Patents by Inventor Steven E. Saunders

Steven E. Saunders 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).

  • Publication number: 20160105675
    Abstract: In a coding system, an encoder codes video data according to a predetermined protocol, which, when decoded causes an associated decoder to perform a predetermined sequence of decoding operations. The encoder may perform local decodes of the coded video data, both in the manner dictated by the coding protocol that is at work and also by one or more alternative decoding operations. The encoder may estimate relative performance of the alternative decoding operations as compared to a decoding operation that is mandated by the coding protocol. The encoder may provide identifiers in metadata that is associated with the coded video data to identify such levels of distortion and/or levels of resources conserved. A decoder may refer to such identifiers when determining when to engage alternative decoding operations as may be warranted under resource conservation policies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2015
    Publication date: April 14, 2016
    Inventors: Alexandros Tourapis, David W. Singer, Krasimir D. Kolarov, Steven E. Saunders, Guy Cote, Sorin Cismas
  • Patent number: 9225760
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatuses of providing and processing video data for delivery to mobile devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Straight Path IP Group, Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Ralston, Steven E. Saunders
  • Publication number: 20150279330
    Abstract: A video quality comparison tool provides for direct visual perceptual comparison of video sequences. Two inputs are presented at the same position and size, with no-look user choice of which to see and easy back-and-forth comparison while the videos are playing, single-stepping, or paused.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2015
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Inventors: Krasimir D. Kolarov, Steven E. Saunders
  • Publication number: 20150245076
    Abstract: A system, method and computer program product having optimal matching to a known or measured probability distribution encodes data without the use of an excessively large lookup table. An encoder uses two or more different encoding methods in combination. In one embodiment, Huffman coding by table lookup is combined with computational generation, such as by using an exponential Golomb equation. The most commonly occurring elements are looked up in a small Huffman table, while the remaining elements are coded with the equation. In another embodiment, data is encoded using two or more equations. In yet another embodiment, data is encoded using multiple tables in conjunction with one or more equations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Publication date: August 27, 2015
    Inventors: William C. Lynch, Krasimir D. Kolarov, Steven E. Saunders
  • Patent number: 8994828
    Abstract: A video quality comparison tool provides for direct visual perceptual comparison of video sequences. Two inputs are presented at the same position and size, with no-look user choice of which to see and easy back-and-forth comparison while the videos are playing, single-stepping, or paused.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Krasimir D. Kolarov, Steven E. Saunders
  • Publication number: 20150042744
    Abstract: Systems and methods for video communication services are presented herein. In particular, systems and methods in which multiple participants can simultaneously create and share video in real-time are presented herein. Other systems and methods are also presented herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2014
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventors: John D. Ralston, Albert Jordan, Royn D. Coultas, Andrew K. Gooding, Steven E. Saunders
  • Patent number: 8947271
    Abstract: A system, method and computer program product having optimal matching to a known or measured probability distribution encodes data without the use of an excessively large lookup table. An encoder constructed according to the present invention uses two or more different encoding methods in combination. In one embodiment, Huffman coding by table lookup is combined with computational generation, such as by using an exponential Golomb equation. The most commonly occurring elements are looked up in a small Huffman table, while the remaining elements are coded with the equation. In another embodiment, data is encoded using two or more equations. In yet another embodiment, data is encoded using multiple tables in conjunction with one or more equations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Soryn Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: William C. Lynch, Krasimir D. Kolarov, Steven E. Saunders
  • Patent number: 8930990
    Abstract: A method for displaying interactive advertisements on a television having a controller connected thereto and configured for receiving input from a viewer of the television is disclosed. The controller has a receiver operable to receive advertisements and a processor operable to modify the advertisements. The method generally comprises requesting action by the viewer of the television, modifying an advertisement based on the action of the viewer, and displaying the modified advertisement on the television.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Interval Licensing LLC
    Inventors: Malcolm Slaney, Bonnie M. Johnson, Annarosa Tomasi, Steven E. Saunders, J. Thomas Ngo, Gavin Miller, Michele M. Covell, Paul A. Freiberger
  • Publication number: 20140369671
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for compressing and decompressing still image and video image data in mobile devices and monitoring applications. Corresponding mobile device and camera architectures, and service platform architectures for transmitting, storing, editing and transcoding still images and video images over wireless and wired networks and viewing them on display-enabled devices are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2014
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Inventors: John D. Ralston, Steven E. Saunders, Krasimir D. Kolarov
  • Publication number: 20140368672
    Abstract: Methods for the deployment of an image servicing platform over a mobile wireless network ate described. A mobile multimedia service controller (MMSC) includes a video gateway that is capable of transcoding among different video formats supported by an imaging service platform. The MMSC can be connected over a network to a download server that provides updates to a transcoder application and a video image application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2014
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Inventors: John D. Ralston, Krasimir D. Kolarov, Steven E. Saunders
  • Publication number: 20140354826
