Patents by Inventor Brian F. Roberts

Brian F. Roberts has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9769530
    Abstract: An exemplary method includes a media content presentation system 1) maintaining a video-on-demand (“VOD”) channel surfing list associated with a user of a media content access device, the VOD channel surfing list identifying a plurality of VOD content instances selected from a library of VOD content instances that are available by way of the media content access device during a VOD browsing session, 2) associating the VOD content instances identified in the VOD channel surfing list with a plurality of VOD channels, 3) detecting a channel surfing command provided by the user during the VOD browsing session, and 4) directing, in response to the channel surfing command, the media content access device to switch to a VOD channel included in the plurality of VOD channels that is presenting a video preview of a VOD content instance identified in the VOD channel surfing list and associated with the VOD channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Verizon and Redbox Digital Entertainment Services, LLC
    Inventors: Anthony Lemus, Brian F. Roberts
  • Patent number: 9743127
    Abstract: An exemplary computer-implemented media service user interface system detects a request for information about a media program series and, in response, generates a media program series page for the media program series and provides a view of at least a portion of the media program series page for display on a display screen. In certain examples, the system generates the media program series page by determining, across multiple different media content presentation sources by way of which media content is accessible through a media service for presentation by a media content access device, episodes of the media program series that are available for access by the media content access device through the media service, and populating the media program series page with page content that represents the episodes of the media program series that are available for access by the media content access device through the media service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Brian F. Roberts, George M. Higa, Anthony Lemus
  • Patent number: 9729647
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes storing one or more content postings that each include data representative of one or more content instances. Each content posting is associated with one or more first users. The method also includes storing one or more data records associating one or more geographic locations with accessing of the content instances. The method also includes selectively sending one or more of the content postings for display on an access device associated with a second user based on a past or present geographic location of another access device associated with the second user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Kristopher T. Frazier, Brian F. Roberts, Donald H. Relyea
  • Patent number: 9720558
    Abstract: An exemplary method includes a media service provider system tracking statuses of media programs with respect to a user of a media service through which the media programs are distributed by way of a plurality of different media distribution models and providing a user interface view personalized for the user for display on a display screen, the user interface view including personalized user interface content that indicates one or more of the statuses of one or more of the media programs with respect to the user. In certain examples, the statuses indicated in the user interface view may include at least a first status of a first media program distributed by way of a first media distribution model and a second status of a second media program included in the media programs and distributed by way of a second media distribution model. Corresponding systems and methods are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Verizon and Redbox Digital Entertainment Services, LLC
    Inventors: Brian F. Roberts, Imran Arif Maskatia, Paul Bradley Bowers
  • Patent number: 9654819
    Abstract: An exemplary computer-implemented media service system detects user input representative of a request by a user to flag a set of related media programs, monitors an availability of the media programs from a plurality of different presentation sources, determines when the user is likely to access each media program included in the set of related media programs, dynamically selects, based on the monitored availability of the media programs from the different presentation sources and on when the user is likely to access each media program included in the set of related media programs, a presentation source from the plurality of different presentation sources for each media program included in the set of related media programs, and provides the user with access to each media program included in the set of related media programs by way of a single user interface. Corresponding systems and methods are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.
    Inventors: Brian F. Roberts, George M. Higa, Anthony Lemus
  • Patent number: 9652783
    Abstract: An exemplary method includes monitoring an interaction of a user with a media content access subsystem to determine whether the user is actively or passively interacting with the media content access subsystem, maintaining an interaction profile associated with the user based on the monitored interaction, and controlling a presentation of media content to the user by the media content access subsystem in accordance with the interaction profile. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.
