Patents by Inventor David Trevor Cliff
David Trevor Cliff 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).
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Patent number: 8042050Abstract: A method of creating an interactive broadcast, comprising allowing a plurality of participants to vote on an aspect of a scenario in a virtual space, the broadcast being a computer-generated animated scenario comprising graphics and audio, the participants voting by means of user interface devices which are linked over a communications network to a server, the server being operative to process the received votes and determine how the broadcast should be collectively influenced in view of the votes received, and then generate the broadcast.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2002Date of Patent: October 18, 2011Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.Inventors: David Trevor Cliff, Colin Andrew Low, Rycharde Jeffery Hawkes
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Patent number: 7734454Abstract: A technique for consistently simulating at two different complexities of simulation is described. This technique is particularly relevant to simulation of a creature-like autonomous agent (biological or artificial or hybrid). The model, in the particular case a model of the creature, comprises at least two portions. The first portion contains functions used in both of the different complexities of simulation. The second portion comprises two alternative versions, a first version for use in one complexity of simulation, and a second version for use in the other complexity of simulation.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2003Date of Patent: June 8, 2010Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.Inventors: Rycharde Jeffery Hawkes, David Trevor Cliff, Colin Andrew Low
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Patent number: 6897868Abstract: Audio content on a compact disc is displayed as an image of a rotating vinyl record, thus enabling a disc jockey to obtain a visual indication of the nature of the content on the disc. The apparatus comprises a manually operable joystick which can be used to operate a compact disc player, and to cause it to play the content on the basis of the viewed image of the vinyl record, thus simulating the complete (including the visual aspect of the content recorded on a vinyl disc) functional capability of a traditional record deck and vinyl record in a compact disc player.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2001Date of Patent: May 24, 2005Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.Inventor: David Trevor Cliff
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Patent number: 6888457Abstract: A portable apparatus for monitoring the reaction of a user to a performance contains one or more sensors for detecting an indirect user response to the performance and a user interface enabling the user to provide a direct user response to the performance. A processor in the portable apparatus is programmed to provide a user reaction signal comprising a combination of the indirect user response and the direct user response to the performance. This user reaction signal may be transmitted to to remote apparatus. A monitoring system using such portable apparatus, and a music playing system using such a monitoring system, are also described.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2002Date of Patent: May 3, 2005Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.Inventors: Timothy Alan Heath Wilkinson, David Trevor Cliff
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Patent number: 6885304Abstract: Monitoring apparatus and methods for monitoring the reaction of people to a performance use two or more monitoring devices of different types. Output signals from the monitoring devices are combined to produce at least one crowd reaction signal indicative of the reaction of those people to the performance. Particularly appropriate types of monitoring device are described, as is automatic performance generating apparatus, such an automatic DJ, adapted to use crowd reaction signals to modify performances.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2002Date of Patent: April 26, 2005Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.Inventors: David Trevor Cliff, Timothy Alan Heath Wilkinson
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Publication number: 20040223645Abstract: A method of generating a document using a processing apparatus (112) such that the text thereof is intended to look like hand writing, wherein the method comprises providing characters (600), having one or more parameters associated therewith, such that at least one occurrence of any one character (600) has at least one parameter (which may be the shape of the character) varied between at least some occurrences of that character (600) by the processing apparatus (112) such that the appearance of any one character (600) is different from at least some other occurrences of that character. In other embodiments the characters need not look like hand writing and variations between characters may be recorded in order to increase the security of a document.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 7, 2004Publication date: November 11, 2004Applicant: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.Inventor: David Trevor Cliff
