Patents by Inventor Francis Tsui

Francis Tsui 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: 20150188899
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and media for providing access control for a computing device are provided. In some implementations, methods for providing access control for a computing device are provided, the methods comprising: receiving a first request to authenticate the computing device from a first sender device; authenticating the computing device based at least in part on the first request; transmitting a session identifier and a session key to the first sender device; receiving an application identifier associated with the sender device from the computing device; determining, using a hardware processor, whether a sender application executing on the sender device is valid based at least in part on the application identifier; and transmitting the session key to the computing device in response to determining that the sender application is valid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2014
    Publication date: July 2, 2015
    Inventors: Majd Bakar, Francis Tsui, Bryan Bradley Eyler
  • Patent number: 9009753
    Abstract: Methods are disclosed for measuring ad impressions and receiving feedback on local ad assets inserted into a video transport stream at the set top box level. Each set top box stores the number of times an ad asset is inserted into an ad avail, along with a variety of other information relating to the playback of the ad asset. This measurement data is aggregated and sent to the ad decision service. In order to balance bandwidth usage, each set top box may report its measurement data to the ad decision service at a different time interval that is randomly selected. As it is desirable to receive the data in a timely manner, the random intervals may be confined so that all measurement data is reported within a predefined time period, such as for example over a twelve hour period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Gaurav Agarwal, David de Heer, Majd Bakar, Francis Tsui, Victor Lee, Pradip Fatehpuria
  • Patent number: 8997142
    Abstract: Methods are disclosed for inserting local ad assets into a video transport stream at the set top box level. The media advertising platform of the present system works in conjunction with existing platforms, such as an advertising decision service and a media platform. The present system further includes a client resident on end user set top boxes. In general, the present system operates by pre-caching advertisements to a set top box or boxes within a household or elsewhere. Each set top box is also assigned to particular groups, based on characteristics of the user of that set top box. Group membership information is also sent to the set top box and stored. The present system sends the set top box a decision matrix based on group memberships to allow the set top box to select and insert an ad asset targeted to the specific set top box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Gaurav Agarwal, David de Heer, Majd Bakar, Francis Tsui, Victor Lee, Pradip Fatehpuria
  • Publication number: 20140362293
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and media for presenting media content are provided. In some implementations, a system for presenting media content is provided, the system comprising: a hardware processor that is programmed to: establish a connection with a media playback device; respond to a discovery request from a computing device presenting a media content item; establish a persistent communication channel with the computing device over a network in response to a request from the computing device to establish the persistent communication channel; receive identifying information of the media content item being presented by the computing device and identifying information of a source of the media content item being presented by the computing device; request the media content item from the identified source of the media content item as a stream of media content; and cause the media content item to be presented using the media playback device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2014
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventors: Majd Bakar, Francis Tsui, John Affaki, Byungchul Kim
  • Publication number: 20140344689
    Abstract: A system enables universal remote media control across multiple platforms, devices, and users. A protocol allows a media controller (such as computer or mobile device) to have access to running activities (such as a television show playing on a media player). The protocol does not require installation of a specific platform application, or a specific user-login/pairing of the media controller with the media player. The system receives commands from a media controller device using a common interface, provides the commands to a remote media player, loads new media content into the media player, based on the commands, and receives state notifications from the media player. The commands and the state notifications include a namespace and a message payload represented as a two-element script array. Another user or device can control the media player using the common interface, for example provided by a browser application on the media controller device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2014
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: GOOGLE INC.
    Inventors: Mark David Scott, Mark Alan Foltz, John Affaki, Majd Bakar, Francis Tsui, Jennifer Shien-Ming Chen
  • Publication number: 20140282882
    Abstract: A first communication session is conducted between a media device and a mobile device. The first communication session includes requesting an authorization code from the mobile device and receiving the authorization code from the mobile device. The mobile device acts as an intermediary for obtaining authentication from a content server. The mobile device initiates a second communication session with a provider authorization service of the content server. The second communication session includes obtaining a token from the provider authorization service using the authorization code. The media device initiates a third communication session with the content server. The third communication session includes utilizing the token to obtain content from the content server. The system automatically attempts to renew the token in response to an expiration of the token.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: GOOGLE INC.
    Inventors: Francis Tsui, Majd Bakar
  • Publication number: 20140259047
    Abstract: A method includes initiating, by a processor of a device, a listening session including listening for a message from a mobile device and receiving the message from the mobile device via a microphone of the device, the message including configuration data for a network, and in response to receiving the message from the mobile device, initiating an access session with the network using the configuration data. In some implementations, the device is coupled to a media player. The media player may be a television. The configuration data may include at least one of an identifier for the network or a password for the network. In some implementations, the initiating occurs only after the device fails to connect to any network. In some implementations, the message is encoded in a sub-sonic signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: GOOGLE INC.
    Inventors: Majd Bakar, Francis Tsui
  • Publication number: 20120159338
    Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed that relate to navigation in a media consumption environment. One embodiment provides, on a portable networked device, a method comprising receiving media metadata from a server via a network, wherein the media metadata corresponds to media content available for viewing. The method further comprises displaying on a display of the portable networked device a user interface presenting the media metadata, receiving a user input via the user interface selecting a media item, and in response, sending a request for the media item to a media rendering device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Peter Mountanos, Majd Bakar, Francis Tsui, David Sloo
  • Publication number: 20100251278
    Abstract: Methods are disclosed for measuring ad impressions and receiving feedback on local ad assets inserted into a video transport stream at the set top box level. Each set top box stores the number of times an ad asset is inserted into an ad avail, along with a variety of other information relating to the playback of the ad asset. This measurement data is aggregated and sent to the ad decision service. In order to balance bandwidth usage, each set top box may report its measurement data to the ad decision service at a different time interval that is randomly selected. As it is desirable to receive the data in a timely manner, the random intervals may be confined so that all measurement data is reported within a predefined time period, such as for example over a twelve hour period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2009
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gaurav Agarwal, David de Heer, Majd Bakar, Francis Tsui, Victor Lee, Pradip Fatehpuria
  • Publication number: 20100251289
    Abstract: Methods are disclosed for inserting local ad assets into a video transport stream at the set top box level. The media advertising platform of the present system works in conjunction with existing platforms, such as an advertising decision service and a media platform. The present system further includes a client resident on end user set top boxes. In general, the present system operates by pre-caching advertisements to a set top box or boxes within a household or elsewhere. Each set top box is also assigned to particular groups, based on characteristics of the user of that set top box. Group membership information is also sent to the set top box and stored. The present system sends the set top box a decision matrix based on group memberships to allow the set top box to select and insert an ad asset targeted to the specific set top box.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2009
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gaurav Agarwal, David de Heer, Majd Bakar, Francis Tsui, Victor Lee, Pradip Fatehpuria
  • Patent number: 7104852
    Abstract: A water craft includes a first portion having a front end, a rear end, and at least two sides; a second portion connected to the rear end of the first portion, wherein the second portion includes a walking-exercise treadmill portion having an exercise platform and at least two propelling portions on either side of the exercise platform; third and fourth portions that include at least two laterally spaced, parallel air tanks or pontoons; and a handle connected to a front end of the first portion and used as a controller for the walking exercise treadmill portion and a steering unit of the water craft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Inventor: Kaiyuen Francis Tsui