Patents Examined by Tung T Trinh
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Patent number: 9800933Abstract: Data associated with content available for viewing is populated into a program guide display interface. The program guide display interface can display one or more QAM in the clear channels as well as IP-based channels. Mined data can be processed to create program guide information for populating a program guide view for display and use by an end-user.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 2013Date of Patent: October 24, 2017Assignee: COX COMMUNICATIONS, INC.Inventors: James Alan Strothmann, Yousef Wasef Nijim, Jay Paul Langa
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Patent number: 9794507Abstract: A method and device for filtering a content menu. A list including two or more content items to be filtered is displayed. One or more selectable filters associated to a first hierarchy of filters are displayed. Responsive to detecting a first user input, a first filter in the first hierarchy of filters is selected, the list of content items is automatically filtered, and one or more selectable filters associated to a second hierarchy of filters is automatically provided. Responsive to detecting a second direction user input a second filter in the second hierarchy of filters is selected, the list of content items is automatically filtered according to the first and the second filters; and the filtered list of content items is displayed. The filtered list of content items includes a subset of the content items of the initially displayed list of content items.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2011Date of Patent: October 17, 2017Assignee: Thomson Licensing DTVInventors: Aurélien Longet, Thomas Morin, Tristan Langlois
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Patent number: 9788055Abstract: Features of various implementations are used to enable identifying and presenting, in real time, Internet-accessible and/or Internet-based functionality, content and/or services associated with a particular television program concurrently playing on a television or display, as a part of an interactive television suite of technologies. In some implementations, the process of identifying Internet-accessible and/or Internet-based functionality, content and/or services associated with a particular television program is enabled to reduce communication between a primary set-top box and a supplemental set-top box and/or television integrated device, thereby reducing the need for one or more provider specific APIs.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2013Date of Patent: October 10, 2017Assignee: GOOGLE INC.Inventors: Michael Verrilli, Nathan Leslie Sandland
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Patent number: 9788027Abstract: Disclosed is an improved approach for implementing a distributed media system, where ad hoc network connections may be created and optimized on a localized level. This efficiently allows for capture and distribution of media data, as well as the optimized allocation of bandwidth on the network in a distributed manner.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2012Date of Patent: October 10, 2017Assignee: ENCONCERT, INC.Inventor: Ted Vucurevich
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Patent number: 9781476Abstract: Various embodiments facilitate generation, distribution, and presentation of a video program on a virtual channel. In one embodiment, an electronic program guide (“EPG”) manager is provided for execution on a receiving device, such as a set-top box. The EPG manager receives from a program distributor a video stream that has plurality of video programs having program content. Each program has been preassigned for presentation on a particular channel. A virtual channel is linked to one or more users. The EPG manager tracks the types of programs that a user watches and records metadata associated with the programs that the user actually views. When sufficient data is stored in the data base, the virtual channel is provided that program that a user will likely wish to view based on this past viewing history.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 2012Date of Patent: October 3, 2017Assignee: EchoStar Technologies L.L.C.Inventors: John T. Kennedy, Chad R. Terning
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Patent number: 9769512Abstract: Methods, systems and devices are provided for communicating multimedia content over a service provider network. A network server may receive an audio-video stream from a content provider server, relaying the audio-video stream to a receiver device via the service provider network, receive an operating mode notification identifying a user behavior from the receiver device, and ceasing the relaying of the audio-video stream to the receiver device based on the user behavior. The network server may also alter the audio-video stream based on the received operating mode notification and send the altered audio-video stream to the receiver device via the service provider network.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2012Date of Patent: September 19, 2017Assignee: TIME WARNER CABLE ENTERPRISES LLCInventors: Jian Yu, David Chen, Vipul Patel, Kenneth Gould
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Patent number: 9769543Abstract: Methods, systems and devices enable enhanced delivery of metadata, as well as auxiliary programs and services associated with a primary content. In one method, a primary content with pre-existing watermarks is received at a content distributor device. The pre-existing watermark include specific fields that allow retrieval of a first metadata. The values and boundary locations of the symbols of the pre-existing watermark messages are determined, and symbols of a new watermark message are embedded in the primary content to render the pre-existing watermarks undetectable. The new watermark message includes symbol values that different from those in the pre-existing watermark messages and enable retrieval of a second metadata. Upon transmission of the primary content to a client device, detection of the new watermark message, and initiation of a request by the client device, access to the first or the metadata, as well as associated programs or services, are enabled.Type: GrantFiled: November 24, 2015Date of Patent: September 19, 2017Assignee: Verance CorporationInventors: Rade Petrovic, Jian Zhao, Joseph M. Winograd