    Inventors: Brian F. Roberts, Donald H. Relyea, Shadman Zafar
  • Publication number: 20170134510
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes storing one or more content postings that each include data representative of one or more content instances. Each content posting is associated with one or more first users. The method also includes storing one or more data records associating one or more geographic locations with accessing of the content instances. The method also includes selectively sending one or more of the content postings for display on an access device associated with a second user based on a past or present geographic location of another access device associated with the second user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2017
    Publication date: May 11, 2017
    Inventors: Kristopher T. Frazier, Brian F. Roberts, Donald H. Relyea
  • Patent number: 9613107
    Abstract: Systems and methods provide an online directory service over a network. After receiving a request to view an online directory listing from a network-enabled user terminal, an online directory server may present to the user terminal a directory listing associated with an identifier of audiovisual content. In response to a selection by a user of the listing, the user terminal may provide the identifier associated with the selected directory listing to the directory server. Based on the identifier, the directory server may access the audiovisual content and provide it to the user terminal and may present it to the user in conjunction with the other information of the directory listing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.
    Inventors: Shadman Zafar, Brian F. Roberts, Shafiq Kassam, Enrique Ruiz-Velasco
  • Patent number: 9602459
    Abstract: An exemplary method includes at least one computing device maintaining data representative of a user profile associated with a first user of a first mobile device, detecting that the first mobile device and a second mobile device associated with a second user are located in a geographic vicinity, determining, in response to the detecting that the first mobile device and the second mobile are located in the geographic vicinity, that the second user matches at least one criterion defined within the user profile associated with the first user, and automatically storing, in response to the determining, contact information corresponding to the second user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Brian F. Roberts, Jr., Donald H. Relyea, Michelle Felt
  • Patent number: 9595046
    Abstract: In an exemplary system, a data store includes at least a subset of media content, media content attribute data associated with the media content, user profile data associated with at least one consumer having access to the media content, advertising content, and content matching data associated with the advertising content. An access module is communicatively coupled to an access device and configured to receive a request sent by the access device, the request being for access to a media content instance included in the media content. A matching module is configured to match at least one advertising content instance included in the advertising content to the media content instance based on the media content attribute data, user profile data, and content matching data. The access module is configured to provide the matched advertising content instance to the access device for user presentation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Brian F. Roberts, Heath Stallings, Donald H. Relyea
  • Patent number: 9582136
    Abstract: An exemplary method includes a media service provider system 1) generating, based on a first set of most-accessed media programs of a first media distribution model of a media service and a second set of most-accessed media programs of a second media distribution model of the media service, data representative of a merged set of most-accessed media programs that includes at least one media program from the first set of most-accessed media programs and at least one media program from the second set of most-accessed media programs and 2) providing, for display, user interface content representing the merged set of most-accessed media programs. In the method, the first media distribution model includes a digital media distribution model that utilizes a digital media distribution channel, and the second media distribution model includes a physical media distribution model that utilizes a physical media distribution channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Verizon and Redbox Digital Entertainment Services, LLC
    Inventors: Brian F. Roberts, Imran Arif Maskatia, Paul Bradley Bowers
  • Patent number: 9578000
    Abstract: An exemplary system includes a media content processing subsystem configured to provide a first interactive graphical user interface to a display for presentation to a user in response to a transmission of an input command, provide an end interactive graphical user interface to the display for presentation to the user in response to a repeat transmission of the input command, and perform an action corresponding to a selected entry within the end interactive graphical user interface in response to another repeat transmission of the input command. The first interactive graphical user interface corresponds to a first content level within a navigation thread and the end interactive graphical user interface corresponds to an end content level within the navigation thread.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Heath Stallings, Jr., Donald H. Relyea, Brian F. Roberts
  • Patent number: 9571784
    Abstract: Exemplary media content watch list systems and methods are disclosed. An exemplary method includes a media content watch list subsystem maintaining media content watch list data representing a plurality of media content instances available for experiencing by a user, receiving a request for a media content watch list from a media content access device associated with the user, generating the media content watch list based on the media content watch list data and the request, and transmitting data representative of the media content watch list to the media content access device for presentation to the user. The maintaining of the media content watch list data includes updating the media content watch list data based on at least one predetermined non-watch-list-specific operation performed by the media content access device associated with the user. Corresponding systems and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.
