Patents by Inventor John McGowan

John McGowan 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: 8429250
    Abstract: Systems and methods for enabling dynamic advertisement insertion into media files without transcoding are disclosed. The techniques disclosed involve retrieving files of the media and advertisement(s) and converting the files to an MPEG-2 transport stream (MPEG-2 TS) format. The MPEG-2 TS streams are then joined to insert the advertisement at a desired point in the media file. The resulting MPEG-2 TS stream is then converted back to a media file, which can be provided for downloading, or optionally reindexed. Because it does not require transcoding, this process can be performed on-the-fly to provide dynamic insertion of advertisements into media files. Other media file manipulation, including the insertion of non-advertisement media, is contemplated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Unicorn Media, Inc.
    Inventor: Albert John McGowan
  • Publication number: 20130080579
    Abstract: Systems and methods for dynamically executing syndication services are provided that automatically implement business rules for syndication based on contextual data corresponding to a request for a media file. These systems and methods may be part of a larger media servicing network that can be used to, among other things, process uploaded media content, provide it for streaming/downloading, and collect metric information regarding the streaming/downloading. The disclosed systems and methods provide for receiving a request having a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) and providing an index file in accordance with business rules based on contextual data associated with the request. Embodiments further enable media content owners to distribute a single URL corresponding to a particular media file among many media providers, allowing a single media delivery and analytics services to provide comprehensive metric information regarding syndication for the all the media providers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: Unicorn Media, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael M. Gordon, Albert John McGowan
  • Publication number: 20130080267
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing media with a data network using a single Uniform Resource Locator (URL) are disclosed. These systems and methods may be part of a larger media servicing network that can be used to, among other things, process uploaded media content, provide it for streaming, and collect metric information regarding the streaming. The disclosed systems and methods provide for receiving a URL and providing an index file based, at least in part, on a client identity and requested media file associated with the URL. Embodiments further provide for the use of an advertisement server that can specify advertisement(s) to be shown during the playback of the media file. With every index file created, the advertisement server can update and/or change the advertisement(s) to be shown.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2011
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: Unicorn Media, Inc.
    Inventor: Albert John McGowan
  • Publication number: 20130081110
    Abstract: Various arrangements for controlling access to streaming media assets are presented. Transmission of segments of a media asset to a first user device may be commenced. During transmission of the media asset to the first user device, beaconing data from the first user device may be received and stored as session information. The first user device may no longer be permitted to receive the media asset at least partially due to the first user device no longer being authenticated. Transmission of a remainder of the plurality of media segments to the first user device may be ceased such that the first user device does not receive the media asset in its entirety.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2012
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: Unicorn Media, Inc.
    Inventor: Albert John McGowan
  • Publication number: 20130080268
    Abstract: Systems and methods for enabling syndication of a media file across multiple environments, or platforms, by interpreting and downscribing script language in which to implement business rules. These systems and methods may be part of a larger media servicing network that can be used to, among other things, process uploaded media content, provide it for streaming, and collect metric information regarding the streaming. The disclosed systems and methods can utilize different software development kits (SDKs) to interpret script and provide platform-specific interpreted script such that business rules provided in the script are dynamically implemented for various device types during runtime.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: Unicorn Media, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael M. Gordon, Albert John McGowan
  • Publication number: 20130080772
    Abstract: Systems and methods for encrypting a media file for streaming and/or downloading over a network are disclosed. These systems and methods may be part of a larger media servicing network that can be used to, among other things, process uploaded media content, provide it for streaming, and collect metric information regarding the streaming. The disclosed systems and methods provide for receiving requests for a media file or a chunk of a media file and responding to these requests by encrypting the requested chunks dynamically and providing the chunks to the requesting entity. These systems and methods, which can be utilized with a dynamic chunk generation and dynamic index file generation, enable a high degree of flexibility in streaming chunked media files and preclude the need to encrypt the chunks prior to streaming. The systems and methods may also be applied to encrypting files for continuous streaming protocols as well as for progressive download.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2011
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: Unicorn Media, Inc.
    Inventor: Albert John McGowan
  • Patent number: 8327013
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing index files for streaming media over a network are disclosed. These systems and methods provide for receiving requests for a media file and responding to these requests by generating corresponding index files used in streaming the media file. The index file can then be provided to the requesting entity. These systems and methods, which can be utilized together with a dynamic chunk generator, enable the insertion of advertisements at any point during playback of the media file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Unicorn Media, Inc.
    Inventors: Albert John McGowan, Richard L. Carls
  • Publication number: 20120303766
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing index files for dynamic audio track selection for media streaming can include receiving requests for media file segments (e.g., “chunks”) with a certain audio track and responding to the requests by dynamically generating the corresponding media file segment with the requested audio track. The generated media file segment can then be provided to the requesting entity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2012
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: Unicorn Media, Inc.
    Inventors: Albert John McGowan, Richard I. Carls
  • Patent number: 8301733
    Abstract: Systems and methods for dynamically chunking for delivery instances are provided that automatically implement chunking strategies based on one or more chunking considerations related to a request for a media file. These systems and methods may be part of a larger media servicing network that can be used to, among other things, process uploaded media content, provide it for streaming/downloading, and collect metric information regarding the streaming/downloading. The disclosed systems and methods provide for receiving a request having a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) and providing an index file to implement chunking strategies based on chunking considerations associated with the request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Unicorn Media, Inc.
