Patents by Inventor John S. Stavropoulos
John S. Stavropoulos 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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Publication number: 20240107115Abstract: A method and system for controlling implementation of dynamic content modification. The disclosure provides for using at least one steganographically-encoded timestamp in a media stream transmitted to a media client as a basis to determine a transmission delay for media-stream transmission to the media client, and for providing the determined transmission delay as a basis to facilitate control over whether to have the media client implement dynamic content modification. In addition, the disclosure provides for receiving respectively from each of various media clients a report indicating transmission delay determined for the media client based on such steganographically-encoded timestamp data, and using the transmission delays for the media clients to establish a dynamic-content-modification footprint that could be used to control whether, where, and to what extent dynamic content modification will be applied.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 20, 2023Publication date: March 28, 2024Inventors: Benjamin J. Ropke, Shashank C. Merchant, John S. Stavropoulos
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Patent number: 11863817Abstract: A method and system for controlling implementation of dynamic content modification. The disclosure provides for using at least one steganographically-encoded timestamp in a media stream transmitted to a media client as a basis to determine a transmission delay for media-stream transmission to the media client, and for providing the determined transmission delay as a basis to facilitate control over whether to have the media client implement dynamic content modification. In addition, the disclosure provides for receiving respectively from each of various media clients a report indicating transmission delay determined for the media client based on such steganographically-encoded timestamp data, and using the transmission delays for the media clients to establish a dynamic-content-modification footprint that could be used to control whether, where, and to what extent dynamic content modification will be applied.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2023Date of Patent: January 2, 2024Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLCInventors: Benjamin J. Ropke, Shashank C. Merchant, John S. Stavropoulos
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Publication number: 20230336796Abstract: A method and system for using steganographically-encoded time information as a basis to control when a client carries out a content-related action. The client processes for presentation one or more linear media streams, each defining a respective time sequence of frames of media content, and at least one of the streams being steganographically encoded with at least one watermark at a respective time-point within the linear media stream, the watermark encoding a timestamp of the respective time-point within the linear media stream according to a server clock. The client extracts the timestamp from the watermark and computes a time offset based on a difference between the extracted timestamp and a current time according to a client clock. And the client uses the computed time offset as a basis to determine when to carry out a content-related action in a given one of the one or more linear media streams.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 16, 2023Publication date: October 19, 2023Inventors: Benjamin J. Ropke, John S. Stavropoulos, Shashank C. Merchant
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Patent number: 11792493Abstract: The disclosure provides for use of watermarking as a basis control abandonment of dynamic content modification. Upon detecting of the occurrence of a trigger event for causing a content presentation device to abandon a dynamic content modification with respect to a media stream being delivered to the content presentation device, an entity encodes into the media stream an abandonment-watermark interpretable by the content presentation device to cause the content presentation device to abandon the dynamic content modification. The content presentation device then detects the abandonment-watermark in the media stream being received by the content presentation device and in response to the abandonment-watermark, abandons the dynamic content modification.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 2022Date of Patent: October 17, 2023Assignee: ROKU, INC.Inventor: John S. Stavropoulos
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Patent number: 11736746Abstract: A method and system for using steganographically-encoded time information as a basis to control when a client carries out a content-related action. The client processes for presentation one or more linear media streams, each defining a respective time sequence of frames of media content, and at least one of the streams being steganographically encoded with at least one watermark at a respective time-point within the linear media stream, the watermark encoding a timestamp of the respective time-point within the linear media stream according to a server clock. The client extracts the timestamp from the watermark and computes a time offset based on a difference between the extracted timestamp and a current time according to a client clock. And the client uses the computed time offset as a basis to determine when the client should carry out a content-related action in a given one of the one or more linear media streams.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2022Date of Patent: August 22, 2023Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLCInventors: Benjamin J. Ropke, John S. Stavropoulos, Shashank C. Merchant
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Publication number: 20230247240Abstract: A method and system for dynamically watermarking media content based on transport-stream metadata, to facilitate action by a downstream entity. An intermediary in a media-distribution path could receive a transport stream carrying media content and carrying metadata that is not watermarked in the media content. The intermediary could then obtain from the transport stream the metadata that is not watermarked in the media content and could modify the media content at least by encoding into the media content a watermark that represents the obtained metadata. And the intermediary could then output at least the modified media content for transmission to a downstream entity. The downstream entity could thus obtain from the watermark in the media content the metadata and could use the metadata to facilitate carrying out one or more useful actions.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 6, 2023Publication date: August 3, 2023Inventors: Shashank C. Merchant, Benjamin J. Ropke, John S. Stavropoulos
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Publication number: 20230171463Abstract: A method and system for controlling implementation of dynamic content modification. The disclosure provides for using at least one steganographically-encoded timestamp in a media stream transmitted to a media client as a basis to determine a transmission delay for media-stream transmission to the media client, and for providing the determined transmission delay as a basis to facilitate control over whether to have the media client implement dynamic content modification. In addition, the disclosure provides for receiving respectively from each of various media clients a report indicating transmission delay determined for the media client based on such steganographically-encoded timestamp data, and using the transmission delays for the media clients to establish a dynamic-content-modification footprint that could be used to control whether, where, and to what extent dynamic content modification will be applied.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 25, 2023Publication date: June 1, 2023Inventors: Benjamin J. Ropke, Shashank C. Merchant, John S. Stavropoulos
