Patents by Inventor Thomas Algie Abrams

Thomas Algie Abrams 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: 7702408
    Abstract: A system and method for playing audio material is described. The audio material is illustratively downloaded from a network, or from a storage media, each coupled to a loudspeaker through a speaker drive unit. A speaker authorization signal is provided to the speaker drive unit from the network or storage media. The speaker drive unit provides an audio signal to the loudspeaker if the authorization signal indicates that the loudspeaker is authorized to play the audio material. The speaker drive unit does not provide an audio signal to the loudspeaker if the authorization signal indicates that the loudspeaker is not authorized to play the audio material. The system and method includes a monitoring unit to furnish a signal indicating the sound generated by the loudspeaker, to be stored, and to determine whether the loudspeaker has played the audio material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas Algie Abrams, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20090171488
    Abstract: A system and method for playing audio material is described. The audio material is illustratively downloaded from a network, or from a storage media, each coupled to a loudspeaker through a speaker drive unit. A speaker authorization signal is provided to the speaker drive unit from the network or storage media. The speaker drive unit provides an audio signal to the loudspeaker if the authorization signal indicates that the loudspeaker is authorized to play the audio material. The speaker drive unit does not provide an audio signal to the loudspeaker if the authorization signal indicates that the loudspeaker is not authorized to play the audio material. The system and method includes a monitoring unit to furnish a signal indicating the sound generated by the loudspeaker, to be stored, and to determine whether the loudspeaker has played the audio material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2009
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas Algie Abrams, JR.
  • Patent number: 7509180
    Abstract: A system and method for playing audio material is described. The audio material is illustratively downloaded from a network, or from a storage media, each coupled to a loudspeaker through a speaker drive unit. A speaker authorization signal is provided to the speaker drive unit from the network or storage media. The speaker drive unit provides an audio signal to the loudspeaker if the authorization signal indicates that the loudspeaker is authorized to play the audio material. The speaker drive unit does not provide an audio signal to the loudspeaker if the authorization signal indicates that the loudspeaker is not authorized to play the audio material. The system and method includes a monitoring unit to furnish a signal indicating the sound generated by the loudspeaker, to be stored, and to determine whether the loudspeaker has played the audio material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas Algie Abrams, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7394939
    Abstract: An image capturing device is capable of capturing and encoding image data so as to output a streaming media file from the device. Vector information derived from the captured image data may be altered to change, i.e., the frame capture rate of subsequent image data, according to frame resolution requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas Algie Abrams, Jr., John Conrad
  • Patent number: 7319720
    Abstract: Methods, devices, systems and/or storage media for stereoscopic video.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2008
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas Algie Abrams, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7212574
    Abstract: Methods, units, systems, architectures and/or storage media for video and/or audio processing. An exemplary architecture includes one or more layers selected from, for example, service and/or application layers, storage area network layers, digital asset management layers, and/or enterprise applications integration and/or business process automation layers. Various exemplary methods, units, systems and/or storage media are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas Algie Abrams, Jr., Mark F. Beauchamp
  • Publication number: 20040236444
    Abstract: A system and method for playing audio material is described. The audio material is illustratively downloaded from a network, or from a storage media, each coupled to a loudspeaker through a speaker drive unit. A speaker authorization signal is provided to the speaker drive unit from the network or storage media. The speaker drive unit provides an audio signal to the loudspeaker if the authorization signal indicates that the loudspeaker is authorized to play the audio material. The speaker drive unit does not provide an audio signal to the loudspeaker if the authorization signal indicates that the loudspeaker is not authorized to play the audio material. The system and method includes a monitoring unit to furnish a signal indicating the sound generated by the loudspeaker, to be stored, and to determine whether the loudspeaker has played the audio material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2003
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Thomas Algie Abrams
  • Publication number: 20030208638
    Abstract: Methods, units, systems, architectures and/or storage media for video and/or audio processing. An exemplary architecture includes one or more layers selected from, for example, service and/or application layers, storage area network layers, digital asset management layers, and/or enterprise applications integration and/or business process automation layers. Various exemplary methods, units, systems and/or storage media are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2002
    Publication date: November 6, 2003
    Inventors: Thomas Algie Abrams, Mark F. Beauchamp
  • Publication number: 20030185302
    Abstract: Methods, devices, systems and/or storage media for video and/or audio processing. An exemplary video camera includes a converter for processing analog video signals and/or digital video data wherein the converter includes a runtime engine for executing code received via a network interface and/or other interface. Exemplary converters optionally include software-based compression algorithms to compress digital video and/or audio data. Exemplary converters optionally transmit video to one or more destinations at one or more bit rates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2002
    Publication date: October 2, 2003
    Inventor: Thomas Algie Abrams
  • Publication number: 20030185301
    Abstract: Methods, devices, systems and/or storage media for video and/or audio processing. An exemplary video appliance includes one or more units having framework capabilities and a controller for controlling one or more of the units via the framework capabilities. An exemplary video appliance optionally includes an intranet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2002
    Publication date: October 2, 2003
    Inventors: Thomas Algie Abrams, Mark F. Beauchamp
  • Publication number: 20030156188
    Abstract: Methods, devices, systems and/or storage media for stereoscopic video.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2002
    Publication date: August 21, 2003
    Inventor: Thomas Algie Abrams
  • Publication number: 20030156649
    Abstract: Methods, devices, systems and/or storage media for video and/or audio processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2002
    Publication date: August 21, 2003
    Inventor: Thomas Algie Abrams