Patents by Inventor Brian Lanier

Brian Lanier 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: 20240147015
    Abstract: According to one aspect, a DVR sends a user's contact information over a network to a third party. Upon determining that a television program or advertisement contains a special tag that is associated with a third party, the DVR displays, to the user, a prompt that invites the DVR user to allow the DVR to send the user's contact information to the third party. If the user gives permission for the DVR to send the contact information to the third party, then the DVR sends the contact information to the third party (e.g., over the Internet).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2024
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Inventors: James M Barton, Brian Lanier
  • Patent number: 11910065
    Abstract: According to one aspect, a DVR sends a user's contact information over a network to a third party. Upon determining that a television program or advertisement contains a special tag that is associated with a third party, the DVR displays, to the user, a prompt that invites the DVR user to allow the DVR to send the user's contact information to the third party. If the user gives permission for the DVR to send the contact information to the third party, then the DVR sends the contact information to the third party (e.g., over the Internet).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: TiVo Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: James M. Barton, Brian Lanier
  • Publication number: 20210385545
    Abstract: According to one aspect, a DVR sends a user's contact information over a network to a third party. Upon determining that a television program or advertisement contains a special tag that is associated with a third party, the DVR displays, to the user, a prompt that invites the DVR user to allow the DVR to send the user's contact information to the third party. If the user gives permission for the DVR to send the contact information to the third party, then the DVR sends the contact information to the third party (e.g., over the Internet).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2021
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Inventors: James M. Barton, Brian Lanier
  • Patent number: 11128920
    Abstract: According to one aspect, a DVR sends a user's contact information over a network to a third party. Upon determining that a television program or advertisement contains a special tag that is associated with a third party, the DVR displays, to the user, a prompt that invites the DVR user to allow the DVR to send the user's contact information to the third party. If the user gives permission for the DVR to send the contact information to the third party, then the DVR sends the contact information to the third party (e.g., over the Internet).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: TiVo Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: James M. Barton, Brian Lanier
  • Patent number: 10469891
    Abstract: A method for displaying multimedia content is described. The method includes causing playing of multimedia content on a first device; responsive to a first user input, on a second device, comprising one of: playing, fast forwarding, rewinding, or pausing the playing of the multimedia content: causing an action comprising one of: playing, fast forwarding, rewinding, or pausing of the multimedia content on the second device at a start position that is based on the user input and a current position of the playing of the multimedia content on the first device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: TiVo Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Lanier, James M. Barton
  • Patent number: 10349107
    Abstract: A method for displaying multimedia content is described. The method includes causing playing of multimedia content on a first device; responsive to a first user input, on a second device, comprising one of: playing, fast forwarding, rewinding, or pausing the playing of the multimedia content: causing an action comprising one of: playing, fast forwarding, rewinding, or pausing of the multimedia content on the second device at a start position that is based on the user input and a current position of the playing of the multimedia content on the first device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: TiVo Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Lanier, James M. Barton
  • Publication number: 20180262807
    Abstract: According to one aspect, a DVR sends a user's contact information over a network to a third party. Upon determining that a television program or advertisement contains a special tag that is associated with a third party, the DVR displays, to the user, a prompt that invites the DVR user to allow the DVR to send the user's contact information to the third party. If the user gives permission for the DVR to send the contact information to the third party, then the DVR sends the contact information to the third party (e.g., over the Internet).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2018
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Inventors: James M. Barton, Brian Lanier
  • Patent number: 9986295
    Abstract: According to one aspect, a DVR sends a user's contact information over a network to a third party. Upon determining that a television program or advertisement contains a special tag that is associated with a third party, the DVR displays, to the user, a prompt that invites the DVR user to allow the DVR to send the user's contact information to the third party. If the user gives permission for the DVR to send the contact information to the third party, then the DVR sends the contact information to the third party (e.g., over the Internet).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: TiVo Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: James M. Barton, Brian Lanier
  • Publication number: 20160295268
    Abstract: A method for displaying multimedia content is described. The method includes causing playing of multimedia content on a first device; responsive to a first user input, on a second device, comprising one of: playing, fast forwarding, rewinding, or pausing the playing of the multimedia content: causing an action comprising one of: playing, fast forwarding, rewinding, or pausing of the multimedia content on the second device at a start position that is based on the user input and a current position of the playing of the multimedia content on the first device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2016
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Inventors: Brian Lanier, James M. Barton
  • Publication number: 20160286274
    Abstract: A method for displaying multimedia content is described. The method includes causing playing of multimedia content on a first device; responsive to a first user input, on a second device, comprising one of: playing, fast forwarding, rewinding, or pausing the playing of the multimedia content: causing an action comprising one of: playing, fast forwarding, rewinding, or pausing of the multimedia content on the second device at a start position that is based on the user input and a current position of the playing of the multimedia content on the first device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2016
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Inventors: Brian Lanier, James M. Barton
  • Patent number: 9369776
    Abstract: A method for displaying multimedia content is described. The method includes causing playing of multimedia content on a first device; responsive to a first user input, on a second device, comprising one of: playing, fast forwarding, rewinding, or pausing the playing of the multimedia content: causing an action comprising one of: playing, fast forwarding, rewinding, or pausing of the multimedia content on the second device at a start position that is based on the user input and a current position of the playing of the multimedia content on the first device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: TiVo Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Lanier, James M. Barton
  • Patent number: 8984626
    Abstract: A method for interpreting messages, user-defined alert conditions, voice commands and performing an action in response is described. A method for annotating media content is described. A method for presenting additional content associated with media content identified based on a fingerprint is described. A method for identifying that an advertisement portion of media content is being played based on a fingerprint derived from the media content is described. A method of one media device recording particular media content automatically in response to another media device recording the particular media content is described. A method of concurrently playing media content on multiple devices is described. A method of publishing information associated with recording of media content is described. A method of deriving fingerprints by media devices that meet an idleness criteria is described. A method of loading, modifying, and displaying a high definition frame from a frame buffer is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: TiVo Inc.
