Patents by Inventor H. C. Liu

H. C. Liu 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).

  • Patent number: 11910169
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and media for ambient background noise modification are provided. In some implementations, the method comprises: identifying at least one noise present in an environment of a user having a user device, an activity the user is currently engaged in, and a physical or emotional state of the user; determining a target ambient noise to be produced in the environment based at least in part on the identified noise, the activity the user is currently engaged in, and the physical or emotional state of the user; identifying at least one device associated with the user device to be used to produce the target ambient noise; determining sound outputs corresponding to each of the one or more identified devices, wherein a combination of the sound outputs produces an approximation of one or more characteristics of the target ambient noise; and causing the one or more identified devices to produce the determined sound outputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Charles Goran, Eric H C Liu, Kevin Brune, Duane Richard Valz
  • Patent number: 11843815
    Abstract: A system and method for interfacing a television with a second device is provided. The system includes an interfacing unit to enter an interfacing mode between the television mode and the second device; a card storage unit to store a first card and a second card, the first card being presently displayed on the television and the second card being previously displayed on the television; a current card display register to store the first card; an interactive retrieval unit to retrieve a plurality of interactive functions associated with the first card; and a display unit to display the first card and the plurality of interactive functions in response to being in the interfacing mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Eric H C Liu, Haywai Hayward Chan
  • Patent number: 11841887
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and media for presenting contextually relevant information are provided. In some implementations, the method includes: receiving information associated with a user of a user device from multiple data sources, where the user device comprises a display; identifying, without user intervention, a relevant document based on the received information associated with the user of the user device; determining that a new browser window or a new browser tab has been opened by a browser application being executed by the user device; and causing, without user intervention, the relevant document to be presented using the new browser window or new browser tab.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventor: Eric H C Liu
  • Patent number: 11622150
    Abstract: This application is directed to changing a TV operating mode based on a potential relationship among viewers of a connected TV. In some implementations, a method includes: determining viewer identities and identifying the potential relationship among the viewers or a subset of the viewers; in accordance with a determination that the potential relationship allows the viewers to share private information, placing or maintaining the connected TV in or into a first operating mode that is unrelated to media content being displayed and allows personal information to be displayed on the connected TV; and in accordance with a determination that the potential relationship does not allow the viewers to share private information, placing or maintaining the connected TV in or into a second operating mode that is unrelated to the media content and does not allow personal information to be displayed on the connected TV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Alok Chandel, Eric H C Liu, Pierre-Yves Laligand, Justin Koh
  • Patent number: 11516580
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and media for ambient background noise modification are provided. In some implementations, the method comprises: identifying at least one noise present in an environment of a user having a user device, an activity the user is currently engaged in, and a physical or emotional state of the user; determining a target ambient noise to be produced in the environment based at least in part on the identified noise, the activity the user is currently engaged in, and the physical or emotional state of the user; identifying at least one device associated with the user device to be used to produce the target ambient noise; determining sound outputs corresponding to each of the one or more identified devices, wherein a combination of the sound outputs produces an approximation of one or more characteristics of the target ambient noise; and causing the one or more identified devices to produce the determined sound outputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Charles Goran, Eric H. C. Liu, Kevin Brune, Duane Richard Valz
  • Patent number: 11494426
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and media for presenting contextually relevant information are provided. In some implementations, the method includes: receiving information associated with a user of a user device from multiple data sources, where the user device comprises a display; identifying, without user intervention, a relevant document based on the received information associated with the user of the user device; determining that a new browser window or a new browser tab has been opened by a browser application being executed by the user device; and causing, without user intervention, the relevant document to be presented using the new browser window or new browser tab.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventor: Eric H C Liu
  • Patent number: 11392580
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and media for recommending computerized services based on an animate object in the user's environment are provided. In some implementations, the method comprises: receiving a request from a user device to associate a recording device that captures motion data indicative of motion of an animate object in proximity to the user device; associating the user device with the recording device in response to receiving the request; receiving the motion data from the recording device that is indicative of motion of the animate object; determining characteristics of the animate object based on the received motion data; correlating an emotional state of a user of the user device based on the determined characteristics associated with the animate object; and causing a recommended computerized service to be presented by the user device based on the emotional state of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Charles Goran, Jonathan James Effrat, Eric H C Liu
  • Patent number: 11245746
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and media for controlling information utilized to present content using a public display device are provided. In some implementations a method for presenting content on a public display device is provided, the method comprising: (a) initiating communication with one or more display devices; (b) selecting a display device; (c) establishing a communication channel with the selected display device; (d) receiving information related to an area of a screen allocated for use by the user device; (e) identifying content that is to be presented using the selected display device; (f) generating formatted content based on the area of the screen allocated for use by the user device; (g) transmitting the formatted content to the display device using the communication channel; and repeating at least (e) to (g) until (h) determining that presentation of content using the selected display device is to be inhibited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Kevin Brune, Eric H C Liu
  • Patent number: 11144959
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and media for presenting advertisements relevant to nearby users on a public display device are provided. In some implementations, a method for presenting content on a public display device, the method comprising: receiving location information associated with mobile devices that is indicative of a position of the mobile device relative to a display device associated with a retail outlet; receiving interests associated with the mobile devices; identifying a plurality of advertising sources associated with the display device, including a retailer associated with the retail outlet; determining a topic based on the received interests and the location information associated with the mobile devices; determining that the topic is related an advertisement associated with the retailer; causing the advertisement associated with the retailer to be selected based on the topic; and causing the selected advertisement to be presented by the display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Eric H C Liu, Kenneth Wayne Dauber, Michel Weksler