    Abstract: Devices and methods for determining image quality using full-reference and non-reference techniques. Full reference image quality may be determined prior to output of an image or video frame from an image sensor processor by temporarily retaining image data from the image sensor and comparing processed image data of the image to the retained, non-processed image data of the same image. Full reference image quality determination may be assisted by a heuristic-based fault indicator. Image quality may also be determined by a non-reference technique of matching the image to one of various scenarios that are associated with sets of heuristics and applying the heuristics of the particular scenario to the image. Instead of relying on a nominal frame rate, video timing quality may be determined by comparing the capture time interval between successive video frames to the presentation time interval of the same video frames.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2013
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Krasimir D . Kolarov, Steven E. Saunders
  • Patent number: 8896717
    Abstract: Methods for the deployment of an image servicing platform over a mobile wireless network ate described. A mobile multimedia service controller (MMSC) includes a video gateway that is capable of transcoding among different video formats supported by an imaging service platform. The MMSC can be connected over a network to a download server that provides updates to a transcoder application and a video image application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Soryn Technologies LLC
    Inventors: John D. Ralston, Krasimir D. Kolarov, Steven E. Saunders
  • Patent number: 8849964
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for compressing and decompressing still image and video image data in mobile devices and monitoring applications. Corresponding mobile device and camera architectures, and service platform architectures for transmitting, storing, editing and transcoding still images and video images over wireless and wired networks and viewing them on display-enabled devices are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Soryn Technologies LLC
    Inventors: John D. Ralston, Steven E. Saunders, Krasimir D. Kolarov
  • Patent number: 8848061
    Abstract: Evaluating coded video by identifying spatial and temporal errors in the reconstructed video. Spatial errors may be identified by evaluating the severity of each individual error and pooling closely located errors to determine whether the collection of errors is noticeable. Temporal errors may be identified by evaluating the quality of each frame and then pooling consecutive frames to determine whether the collection of frames has errors that may be noticeable if the errors persist within the sequence of consecutive frames. The quality of the frames may be analyzed with any conventional analysis metric. In an embodiment, the quality of the frames may be analyzed using a row-column metric. The calculated analysis metrics may be normalized to accurately compare different metric calculations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Krasimir D. Kolarov, Steven E. Saunders
  • Publication number: 20140245370
    Abstract: A stream of time-ordered data, such as a movie, is divided into multiple fragments of equal length, which are repetitively transmitted at different respective repetition rates. The fragments are reordered for transmission so that those which occur near the beginning of the original data stream are transmitted more frequently than those which occur later in the data stream. When a user enters a request to utilize the data, the individual fragments are stored upon receipt at the user's premises, and reassembled into a contiguous stream. The ordering of the fragments is such that the wait time required before utilization of the data can begin is limited to a predetermined maximum, and at least one copy of every fragment becomes available by the time it is needed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2014
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: Interval Licensing LLC
    Inventors: J. Thomas Ngo, Steven E. Saunders, Owen Rubin
  • Publication number: 20140240516
    Abstract: A video quality comparison tool provides for direct visual perceptual comparison of video sequences. Two inputs are presented at the same position and size, with no-look user choice of which to see and easy back-and-forth comparison while the videos are playing, single-stepping, or paused.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Krasimir D. Kolarov, Steven E. Saunders
  • Patent number: 8726331
    Abstract: A stream of time-ordered data, such as a movie, is divided into multiple fragments of equal length, which are repetitively transmitted at different respective repetition rates. The fragments are reordered for transmission so that those which occur near the beginning of the original data stream are transmitted more frequently than those which occur later in the data stream. When a user enters a request to utilize the data, the individual fragments are stored upon receipt at the user's premises, and reassembled into a contiguous stream. The ordering of the fragments is such that the wait time required before utilization of the data can begin is limited to a predetermined maximum, and at least one copy of every fragment becomes available by the time it is needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Interval Licensing LLC
    Inventors: J. Thomas Ngo, Steven E. Saunders, Owen Rubin
  • Publication number: 20140002670
    Abstract: Evaluating coded video by identifying spatial and temporal errors in the reconstructed video. Spatial errors may be identified by evaluating the severity of each individual error and pooling closely located errors to determine whether the collection of errors is noticeable. Temporal errors may be identified by evaluating the quality of each frame and then pooling consecutive frames to determine whether the collection of frames has errors that may be noticeable if the errors persist within the sequence of consecutive frames. The quality of the frames may be analyzed with any conventional analysis metric. In an embodiment, the quality of the frames may be analyzed using a row-column metric. The calculated analysis metrics may be normalized to accurately compare different metric calculations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Krasimir D. Kolarov, Steven E. Saunders
  • Publication number: 20130242119
    Abstract: Methods for the deployment of an image servicing platform over a mobile wireless network ate described. A mobile multimedia service controller (MMSC) includes a video gateway that is capable of transcoding among different video formats supported by an imaging service platform. The MMSC can be connected over a network to a download server that provides updates to a transcoder application and a video image application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: VIVOX
    Inventors: John D. Ralston, Krasimir D. Kolarov, Steven E. Saunders
  • Patent number: 8522274
    Abstract: A method for displaying interactive advertisements on a television having a controller connected thereto and configured for receiving input from a viewer of the television is disclosed. The controller has a receiver operable to receive advertisements and a processor operable to modify the advertisements. The method generally comprises requesting action by the viewer of the television, modifying an advertisement based on the action of the viewer, and displaying the modified advertisement on the television.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Interval Licensing LLC
    Inventors: Malcolm Slaney, Bonnie M. Johnson, Annarosa Tomasai, Steven E. Saunders, J. Thomas Ngo, Gavin Miller, Michele M. Covell, Paul A. Freiberger