Patents by Inventor James Geoffrey Walker
James Geoffrey Walker 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: 9232267Abstract: A method and apparatus for dynamically constructing a broadcast multiplex are described. The method includes: receiving metadata associated with a first plurality of events on a plurality of source channels, the metadata including, at least, scheduling metadata; determining, on the basis of a rule-set applied to the metadata, whether events of the first plurality of events are to be included in the multiplex, thereby producing a second plurality of events to be included in the multiplex; for each one event of the second plurality of events, assigning a multiplex priority to the one event, the multiplex priority being a priority the one event is to be assigned in the multiplex in case the one event contends for space in the multiplex with a second event of the second plurality of events; copying events from the second plurality of events into the multiplex in dependence on the multiplex priorities of events in the second plurality of events; and broadcasting the multiplex.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2010Date of Patent: January 5, 2016Assignee: CISCO TECHNOLOGY, INC.Inventors: Alex Ashley, Pete Rai, Trevor Smith, James Geoffrey Walker, Simon John Parnall, Ray Taylor
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Patent number: 9160977Abstract: A method of providing information about video content to a client is disclosed. The method includes: receiving a request from a client requesting information about video content, the request including an internet protocol address of the client; establishing (a) a geographic location of the client from the internet protocol address; and (b) a time of the request; identifying one or more content providers available in the geographic location; in dependence on the one or more content providers and the time, retrieving information about the video content from a database; and providing the information to the client. Related apparatus and methods are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2008Date of Patent: October 13, 2015Assignee: Cisco Technology Inc.Inventors: Colin John Davies, James Geoffrey Walker, Nicholas Thexton, Simon John Parnall
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Patent number: 9027059Abstract: A system for preparing data and video sequences to enable a viewer to scroll content in a plurality of directions including a first and second direction, the content including at least one element in motion, the system including a video sequence preparation module to prepare the video sequences including a first and second video sequence, each video sequence including still images, each still image including at least part of the content, at least some of the still images including the at least one element, the video sequences being prepared such that playing the first and second video sequence effects scrolling the content in the first and second direction, respectively, and a switchover determination module to prepare the data including corresponding switchover points in the video sequences for switching between the video sequences and therefore for switching the direction of scrolling by the viewer. Related apparatus and methods are also described.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2012Date of Patent: May 5, 2015Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.Inventors: Neil Cormican, Colin John Davies, James Geoffrey Walker, Kevin Murray, Michael Costello, Ian R Shelton, Michael Julian Michael Ertl
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Patent number: 8958628Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus, method for adjusting depth characteristics of a three-dimensional image for correcting for errors in perceived depth when scaling the three-dimensional image, the method comprising: receiving three-dimensional image information comprising a stereoscopic image including a first image and a second image, the stereoscopic image having depth characteristics associated with an offset of the first and second images; determining a scaling factor indicative of a scaling for converting the stereoscopic image from an original target size to a new size; determining at least one shifting factor for varying the depth characteristics, the at least one shifting factor indicative of a relative shift to be applied between the first and the second images, wherein the at least one shifting factor is determined in accordance with the scaling factor and at least one depth parameter derived from the depth characteristics; and performing the relative shift between the first and secondType: GrantFiled: April 12, 2011Date of Patent: February 17, 2015Assignee: Cisco Technology Inc.Inventors: Laurent Chauvier, Kevin A. Murray, Simon John Parnall, Ray Taylor, James Geoffrey Walker
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Patent number: 8913879Abstract: A method and system for broadcasting content, is described, the method and system facilitating simultaneous recording of multiple programs on a digital video recorder (DVR), the method and system including providing a plurality of content items, dividing each one of the plurality of content items into a multiplicity of chunks, each one of the chunks including at least one reference frame, for each one of the chunks determining a location of each reference frame included in the chunk, creating a chunk index of locations of each reference frame included in the chunk, creating a chunk file including the chunk and the chunk index, and inserting the chunk file in a data stream, such that no chunk file including a chunk from a particular content item is adjacent to a second chunk file including a chunk from the same particular content item, and broadcasting using a transmission bitrate greater than the bitrate of the data stream in a single channel in a multiplexed broadcast service, wherein the chunks files in theType: GrantFiled: June 29, 2010Date of Patent: December 16, 2014Assignee: Cisco Technology Inc.Inventors: Alex Ashley, Pete Rai, Trevor Smith, Ray Taylor, James Geoffrey Walker, Kevin A. Murray