  • Patent number: 11048855
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and media for presenting contextually relevant information are provided. In some implementations, the method includes: receiving information associated with a user of a user device from multiple data sources, where the user device comprises a display; identifying, without user intervention, a relevant document based on the received information associated with the user of the user device; determining that a new browser window or a new browser tab has been opened by a browser application being executed by the user device; and causing, without user intervention, the relevant document to be presented using the new browser window or new browser tab.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventor: Eric H C Liu
  • Patent number: 11023542
    Abstract: In accordance with some implementations of the disclosed subject matter, mechanisms for presenting recommended media content items are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Jason Bayer, Eric H C Liu, Calvin Lee, Stephen Chau, Grzegorz Glowaty, Randy Simon
  • Patent number: 10880613
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and media for presenting suggestions of media content are provided. In some implementations, the method comprises: determining an item of media content; determining a probability of the item of media content being watched at one or more times based on at least one of: a characteristic of a person; a characteristic of a group; and a characteristic of the item of media content; creating a user interface which suggests that the item of media content be watched at one or more times based on the determined probability; and presenting the user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Jason Bayer, Eric H C Liu, Calvin Lee, Stephen Chau
  • Patent number: 10880641
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and media for ambient background noise modification are provided. In some implementations, the method comprises: identifying at least one noise present in an environment of a user having a user device, an activity the user is currently engaged in, and a physical or emotional state of the user; determining a target ambient noise to be produced in the environment based at least in part on the identified noise, the activity the user is currently engaged in, and the physical or emotional state of the user; identifying at least one device associated with the user device to be used to produce the target ambient noise; determining sound outputs corresponding to each of the one or more identified devices, wherein a combination of the sound outputs produces an approximation of one or more characteristics of the target ambient noise; and causing the one or more identified devices to produce the determined sound outputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Charles Goran, Eric H C Liu, Kevin Brune, Duane Richard Valz
  • Patent number: 10785203
    Abstract: Methods, systems and media for presenting information related to an event based on metadata are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Eric H C Liu, Charles Goran, Jonathan James Effrat
  • Patent number: 10609321
    Abstract: A system and method for interfacing a television with a second device is provided. The system includes an interfacing unit to enter an interfacing mode between the television mode and the second device; a card storage unit to store a first card and a second card, the first card being presently displayed on the television and the second card being previously displayed on the television; a current card display register to store the first card; an interactive retrieval unit to retrieve a plurality of interactive functions associated with the first card; and a display unit to display the first card and the plurality of interactive functions in response to being in the interfacing mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Eric H C Liu, Haywai Hayward Chan
  • Patent number: 10594777
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and media for controlling information utilized to present content using a public display device are provided. In some implementations a method for presenting content on a public display device is provided, the method comprising: (a) initiating communication with one or more display devices; (b) selecting a display device; (c) establishing a communication channel with the selected display device; (d) receiving information related to an area of a screen allocated for use by the user device; (e) identifying content that is to be presented using the selected display device; (f) generating formatted content based on the area of the screen allocated for use by the user device; (g) transmitting the formatted content to the display device using the communication channel; and repeating at least (e) to (g) until (h) determining that presentation of content using the selected display device is to be inhibited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Kevin Brune, Eric H C Liu
  • Patent number: 10591656
    Abstract: A passive illuminator includes a luminescent region with a semiconductor material that absorbs first photons having energy greater than or equal to a threshold energy. In response to absorbing the first photons, the semiconductor material emits second photons, through a spontaneous emission process, having less energy than the first photons. A waveguide is optically coupled to the luminescent region to transport the second photons a distance from the luminescent region. An extraction region optically coupled to the waveguide to emit the second photons, and the waveguide is disposed between the extraction region and the luminescent region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: Martin F. Schubert, Eric H. C. Liu
  • Patent number: 10528316
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and media for presenting requested content on public display devices are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Eric H C Liu, Kenneth Wayne Dauber, Michel Weksler, Jeremy Lyon
  • Patent number: 10477273
    Abstract: This application is directed to changing a TV operating mode based on a potential relationship among viewers of a connected TV. In some implementations, a method includes: determining viewer identities and identifying the potential relationship among the viewers or a subset of the viewers; in accordance with a determination that the potential relationship allows the viewers to share private information, placing or maintaining the connected TV in or into a first operating mode that is unrelated to media content being displayed and allows personal information to be displayed on the connected TV; and in accordance with a determination that the potential relationship does not allow the viewers to share private information, placing or maintaining the connected TV in or into a second operating mode that is unrelated to the media content and does not allow personal information to be displayed on the connected TV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Alok Chandel, Eric H C Liu, Pierre-Yves Laligand, Justin Koh
  • Patent number: 10425725
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and media for ambient background noise modification are provided. In some implementations, the method comprises: identifying at least one noise present in an environment of a user having a user device, an activity the user is currently engaged in, and a physical or emotional state of the user; determining a target ambient noise to be produced in the environment based at least in part on the identified noise, the activity the user is currently engaged in, and the physical or emotional state of the user; identifying at least one device associated with the user device to be used to produce the target ambient noise; determining sound outputs corresponding to each of the one or more identified devices, wherein a combination of the sound outputs produces an approximation of one or more characteristics of the target ambient noise; and causing the one or more identified devices to produce the determined sound outputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Charles Goran, Eric H C Liu, Kevin Brune, Duane Richard Valz