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).

  • Publication number: 20170353562
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a content posting from a device associated with a first user, the content posting including data representative of a content instance and a geographic location associated with the content instance; determining that a second user is associated with the geographic location associated with the content instance, wherein the determination is based on a first client device associated with the second user being or having been within a predefined proximity of the geographic location associated with the content instance; and authorizing, based on the second user being associated with the geographic location associated with the content instance, a second client device associated with the second user to submit an annotation to the content instance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: Kristopher T. Frazier, Brian F. Roberts, Donald H. Relyea
  • Publication number: 20170310769
    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 geographic location of the access device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2017
    Publication date: October 26, 2017
    Inventors: Kristopher T. Frazier, Brian F. Roberts, Donald H. Relyea
  • Patent number: 9794631
    Abstract: An exemplary method includes a media service provider system providing a browse view for display on a display screen associated with a user during a first media consumption session, detecting a selection by the user of a planning option, the selection of the planning option indicating that the user plans to consume at least one media program during a second media consumption session that is subsequent to the first media consumption session, presenting a user interface that allows the user to specify one or more parameters associated with the second media consumption session, detecting user input specifying the one or more parameters, identifying one or more media programs that are available for consumption by the user during the second media consumption session, and presenting listing information associated with the identified one or more media programs. Corresponding systems and methods are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Verizon and Redbox Digital Entertainment Services, LLC
    Inventors: Brian F. Roberts, Christina S. Siegfried, Ann Gordon Prather, Brandon N. Wright
  • Patent number: 9788047
    Abstract: Exemplary systems and methods provide a media guide graphical user interface having distinct views dedicated to presenting different sets of information about media content distributed by way of a media service, such as a first view dedicated to presenting information about media programs scheduled for distribution by way of a media service during one or more time slots that overlap a current time and a second view dedicated to presenting information about media programs scheduled for distribution by way of the media service during one or more time slots that are temporally subsequent to the one or more time slots that overlap the current time. In certain examples, a requested view of the media guide graphical user interface is dynamically populated with a select set of categories and category-specific media programs based on one or more predefined selection factors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Brian F. Roberts, George M. Higa, Anthony Lemus
  • Patent number: 9781216
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a content posting from a device associated with a first user, the content posting including data representative of a content instance and an associated geographic location; determining that a second user is associated with the geographic location; and enabling communications associated with the content instance between a client device associated with the first user and a client device associated with the second user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Kristopher T. Frazier, Brian F. Roberts, Donald H. Relyea
  • 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: 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
  • 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
  • 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: 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
  • 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