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Patent number: 8819735Abstract: A method of presenting content to a viewer is described. The method includes: receiving a schedule of content at a client operable by the viewer, the schedule of content including a directed graph, the directed graph including a plurality of nodes, wherein each node in the plurality of nodes is connected to one or more other nodes in the plurality of nodes by one or more paths, wherein each path represents content presentable to the viewer; traversing the directed graph by following a route between nodes and along paths of the directed graph, wherein at each node the client determines a path to follow according to state information accessible by the client; and presenting content to the viewer as each path is followed.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2008Date of Patent: August 26, 2014Assignee: Cisco Technology Inc.Inventors: Pete Rai, Colin John Davies, Simon John Parnall, Ian Bastable, Kevin Murray, Peter Gibbs, Miles Davis, James Geoffrey Walker, Ray Taylor
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Publication number: 20140168277Abstract: A method of operating a client device within a viewing environment is described. The method includes: receiving content at a client device, presenting the content to a viewer by rendering the content as rendered content on a display surface in operable communication with the client device; receiving engagement data at the client device, the engagement data indicating a level of engagement with the content of at least one user who is viewing the rendered content; and adapting presentation of the content in dependence on the engagement data by changing how the content is rendered on the display surface. Related systems, apparatus, and methods are also described.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 10, 2012Publication date: June 19, 2014Applicant: Cisco Technology Inc.Inventors: Alex Ashley, Laurent Chauvier, Nicolas Gaude, Hugo Latapie, Kevin A. Murray, Simon John Parnall, James Geoffrey Walker, Neil Cormican, Simon Dyke, Vincent Sattler, Alex Ruelle, Jonathan Pollen, Meir Gerenstadt
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Patent number: 8656435Abstract: A method of controlling revelation of one or more metadata items is disclosed. Each of the one or more metadata items is associated with one or more parts of an audio-visual data stream (101). The method comprises: for a given one or more parts (103,105) of the audio-visual data stream (101), revealing one or more metadata items (113,115,117) associated with the given one or more parts (103,105) of the audio-visual data stream (101) only after the given one or more parts (103,105) of the audio-visual data stream (101) have been accessed.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 2007Date of Patent: February 18, 2014Assignee: Cisco Technology Inc.Inventors: Stuart Ashby, Colin John Davies, Simon John Parnall, James Geoffrey Walker, David John White
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Publication number: 20130279797Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus, method for adjusting depth characteristics of a three-dimensional image for correcting for errors in perceived depth when scaling the three-dimensional image, the method comprising: receiving three-dimensional image information comprising a stereoscopic image including a first image and a second image, the stereoscopic image having depth characteristics associated with an offset of the first and second images; determining a scaling factor indicative of a scaling for converting the stereoscopic image from an original target size to a new size; determining at least one shifting factor for varying the depth characteristics, the at least one shifting factor indicative of a relative shift to be applied between the first and the second images, wherein the at least one shifting factor is determined in accordance with the scaling factor and at least one depth parameter derived from the depth characteristics; and performing the relative shift between the first and secondType: ApplicationFiled: April 12, 2011Publication date: October 24, 2013Applicant: NDS LimitedInventors: Laurent Chauvier, Kevin A. Murray, Simon John Parnall, Ray Taylor, James Geoffrey Walker
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Publication number: 20130077853Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus, method for adjusting depth characteristics of a three-dimensional image for correcting for errors in perceived depth when scaling the three-dimensional image, the method comprising: receiving three-dimensional image information comprising a stereoscopic image including a first image and a second image, the stereoscopic image having depth characteristics associated with an offset of the first and second images; determining a scaling factor indicative of a scaling for converting the stereoscopic image from an original target size to a new size; determining at least one shifting factor for varying the depth characteristics, the at least one shifting factor indicative of a relative shift to be applied between the first and the second images, wherein the at least one shifting factor is determined in accordance with the scaling factor and at least one depth parameter derived from the depth characteristics; and performing the relative shift between the first and secondType: ApplicationFiled: April 12, 2011Publication date: March 28, 2013Applicant: NDS LimitedInventors: Laurent Chauvier, Kevin A. Murray, Simon John Parnall, Ray Taylor, James Geoffrey Walker
