Patents by Inventor Thomas A. Yarborough

Thomas A. Yarborough 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: 10306332
    Abstract: Various arrangements for providing interactive content to viewers of television programming are presented. A television service provider system may supplement broadcast television programming with a supplemental audio signal. The supplemental audio signal may not part of the broadcast television programming as received by the television service provider system from a content provider. The television service provider system may broadcast a data stream comprising the broadcast television programming and the supplemental audio signal via a television programming distribution network. A television receiver may receive the data stream and output the broadcast television programming and the supplemental audio signal. A viewer's mobile device may detect the supplemental audio signal using an on-board microphone of the mobile device. In response to the received supplemental audio signal, the mobile device may access interactive content and provide such interactive content to the viewer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: DISH Technologies L.L.C.
    Inventors: Christofer Hardy, Thomas Yarborough
  • Patent number: 9955231
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods used to identify video content that may be of interest to a viewer by examining the viewing habits of the viewer's geographic marketing area, recommendations from the viewer's social media sites, the viewer's past viewing patterns, the viewer's demographic information, the viewer's preferences, and the viewer's past purchase history.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: DISH Technologies L.L.C.
    Inventors: Christofer Hardy, Thomas A. Yarborough
  • Publication number: 20170359627
    Abstract: Various arrangements for providing interactive content to viewers of television programming are presented. A television service provider system may supplement broadcast television programming with a supplemental audio signal. The supplemental audio signal may not part of the broadcast television programming as received by the television service provider system from a content provider. The television service provider system may broadcast a data stream comprising the broadcast television programming and the supplemental audio signal via a television programming distribution network. A television receiver may receive the data stream and output the broadcast television programming and the supplemental audio signal. A viewer's mobile device may detect the supplemental audio signal using an on-board microphone of the mobile device. In response to the received supplemental audio signal, the mobile device may access interactive content and provide such interactive content to the viewer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2016
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Inventors: Christofer Hardy, Thomas Yarborough
  • Publication number: 20140282709
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods used to identify video content that may be of interest to a viewer by examining the viewing habits of the viewer's geographic marketing area, recommendations from the viewer's social media sites, the viewer's past viewing patterns, the viewer's demographic information, the viewer's preferences, and the viewer's past purchase history.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Echostar Technologies L.L.C.
    Inventors: Christofer Hardy, Thomas A. Yarborough
  • Publication number: 20140282632
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for identifying audiovisual content, such as a movie or television show, based on audio data of the show and then presenting options to a user for the identified content, including recording that content on the user's digital video recorder for later viewing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: ECHOSTAR TECHNOLOGIES L.L.C.
    Inventors: Christofer Hardy, Thomas A. Yarborough