Patents by Inventor Thomas E. Mack

Thomas E. Mack 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: 11249626
    Abstract: The disclosed computer-implemented method may include accessing defect identification data that identifies defects in frames of video content. The method may also include generating, as part of the interactive user interface, an interactive element that presents the frames of video content. The method may further include generating, as part of the interactive user interface, another interactive element that presents selectable metadata items associated with the identified defects in the frames of video content. At least one of the selectable metadata items may include an associated user interface action. Then, upon receiving an input selecting one of the selectable metadata items, the method may include performing the associated user interface action. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Netflix, Inc.
    Inventors: Abhishek Soni, Adithya Prakash, Shraddha Ladda, Thomas E. Mack
  • Patent number: 10798271
    Abstract: In various embodiments, a subtitle timing application detects timing errors between subtitles and shot changes. In operation, the subtitle timing application determines that a temporal edge associated with a subtitle does not satisfy a timing guideline based on a shot change. The shot change occurs within a sequence of frames of an audiovisual program. The subtitle timing application then determines a new temporal edge that satisfies the timing guideline relative to the shot change. Subsequently, the subtitle timing application causes a modification to a temporal location of the subtitle within the sequence of frames based on the new temporal edge. Advantageously, the modification to the subtitle improves a quality of a viewing experience for a viewer. Notably, by automatically detecting timing errors, the subtitle timing application facilitates proper and efficient re-scheduling of subtitles that are not optimally timed with shot changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: NETFLIX, INC.
    Inventors: Murthy Parthasarathi, Andrew Swan, Yadong Wang, Thomas E. Mack
  • Publication number: 20200241734
    Abstract: The disclosed computer-implemented method may include accessing defect identification data that identifies defects in frames of video content. The method may also include generating, as part of the interactive user interface, an interactive element that presents the frames of video content. The method may further include generating, as part of the interactive user interface, another interactive element that presents selectable metadata items associated with the identified defects in the frames of video content. At least one of the selectable metadata items may include an associated user interface action. Then, upon receiving an input selecting one of the selectable metadata items, the method may include performing the associated user interface action. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Inventors: Abhishek Soni, Adithya Prakash, Shraddha Ladda, Thomas E. Mack
  • Patent number: 10419828
    Abstract: In various embodiments, a subtitle conformance application causes modifications to a subtitle list based on changes associated with an audiovisual program. In operation, the subtitle conformance application performs comparison operation(s) between versions of a subtitle template to identify changes to subtitles associated with the audiovisual program. The subtitle conformance application then determines a mapping between a first change included in the changes and a subtitle list associated with the audiovisual program. Finally, the subtitle conformance application causes the subtitle list to be modified based on the first change and the mapping. Advantageously, the subtitle conformance application enables productive development of subtitles to begin before the audiovisual program is finalized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: NETFLIX, INC.
    Inventors: Murthy Parthasarathi, Ghaida Zahran, Devang Shah, Andrew Swan, Thomas E. Mack, Kalyan Nistala
  • Publication number: 20190215580
    Abstract: In various embodiments, a subtitle conformance application causes modifications to a subtitle list based on changes associated with an audiovisual program. In operation, the subtitle conformance application performs comparison operation(s) between versions of a subtitle template to identify changes to subtitles associated with the audiovisual program. The subtitle conformance application then determines a mapping between a first change included in the changes and a subtitle list associated with the audiovisual program. Finally, the subtitle conformance application causes the subtitle list to be modified based on the first change and the mapping. Advantageously, the subtitle conformance application enables productive development of subtitles to begin before the audiovisual program is finalized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2018
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Inventors: Murthy PARTHASARATHI, Ghaida ZAHRAN, Devang SHAH, Andrew SWAN, Thomas E. MACK, Kalyan NISTALA
  • Publication number: 20190215421
    Abstract: In various embodiments, a subtitle timing application detects timing errors between subtitles and shot changes. In operation, the subtitle timing application determines that a temporal edge associated with a subtitle does not satisfy a timing guideline based on a shot change. The shot change occurs within a sequence of frames of an audiovisual program. The subtitle timing application then determines a new temporal edge that satisfies the timing guideline relative to the shot change. Subsequently, the subtitle timing application causes a modification to a temporal location of the subtitle within the sequence of frames based on the new temporal edge. Advantageously, the modification to the subtitle improves a quality of a viewing experience for a viewer. Notably, by automatically detecting timing errors, the subtitle timing application facilitates proper and efficient re-scheduling of subtitles that are not optimally timed with shot changes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2018
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Inventors: Murthy PARTHASARATHI, Andrew SWAN, Yadong WANG, Thomas E. MACK
  • Patent number: 5863255
    Abstract: A device for measuring the movement of a ball is a flat pad or a frame defining an opening with one or more magnetic field inducing elements mounted thereon. One or more sensor elements are mounted in the flat pad or the frame, and connected to instrumentation so as to record induced, time-varying current signals from disturbances in a magnetic field by the ball penetrating the field. The device may also be arranged so as to measure the spin characteristics and other vectors of a conductive, charged and/or magnetized golf ball penetrating field. Or, the device may be arranged so as to have no magnetic field inducing elements, whereby the magnetic field of a modified, magnetized golf ball, when passing through an opening, or over a flat pad, induces time varying current signals in at least one sensor element, which can be processed to predict the complete ball flight parameters, i.e., velocity, trajectory and spin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1999
    Inventor: Thomas E Mack
  • Patent number: 5505453
    Abstract: A tunable golf club head and a method of adjusting the tuning thereof to improve a golf club head performance for all golfer skill levels, and/or to selectively increase or decrease the maximum distance the club can be used to drive, putt or otherwise propel a golf ball. The tunable head includes an external frame for movably holding and securing a strike plate and separate tuning elements within a golf club head. The separate tuning elements may be comprised of a plurality of tension strings captured in an internal frame, or a plurality of belleville washers, which adjustably coact with the hitting face. The separate tuning elements are adjustable so as to selectively control movement of the strike plate when striking a golf ball, so as to accurately control the velocity and/or direction of a golf ball struck by the strike plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1996
    Inventor: Thomas E. Mack
  • Patent number: 4648802
    Abstract: A rotor for high temperature and high speed applications including a rotatable hub, a plurality of rotor blades mounted on the hub for rotation therewith, and a shroud coupled to the rotor for rotation therewith and lying radially outwardly of at least a portion of the blades so that, upon rotation of the rotor, the shroud is unevenly deformed due to the centrifugal force resulting from the mass of the blades. This uneven deformation of the shroud places it in shear. The shroud is stronger in hoop tension than in shear. Centrifugal members are positioned between adjacent blades to apply a centrifugal force to the shroud between the blades. This causes the shroud to be more evenly deformed to reduce the shear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 1984
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1987
    Assignee: PDA Engineering
    Inventor: Thomas E. Mack