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Patent number: 8370892Abstract: An interactive method includes receiving background video including a multiplicity of video frames, at least one of the multiplicity of video frames include a plurality of sub-pictures, each of the plurality of sub-pictures representing an alternative background (1200), and switching between a first sub-picture of the plurality of sub-pictures and a second sub-picture of the plurality of sub-pictures (1210).Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 2010Date of Patent: February 5, 2013Assignee: NDS LimitedInventors: Ian R. Shelton, Michael B Costello, Ronnie Israel Dan, Nicholas Thexton, Nicholas Ashton Hall, James Geoffrey Walker, Stuart P Ashby, Neil Cormican, Rahul Chakkara
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Publication number: 20120321283Abstract: A system for preparing data and video sequences to enable a viewer to scroll content in a plurality of directions including a first and second direction, the content including at least one element in motion, the system including a video sequence preparation module to prepare the video sequences including a first and second video sequence, each video sequence including still images, each still image including at least part of the content, at least some of the still images including the at least one element, the video sequences being prepared such that playing the first and second video sequence effects scrolling the content in the first and second direction, respectively, and a switchover determination module to prepare the data including corresponding switchover points in the video sequences for switching between the video sequences and therefore for switching the direction of scrolling by the viewer. Related apparatus and methods are also described.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2012Publication date: December 20, 2012Inventors: Neil CORMICAN, Colin John Davies, James Geoffrey Walker, Kevin Murray, Michael Costello, Ian R. Shelton, Michael Julian Michael Ertl
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Publication number: 20120307840Abstract: A method and apparatus for dynamically constructing a broadcast multiplex are described. The method includes: receiving metadata associated with a first plurality of events on a plurality of source channels, the metadata including, at least, scheduling metadata; determining, on the basis of a rule-set applied to the metadata, whether events of the first plurality of events are to be included in the multiplex, thereby producing a second plurality of events to be included in the multiplex; for each one event of the second plurality of events, assigning a multiplex priority to the one event, the multiplex priority being a priority the one event is to be assigned in the multiplex in case the one event contends for space in the multiplex with a second event of the second plurality of events; copying events from the second plurality of events into the multiplex in dependence on the multiplex priorities of events in the second plurality of events; and broadcasting the multiplex.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 29, 2010Publication date: December 6, 2012Inventors: Alex Ashley, Pete Rai, Trevor Smith, James Geoffrey Walker, Simon John Parnall, Ray Taylor
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Patent number: 8302132Abstract: A system for preparing data and video sequences to enable a viewer to scroll content in a plurality of directions including a first and second direction, the content including at least one element in motion, the system including a video sequence preparation module to prepare the video sequences including a first and second video sequence, each video sequence including still images, each still image including at least part of the content, at least some of the still images including the at least one element, the video sequences being prepared such that playing the first and second video sequence effects scrolling the content in the first and second direction, respectively, and a switchover determination module to prepare the data including corresponding switchover points in the video sequences for switching between the video sequences and therefore for switching the direction of scrolling by the viewer. Related apparatus and methods are also described.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2007Date of Patent: October 30, 2012Assignee: NDS LimitedInventors: Neil Cormican, Colin John Davies, James Geoffrey Walker, Kevin Murray, Michael Costello, Ian R Shelton, Michael Julian Michael Ertl
