Patents by Inventor Robert Joel Stokes

Robert Joel Stokes 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: 9681179
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for identifying an operating state of an AV device are described. An example method includes extracting, at a first AV device, data communicated via a data bus coupling a processor of the first AV device to a HDMI interface, the HDMI interface coupled to a second AV device different than the first AV device; analyzing a temporal sequence of the extracted data to determine if additional information is needed from the second AV device to identify a current operating state of the second AV device; when the temporal sequence is missing an expected message related to the current operating state of the second AV device, causing an AV network controller of the first AV device to request information from the second AV device; and analyzing a response from the second AV device including the requested information to identify the current operating state of the second AV device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Robert Joel Stokes, James J. Vitt, Charles Clinton Conklin
  • Publication number: 20150143400
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for identifying an operating state of an AV device are described. An example method includes extracting, at a first AV device, data communicated via a data bus coupling a processor of the first AV device to a HDMI interface, the HDMI interface coupled to a second AV device different than the first AV device; analyzing a temporal sequence of the extracted data to determine if additional information is needed from the second AV device to identify a current operating state of the second AV device; when the temporal sequence is missing an expected message related to the current operating state of the second AV device, causing an AV network controller of the first AV device to request information from the second AV device; and analyzing a response from the second AV device including the requested information to identify the current operating state of the second AV device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2015
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventors: Robert Joel Stokes, James J. Vitt, Charles Clinton Conklin
  • Patent number: 8959556
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for identifying the operating state of an audio-video (AV) device are described. Example methods and apparatus include monitoring messages transmitted via a data bus in a first AV device, wherein the data bus is communicatively coupled to a processor and an AV network controller of the first AV device, and wherein the AV network controller is further communicatively coupled to a second AV device external to the first AV device. The example method also involves extracting messages associated with an operation of the second AV device from the monitored messages, analyzing the extracted messages for data associated with an operating state of the second AV device, and sending a command to the AV network controller to request data missing from the extracted messages and associated with the operating state of the second AV device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Robert Joel Stokes, James J. Vitt, Charles Clinton Conklin
  • Patent number: 8914819
    Abstract: Example methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to collect metering information associated with media presented by portable and computer media presentation devices are disclosed. A disclosed example apparatus includes a headset configured to be communicatively coupled to a media presentation device and a speaker coupled to the headset and configured to emit audio based on audio information received from the media presentation device. The example apparatus also includes a metering information generator coupled to the headset and configured to be communicatively coupled to the media presentation device to receive the audio information and generate metering information associated with the received audio information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Paul M. Mears, Robert A. Luff, Robert Joel Stokes, Arun Ramaswamy, Charles Clinton Conklin, Brian Scott Mello, Seth Alan Pelletier, Perry Joseph Fisch
  • Publication number: 20100079597
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for identifying the operating state of an audio-video (AV) device are described. Example methods and apparatus include monitoring messages transmitted via a data bus in a first AV device, wherein the data bus is communicatively coupled to a processor and an AV network controller of the first AV device, and wherein the AV network controller is further communicatively coupled to a second AV device external to the first AV device. The example method also involves extracting messages associated with an operation of the second AV device from the monitored messages, analyzing the extracted messages for data associated with an operating state of the second AV device, and sending a command to the AV network controller to request data missing from the extracted messages and associated with the operating state of the second AV device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2008
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Inventors: Robert Joel Stokes, James J. Vitt, Charles Clinton Conklin
  • Publication number: 20090055854
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for cooperator installed meters are disclosed. An example method includes receiving audience information, configuring the audience meter based on the audience information, placing the audience meter in a sleep mode, and shipping the audience meter to a location associated with the audience information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2007
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Inventors: David Howell Wright, Christen Voss Nielsen, Robert Joel Stokes, Arun Ramaswamy
  • Publication number: 20080263579
    Abstract: Example methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to collect metering information associated with media presented by portable and computer media presentation devices are disclosed. A disclosed example method accesses a first data structure including metering information generated by at least one of first media presentation software executed by a personal computer or second media presentation software executed by a portable media presentation device. The metering information is associated with media presented by at least one of the first or second media presentation software. At least some of the metering information is then extracted from the first data structure and stored in a second data structure. The at least some of the metering information is then communicated from the second data structure to a data collection facility.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2008
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Inventors: Paul M. Mears, Robert A. Luff, Robert Joel Stokes, Arun Ramaswamy, Charles Clinton Conklin, Brian Scott Mello, Seth Alan Pelletier, Perry Joseph Fisch