Patents by Inventor Donald H. Relyea

Donald H. Relyea 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: 20120173659
    Abstract: Exemplary methods and systems for distributing and accessing content associated with an e-Book are disclosed herein. An exemplary method includes a content management subsystem receiving data representative of additional content associated with a particular passage of an e-Book from a first e-reader device and transmitting the data representative of the additional content to a second e-Book reader device for presentation in conjunction with the particular passage of the e-Book. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2010
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING, INC.
    Inventors: Gwendolyn M. Thaxter, Brian F. Roberts, Frank A. McKiel, JR., Donald H. Relyea
  • Publication number: 20120174037
    Abstract: Exemplary media content user interface systems and methods are disclosed herein. An exemplary method includes a media content access subsystem displaying a plurality of display elements representative of a plurality of media content instances and that flow through a graphical representation of a water cycle in accordance with one or more flow heuristics, detecting a user interaction, and dynamically adjusting the flow of the one or more display elements in accordance with the user interaction. Corresponding systems and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2010
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING, INC.
    Inventors: Donald H. Relyea, Brian F. Roberts
  • Publication number: 20120170860
    Abstract: An exemplary method includes an image data optimization control subsystem subjecting data representative of an image to an image data optimization cycle and repeating the subjecting of data representative of the image to the image data optimization cycle in response to a determination that output data representative of the image produced in conjunction with the previous subjection is optimized by at least the predetermined optimization threshold, wherein the repeat subjection of data representative of the image includes submitting the output data from the previous subjection as new input to the image data optimization cycle. Corresponding systems and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2010
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING, INC.
    Inventors: Alex Zavatone, Donald H. Relyea
  • Publication number: 20120166945
    Abstract: An exemplary method includes a dynamic help content presentation system detecting a user input command provided by a user, the user input command requesting help with content being presented by a media content access subsystem, identifying, in response to the user input command, a context of the content being presented by the media content access subsystem, and automatically presenting help content associated with the identified context by way of a mobile device while the content is being presented by the media content access subsystem. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING, INC.
    Inventors: Brian F. Roberts, Donald H. Relyea, Anthony M. Lemus
  • Publication number: 20120158514
    Abstract: A method including providing content for purchasing and viewing by users; providing at least one of an advertisement option, a replay option, or a content segment option pertaining to the purchasing and the viewing of a content; receiving a selection of content from a user; receiving a selection of the at least one of the advertisement option, the replay option, or the content segment option pertaining to the selected content; identifying a user device used by the user for viewing the selected content; sending the selected content to the user based on the identified user device; and displaying the selected content on the user device based on the selection of the at least one of the advertisement option, the replay option, or the content segment option.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Applicant: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.
    Inventors: Raul I. Aldrey, Donald H. Relyea, Michael John D'Argenio, Sok Y. Hwang
  • Publication number: 20120158461
    Abstract: A method including providing content for purchasing and viewing by users, wherein the purchasing includes buying or renting content; performing real-time tracking pertaining to the purchasing and the viewing of content by the users based on the providing; generating real-time tracking information based on the performing, wherein the real-time tracking information identifies a content purchased by the user and a user device used by the user to view the content; automatically creating a content promotion or a campaign ad based on the real-time tracking information; and automatically providing the content promotion or the campaign ad to the users.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Applicant: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.
    Inventors: Raul I. Aldrey, Donald H. Relyea, Michael John D'Argenio, George M. Higa
  • Publication number: 20120147022
    Abstract: Exemplary methods and systems for providing access to content during the presentation of a media content instance are disclosed herein. As described in more detail below, a content presentation system may detect a predefined motion of a mobile device during a presentation of a media content instance by a media content access device, identify the media content instance, and provide access to the identified media content instance by way of the mobile device in response to the predefined motion. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING, INC.
