Patents by Inventor Guy Story
Guy Story 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: 9348554Abstract: A computing device may provide an interface that enables a user to playback audio content including supplemental information. The supplemental information may correspond, for example, to endnotes, footnotes, glossaries, appendices, commentary from an author, editor, or other party, or to additional supplemental information. During playback of the audio content, a user may indicate that an item of supplemental information associated with a current playback position of the audio content should be played. In some embodiments, this indication may be in response to an indication to the user that supplemental information is available. The device may then playback the supplemental information associated with the current playback position.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2011Date of Patent: May 24, 2016Assignee: Audible, Inc.Inventors: Guy A. Story, Jr., Doug S. Goldstein
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Patent number: 9342209Abstract: Features are disclosed for generating presentations of information about activities of users of personal devices. Any number of personal devices may transmit information about activities performed by users associated with the personal devices. The information can be transmitted to a management component configured to compile the information, supplement the information with information from third-party sources, and generate presentations. The presentations may be based on templates associated with particular users or groups of users. The presentations may include, but are not limited to, visual, audio, and textual content.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2012Date of Patent: May 17, 2016Assignee: Audible, Inc.Inventors: Douglas C. Hwang, Douglas S. Goldstein, Ajay Arora, Guy A. Story, Jr.
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Patent number: 9264501Abstract: Features are disclosed for facilitating content consumption and communication among a group of users. A content consumption group may be formed including any number of users, and content may be selected. Group members may consume roughly the same portion of the content at roughly the same time and share the consumption experience regardless of geographic location, user device, content format, on-demand consumption preferences, and the like. Policies may be defined or selected regarding the rate of content consumption, the communications and other inputs that may be submitted by group members, and the like. A shared content consumption management system may receive data from various user devices regarding each group member's current content consumption position, enforce group policies, and distribute group inputs. Group members may also communication in real time through various chats and other interactive features.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2012Date of Patent: February 16, 2016Assignee: Audible, Inc.Inventors: Guy A. Story, Jr., Ajay Arora, Steven D. Hatch
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Patent number: 9244678Abstract: Items of content may be available in any of a number of versions. Major aspects of each content version, such as overall plot and major characters, may generally overlap. However, minor aspects, such as level of description, minor characters, or sub-plots may vary between versions. Accordingly, systems and methods are provided for managing playback of multiple content versions, and enabling users to switch between such content versions. In some embodiments, a playback path including portions of multiple content versions may be provided, such that a user may consume only desired portions of each content version. In other embodiments, a determined playback path may be utilized to create a customized content version, which may be provided to a user.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 2012Date of Patent: January 26, 2016Assignee: Audible, Inc.Inventors: Steven D. Hatch, Guy A. Story, Jr., Edward J. Walloga
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Patent number: 9213705Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for generating a presentation associated with primary audio content. In some embodiments, companion content associated with the audio content may be retrieved from one or more data stores. The companion content may include textual content corresponding to the audio content. One or more keywords associated with at least a portion of the companion content may then be determined. Additional content associated with the one or more keywords may be retrieved from one or more data stores, where the additional content may include at least one image. At least one of the one or more images may then be presented for display during playback of the audio content, such that each of the one or more images is presented for display during playback of a corresponding portion of the audio content.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2011Date of Patent: December 15, 2015Assignee: Audible, Inc.Inventors: Guy A. Story, Jr., Ajay Arora
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Publication number: 20150340038Abstract: A content alignment service may generate content synchronization information to facilitate the synchronous presentation of audio content and textual content. In some embodiments, a region of the textual content whose correspondence to the audio content is uncertain may be analyzed to determine whether the region of textual content corresponds to one or more words that are audibly presented in the audio content, or whether the region of textual content is a mismatch with respect to the audio content. In some embodiments, words in the textual content that correspond to words in the audio content are synchronously presented, while mismatched words in the textual content may be skipped to maintain synchronous presentation. Accordingly, in one example application, an audiobook is synchronized with an electronic book, so that as the electronic book is displayed, corresponding words of the audiobook are audibly presented.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 3, 2015Publication date: November 26, 2015Inventors: Steven C. Dzik, Guy A. Story, JR.