    Inventor: Albert John McGowan
  • Publication number: 20120254367
    Abstract: Systems and methods for enabling dynamic advertisement insertion into media files without transcoding are disclosed. The techniques disclosed involve retrieving files of the media and advertisement(s) and converting the files to an MPEG-2 transport stream (MPEG-2 TS) format. The MPEG-2 TS streams are then joined to insert the advertisement at a desired point in the media file. The resulting MPEG-2 TS stream is then converted back to a media file, which can be provided for downloading, or optionally reindexed. Because it does not require transcoding, this process can be performed on-the-fly to provide dynamic insertion of advertisements into media files. Other media file manipulation, including the insertion of non-advertisement media, is contemplated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2011
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: Unicorn Media, Inc.
    Inventor: Albert John McGowan
  • Patent number: 8239546
    Abstract: Various arrangements for controlling access to streaming media assets are presented. Transmission of segments of a media asset to a first user device may be commenced. During transmission of the media asset to the first user device, beaconing data from the first user device may be received and stored as session information. The first user device may no longer be permitted to receive the media asset at least partially due to the first user device no longer being authenticated. Transmission of a remainder of the plurality of media segments to the first user device may be ceased such that the first user device does not receive the media asset in its entirety.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Unicorn Media, Inc.
    Inventor: Albert John McGowan
  • Publication number: 20120185608
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing index files for streaming media over a network are disclosed. These systems and methods provide for receiving requests for a media file and responding to these requests by generating corresponding index files used in streaming the media file. The index file can then be provided to the requesting entity. These systems and methods, which can be utilized together with a dynamic chunk generator, enable the insertion of advertisements at any point during playback of the media file.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2012
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: Unicorn Media, Inc.
    Inventors: Albert John McGowan, Richard L. Carls
  • Publication number: 20120179788
    Abstract: Systems and methods for dynamically chunking for delivery instances are provided that automatically implement chunking strategies based on one or more chunking considerations related to a request for a media file. These systems and methods may be part of a larger media servicing network that can be used to, among other things, process uploaded media content, provide it for streaming/downloading, and collect metric information regarding the streaming/downloading. The disclosed systems and methods provide for receiving a request having a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) and providing an index file to implement chunking strategies based on chunking considerations associated with the request.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2012
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Applicant: Unicom Media, Inc
    Inventor: Albert John McGowan
  • Patent number: 8165343
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for watermarking a video file by watermarking a requested chunk of the video file, which can be done in real time after the request is made for the chunk, during playback of the video file. These techniques can include determining a unique identifier based on unique information of the request and encoding the unique identifier in the requested chunk before sending the requested chunk. Some embodiments can include joining the watermarked chunk with other chunks to reproduce the video file, and sending the reproduced video file having the watermarked chunk included therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Unicorn Media, Inc.
    Inventor: Albert John McGowan
  • Patent number: 8145782
    Abstract: Systems and methods for chunking a media file for streaming over a network are disclosed. These systems and methods provide for receiving requests for chunks of a media file and responding to these requests by generating the requested chunks dynamically. The chunks can then be provided to the requesting entity. These systems and methods, which can be utilized with a dynamic file index generator, enable a high degree of flexibility in streaming chunked media files and preclude the need to chunk the media files and store the chunks prior to streaming.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Unicorn Media, Inc.
    Inventors: Albert John McGowan, Richard L. Carls
  • Publication number: 20120072542
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and machine-readable media are described for providing output feeds having information associated with at least one file. Embodiments include generating an output feed schema used to determine the content of the output feed using information from at least one data object, where each data object comprises a data structure having information, including a universal resource indicator (URI) regarding the at least one file. The output feed schema and the at least one data object can then be used to generate the output feed, which can then be stored.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2010
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Applicant: Unicorn Media, Inc.
    Inventor: Albert John McGowan
  • Publication number: 20120072465
    Abstract: Various systems, methods, and machine-readable media are described for providing dynamic schema-based API mapping for traversing inter-cloud application boundaries. Embodiments provide for internal schemas to be created, enabling a system to create internal data objects from external data by using the internal schemas. Application schemas can then be created, enabling the creation of application data objects derived from internal data objects. The application data objects can be passed through an API to an external computing system, and can conform to any format specified by the application schemas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2010
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Applicant: Unicorn Media, Inc.
    Inventors: Albert John McGowan, Richard L. Carls, Niko Thomas John Huffman
  • Publication number: 20120010830
    Abstract: Systems and methods for classifying power line events are disclosed. Classifying power line events may include receiving measured data corresponding to a signal measured on a power line, such as proximate a substation bus or along the power line, determining from the measured data that the power line event has occurred, extracting at least one event feature from the measured data, and determining at least partially from the at least one event feature at least one probable classification for the power line event. The systems may include an Intelligent Electronic Device (IED) connected to the power line and a processor linked to the IED.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2011
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Applicant: ABB RESEARCH LTD.
    Inventors: Kari Saarinen, Mirrasoul Mousavi, James Stoupis, John McGowan
  • Publication number: 20120004867
    Abstract: Systems and methods for characterizing a device that operated to clear a fault in a power line, such as a power distribution system feeder, are disclosed. Characterizing the device may include receiving measured data corresponding to a current measured along the feeder proximate a substation bus, determining from the measured data that a fault has occurred in at least one phase and has been cleared, subtracting reference data from the measured data to estimate residual fault data, and estimating from the residual fault data a characteristic of the device that operated to clear the fault. The systems may include an Intelligent Electronic Device (IED) and a processor linked to the IED.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2011
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Applicant: ABB RESEARCH LTD.
    Inventors: Mirrasoul Mousavi, Kari Saarinen, James Stoupis, John McGowan
  • Patent number: D669212
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Inventor: John McGowan