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Patent number: 9762955Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, receiving multimedia data comprising program content and promotional content and forwarding the multimedia data is to a multimedia presentation device. A video cue is detected within the multimedia data, wherein the video cue is imperceptible during a normal display rate of the multimedia data. A selection for alternative display rate is received. Alternative content is forwarded to the display device responsive to the video cue and the selection for alternative display rate being different from normal display rate. Other embodiments are disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2012Date of Patent: September 12, 2017Assignees: AT&T MOBILITY II LLC, AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, L.P.Inventors: David Nagorniak, Adam Gasper
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Patent number: 9756371Abstract: An authorization method for a smart TV is provided. When an application is to be activated, it is determined whether machine authorization information is stored. When the machine authorization information is stored, a client certificate corresponding to the application is searched for. When the client certificate is found, it means the application is authorized. The application authorized by a server can then be activated.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2013Date of Patent: September 5, 2017Assignee: MSTAR SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.Inventors: Renzhen Zheng, Xiaoyu Yang, Jie-Wu Chen
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Patent number: 9756395Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for restricting access to content elements with content ratings. In one method, the content distributor can receive a request from a device to access a set of content elements. The content distributor can then identify at least a content descriptor and a content rating for each content element within the set of content elements, identify a range within the content ratings, and identify content elements with content ratings that are within the range. The content distributor can transmit at least the content descriptors for content elements having content ratings that are within the range to the device for display on the device. This permits a device user to access the content elements by content descriptor. In this method, at least some content descriptors for content elements having content ratings that are outside of the range are not transmitted to the device.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2012Date of Patent: September 5, 2017Assignee: GOOGLE INC.Inventors: Timothy Kilbourn, Pei-Keng Chen, Michael Marchak, David P. Conway, Cassandra Forsyth, Peisun Wu, Paul Montoy-Wilson, Anita Mhaskar
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Patent number: 9736541Abstract: Embodiments are configured in part to pair or associate a portable or personal computing device with a set-top box (STB) to enable use of the paired device with an associated STB. Processing of a displayed visual code can be used to establish a pairing relationship and allow a paired STB to process navigation, control, and/or other commands from a paired device.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2013Date of Patent: August 15, 2017Assignee: COX COMMUNICATIONS, INC.Inventors: Yousef Wasef Nijim, Jay Paul Langa, James Alan Strothmann, Eric S. Roberts
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Patent number: 9723352Abstract: An interaction system and method for interaction between a handheld device and a television comprises the configuration and connection of a first HDMI transferring module and a television screen in addition to a configuration and connection of a second HDMI transferring module, a touch screen, a gesture managing module and a display managing module. A user interface system and method for interaction between a handheld device and a television can utilize a handheld device having a touch screen to operate the television without requiring the assistance of other hardware units, such as a mouse or keyboard. All the operations can be done by using only the handheld device, thereby reducing the costs of devices.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2012Date of Patent: August 1, 2017Assignee: HUIZHOU TCL MOBILE COMMUNICATION CO., LTD.Inventors: Jiang Liu, Jingjiang Yu
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Patent number: 9706155Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a method for searching program metadata using a media device, such as a set-top-box, to search for other programs related to a particular program. Program metadata is received at the media device, the program metadata comprising a plurality of data fields populated with accompanying data for each of a plurality of television programs. The media device is controlled by an input device, such as a remote control, and an input, such as a button, of the input device is associated with a data field. It is determined when an input, associated with a data field, is activated and in response the accompanying data within the associated data field, for a first program, is compared with the corresponding accompanying data of a plurality of other television programs. Data is then presented to the user, relating to those television programs having substantially equivalent data in the selected data field to the selected program. A corresponding apparatus is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2012Date of Patent: July 11, 2017Assignee: ECHOSTAR UK HOLDINGS LIMITEDInventor: Dale Llewelyn Mountain
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Patent number: 9699503Abstract: A smart playlist system is described. In one example embodiment, a collector module obtains content utilization data from a plurality of client devices associated with respective plurality of viewers. A hot list generator module generates a list of popular content items based on the obtained content utilization data. A customization module generates a customized playlist for a target viewer from the plurality of viewers, based on the list of popular content items and a profile of the target viewer. The communications module communicates the customized playlist to a client device of the target viewer.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2010Date of Patent: July 4, 2017Assignee: OpenTV, Inc.Inventors: Alex Fishman, Crx K. Chai