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Patent number: 9185134Abstract: Features are disclosed for facilitating content consumption and communication among a group of users. A content consumption group may be formed including any number of users, and content may be selected. Group members may consume roughly the same portion of the content at roughly the same time and share the consumption experience regardless of geographic location, user device, content format, on-demand consumption preferences, and the like. Policies may be defined or selected regarding the rate of content consumption, the communications and other inputs that may be submitted by group members, and the like. A shared content consumption management system may receive data from various user devices regarding each group member's current content consumption position, enforce group policies, and distribute group inputs. Group members may also communication in real time through various chats and other interactive features.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2012Date of Patent: November 10, 2015Assignee: Audible, Inc.Inventors: Guy A. Story, Jr., Ajay Arora, Steven D. Hatch
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Patent number: 9158765Abstract: Items of content may be available in any of a number of versions. Major aspects of each content version, such as overall plot and major characters, may generally overlap. However, minor aspects, such as level of description, minor characters, or sub-plots may vary between versions. Accordingly, systems and methods are provided for managing playback of multiple content versions, and enabling users to switch between such content versions. In some embodiments, a playback path including portions of multiple content versions may be provided, such that a user may consume only desired portions of each content version. In other embodiments, a determined playback path may be utilized to create a customized content version, which may be provided to a user.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 2012Date of Patent: October 13, 2015Assignee: Audible, Inc.Inventors: Guy A. Story, Jr., Steven D. Hatch, Edward J. Walloga
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Patent number: 9141257Abstract: Base items of content may be conveyed by a user computing device. These base items of content may be enhanced with enhancement content, such as sounds, songs, video clips, animations, images, multimedia content, and the like. Characteristics and enhancement objects may be identified in a portion of the base item of content, and enhancement content may be assigned to that portion automatically by a content enhancement service. In one embodiment, enhancement sounds or songs may be provided and conveyed to enhance an audiobook or electronic book.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 2012Date of Patent: September 22, 2015Assignee: Audible, Inc.Inventors: Douglas S. Goldstein, Ajay Arora, Douglas C. Hwang, Guy A. Story, Jr., Shirley C. Yang
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Publication number: 20150261747Abstract: Base items of content may be conveyed by a user computing device. These base items of content may be enhanced with enhancement content, such as sounds, songs, video clips, animations, images, multimedia content, and the like. Characteristics and enhancement objects may be identified in a portion of the base item of content, and enhancement content may be assigned to that portion automatically by a content enhancement service. In one embodiment, enhancement sounds or songs may be provided and conveyed to enhance an audiobook or electronic book.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 18, 2012Publication date: September 17, 2015Inventors: Douglas S. Goldstein, Ajay Arora, Douglas C. Hwang, Guy A. Story, JR., Shirley C. Yang
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Patent number: 9112844Abstract: Various embodiments provide techniques for sharing network service access credentials among multiple devices that share a common user or are associated in a device group. After connecting to a network service (e.g., a wireless network, wired network, or web site), a first device can upload the credentials used to access the network service to a cloud-hosted credential service. The credential service can store the credentials and associate them with the first device and/or its user. Later, a second device can log in to the credential service and receive a download of one or more sets of credentials to enable access to one or more network services that are authorized for the second device. Various embodiments include a credential management interface to enable an authorized user to manage device/network service pairings, permissions, and/or restrictions for network service access.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2012Date of Patent: August 18, 2015Assignee: Audible, Inc.Inventor: Guy A. Story, Jr.
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Patent number: 9099089Abstract: A content alignment service may generate content synchronization information to facilitate the synchronous presentation of audio content and textual content. In some embodiments, a region of the textual content whose correspondence to the audio content is uncertain may be analyzed to determine whether the region of textual content corresponds to one or more words that are audibly presented in the audio content, or whether the region of textual content is a mismatch with respect to the audio content. In some embodiments, words in the textual content that correspond to words in the audio content are synchronously presented, while mismatched words in the textual content may be skipped to maintain synchronous presentation. Accordingly, in one example application, an audiobook is synchronized with an electronic book, so that as the electronic book is displayed, corresponding words of the audiobook are audibly presented.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2012Date of Patent: August 4, 2015Assignee: Audible, Inc.Inventors: Steven C. Dzik, Guy A. Story, Jr.
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Patent number: 9058398Abstract: Features are disclosed for identifying multiple users contending for use of a shared media device with which to present a content item. Users may be detected by the shared media device or a management component, and each user may have previously begun and stopped consumption at a different point within the content item. When multiple users wish to consume the content, a component or module determines which presentation position to use, or creates a new presentation position for use. In cases in which not all users have begun consuming or wish to consume the same content item, a component or module determines which content item to present.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2012Date of Patent: June 16, 2015Assignee: Audible, Inc.Inventors: Ajay Arora, Douglas S. Goldstein, Shirley C. Yang, Douglas C. Hwang, Guy A. Story, Jr.