    Inventors: James M. Barton, Brian Lanier, Amir H. Gharaat, James Cheng
  • Publication number: 20150074719
    Abstract: According to one aspect, a DVR sends a user's contact information over a network to a third party. Upon determining that a television program or advertisement contains a special tag that is associated with a third party, the DVR displays, to the user, a prompt that invites the DVR user to allow the DVR to send the user's contact information to the third party. If the user gives permission for the DVR to send the contact information to the third party, then the DVR sends the contact information to the third party (e.g., over the Internet).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: James M. Barton, Brian Lanier
  • Patent number: 8893180
    Abstract: According to one aspect, a DVR sends a user's contact information over a network to a third party. Upon determining that a television program or advertisement contains a special tag that is associated with a third party, the DVR displays, to the user, a prompt that invites the DVR user to allow the DVR to send the user's contact information to the third party. If the user gives permission for the DVR to send the contact information to the third party, then the DVR sends the contact information to the third party (e.g., over the Internet).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: TiVo Inc.
    Inventors: James M. Barton, Brian Lanier
  • Publication number: 20130247092
    Abstract: According to one aspect, a DVR sends a user's contact information over a network to a third party. Upon determining that a television program or advertisement contains a special tag that is associated with a third party, the DVR displays, to the user, a prompt that invites the DVR user to allow the DVR to send the user's contact information to the third party. If the user gives permission for the DVR to send the contact information to the third party, then the DVR sends the contact information to the third party (e.g., over the Internet).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: TiVo Inc.
    Inventors: James M. Barton, Brian Lanier
  • Patent number: 8438596
    Abstract: According to one aspect, a DVR sends a user's contact information over a network to an interested party. The DVR prompts the user to enter contact information. After the user has supplied the requested contact information to the DVR, the DVR stores the contact information on the DVR's hard disk drive. Upon determining that a television program or advertisement contains a special tag that is associated with an interested party, the DVR displays, to the user, a prompt that invites the DVR user to allow the DVR to send the user's contact information to the interested party. If the user gives permission for the DVR to send the contact information to the interested party, then the DVR sends the contact information to the interested party (e.g., over the Internet).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: TiVo Inc.
    Inventors: James M. Barton, Brian Lanier
  • Publication number: 20110184862
    Abstract: A method for displaying content is described. The method includes sending multimedia content to a first device and a second device for display on the first device and the second device; selecting one of the first device and the second device to display additional content based on a type of the additional content or a source of the additional content; sending the additional content to the selected device for display on the selected device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Inventors: Brian Lanier, James M. Barton
  • Publication number: 20110181496
    Abstract: A method for displaying multimedia content includes playing multimedia content on a first device; detecting that a second device is outside of a particular distance from the first device; in response to detecting that the second device is outside of the particular distance from the first device, playing the multimedia content on the second device. A method for displaying multimedia content includes playing multimedia content on a first device; detecting that the first device is inside of a particular distance from the second device; in response to detecting that the first device is inside of the particular distance from the second device, playing the multimedia content on the second device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Inventors: Brian Lanier, James M. Barton
  • Publication number: 20110185312
    Abstract: A method for displaying menu options is described. The method includes causing displaying of a first content on a first device, the first content comprising a video content and a plurality of menu options; causing displaying of a second content on a second device, the second content comprising a still image and the plurality of menu options; responsive to user input on the second device that selects a menu option of the plurality of menu options, causing performing of an action on the first device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Inventors: Brian Lanier, James M. Barton
  • Publication number: 20110185036
    Abstract: A method for displaying multimedia content is described. The method includes causing playing of multimedia content on a first device; responsive to a first user input, on a second device, comprising one of: playing, fast forwarding, rewinding, or pausing the playing of the multimedia content: causing an action comprising one of: playing, fast forwarding, rewinding, or pausing of the multimedia content on the second device at a start position that is based on the user input and a current position of the playing of the multimedia content on the first device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Inventors: Brian Lanier, James M. Barton