    Inventors: Brian F. Roberts, Donald H. Relyea, Raul I. Aldrey, Kishore Tallapaneni, Japan A. Mehta
  • Publication number: 20120133652
    Abstract: A computing device presents, on a screen, a three-dimensional rendering of an interface cube that includes a representation of a user's contacts displayed on at least one surface of the interface cube. The computing device receives a communication item from a peripheral application, where the communication item is associated with a particular contact of the user's contacts. The computing device creates a graphic based on the communication item and displays the graphic at a location on the representation of the user's contacts that corresponds to the location of the particular contact within a sequence of the user's contacts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2012
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicant: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING, INC.
    Inventors: Heath STALLINGS, Brian F. ROBERTS, Donald H. RELYEA, JR., Sok Y. HWANG, Orland I. ANGELO
  • Publication number: 20120120296
    Abstract: Exemplary methods and systems for dynamically presenting enhanced content during a presentation of a media content instance are disclosed herein. An exemplary method includes an enhanced content presentation system detecting, within a view acquired by a camera, a display device presenting a media content instance, displaying the view acquired by the camera on a display screen of a mobile device associated with the camera, and dynamically presenting, within the displayed view, one or more display elements representative of one or more enhanced content instances associated with the media content. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2010
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING, INC.
    Inventors: Brian F. Roberts, Donald H. Relyea, Anthony M. Lemus
  • Publication number: 20120122489
    Abstract: An exemplary method includes a content hub subsystem receiving a content posting from an access device connected to a wireless network and associated with a first user. The content posting includes data representative of a content instance and a geographic location associated with the content instance. The exemplary method further includes the content hub subsystem storing the content posting and selectively distributing the content instance to at least one other access device connected to the wireless network based on the geographic location, the at least one other access device associated with a second user. A past or present physical location of the at least one other access device within a predefined proximity of the geographic location is requisite to the distribution of the content instance to the at least one other access device. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2012
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: VERIZON DATA SERVICES LLC
    Inventors: Kristopher T. Frazier, Brian F. Roberts, Donald H. Relyea
  • Patent number: 8150017
    Abstract: A method of retrieving a directory listing includes steps of storing a plurality of directory listings, each listing searchable by a plurality of keys, each of the keys comprising a plurality of symbols selected from a subset of an alphabet; receiving a sequence of inputs each designating a plurality of the symbols; identifying a number of the directory listings having at least one of the keys consistent with the sequence of inputs; displaying candidate ones of the directory listing having the at least one of the keys consistent with the sequence of inputs; and selecting one of the candidate directory listings to be contacted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Nader Gharachorloo, Donald H. Relyea, Brian Roberts
  • Patent number: 8139080
    Abstract: In certain exemplary embodiments, data representative of a color scheme including a plurality of colors is maintained, a parameter for each of the colors is shifted by a same offset to generate another color scheme, and the other color scheme is associated with a graphical user interface. In certain embodiments, the shifting preserves at least one of a hue relationship and a contrast relationship between the colors in the color scheme. In certain embodiments, at least one user interface tool configured to facilitate a user selection of one of the colors included in the color scheme and a change to be applied to the color, and the same offset is determined based on the user selection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Donald H. Relyea, Heath Stallings, Brian F. Roberts, Daniel Dunnam, Andrew Allman, Sok Young Hwang, Kristopher T. Frazier
  • Publication number: 20120058744
    Abstract: An exemplary method includes a mobile services access management system maintaining a mobile services access schedule associated with a mobile access device, the mobile services access schedule specifying one or more restricted access time periods during which access by the mobile access device to one or more mobile services requires entry of a predetermined access code, receiving a request to access at least one mobile service within the one or more mobile services during one of the one or more restricted access time periods, receiving entry of a predetermined access code in conjunction with the request, granting the mobile access device access to the at least one mobile service, and providing a notification of the access to a predetermined recipient. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2010
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Applicant: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING, INC.
