Patents by Inventor Peter J. Wonfor

Peter J. Wonfor 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: 8250597
    Abstract: A method and system of providing copy protection of video analog and digital signals and the like, wherein the signals are transmitted via a digital delivery network, and may comprise, for example, pay-per-view (PPV) program materials protected by copyrights of respective program rights holders. The right holders authorize video service providers (3) to apply copy protection to the program material. The copy protection process is supplied to the rights holders or the service providers (3) by a copy protection process licensor. The video service providers (3) supply suitable copy protection control software via respective control and billing (tracking) centers to generate commands which activate, control and reconfigure the copy protection process being applied to the programs being transmitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Rovi Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Peter J. Wonfor, Derek T. Nelson
  • Publication number: 20100021133
    Abstract: Enhancements to a video anticopying process that causes an abnormally low amplitude video signal to be recorded on an illegal copy. In one version, positive going pulses are added to the video signal. The enhancements in one version introduce into the overscan portion of the television picture, just prior to the horizontal or vertical sync signals but in active video, a negative going waveform that appears to the television receiver or videotape recorder to be a sync signal, thereby causing an early horizontal or vertical retrace. One version provides (in the right overscan portion of the picture), a checker pattern of alternating gray and black areas which causes the TV set on which the illegal copy is played to horizontally retrace earlier than normal in selected lines with a consequential horizontal shift of the picture information on those lines. This substantially degrades picture viewability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2009
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Applicant: MACROVISION CORPORATION
    Inventors: Peter J. WONFOR, Alistair J. Knox, Jeremy J. Corcoran, John O. Ryan, Ronald Quan
  • Patent number: 7620178
    Abstract: Enhancements to a video anticopying process that causes an abnormally low amplitude video signal to be recorded on an illegal copy. In one version, positive going pulses are added to the video signal. The enhancements in one version introduce into the overscan portion of the television picture, just prior to the horizontal or vertical sync signals but in active video, a negative going waveform that appears to the television receiver or videotape recorder to be a sync signal, thereby causing an early horizontal or vertical retrace. One version provides (in the right overscan portion of the picture), a checker pattern of alternating gray and black areas which causes the TV set on which the illegal copy is played to horizontally retrace earlier than normal in selected lines with a consequential horizontal shift of the picture information on those lines. This substantially degrades picture viewability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Macrovision Corporation
    Inventors: Peter J. Wonfor, Alistair J. Knox, Jeremy J. Corcoran, John O. Ryan, Ronald Quan
  • Publication number: 20080178235
    Abstract: A method and system of providing copy protection of video analog and digital signals and the like, wherein the signals are transmitted via a digital delivery network, and may comprise, for example, pay-per-view (PPV) program materials protected by copyrights of respective program rights holders. The right holders authorize video service providers (3) to apply copy protection to the program material. The copy protection process is supplied to the rights holders or the service providers (3) by a copy protection process licensor. The video service providers (3) supply suitable copy protection control software via respective control and billing (tracking) centers to generate commands which activate, control and reconfigure the copy protection process being applied to the programs being transmitted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Publication date: July 24, 2008
    Inventors: Peter J. Wonfor, Derek T. Nelson
  • Patent number: 7395545
    Abstract: A method and system of providing copy protection of video analog and digital signals and the like, wherein the signals are transmitted via a digital delivery network, and may comprise, for example, pay-per-view (PPV) program materials protected by copyrights of respective program rights holders. The right holders authorize video service providers (3) to apply copy protection to the program material. The copy protection process is supplied to the rights holders or the service providers (3) by a copy protection process licensor. The video service providers (3) supply suitable copy protection control software via respective control and billing (tracking) centers to generate commands which activate, control and reconfigure the copy protection process being applied to the programs being transmitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: Macrovision Corporation
    Inventors: Peter J. Wonfor, Derek T. Nelson
  • Publication number: 20020172362
    Abstract: A method and system of providing copy protection of video analog and digital signals and the like, wherein the signals are transmitted via a digital delivery network, and may comprise, for example, pay-per-view (PPV) program materials protected by copyrights of respective program rights holders. The right holders authorize video service providers (3) to apply copy protection to the program material. The copy protection process is supplied to the rights holders or the service providers (3) by a copy protection process licensor. The video service providers (3) supply suitable copy protection control software via respective control and billing (tracking) centers to generate commands which activate, control and reconfigure the copy protection process being applied to the programs being transmitted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2002
    Publication date: November 21, 2002
    Inventors: Peter J. Wonfor, Derek T. Nelson
  • Patent number: 6381747
    Abstract: A method and system of providing copy protection of video analog and digital signals and the like, wherein the signals are transmitted via a digital delivery network, and may comprise, for example, pay per view (PPV) program materials protected by copyrights of respective program rights holders. The right holders authorize video service providers (3) to apply copy protection to the program material. The copy protection process is supplied to the rights holders or the service providers (3) by a copy protection process licensor. The video service providers (3) supply suitable copy protection control software via respective control and billing (tracking) centers to generate commands which activate, control and reconfigure the copy protection process being applied to the programs being transmitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: Macrovision Corp.