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Patent number: 11653044Abstract: A method and system for dynamically watermarking media content based on transport-stream metadata, to facilitate action by a downstream entity. An intermediary in a media-distribution path could receive a transport stream carrying media content and carrying metadata that is not watermarked in the media content. The intermediary could then obtain from the transport stream the metadata that is not watermarked in the media content and could modify the media content at least by encoding into the media content a watermark that represents the obtained metadata. And the intermediary could then output at least the modified media content for transmission to a downstream entity. The downstream entity could thus obtain from the watermark in the media content the metadata and could use the metadata to facilitate carrying out one or more useful actions.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2022Date of Patent: May 16, 2023Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLCInventors: Shashank C. Merchant, Benjamin J. Ropke, John S. Stavropoulos
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Patent number: 11632597Abstract: A method and system for controlling dynamic content modification such as dynamic advertisement insertion. An example method includes detecting presence of an emergency-alert audio tone in a media stream accessible to a media client, and responsively causing the media client to abandon a dynamic content modification, such as to forgo a planned dynamic content modification or to discontinue an in-progress dynamic content modification. This method could occur while the media client is processing a given media stream for presentation, and the method could include detecting presence of the emergency-alert audio tone in the given media stream or alternatively in another media stream accessible to the media client. And in the latter case, the method could further involve causing the media client to switch from processing the given media stream for presentation to instead processing the other media stream for presentation, which could facilitate presenting of an associated emergency alert.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2020Date of Patent: April 18, 2023Assignee: ROKU, INC.Inventor: John S. Stavropoulos
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Patent number: 11589109Abstract: A method and system for controlling implementation of dynamic content modification. The disclosure provides for using at least one steganographically-encoded timestamp in a media stream transmitted to a media client as a basis to determine a transmission delay for media-stream transmission to the media client, and for providing the determined transmission delay as a basis to facilitate control over whether to have the media client implement dynamic content modification. In addition, the disclosure provides for receiving respectively from each of various media clients a report indicating transmission delay determined for the media client based on such steganographically-encoded timestamp data, and using the transmission delays for the media clients to establish a dynamic-content-modification footprint that could be used to control whether, where, and to what extent dynamic content modification will be applied.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2021Date of Patent: February 21, 2023Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLCInventors: Benjamin J. Ropke, Shashank C. Merchant, John S. Stavropoulos
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Publication number: 20230007320Abstract: A method and system for using steganographically-encoded time information as a basis to control when a client carries out a content-related action. The client processes for presentation one or more linear media streams, each defining a respective time sequence of frames of media content, and at least one of the streams being steganographically encoded with at least one watermark at a respective time-point within the linear media stream, the watermark encoding a timestamp of the respective time-point within the linear media stream according to a server clock. The client extracts the timestamp from the watermark and computes a time offset based on a difference between the extracted timestamp and a current time according to a client clock. And the client uses the computed time offset as a basis to determine when the client should carry out a content-related action in a given one of the one or more linear media streams.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 7, 2022Publication date: January 5, 2023Inventors: Benjamin J. Ropke, John S. Stavropoulos, Shashank C. Merchant
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Publication number: 20220417572Abstract: A method and system for dynamically watermarking media content based on transport-stream metadata, to facilitate action by a downstream entity. An intermediary in a media-distribution path could receive a transport stream carrying media content and carrying metadata that is not watermarked in the media content. The intermediary could then obtain from the transport stream the metadata that is not watermarked in the media content and could modify the media content at least by encoding into the media content a watermark that represents the obtained metadata. And the intermediary could then output at least the modified media content for transmission to a downstream entity. The downstream entity could thus obtain from the watermark in the media content the metadata and could use the metadata to facilitate carrying out one or more useful actions.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2022Publication date: December 29, 2022Inventors: Shashank C. Merchant, Benjamin J. Ropke, John S. Stavropoulos
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Patent number: 11470364Abstract: A method and system for using steganographically-encoded time information as a basis to control when a client carries out a content-related action. The client processes for presentation one or more linear media streams, each defining a respective time sequence of frames of media content, and at least one of the streams being steganographically encoded with at least one watermark at a respective time-point within the linear media stream, the watermark encoding a timestamp of the respective time-point within the linear media stream according to a server clock. The client extracts the timestamp from the watermark and computes a time offset based on a difference between the extracted timestamp and a current time according to a client clock. And the client uses the computed time offset as a basis to determine when the client should carry out a content-related action in a given one of the one or more linear media streams.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 2021Date of Patent: October 11, 2022Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLCInventors: Benjamin J. Ropke, John S. Stavropoulos, Shashank C. Merchant