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Publication number: 20040220793Abstract: A technique for consistently simulating at two different complexities of simulation is described. This technique is particularly relevant to simulation of a creature-like autonomous agent (biological or artificial or hybrid). The model, in the particular case a model of the creature, comprises at least two portions. The first portion contains functions used in both of the different complexities of simulation. The second portion comprises two alternative versions, a first version for use in one complexity of simulation, and a second version for use in the other complexity of simulation.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 28, 2003Publication date: November 4, 2004Inventors: Rycharde Jeffery Hawkes, David Trevor Cliff, Colin Andrew Low
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Publication number: 20040176082Abstract: The present invention provides a wireless communication system (1) comprising a mobile station (2, 4), a server (8) for supporting a virtual environment (30), a sensor (28) remote from the mobile station (2, 4), which station for monitoring a variable and a communication network (6) for providing wireless communication between the mobile station (2, 4) and the virtual environment (30) and communication between the sensor (28) and the server (8), whereby the sensor output affects the virtual environment (30). A corresponding method is also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 31, 2003Publication date: September 9, 2004Inventors: David Trevor Cliff, Rycharde Jeffery Hawkes, Colin Andrew Low
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Publication number: 20040177316Abstract: A page is composed by establishing an arrangement of objects to be fitted on to the page and then carrying out an iterative process to minimise a cost function dependent on properties of the arrangement. Computational advantages are obtained by describing such arrangements as slicing structures.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 29, 2003Publication date: September 9, 2004Inventors: Paul Layzell, Eldan Goldenberg, David Trevor Cliff, John William Lumley
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Publication number: 20040147323Abstract: A gaming system comprises a gaming platform, such as a mobile platform, on which a player can play a game, a communication network for providing communication between the gaming platform and a game server, and a prize supplier database for providing prize supplier location information. When a game prize signal is generated, the game server communicates location information about an appropriate prize supplier for receipt by the player. The game server selects the appropriate prize supplier from the prize supplier database, this selection being effected, for example, on the basis of closeness to the location of the gaming platform. A corresponding gaming server apparatus and game-prize information method are also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 23, 2003Publication date: July 29, 2004Inventors: David Trevor Cliff, Rycharde Jeffery Hawkes, Colin Andrew Low
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Publication number: 20040133354Abstract: A technique for simulating the activities of a large number of creatures is described. The technique utilises two modes of simulation. The first mode of simulation is arranged to simulate the activities of all of the creatures. The second mode of simulation is arranged to simulate the activities of a few of the creatures, at a more detailed level than the first mode. The second mode is utilised by the first mode to determine new parameters of individual creatures when the creatures undergo a change in environment.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 26, 2003Publication date: July 8, 2004Inventors: Colin Andrew Low, David Trevor Cliff, Rycharde Jeffery Hawkes
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Patent number: 6746246Abstract: Songs are defined by a song template comprising at least one track comprising a sequence of measures and a plurality of audio samples allocated to the or each track. At least two songs are played to an audience, which responds indicating the popularity of each song. A less popular song is selected and a new song composed by automatically applying one or more rules to the template of the selected song.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2002Date of Patent: June 8, 2004Assignee: Helwett-Packard Development Company, L.P.Inventor: David Trevor Cliff
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Publication number: 20030212608Abstract: A system for supplying media provided by one or more suppliers to a number of consumers across a network through an intermediary comprises a supplier unit adapted to supply to the intermediary a “supply offer” price indicative of the price that the supplier is offering to supply a combination of media content and/or advertisements to consumers connected to the network and a consumer unit which is adapted to provide to the intermediary a “consume offer” price indicative of the price that the consumer is prepared to pay for a selection of media and advertisement. The intermediary is adapted to establish an auction between the supplier making “supply offers” and the consumer making “consume offers” to establish agreed transactions between a supplier and a consumer. A method of supplying media is also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 12, 2003Publication date: November 13, 2003Inventor: David Trevor Cliff