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Patent number: 9681116Abstract: An internet protocol multicast provider is disclosed, which includes a bootstrap code component, a transcoder generator component, a content module and a packetizing module. The bootstrap code component can generate a bootstrap code. The transcoder generator component can generate a transcoder module. The content module can generate content in a first format. The packetizing module can generate internet protocol multicast packets, based on the bootstrap code, the transcoder module and the content. The bootstrap code can determine a second format for which an internet protocol multicast receiver can decode and render the content. The transcoder module can instruct the internet protocol multicast receiver to play the content when the first format is the second format. The transcoder module can instruct the internet protocol multicast receiver to transcode the content from the first format to the second format when the first format is not the second format.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2013Date of Patent: June 13, 2017Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises, Inc.Inventors: Dinkar N Bhat, Patrick J Leary, Yeqing Wang
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Patent number: 9661400Abstract: A method of receiving a broadcast signal including a Non-Real-Time (NRT) service and a broadcast receiver are disclosed herein. A method of receiving a broadcast signal including an NRT service, method comprises receiving a broadcast signal including first signaling information and second signaling information, identifying the NRT service based on the first signaling information, identifying an Internet Protocol (IP) address of an NRT service signaling data based on the first signaling information and the second signaling information, receiving the NRT service signaling data by accessing the IP address, and downloading a desired NRT service based on the NRT service signaling data.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2014Date of Patent: May 23, 2017Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.Inventors: Jong Yeul Suh, Gomer Thomas, Jae Hyung Song, Jin Pil Kim, Ho Taek Hong, Joon Hui Lee
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Patent number: 9538140Abstract: A method, a receiver, a computer program and a system for providing an interactive service in association with a motion picture service. The motion picture is displayed to the spectator via a receiver able to modify the motion picture displayed to the spectator and having a bi-directional network connection. The method, receiver, computer program and system are characterized in that a connection is formed that connects a plurality of participants to an interactive motion picture session, a selection of a target area in the motion picture is received, a selection of a graphical element to be associated with the target area is received, the target area is translated to a coordinate system shared by each participant in the interactive motion picture session and the graphical element is provided between the participants.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2011Date of Patent: January 3, 2017Assignee: TELIASONERA ABInventors: Kimmo Kivirauma, Jussi Tarvainen
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Patent number: 9277263Abstract: A system is disclosed for inserting advertising description data into an audio/visual data stream, the system including but not limited to a first server processor in data communication with a first computer program comprising instructions embedded in a computer readable medium, wherein the processor is configured to insert advertising trigger signal data into the audio/visual data stream at a super head office (SHO) and send the audio/visual data stream with trigger signal data to an end user client device; and a second processor at a VHO is configured to receive the audio visual data stream and trigger signal data from the first processor, generate a per-VHO multicast data stream and inject advertising description data into the per-VHO multicast stream upon detection of the advertising trigger data in the audio/visual data stream and send the per-VHO multicast data stream from the VHO to the end user client device.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2010Date of Patent: March 1, 2016Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, LPInventors: Donald Smith, Kou-Hoi Liu
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Patent number: 9237370Abstract: A device may receive a request for an electronic program guide from a user device and determine a location of the user device. The device may determine, based on the determining that the user device is located in a first location, a group of different types of networks available to the user device and may provide, based on the determined group of different types of networks available to the user device, the electronic program guide for display. The electronic program guide may include a network identifier for each of one or more available channels associated with each of the determined group of different types of networks, and a content identifier associated with a respective one of the one or more available channels associated with each of the determined group of different types of networks.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 2013Date of Patent: January 12, 2016Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.Inventors: Lalit R. Kotecha, Lee K. Tjio, William H. Stone, Reza Okhravi, Stanley A. Zadrozny, Derek H. Bao
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Patent number: 8966536Abstract: Provided is a display control device including a display control unit that, when display information of one content among a plurality of contents is selected on a display screen, creates a next display screen containing display information of at least any of a plurality of contents relevant to the one content, wherein the display information contained in the next display screen is display information of contents according to a selection sequence of a plurality of display information having been selected before among the plurality of contents relevant to the one content.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 2014Date of Patent: February 24, 2015Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Akihiko Ito, Kazuhiro Fukuda