    Inventors: Michelle Felt, Farida Saeed, Donald H. Relyea
  • Patent number: 8132120
    Abstract: A computing device presents, on a screen, a three-dimensional rendering of an interface cube that includes a representation of a user's contacts displayed on at least one surface of the interface cube. The computing device receives a communication item from a peripheral application, where the communication item is associated with a particular contact of the user's contacts. The computing device creates a graphic based on the communication item and displays the graphic at a location on the representation of the user's contacts that corresponds to the location of the particular contact within a sequence of the user's contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Heath Stallings, Brian F. Roberts, Donald H. Relyea, Jr., Sok Y. Hwang, Orland I. Angelo
  • Publication number: 20120023152
    Abstract: An exemplary method includes an interactive golf content computing system detecting a geographic location of a mobile device associated with a golfer while the golfer is playing a golf hole, selecting interactive golf content associated with one or more other golfers who played the golf hole previous to the playing of the golf hole by the golfer in accordance with the detected geographic location, and providing the selected interactive golf content for display by the mobile device. Corresponding methods and systems are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2010
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Applicant: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING, INC.
    Inventors: Michelle Felt, John F. Gallagher, Donald H. Relyea, Farida Saeed
  • Patent number: 8103741
    Abstract: Location based content aggregation and distribution systems and methods are disclosed. An exemplary method includes a content hub subsystem receiving a content posting from an access device connected to a network. The content posting includes data representative of a content instance created by a user associated with the access device and a geographic location associated with the content instance. The exemplary method further includes the content hub subsystem storing the content posting and selectively distributing the content instance to at least one other access device connected to the network based on the geographic location, wherein a past or present physical location of the at least one other access device within a predefined proximity of the geographic location is requisite to the distribution of the content instance to the at least one other access device. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Verizon Data Services LLC
    Inventors: Kristopher T. Frazier, Brian F. Roberts, Donald H. Relyea
  • Publication number: 20110307924
    Abstract: An exemplary method includes receiving a plurality of data chunks each representative of a distinct portion of a media content program, generating a personalized version of the media content program based on at least a subset of the data chunks and in accordance with one or more of a plurality of personalization factors associated with a user, and providing the personalized version of the media content program for presentation to the user. Corresponding methods and systems are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2010
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Applicant: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING, INC.
    Inventors: Brian F. Roberts, Harpal S. Bassali, Sudhanshu Sharma, Donald H. Relyea, Raul I. Aldrey, Japan A. Mehta
  • Publication number: 20110293251
    Abstract: An exemplary method includes receiving a command input by a user to record media content, recording media content data representative of the media content in response to the command, automatically selecting at least one storage device from a local storage device and a network storage device for storage of the recorded media content data in accordance with at least one of a plurality of storage balancing factors, and storing the recorded media content data in the at least one selected storage device. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING, INC.
    Inventors: Brian F. Roberts, Harpal S. Bassali, Sudhanshu Sharma, Donald H. Relyea, Raul I. Aldrey, Japan A. Mehta
  • Publication number: 20110246937
    Abstract: Exemplary enhanced media content tagging systems and methods are described herein. An exemplary method includes a media content tagging system recording a live transmission of media content in response to a user request that the media content be recorded, receiving, from a media content access device, tag data representative of a user-defined tag specifying a segment of the media content, optimizing the user-defined tag, and distributing the optimized user-defined tag to another media content access device for use by the another media content access device to identify and present the segment of the media content. In certain embodiments, the optimization of the user-defined tag may be based on an analysis of aggregated user-defined tags, an analysis of the media content, or a combination thereof. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2010
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING, INC.
    Inventors: Brian F. Roberts, Donald H. Relyea, Greg A. Johns, Shannon M. Lyons
  • Publication number: 20110243535
    Abstract: An exemplary method includes maintaining recording instructions received from a user to automatically record a first resolution version of a media content instance scheduled to be transmitted during a first time period by way of a first content channel, determining that a second resolution version of the media content instance is scheduled to be transmitted during a second time period by way of a second content channel, presenting an option to the user to record the second resolution version of the media content instance instead of the first resolution version of the media content instance, and automatically modifying, in response to a selection of the option by the user, the recording instructions to record the second resolution version of the media content instance instead of the first resolution version of the media content instance. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2010
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: Verizon Patent and Licensing, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian F. Roberts, Donald H. Relyea, Venkata S. Adimatyam