Patents by Inventor Michael R. Oliver
Michael R. Oliver 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: 11107122Abstract: An exemplary method includes a media content presentation system detecting a presentation of a media content instance by way of a primary media content access device, determining that a secondary media content access device is located within a detection zone associated with the primary media content access device during a time period associated with the presentation of the media content instance, selecting, in accordance with a course correction heuristic, advertisement content related to the media content instance and configured to target a user of the secondary media content access device, and presenting the advertisement content to the user by way of the secondary media content access device during the presentation of the media content instance by the primary media content access device. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 2011Date of Patent: August 31, 2021Assignee: Verizon and Patent Licensing Inc.Inventors: Brian F. Roberts, Anthony M. Lemus, Japan A. Mehta, Kishore Tallapaneni, Donald H. Relyea, Michael R. Oliver
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Patent number: 10212551Abstract: An exemplary method includes a buffer management system tracking a geographic location of a mobile computing device while the mobile computing device receives streaming content by way of a network; determining, based on the tracked geographic location, that the mobile computing device is approaching a geographic area designated as having a network connectivity level that is below a predetermined threshold; and dynamically increasing, in response to determining that the mobile computing device is approaching the geographic area and based on the tracked geographic location of the mobile computing device, a size of a buffer maintained by the mobile computing device and used to present the streaming content by way of the mobile computing device. Corresponding systems and methods are also described.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2015Date of Patent: February 19, 2019Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.Inventors: Michael R. Oliver, Siddharth Chitnis, Akshaya Trivedi
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Patent number: 9685196Abstract: A device may provide a video content item for display and receive a request to share the video content item with another device for a synchronized playing of the video content item by the device and the other device. The device may generate a stream of the video content item based on a point within the video content item currently played by the device and transmit the stream to the other device to synchronize playing of the video content item by the device and the other device. The device may obtain information identifying a particular point within the video content item currently played by the other device, determine a synchronization point, in the video content item, based on the obtained information, and update, based on the synchronization point, to synchronize the stream. The device may transmit the synchronized stream, to the other device, to re-synchronize playing of the video content item.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2014Date of Patent: June 20, 2017Assignee: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.Inventors: Siddharth Chitnis, Michael R. Oliver
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Patent number: 9639619Abstract: A method may include receiving a primary resource in a user device, wherein the resource includes a plurality of addresses and each of the plurality of addresses identifying one of a plurality of additional resources. The method may further include aggregating the plurality of addresses and sending the aggregated addresses to a network device. The method may further include receiving the additional resources in the user device.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2009Date of Patent: May 2, 2017Assignee: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.Inventors: Xuefeng Yao, Jack Jianxiu Hao, Diego S. Rozensztejn, Yuhui Qian, Jian Huang, Zhiying Jin, John F. Gallagher, Michael R. Oliver
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Patent number: 9571876Abstract: An exemplary method includes virtual set-top box (“STB”) device system receiving a registration request to register a mobile computing device to operate as a virtual STB device, verifying that the mobile computing device is within a predefined vicinity of a dedicated STB device that is located at a user premises, providing, to the mobile computing device, a virtual STB key for use by the mobile computing device to operate as the virtual STB device by leveraging access rights of an end-user account of a media content distribution service to access the media content distributed by way of the media content distribution service, and facilitating sharing of the virtual STB key with a media content processing device for use by the media content processing device to access the media content distributed by way of the media content distribution service. Corresponding systems and methods are also described.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2015Date of Patent: February 14, 2017Assignee: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.Inventors: Jianxiu Hao, Shailan Lala, Pramod Kalyanasundaram, Michael R. Oliver
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Publication number: 20170013406Abstract: An exemplary method includes a buffer management system tracking a geographic location of a mobile computing device while the mobile computing device receives streaming content by way of a network; determining, based on the tracked geographic location, that the mobile computing device is approaching a geographic area designated as having a network connectivity level that is below a predetermined threshold; and dynamically increasing, in response to determining that the mobile computing device is approaching the geographic area and based on the tracked geographic location of the mobile computing device, a size of a buffer maintained by the mobile computing device and used to present the streaming content by way of the mobile computing device. Corresponding systems and methods are also described.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 10, 2015Publication date: January 12, 2017Inventors: Michael R. Oliver, Siddharth Chitnis, Akshaya Trivedi
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Publication number: 20160316248Abstract: An exemplary method includes virtual set-top box (“STB”) device system receiving a registration request to register a mobile computing device to operate as a virtual STB device, verifying that the mobile computing device is within a predefined vicinity of a dedicated STB device that is located at a user premises, providing, to the mobile computing device, a virtual STB key for use by the mobile computing device to operate as the virtual STB device by leveraging access rights of an end-user account of a media content distribution service to access the media content distributed by way of the media content distribution service, and facilitating sharing of the virtual STB key with a media content processing device for use by the media content processing device to access the media content distributed by way of the media content distribution service. Corresponding systems and methods are also described.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 21, 2015Publication date: October 27, 2016Inventors: Jianxiu Hao, Shailan Lala, Pramod Kalyanasundaram, Michael R. Oliver