    Inventors: Brian F. Roberts, George M. Higa, Joseph M. Geiger, Jayson Sellers, Donald H. Relyea, Greg A. Johns, Heath Stallings
  • Patent number: 9560409
    Abstract: An exemplary media service personalization system maintains profiles for multiple media service access devices associated with an end-user account with a media service, generates a merged profile based on the profiles for the media service access devices, and directs a communal media service access device associated with the end-user account to personalize the media service based on the merged profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.
    Inventors: Brian F. Roberts, George M. Higa, Anthony Lemus
  • Patent number: 9558788
    Abstract: In an exemplary method, a computer-implemented media service system provides a graphical user interface view associated with a first functional area of the media service for display on a display screen, detects a peek request input while the graphical user interface view is displayed, and provides, in response to the peek request input and for display with the graphical user interface view, an activity indicator indicating a tracked activity associated with the second functional area of the media service. Corresponding systems and methods are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Verizon and Redbox Digital Entertainment Services, LLC
    Inventors: Brian F. Roberts, Christina S. Siegfried, Ann Gordon Prather
  • Publication number: 20170017457
    Abstract: In certain examples, a content hub subsystem receives data representative of content from an access device included in a plurality of access devices associated with the predefined group of users, maps the content to the predefined group of users, and provides data representative of the content to one or more other access devices associated with the predefined group of users. In certain examples, the content hub subsystem selects one or more data formats and encodes the content into the one or more data formats for distribution to the one or more other access devices associated with the predefined group of users. Each of the access devices associated with the predefined group of users is configured to generate at least one interactive graphical object representative of the content, and generate and present a graphical user interface including the interactive graphical object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Publication date: January 19, 2017
    Inventors: James M. Kondziela, Heath Stallings, Donald H. Relyea, Brian F. Roberts
  • Patent number: 9544637
    Abstract: An exemplary computer-implemented media service system detects an input command provided by a user to initiate a viewing session by way of a display screen in communication with a media content processing device that operates in accordance with a media service, identifies a context within which the input command is provided by the user, selects, based on the identified context, a media program available by way of the media service and that is potentially of interest to the user, and directs the media content processing device to present the media program by way of the display screen when the viewing session begins in response to the input command. Corresponding systems and methods are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.
    Inventors: Brian F. Roberts, George M. Higa, Anthony Lemus
  • Patent number: 9525893
    Abstract: An exemplary method includes a network DVR system identifying a total number of requests provided by a plurality of users to record a media program during a presentation of the media program, determining, based on the total number of requests and on a predicted playback rate associated with the media program, a maximum number of temporally overlapping playback sessions of the media program that will potentially be initiated by the plurality of users subsequent to the presentation of the media program, and storing, in response to the requests and based on the determining, a plurality of unique copies of the media program. Corresponding systems and methods are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.
    Inventors: Anthony Lemus, Brian F. Roberts
  • Patent number: 9503441
    Abstract: An exemplary system includes a content delivery subsystem configured to receive media content from a content provider and transmit the media content over a network to a content processing subsystem configured to process and provide the media content for presentation to an end user. The content delivery subsystem is further configured to maintain resource data associated with at least one of the media content and the content provider, make at least a subset of the resource data available to the content processing subsystem for inclusion in an end user interface, provide a content customization portal for access by the content provider, authenticate the content provider accessing the content customization portal, receive custom content from the authenticated content provider via the content customization portal, and provide the custom content to the content processing subsystem for inclusion in the end user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.
    Inventors: Brian F. Roberts, Heath Stallings, Donald H. Relyea
  • Patent number: 9467345
    Abstract: In an exemplary system, a content hub subsystem is selectively and communicatively coupled to a plurality of access devices. At least a subset of the access devices is associated with a predefined group of users. The content hub subsystem is configured to receive data representative of content from at least one of the access devices associated with the predefined group of users, map the content to the predefined group of users, and provide data representative of the content to the access devices associated with the predefined group of users. Each of the access devices associated with the predefined group of users is configured to generate at least one interactive graphical object representative of the content, and generate and present a graphical user interface including the interactive graphical object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: James M. Kondziela, Heath Stallings, Donald H. Relyea, Brian F. Roberts