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Patent number: 11463751Abstract: A method and system for dynamically watermarking media content based on transport-stream metadata, to facilitate action by a downstream entity. An intermediary in a media-distribution path could receive a transport stream carrying media content and carrying metadata that is not watermarked in the media content. The intermediary could then obtain from the transport stream the metadata that is not watermarked in the media content and could modify the media content at least by encoding into the media content a watermark that represents the obtained metadata. And the intermediary could then output at least the modified media content for transmission to a downstream entity. The downstream entity could thus obtain from the watermark in the media content the metadata and could use the metadata to facilitate carrying out one or more useful actions.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 2021Date of Patent: October 4, 2022Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLCInventors: Shashank C. Merchant, Benjamin J. Ropke, John S. Stavropoulos
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Publication number: 20220232296Abstract: The disclosure provides for use of watermarking as a basis control abandonment of dynamic content modification. Upon detecting of the occurrence of a trigger event for causing a content presentation device to abandon a dynamic content modification with respect to a media stream being delivered to the content presentation device, an entity encodes into the media stream an abandonment-watermark interpretable by the content presentation device to cause the content presentation device to abandon the dynamic content modification. The content presentation device then detects the abandonment-watermark in the media stream being received by the content presentation device and in response to the abandonment-watermark, abandons the dynamic content modification.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 7, 2022Publication date: July 21, 2022Inventor: John S. Stavropoulos
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Patent number: 11343593Abstract: The disclosure provides for use of watermarking as a basis control abandonment of dynamic content modification. Upon detecting of the occurrence of a trigger event for causing a content presentation device to abandon a dynamic content modification with respect to a media stream being delivered to the content presentation device, an entity encodes into the media stream an abandonment-watermark interpretable by the content presentation device to cause the content presentation device to abandon the dynamic content modification. The content presentation device then detects the abandonment-watermark in the media stream being received by the content presentation device and in response to the abandonment-watermark, abandons the dynamic content modification.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2021Date of Patent: May 24, 2022Assignee: Roku, Inc.Inventor: John S. Stavropoulos
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Publication number: 20220150601Abstract: Use of watermarking in a media stream as a trigger for carrying out a fingerprint-related action, such as starting to generate fingerprints of the media stream, increasing a rate of generation of fingerprints of the media stream, starting to report fingerprints of the media stream, requesting fingerprints, or engaging in a fingerprint comparison. In an implementation, a media client that is processing the media stream could detect the watermark in the media stream and could responsively carry out or cause to be carried out a fingerprint-related action. Or an entity in a media-distribution path along which the media stream flows to a media client could detect the watermark in the media stream and could responsively carry out or cause to be carried out a fingerprint-related action. Further, the watermark could be inserted into the media stream in the first place based on transport-stream carried metadata, among other possibilities.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 21, 2022Publication date: May 12, 2022Inventors: Shashank C. Merchant, John S. Stavropoulos, Benjamin J. Ropke, Steven M. Cormie
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Publication number: 20220103895Abstract: A method and system for controlling implementation of dynamic content modification. The disclosure provides for using at least one steganographically-encoded timestamp in a media stream transmitted to a media client as a basis to determine a transmission delay for media-stream transmission to the media client, and for providing the determined transmission delay as a basis to facilitate control over whether to have the media client implement dynamic content modification. In addition, the disclosure provides for receiving respectively from each of various media clients a report indicating transmission delay determined for the media client based on such steganographically-encoded timestamp data, and using the transmission delays for the media clients to establish a dynamic-content-modification footprint that could be used to control whether, where, and to what extent dynamic content modification will be applied.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 13, 2021Publication date: March 31, 2022Inventors: Benjamin J. Ropke, Shashank C. Merchant, John S. Stavropoulos
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Publication number: 20220030324Abstract: A method and system for controlling dynamic content modification such as dynamic advertisement insertion. An example method includes detecting presence of an emergency-alert audio tone in a media stream accessible to a media client, and responsively causing the media client to abandon a dynamic content modification, such as to forgo a planned dynamic content modification or to discontinue an in-progress dynamic content modification. This method could occur while the media client is processing a given media stream for presentation, and the method could include detecting presence of the emergency-alert audio tone in the given media stream or alternatively in another media stream accessible to the media client. And in the latter case, the method could further involve causing the media client to switch from processing the given media stream for presentation to instead processing the other media stream for presentation, which could facilitate presenting of an associated emergency alert.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 22, 2020Publication date: January 27, 2022Inventor: John S. Stavropoulos
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Patent number: 11234049Abstract: A method and system for controlling implementation of dynamic content modification. The disclosure provides for using at least one steganographically-encoded timestamp in a media stream transmitted to a media client as a basis to determine a transmission delay for media-stream transmission to the media client, and for providing the determined transmission delay as a basis to facilitate control over whether to have the media client implement dynamic content modification. In addition, the disclosure provides for receiving respectively from each of various media clients a report indicating transmission delay determined for the media client based on such steganographically-encoded timestamp data, and using the transmission delays for the media clients to establish a dynamic-content-modification footprint that could be used to control whether, where, and to what extent dynamic content modification will be applied.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2020Date of Patent: January 25, 2022Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLCInventors: Benjamin J. Ropke, Shashank C. Merchant, John S. Stavropoulos