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Publication number: 20030177083Abstract: There is provided an automated negotiation agent 1 and method of evaluating risk and trust from different contractual viewpoints during electronic negotiation of contracts, preferably e-contracts, in a business to business environment. The negotiation agent 1 on receiving a contract proposal from another agent 15, analyses the contract proposal from different viewpoints to determine measures of the risk and trust involved. A response 20 is formulated from the measures of risk and trust, and is returned to the other agent 15. The negotiation agent 1 has an evaluation engine 9 which evaluates the risk and viewpoints for the contract proposal by accessing a risk and trust functions and viewpoints database 4, a contract template database 2, a contract context database 13 and contract history repository 10. The negotiation agent also has a negotiation engine 8 that evaluates the effect of the contract proposal from different levels using the risk and trust viewpoints received from the evaluation engine 9.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2002Publication date: September 18, 2003Inventors: Marco Casassa Mont, Claudio Bartolini, Andrew Robert Byde, David Trevor Cliff
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Publication number: 20030101130Abstract: Computer apparatus comprising a processor for being arranging as a number of artificial trading agents; the processor being arranged to define a space of possible market mechanisms; the processor being arranged to select a market mechanisms within the continuum of market mechanisms using a optimisation algorithm to provide optimisation of a market dynamic for the artificial trading agents.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 26, 2002Publication date: May 29, 2003Inventor: David Trevor Cliff
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Patent number: 6534700Abstract: During mixing of two musical tracks, the variations in combined output volume are reduced by analyzing either the intrinsic amplitude at which each track was mastered or the output amplitude (i.e. subsequent to amplification of the audio signal), and modifying either the intrinsic amplitude or amplification during the mixing phase. Musical clashes during mixing are avoided by analyzing intrinsic amplitudes of the two tracks at similar frequencies to detect the likelihood of a clash, and in the event a clash is detected, reducing the output amplitude of one of the tracks at the relevant frequency.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2002Date of Patent: March 18, 2003Assignee: Hewlett-Packard CompanyInventor: David Trevor Cliff
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Publication number: 20030044021Abstract: A portable apparatus for monitoring the reaction of a user to a performance contains one or more sensors for detecting an indirect user response to the performance and a user interface enabling the user to provide a direct user response to the performance. A processor in the portable apparatus is programmed to provide a user reaction signal comprising a combination of the indirect user response and the direct user response to the performance. This user reaction signal may be transmitted to to remote apparatus. A monitoring system using such portable apparatus, and a music playing system using such a monitoring system, are also described.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 29, 2002Publication date: March 6, 2003Inventors: Timothy Alan Heath Wilkinson, David Trevor Cliff
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Publication number: 20030033600Abstract: Monitoring apparatus and methods for monitoring the reaction of people to a performance use two or more monitoring devices of different types. Output signals from the monitoring devices are combined to produce at least one crowd reaction signal indicative of the reaction of those people to the performance. Particularly appropriate types of monitoring device are described, as is automatic performance generating apparatus, such an automatic DJ, adapted to use crowd reaction signals to modify performances.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 29, 2002Publication date: February 13, 2003Inventors: David Trevor Cliff, Timothy Alan Heath Wilkinson
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Publication number: 20030025722Abstract: A method of creating an interactive broadcast, comprising allowing a plurality of participants to vote on an aspect of a scenario in a virtual space, the broadcast being a computer-generated animated scenario comprising graphics and audio, the participants voting by means of user interface devices which are linked over a communications network to a server, the server being operative to process the received votes and determine how the broadcast should be collectively influenced in view of the votes received, and then generate the broadcast.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 24, 2002Publication date: February 6, 2003Inventors: David Trevor Cliff, Colin Andrew Low, Rycharde Jeffrey Hawkes
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Publication number: 20030022144Abstract: Songs are defined by a song template comprising at least one track comprising a sequence of measures and a plurality of audio samples allocated to the or each track. At least two songs are played to an audience, which responds indicating the popularity of each song. A less popular song is selected and a new song composed by automatically applying one or more rules to the template of the selected song.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 29, 2002Publication date: January 30, 2003Inventor: David Trevor Cliff