Patents by Inventor Martyn Ross Ward

Martyn Ross Ward 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: 10535323
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide a user device comprising a touch screen display having a touch screen input; a proximity detector arrangement comprising a plurality of sensors for detecting a location of an input device; and a control unit comprising a processor. The control unit is configured to receive data from the proximity detector to determine the location of the input device, including a value related to the distance of the input device to the display; and control the display to perform a zoom function to enlarge or reduce the size of content on a portion of the display based on the value related to the distance of the input device to the display. The proximity detector arrangement and control unit are configured to detect the location of the input device within a detection volume and to provide a gradual variation in enlargement or reduction of the size of content as the distance of the input device to the display varies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: DISH TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: Martyn Ross Ward, Antony Michael Dove
  • Patent number: 9705727
    Abstract: Systems, devices and processes are described to transfer a media program from a media server to a playback device over a network. The media program is encoded in a multi-layer format having a plurality of layers comprising a base layer and at least one additional layer. The base layer supports playback of the entire media program at a lower resolution and each of the additional layers provides additional data that, when combined with the base layer, supports playback of the media program at a higher resolution. The base layer is initially transferred to allow playback of the media program at the lower resolution on the playback device. If sufficient resources remain after transfer of the base layer, then at least one of the additional layers may be subsequently transferred to allow playback of the media program at the higher resolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: EchoStar Technologies L.L.C.
    Inventor: Martyn Ross Ward
  • Publication number: 20160202871
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide a user device comprising a touch screen display having a touch screen input; a proximity detector arrangement comprising a plurality of sensors for detecting a location of an input device; and a control unit comprising a processor. The control unit is configured to receive data from the proximity detector to determine the location of the input device, including a value related to the distance of the input device to the display; and control the display to perform a zoom function to enlarge or reduce the size of content on a portion of the display based on the value related to the distance of the input device to the display. The proximity detector arrangement and control unit are configured to detect the location of the input device within a detection volume and to provide a gradual variation in enlargement or reduction of the size of content as the distance of the input device to the display varies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2016
    Publication date: July 14, 2016
    Applicant: Echostar UK Holdings Limited
    Inventors: Martyn Ross Ward, Antony Michael Dove
  • Patent number: 9311898
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide a user device comprising a touch screen display having a touch screen input; a proximity detector arrangement comprising a plurality of sensors for detecting a location of an input device; and a control unit comprising a processor. The control unit is configured to receive data from the proximity detector to determine the location of the input device, including a value related to the distance of the input device to the display; and control the display to perform a zoom function to enlarge or reduce the size of content on a portion of the display based on the value related to the distance of the input device to the display. The proximity detector arrangement and control unit are configured to detect the location of the input device within a detection volume and to provide a gradual variation in enlargement or reduction of the size of content as the distance of the input device to the display varies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: Eldon Technology Limited
    Inventors: Martyn Ross Ward, Antony Michael Dove
  • Patent number: 9247108
    Abstract: An active shutter device for use in securely displaying content from a display to a user. The secure content is encoded as a sequence of video frames interspersed within a set of video frames, at least some of the other frames within the set including obfuscating data. The device comprises a receiver for receiving a synchronization signal, at least one shutter mechanism, and a processor. The processor, in response to the synchronization signal, controls the shutter mechanism so as to synchronize the shutter mechanism with, for example, the refresh rate or the video frame display rate of the display. The processor is configured to receive a frame sequence corresponding to the sequence of video frames used of the secure content, and control the shutter mechanism, in response to the received frame sequence, to allow only the video frames in the secure sequence to pass through the shutter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Echostar UK Holdings Limited
    Inventors: Neale Hall, Martyn Ross Ward
  • Patent number: 9191652
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for presenting three-dimensional content on a display. An exemplary system for presenting a plurality of frames on a display comprises a first lens, a second lens, and an activation system. The activation system utilizes electromagnetic radiation to activate the first lens when a respective frame being presented on the display corresponds to the first lens, resulting in the first lens being substantially transparent and the second lens being substantially opaque, and to activate the second lens when a respective frame being presented on the display corresponds to the second lens, resulting in the second lens being substantially transparent and the first lens being substantially opaque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Echostar UK Holdings Limited
    Inventor: Martyn Ross Ward
  • Publication number: 20140226067
