Patents by Inventor Joseph L. Spears

Joseph L. Spears 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: 8930234
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for identifying an influencer from a pool of people based on past interactions with one or more items. A popularity metric is determined for a particular item, and an earliness of interaction metric is determined for a person in the pool based on an interaction with the particular item by the person. A prescience metric is calculated for the person based on the popularity metric and the earliness of interaction metric for the person, and the influencer is identified based on the prescience metric for the person and prescience metrics calculated for other people in the pool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Ipar, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph L. Spears, Jeffrey D. Brandstetter
  • Patent number: 8868408
    Abstract: Computer-implemented systems and methods are provided for identifying language that would be considered obscene or otherwise offensive to a user or proprietor of a system. A first plurality of offensive words are received, and a second plurality of offensive words are received. A string of words are received, where one or more detected offensive words are selected from the string of words that matches words from the first plurality of offensive words or the second plurality of offensive words. The string of words is processed based upon the detection of offensive words in the string of words.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: IPAR, LLC
    Inventor: Joseph L. Spears
  • Publication number: 20140294365
    Abstract: Computer-implemented systems and methods for determining second content which was not selected by the user but which is related to first content which was selected by the user. For example, a system and method can be configured to receive, using one or more processors, first and second content where the first and second content are rich media (e.g., content containing audio or video elements). Systems and methods may be further configured where the relationship between the first content and second content are determined based on data or metadata of the first content (e.g., the title of the content or an episode number). Systems and methods may be further configured where the relationship between the first content and second content are determined based on scheduling data of the first content (e.g., the time and channel when the first content is transmitted).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Inventor: Joseph L. Spears
  • Patent number: 8781304
    Abstract: Computer-implemented systems and methods for determining second content which was not selected by the user but which is related to first content which was selected by the user. For example, a system and method can be configured to receive, using one or more processors, first and second content where the first and second content are rich media (e.g., content containing audio or video elements). Systems and methods may be further configured where the relationship between the first content and second content are determined based on data or metadata of the first content (e.g., the title of the content or an episode number). Systems and methods may be further configured where the relationship between the first content and second content are determined based on scheduling data of the first content (e.g., the time and channel when the first content is transmitted).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: IPAR, LLC
    Inventor: Joseph L Spears
  • Publication number: 20130304456
    Abstract: Computer-implemented systems and methods are provided for identifying language that would be considered obscene or otherwise offensive to a user or proprietor of a system. A first plurality of offensive words are received, and a second plurality of offensive words are received. A string of words are received, where one or more detected offensive words are selected from the string of words that matches words from the first plurality of offensive words or the second plurality of offensive words. The string of words is processed based upon the detection of offensive words in the string of words.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2013
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Inventor: Joseph L. Spears
  • Patent number: 8510098
    Abstract: Computer-implemented systems and methods are provided for identifying language that would be considered obscene or otherwise offensive to a user or proprietor of a system. A first plurality of offensive words are received, and a second plurality of offensive words are received. A string of words are received, where one or more detected offensive words are selected from the string of words that matches words from the first plurality of offensive words or the second plurality of offensive words. The string of words is processed based upon the detection of offensive words in the string of words.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Ipar, LLC
    Inventor: Joseph L. Spears
  • Patent number: 8296130
    Abstract: Computer-implemented systems and methods are provided for identifying language that would be considered obscene or otherwise offensive to a user or proprietor of a system. A plurality of offensive words are received, where each offensive word is associated with a severity score identifying the offensiveness of that word. A string of words is received. A distance between a candidate word and each offensive word in the plurality of offensive words is calculated, and a plurality of offensiveness scores for the candidate word are calculated, each offensiveness score based on the calculated distance between the candidate word and the offensive word and the severity score of the offensive word. A determination is made as to whether the candidate word is an offender word, where the candidate word is deemed to be an offender word when the highest offensiveness score in the plurality of offensiveness scores exceeds an offensiveness threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Ipar, LLC
    Inventor: Joseph L. Spears
  • Publication number: 20120245887
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for identifying an influencer from a pool of people based on past interactions with one or more items. A popularity metric is determined for a particular item, and an earliness of interaction metric is determined for a person in the pool based on an interaction with the particular item by the person. A prescience metric is calculated for the person based on the popularity metric and the earliness of interaction metric for the person, and the influencer is identified based on the prescience metric for the person and prescience metrics calculated for other people in the pool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Inventors: Joseph L. Spears, Jeffrey D. Brandstetter
  • Publication number: 20120246174
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for determining an affinity score of a source entity and a target entity without consideration of data that directly links the source entity and the target entity. An intermediate entity that is relatable to a source entity is identified. A target entity is identified that is relatable to an intermediate entity. A similarity score is calculated identifying a degree of similarity between the source entity and the intermediate entity, or the target entity and the intermediate entity. An affinity score is calculated of the source entity and the intermediate entity, or the target entity and the intermediate entity. An affinity score of the source entity and the target entity is determined based on the similarity score and the affinity score.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2011
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Inventors: Joseph L. Spears, Jeffrey D. Brandstetter
  • Publication number: 20120246718
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for delegating permissions of a content provider for a content item to a delegate. In a graphical interface, a content selection input is configured to receive a selection of a content item from a plurality of content items to be delegated. A delegate selection input is configured to receive an identification of a delegate to which the permissions are to be assigned. The interface includes a plurality of permissions assignment inputs, where a permissions assignment input identifies a particular action and is configured to receive a selection of a permission type for the particular action. The identified delegate is permitted to perform the particular action according to the selected permission type for the selected content item.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Applicant: INDIEPLAYA, INC.