    Inventors: Peter J. Wonfor, Derek T. Nelson
  • Publication number: 20020018564
    Abstract: Enhancements to a video anticopying process that causes an abnormally low amplitude video signal to be recorded on an illegal copy. The enhancements in one version introduce into the overscan portion of the television picture, just prior to the horizontal or vertical sync signals but in active video, a negative going waveform that appears to the television receiver or videotape recorder to be a sync signal, thereby causing an early horizontal or vertical retrace. One version provides (in the right overscan portion of the picture), a checker pattern of alternating gray and black areas which causes the TV set on which the illegal copy is played to horizontally retrace earlier than normal in selected lines with a consequential horizontal shift of the picture information on those lines. This substantially degrades picture viewability. In another version a gray pattern at the bottom overscan portion of the picture causes vertical picture instability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2001
    Publication date: February 14, 2002
    Inventors: Peter J. Wonfor, Alistair J. Knox, Jeremy J. Corcoran, John O. Ryan, Ronald Quan
  • Publication number: 20010026617
    Abstract: Enhancements to a video anticopying process that causes an abnormally low amplitude video signal to be recorded on an illegal copy. The enhancements in one version introduce into the overscan portion of the television picture, just prior to the horizontal or vertical sync signals but in active video, a negative going waveform that appears to the television receiver or videotape recorder to be a sync signal, thereby causing an early horizontal or vertical retrace. One version provides (in the right overscan portion of the picture), a checker pattern of alternating gray and black areas which causes the TV set on which the illegal copy is played to horizontally retrace earlier than normal in selected lines with a consequential horizontal shift of the picture information on those lines. This substantially degrades picture viewability. In another version a gray pattern at the bottom overscan portion of the picture causes vertical picture instability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2000
    Publication date: October 4, 2001
    Inventors: Peter J. Wonfor, Alistair J. Knox, Jeremy J. Corcoran, John O. Ryan, Ronald Quan
  • Patent number: 5608799
    Abstract: A video-scrambling system induces a random wobble i.e., time shifting, in the location of active portion of the video frame, without affecting the horizontal sync signal and colorburst in each video line, thus providing both security and concealment. The security is enhanced by filling in the gap between the nominal beginning of active video and the actual beginning of active video with a synthesized video signal which replicates the adjacent active video using a digitally generated filling pattern. Also, a random noise overlay further conceals the location of the gap. Additional concealment is provided by wiggling in time the location of the horizontal sync signal using one or two frequencies and also by randomly altering the location of the vertical sync signal. The NTSC digital encoding in accordance with the invention is simplified by using only two channels, chrominance and luminance, and by a heterodyne circuit for chrominance stability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 4, 1997
    Assignee: Macrovision Corporation
    Inventors: John O. Ryan, Ronald Quan, James R. Holzgrafe, Peter J. Wonfor
  • Patent number: 5583936
    Abstract: Enhancements to a video anticopying process that causes an abnormally low amplitude video signal to be recorded on an illegal copy. The enhancements in one version introduce into the overscan portion of the television picture, just prior to the horizontal or vertical sync signals but in active video, a negative going waveform that appears to the television receiver or videotape recorder to be a sync signal, thereby causing an early horizontal or vertical retrace. One version provides (in the right overscan portion of the picture), a checker pattern of alternating gray and black areas which causes the TV set on which the illegal copy is played to horizontally retrace earlier than normal in selected lines with a consequential horizontal shift of the picture information on those lines. This substantially degrades picture viewability. In another version a gray pattern at the bottom overscan portion of the picture causes vertical picture instability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1996