    Abstract: An active shutter device for use in securely displaying content from a display to a user. The secure content is encoded as a sequence of video frames interspersed within a set of video frames, at least some of the other frames within the set including obfuscating data. The device comprises a receiver for receiving a synchronisation signal, at least one shutter mechanism, and a processor. The processor, in response to the synchronisation signal, controls the shutter mechanism so as to synchronise the shutter mechanism with, for example, the refresh rate or the video frame display rate of the display. The processor is configured to receive a frame sequence corresponding to the sequence of video frames used of the secure content, and control the shutter mechanism, in response to the received frame sequence, to allow only the video frames in the secure sequence to pass through the shutter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Inventors: Neale Hall, Martyn Ross Ward
  • Publication number: 20130293490
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide a user device comprising a touch screen display having a touch screen input; a proximity detector arrangement comprising a plurality of sensors for detecting a location of an input device; and a control unit comprising a processor. The control unit is configured to receive data from the proximity detector to determine the location of the input device, including a value related to the distance of the input device to the display; and control the display to perform a zoom function to enlarge or reduce the size of content on a portion of the display based on the value related to the distance of the input device to the display. The proximity detector arrangement and control unit are configured to detect the location of the input device within a detection volume and to provide a gradual variation in enlargement or reduction of the size of content as the distance of the input device to the display varies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2013
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Inventors: Martyn Ross Ward, Antony Michael Dove
  • Publication number: 20130258072
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for presenting three-dimensional content on a display. An exemplary system for presenting a plurality of frames on a display comprises a first lens, a second lens, and an activation system. The activation system utilizes electromagnetic radiation to activate the first lens when a respective frame being presented on the display corresponds to the first lens, resulting in the first lens being substantially transparent and the second lens being substantially opaque, and to activate the second lens when a respective frame being presented on the display corresponds to the second lens, resulting in the second lens being substantially transparent and the first lens being substantially opaque.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2013
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Inventor: Martyn Ross Ward
  • Patent number: 8477400
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for presenting three-dimensional content on a display. An exemplary system for presenting a plurality of frames on a display comprises a first lens, a second lens, and an activation system. The activation system utilizes electromagnetic radiation to activate the first lens when a respective frame being presented on the display corresponds to the first lens, resulting in the first lens being substantially transparent and the second lens being substantially opaque, and to activate the second lens when a respective frame being presented on the display corresponds to the second lens, resulting in the second lens being substantially transparent and the first lens being substantially opaque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Eldon Technology Limited
    Inventor: Martyn Ross Ward
  • Patent number: 8381239
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for identifying a particular user of an receiver, such as a set-top box or receiver. A user is identified by the manner in which she uses an input device, such a wireless remote. Each individual user of the receiver is assigned a profile that includes values for a number of information points that serve to distinguish the user from other users of the receiver. With a user identified through tracking of her usage of a input device, customized content such as target advertisements or programming suggestions may be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Eldon Technology Limited
    Inventors: David Robert Burton, Martyn Ross Ward
  • Publication number: 20110197214
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for identifying a particular user of an receiver, such as a set-top box or receiver. A user is identified by the manner in which she uses an input device, such a wireless remote. Each individual user of the receiver is assigned a profile that includes values for a number of information points that serve to distinguish the user from other users of the receiver. With a user identified through tracking of her usage of a input device, customized content such as target advertisements or programming suggestions may be provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2010
    Publication date: August 11, 2011
    Applicant: Eldon Technology Limited
    Inventors: David Robert Burton, Martyn Ross Ward
  • Publication number: 20110188107
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for presenting three-dimensional content on a display. An exemplary system for presenting a plurality of frames on a display comprises a first lens, a second lens, and an activation system. The activation system utilizes electromagnetic radiation to activate the first lens when a respective frame being presented on the display corresponds to the first lens, resulting in the first lens being substantially transparent and the second lens being substantially opaque, and to activate the second lens when a respective frame being presented on the display corresponds to the second lens, resulting in the second lens being substantially transparent and the first lens being substantially opaque.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2010
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Applicant: ELDON TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
    Inventor: Martyn Ross Ward
  • Publication number: 20110156944
    Abstract: A method of facilitating consumer device control bus functionality in an entertainment system is presented. In the method, a consumer device control bus command is received from a first electronic device. The control bus command is translated into a wireless remote control command compatible with a second electronic device. The wireless remote control command is transmitted to the second electronic device. A consumer device control command translation device, as well as a consumer electronics device providing related capability, is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2009
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicant: ELDON TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
    Inventors: Martyn Ross Ward, Anthony Michael Dove, Neale Hall