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Patent number: 9436929Abstract: Exemplary collaborative event playlist systems and methods are disclosed herein. An exemplary system includes a moderator device located at an event premises, connected to a local area network at the event premises, and hosting a collaborative event playlist for playback at an event at the event premises. The system further includes a participant device located at the event premises, connected to the local area network at the event premises, and configured to communicate with the moderator device by way of the local area network to participate in populating the collaborative event playlist with a song to which the participant device has access rights. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2012Date of Patent: September 6, 2016Assignee: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.Inventors: Michael R. Oliver, Brian F. Roberts
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Patent number: 9418031Abstract: An exemplary method includes a media content asset recovery system 1) detecting a migration of a user account from being associated with a first DVR system to being associated with a second DVR system, 2) identifying, in response to the detecting, a media content asset included within a library of one or more media content assets stored by the first DVR system at a time associated with the migration, 3) selecting, in accordance with a source selection heuristic, a media content source other than the first DVR system and that is configured to distribute the media content asset, and 4) directing the second DVR system to acquire the media content asset from the selected media content source for storage by the second DVR system.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 2012Date of Patent: August 16, 2016Assignee: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.Inventors: Raul I. Aldrey, Donald H. Relyea, Venkata S. Adimatyam, Kishore Tallapaneni, Michael R. Oliver, George M. Higa
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Patent number: 9402110Abstract: An exemplary method includes a non-intrusive advertisement presentation system subscribing a user to an advertisement service associated with a media content program, detecting a presentation of the media content program together with one or more advertisements associated with the media content program, and providing, in accordance with the advertisement service and in a manner independent of the presentation of the media content program together with the one or more advertisements, advertisement content associated with the one or more advertisements for selective access by the user. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2011Date of Patent: July 26, 2016Assignee: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.Inventors: Kishore Tallapaneni, Brian F. Roberts, Anthony M. Lemus, Japan A. Mehta, Donald H. Relyea, Michael R. Oliver
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Publication number: 20160078903Abstract: A device may provide a video content item for display and receive a request to share the video content item with another device for a synchronized playing of the video content item by the device and the other device. The device may generate a stream of the video content item based on a point within the video content item currently played by the device and transmit the stream to the other device to synchronize playing of the video content item by the device and the other device. The device may obtain information identifying a particular point within the video content item currently played by the other device, determine a synchronization point, in the video content item, based on the obtained information, and update, based on the synchronization point, to synchronize the stream. The device may transmit the synchronized stream, to the other device, to re-synchronize playing of the video content item.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 17, 2014Publication date: March 17, 2016Inventors: Siddharth CHITNIS, Michael R. OLIVER
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Patent number: 9264774Abstract: A network device receives a unique device identifier (UDID) associated with a mobile device belonging to a user, and content channel subscription information associated with the user, and stores the UDID and the content channel subscription information in a database. The network device receives the UDID and a channel identifier (ID) from a content application executing at the mobile device, and accesses the database with the UDID and the channel ID to verify the user's subscription to a content channel identified by the channel ID. The network device sends, if the user's subscription to the content channel is verified, a channel permission and a timestamp, to the mobile device, such that the mobile device is able to access content at a content provider corresponding to the channel ID prior to an expiration time that is based on the timestamp.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2013Date of Patent: February 16, 2016Assignee: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.Inventor: Michael R. Oliver
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Patent number: 9197841Abstract: A method includes identifying a scheduled video program recording conflict between video programs. The video programs are scheduled to be recorded at a same time. The method also includes determining whether there is at least one alternative recording opportunity for one of the video programs. The method includes determining a conflict status of a video program slot based on whether there is at least one alternative recording opportunity for the one of the video programs. The conflict status provides information applicable to determining a resolution of digital video recorder (DVR) scheduling for the video programs. The conflict status identifiers are provided to video program slots based on the conflict status of the video program slots. The method includes providing an option to manually resolve the scheduled video program recording conflict based on the conflict status identifiers, and resolving the scheduled video program recording conflict based on manual input.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2013Date of Patent: November 24, 2015Assignee: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.Inventor: Michael R. Oliver