    Inventors: Joseph L. Spears, Jeffrey D. Brandstetter
  • Publication number: 20120183275
    Abstract: Computer-implemented systems and methods for determining second content which was not selected by the user but which is related to first content which was selected by the user. For example, a system and method can be configured to receive, using one or more processors, first and second content where the first and second content are rich media (e.g., content containing audio or video elements). Systems and methods may be further configured where the relationship between the first content and second content are determined based on data or metadata of the first content (e.g., the title of the content or an episode number). Systems and methods may be further configured where the relationship between the first content and second content are determined based on scheduling data of the first content (e.g., the time and channel when the first content is transmitted).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2011
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Inventor: Joseph L. Spears
  • Publication number: 20120054811
    Abstract: Computer-implemented systems and methods of providing content to a user via communications between a content provider and a user over a plurality of disparate communication channels are provided. Content is provided to a user via a first transmission channel for presentation. Metadata associated with the content identifies a content event trigger at a point in the content. The content is displayed using a first presentation system. When the content event trigger is reached, supplemental content is provided to the user via a second transmission channel. The supplemental content is provided to the user during continued presentation of the content, and the supplemental content is provided to the user using a content providing system that is wholly separate from the first presentation system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2010
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Inventor: Joseph L. Spears
  • Publication number: 20110313815
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for distributing a product or service for a provider using a platform for distributing products or services by a plurality of providers. A platform is provided by which a plurality of providers market and provide products or services to users. Information about first activity is obtained in relation to the particular product or service or other products or services of the first provider. Information about second activity is obtained in relation to other products or services of other providers that share at least one attribute with the product or service. Data is provided to the first provider where the data includes the information about the first activity in relation to products or services of the first provider and the information about the second activity in relation to other products or services of other providers based on the at least one shared attribute.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2011
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Inventors: Jeffrey D. Brandstetter, Joseph L. Spears
  • Publication number: 20110191691
    Abstract: Computer-implemented systems and methods are provided that include receiving, using one or more processors, first data and first metadata corresponding to first content. Second data or second metadata corresponding to second content is received, where the second content includes second data or second metadata not present in the first content. One or more options are provided to a user, where each respective option in the one or more options is for a combination of the first and the second content, where an aspect of the combination is determined by a criterion associated with the respective option. A selection of an option in the one or more options from a user is received, and access to a combination of the first and second content is provided as determined by the criterion of the option selected by the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2010
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Inventor: Joseph L. Spears
  • Publication number: 20110191288
    Abstract: Computer-implemented systems and methods are provided that include receiving data or metadata for first content or data or metadata related to the first content. A first alternative for the first content is generated, where the first alternative is based upon data or metadata for the first content or data or metadata related to the first content, and first aggregated content or content-related data or metadata associated with multiple content providers. A selection of the first alternative is received, where the selection of the first alternative generates first additional data or metadata for the first content or first additional data or metadata for content related to the first content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2010
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Inventor: Joseph L. Spears
  • Patent number: D658668
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Inventors: Joseph L. Spears, Jeffrey D. Brandstetter
  • Patent number: D658669
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: IndiePlaya, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph L. Spears, Jeffrey D. Brandstetter
  • Patent number: D661700
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: IndiePlaya, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph L. Spears, Jeffrey D. Brandstetter
  • Patent number: D666208
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: IndiePlaya, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph L. Spears, Jeffrey D. Brandstetter
  • Patent number: D666632
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: IndiePlaya, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph L. Spears, Jeffrey D. Brandstetter