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Publication number: 20120218256Abstract: A method of generating a recommended depth value for use in displaying a graphics item over a three dimensional video is described. The method includes at a headend: receiving a three dimensional video including video frames; analyzing a sequence of said video frames in turn to produce a sequence of depth maps, each depth map in the sequence of depth maps being associated with timing data relating that depth map to a corresponding video frame in the sequence of video frames, each depth map including depth values, each depth value representing a depth of a pixel location in its corresponding video frame; selecting a region of depth maps in the sequence of depth maps; analyzing said region of the depth maps in the sequence of depth maps to identify a furthest forward depth value for said region in the sequence of depth maps; and transmitting the furthest forward depth value as the recommended depth value for the region to a display device and region information describing the region.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 15, 2010Publication date: August 30, 2012Inventors: Kevin A. Murray, Simon John Parnall, Ray Taylor, James Geoffrey Walker
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Publication number: 20120189285Abstract: A method and system for broadcasting content, is described, the method and system facilitating simultaneous recording of multiple programs on a digital video recorder (DVR), the method and system including providing a plurality of content items, dividing each one of the plurality of content items into a multiplicity of chunks, each one of the chunks including at least one reference frame, for each one of the chunks determining a location of each reference frame included in the chunk, creating a chunk index of locations of each reference frame included in the chunk, creating a chunk file including the chunk and the chunk index, and inserting the chunk file in a data stream, such that no chunk file including a chunk from a particular content item is adjacent to a second chunk file including a chunk from the same particular content item, and broadcasting using a transmission bitrate greater than the bitrate of the data stream in a single channel in a multiplexed broadcast service, wherein the chunks files in theType: ApplicationFiled: June 29, 2010Publication date: July 26, 2012Applicant: NDS LimitedInventors: Alex Ashley, Pete Rai, Trevor Smith, Ray Taylor, James Geoffrey Walker, Kevin A. Murray
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Publication number: 20120023543Abstract: A system for displaying electronic program guide information about a plurality of video items on a screen, the system including a display module to display a plurality of pages layering into the screen, each of the pages including a plurality of graphical panels associated with the video items, and a user input module to receive a user input to turn at least one of the pages such that the at least one page is peeled away from other ones of the pages in order to bring the graphical panels of the at least one page in or out of view, wherein the display module is operative to show the turning of the at least one page bringing the at least one page in or out of view. Related apparatus and methods are also described.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2011Publication date: January 26, 2012Applicant: NDS LimitedInventors: Ian Shelton, James Geoffrey Walker, Kevin Murray, Michael Costello, Neil Cormican, Anita Chandra, Nicholas Ashton Hall
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Patent number: 8069466Abstract: A system for displaying electronic program guide information about a plurality of video items on a screen, the system including a display module to display a plurality of pages layering into the screen, each of the pages including a plurality of graphical panels associated with the video items, and a user input module to receive a user input to turn at least one of the pages such that the at least one page is peeled away from other ones of the pages in order to bring the graphical panels of the at least one page in or out of view, wherein the display module is operative to show the turning of the at least one page bringing the at least one page in or out of view. Related apparatus and methods are also described.Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 2006Date of Patent: November 29, 2011Assignee: NDS LimitedInventors: Ian Shelton, James Geoffrey Walker, Kevin Murray, Michael Costello, Nicholas Ashton Hall
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Publication number: 20100225742Abstract: An interactive method includes receiving background video including a multiplicity of video frames, at least one of the multiplicity of video frames include a plurality of sub-pictures, each of the plurality of sub-pictures representing an alternative background (1200), and switching between a first sub-picture of the plurality of sub-pictures and a second sub-picture of the plurality of sub-pictures (1210).Type: ApplicationFiled: May 17, 2010Publication date: September 9, 2010Inventors: Ian R. SHELTON, Michael B. Costello, Ronnie Israel Dan, Nicholas Thexton, Nicholas Ashton Hall, James Geoffrey Walker, Stuart P. Ashby, Neil Cormican, Rahul Chakkara
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Patent number: 7752648Abstract: An interactive method includes receiving, at a display device, background video including a multiplicity of video frames, at least one of the multiplicity of video frames including a plurality of sub-pictures, each of the plurality of sub-pictures representing an alternative background, and switching, at the display device, between a first sub-picture of the plurality of sub-pictures and a second sub-picture of the plurality of sub-pictures. Related apparatus and methods are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2004Date of Patent: July 6, 2010Assignee: NDS LimitedInventors: Ian R Shelton, Michael B Costello, Ronnie Dan, Nicholas Thexton, Nicholas Ashton Hall, James Geoffrey Walker, Stuart P Ashby, Neil Cormican, Rahul Chakkara