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Patent number: 9124235Abstract: Exemplary media content management and presentation systems and methods are described herein. An exemplary method includes a media content presentation system linking together multiple media content instances, playing back or managing a playlist that includes the linked media content instances, and processing the linked media content instances as a block of linked media content instances within the playing back or managing of the playlist. Another exemplary method includes a media content presentation system playing back a media content instance for experiencing by a user, presenting a playback user interface in conjunction with the playing back of the media content instance, and providing, within the playback user interface, one or more media management tools configured for use by the user to manage the media content instance during the playing back of the media content instance. Corresponding systems and methods are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2011Date of Patent: September 1, 2015Assignee: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.Inventors: Michael R. Oliver, Brian F. Roberts
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Patent number: 9094652Abstract: An exemplary method includes a digital video recording (“DVR”) data migration management system 1) receiving a request for a user account to migrate from being associated with a first DVR system to being associated with a second DVR system, 2) accessing a first DVR data set associated with the first DVR system and separate from data representative of a library of one or more media content assets stored by the first DVR system, 3) generating a second DVR data set based on the first DVR data set and in accordance with one or more attributes of the second DVR system, and 4) associating the second DVR data set with the second DVR system. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 2012Date of Patent: July 28, 2015Assignee: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.Inventors: Raul I. Aldrey, Donald H. Relyea, Venkata S. Adimatyam, Kishore Tallapaneni, Michael R. Oliver, George M. Higa
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Patent number: 9060161Abstract: A device receives user input to schedule a program to record at a future time and recording conflict resolution characteristics including at least one of: an indication whether the user wishes to watch the program soon after the program begins or whether the user wishes to watch the program a period of time after the program begins, an indication whether the user cares about viewing only the end of the program or the entire program, or an indication whether, if the program is to be recorded as part of a series, the series needs to be recorded sequentially. The device identifies a conflict in the scheduling of the recording of the program and one or more other programs, and resolves the identified conflict based on one or more of the recording conflict resolution characteristics.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2012Date of Patent: June 16, 2015Assignee: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.Inventor: Michael R. Oliver
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Publication number: 20150063788Abstract: A method includes identifying a scheduled video program recording conflict between video programs. The video programs are scheduled to be recorded at a same time. The method also includes determining whether there is at least one alternative recording opportunity for one of the video programs. The method includes determining a conflict status of a video program slot based on whether there is at least one alternative recording opportunity for the one of the video programs. The conflict status provides information applicable to determining a resolution of digital video recorder (DVR) scheduling for the video programs. The conflict status identifiers are provided to video program slots based on the conflict status of the video program slots. The method includes providing an option to manually resolve the scheduled video program recording conflict based on the conflict status identifiers, and resolving the scheduled video program recording conflict based on manual input.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 29, 2013Publication date: March 5, 2015Applicant: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.Inventor: Michael R. Oliver
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Publication number: 20150067717Abstract: A method includes receiving, at a user device, video content, and providing, on an interface of the user device, a video censor toggle that is configured to provide video censoring components based on an input received from a user. The video censoring components are to substantially obscure the video content in a manner that a person without previous context of the video content will be unable to determine activities depicted in the video content. The method includes receiving a selection of the video censor toggle from the user at a particular time. The method also includes substantially obscuring the objectionable video content using the video censoring components based on the selection at the video censor toggle.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 27, 2013Publication date: March 5, 2015Applicant: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.Inventor: Michael R. Oliver
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Publication number: 20150046939Abstract: A network device receives a unique device identifier (UDID) associated with a mobile device belonging to a user, and content channel subscription information associated with the user, and stores the UDID and the content channel subscription information in a database. The network device receives the UDID and a channel identifier (ID) from a content application executing at the mobile device, and accesses the database with the UDID and the channel ID to verify the user's subscription to a content channel identified by the channel ID. The network device sends, if the user's subscription to the content channel is verified, a channel permission and a timestamp, to the mobile device, such that the mobile device is able to access content at a content provider corresponding to the channel ID prior to an expiration time that is based on the timestamp.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 12, 2013Publication date: February 12, 2015Applicant: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.Inventor: Michael R. Oliver
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Patent number: 8879889Abstract: An exemplary method includes a digital video recording system receiving input representative of one or more keywords from a user of a media content service, detecting the one or more keywords within closed captioning content associated with a media content instance available for access by the user by way of the media content service, and performing, in response to the detecting, one or more recording operations with respect to the media content instance. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2011Date of Patent: November 4, 2014Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.Inventor: Michael R. Oliver