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Patent number: 9037956Abstract: A content processing service may analyze an item of original content and identify several objects, attributes of those objects, and relationships between those objects present in the item of original content. The content processing service may also analyze a source graph, such as a social graph or supplemental graph, and identify several objects, attributes of those objects, and relationships between those objects present in the source graph. The content processing service may customize the item of original content by selecting an original object and selecting a source graph object. One or more of the attributes or relationships of the selected original object in the item of original content may be replaced by one or more of the attributes or relationships of the selected source graph object, thereby forming an item of modified content.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2012Date of Patent: May 19, 2015Assignee: Audible, Inc.Inventors: Douglas S. Goldstein, Ajay Arora, Douglas Hwang, Guy A. Story, Jr., Shirley C. Yang
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Publication number: 20150127639Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for graphically representing associations between one or more stories and one or more referents of interest. In some embodiments, a score may be determined for each of a set of stories based at least in part on a number of associations between the given story and one or more referents of interest. A graphical representation of the stories may then be presented for display. The graphical representation may include indicia, where each indicium graphically indicates the strength of association between a given story and the one or more referents of interest. The strength of association for a given story may be determined, for example, based at least in part on the determined score for the story.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2013Publication date: May 7, 2015Applicant: Audible, Inc.Inventors: Guy A. Story, JR., Steven Dzik
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Patent number: 9002746Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to managing licenses for playback of digital content. A license management device may create licenses that determine the number of playback devices that can be authorized by the license. Each license may be included in a corresponding digital content. In addition, each license may be distributed to a set of playback devices. Thereafter, a playback device may playback digital content that includes a license when the playback device stores a matching license. A single license can be used to provide authorization to play digital content from multiple sources and/or multiple types of content. Playback devices can store multiple licenses, which allows playback devices to belong to multiple sets of playback devices authorized to playback various digital content. In one embodiment digital content files can contain multiple licenses to allow the content files to be shared by multiple sets of playback devices.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 2012Date of Patent: April 7, 2015Assignee: Audible, Inc.Inventors: Guy A. Story, Jr., Rozsa E. Kovesdi, Ajit V. Rajasekharan, Benjamin Che-Ming Jun
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Patent number: 8972420Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for enabling a user to associate a story with one or more referents. In some embodiments, information representing a first version of a story may be caused to be displayed, and in the display of information representing the first version of the story, a user may be enabled to associate a referent with a first point in the first version of the story, where the referent is at least one of an event, a character, an object, a subject, a time, a place and a person. In some embodiments, the referent may be automatically associated with a second point in a second version of the story based at least in part on a point map associated with the first version of the story and the second version of the story.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2010Date of Patent: March 3, 2015Assignee: Audible, Inc.Inventors: Guy A. Story, Jr., Steven Dzik
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Patent number: 8948892Abstract: A computing device may provide a control interface that enables the user to manage the synchronized output of companion content (e.g., textual content and corresponding audio content). For example, the computing device may display a visual cue to identify a current location in textual content corresponding to a current output position of companion audio content. As the audio content is presented, the visual cue may be advanced to maintain synchronization between the output position within the audio content and a corresponding position in the textual content. The computing device may adjust the speed at which the audio content is presented and the visual cue is advanced based at least in part on an input corresponding to the user's performance on a task (e.g., a speed on an exercise machine).Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2011Date of Patent: February 3, 2015Assignee: Audible, Inc.Inventors: Guy A. Story, Jr., Bruce N. Israel
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Publication number: 20150026577Abstract: A computing device may provide a control interface that enables the user to manage the synchronized output of companion content (e.g., textual content and corresponding audio content). For example, the computing device may display a visual cue to identify a current location in textual content corresponding to a current output position of companion audio content. As the audio content is presented, the visual cue may be advanced to maintain synchronization between the output position within the audio content and a corresponding position in the textual content. The user may control the synchronized output by dragging her finger across the textual content displayed on the touch screen. Accordingly, the control interface may provide a highlight or other visual indication of the distance between the advancing position in the textual content and the location of a pointer to the textual content indicated by the current position of the user's finger.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 6, 2014Publication date: January 22, 2015Inventors: Guy A. Story, Bruce N. Israel
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Patent number: 8914386Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for displaying relationships between stories. In some embodiments, a plurality of referents that are each related to a first story may be caused to be displayed, where a referent is at least one of an event, a character, an object, a subject, a time, a place and a person. A user may be enabled to select one of the plurality of referents in order to view identification information identifying at least one other story, where the other story is also associated with the selected referent. In response to user selection of one of the plurality of referents, identification information identifying the at least one other story that is associated with the selected referent may be caused to be displayed.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2010Date of Patent: December 16, 2014Assignee: Audible, Inc.Inventors: Guy A. Story, Jr., Steven Dzik