    Assignee: Macrovision Corporation
    Inventors: Peter J. Wonfor, Alistair J. Knox, Jeremy J. Corcoran, John O. Ryan, Ronald Quan
  • Patent number: 5579390
    Abstract: A video-scrambling system induces a random wobble i.e., time shifting, in the location of active portion of the video frame, without affecting the horizontal sync signal and colorburst in each video line, thus providing both security and concealment. The security is enhanced by filling in the gap between the nominal beginning of active video and the actual beginning of active video with a synthesized video signal which replicates the adjacent active video using a digitally generated filling pattern. Also, a random noise overlay further conceals the location of the gap. Additional concealment is provided by wiggling in time the location of the horizontal sync signal using one or two frequencies and also by randomly altering the location of the vertical sync signal. The NTSC digital encoding in accordance with the invention is simplified by using only two channels, chrominance and luminance, and by a heterodyne circuit for chrominance stability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 26, 1996
    Assignee: Macrovision Corporation
    Inventors: John O. Ryan, Ronald Quan, James R. Holzgrafe, Peter J. Wonfor
  • Patent number: 5504815
    Abstract: A video-scrambling system induces a random wobble i.e., time shifting, in the location of active portion of the video frame, without affecting the horizontal sync signal and colorburst in each video line, thus providing both security and concealment. The security is enhanced by filling in the gap between the nominal beginning of active video and the actual beginning of active video with a synthesized video signal which replicates the adjacent active video using a digitally generated filling pattern. Also, a random noise overlay further conceals the location of the gap. Additional concealment is provided by wiggling in time the location of the horizontal sync signal using one or two frequencies and also by randomly altering the location of the vertical sync signal. The NTSC digital encoding in accordance with the invention is simplified by using only two channels, chrominance and luminance, and by a heterodyne circuit for chrominance stability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 2, 1996
    Assignee: Macrovision Corporation
    Inventors: John O. Ryan, Ronald Quan, James R. Holzgrafe, Peter J. Wonfor
  • Patent number: 5438620
    Abstract: A video-scrambling system induces a random wobble i.e., time shifting, in the location of active portion of the video frame, without affecting the horizontal sync signal and colorburst in each video line, thus providing both security and concealment. The security is enhanced by filling in the gap between the nominal beginning of active video and the actual beginning of active video with a synthesized video signal which replicates the adjacent active video using a digitally generated filling pattern. Also, a random noise overlay further conceals the location of the gap. Additional concealment is provided by wiggling in time the location of the horizontal sync signal using one or two frequencies and also by randomly altering the location of the vertical sync signal. The NTSC digital encoding in accordance with the invention is simplified by using only two channels, chrominance and luminance, and by a heterodyne circuit for chrominance stability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 1, 1995
    Assignee: Macrovision Corporation
    Inventors: John O. Ryan, Ronald Quan, James R. Holzgrafe, Peter J. Wonfor
  • Patent number: 4398815
    Abstract: A camera mount of the type including a front plate having an attachment to the lens-mounting frontal side of a camera-and-lens assembly, and a bottom plate extending rearwardly, parallel to the lens axis, from the lower portion of the front plate for supporting the rearward portion of the camera and for mounting the camera on a base structure, characterized in that means are provided on the bottom plate for engaging and supporting the rearward portion of the camera and for countering the moment exerted by the weight of the camera about its attachment; and means are provided for clamping the camera to the bottom plate and to the supporting means thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1982
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1983
    Assignee: Ampex Corporation
    Inventors: Verl N. Barzee, Peter J. Wonfor