, arranged, played back, and deleted via the DVR playlist. Aspects of the system allow playlists to be created by the system, by the consumer, and in co-operation between the system and the consumer. Content items may also be provisioned, such that a DVR playlist limits playback, while still providing variety and consumer choice. Aspects of the system allow for various seed attributes to affect which content items are automatically chosen to comprise the DVR playlist. Content items may be shared amongst user accounts under a subscriber account so that space on a DVR is more efficiently provisioned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: COX COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Robert Clark Whitten, Malcolm Eruteya
  • Patent number: 9554199
    Abstract: The present technology concerns cell phones and other portable devices, and more particularly concerns use of such devices in connection with media content (electronic and physical) and with other systems (e.g., televisions, digital video recorders, and electronic program directories). One particular aspect of the technology concerns complementing primary content viewed on one screen (e.g., a television screen) with auxiliary content displayed on a second screen (e.g., a cell phone screen). Different auxiliary content can be paired with the primary content, depending on the profile of the user (e.g., age, location, etc.). Some embodiments make use of location information provided by the primary screen device. Other embodiments make use of content identification data provided by the primary screen device. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
    Inventors: Bruce L. Davis, Tony F. Rodriguez