Patents by Inventor Walter John SCHMIDT

Walter John SCHMIDT 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: 20230300414
    Abstract: Methods and systems for facilitating discovery of fresh content in a grid guide are described herein. The system generates for display a grid guide with a first set of content identifiers populating the grid guide. The system receives an input to shift the grid guide and, in response, identifies a second set of content identifiers that would populate the grid guide following the shift. The system determines duplicative content identifiers between the first and second sets of content identifiers. The system then removes the duplicative content identifiers or highlights the non-duplicative content identifiers in order to emphasize fresh content in the grid guide. The system may additionally add identifiers to the content identifiers to indicate recorded or previously watched content and may collapse the grid guide if there are blank rows or columns. These methods and systems provide the user with easier access to fresh content in the grid guide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2023
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Inventors: Benjamin Harden, Walter John Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20230267140
    Abstract: The system and methods described herein provide content recommendations to user equipment timed to reduce interruption of content. A content recommendation application detects output of first content and determines viewing metrics for the first content. Using the determined viewing metrics, the content recommendation application determines whether output of a content recommendation should be blocked. In response to determining that the viewing metrics indicate output of the content recommendation should be blocked, the content recommendation application blocks the content recommendation. Upon receiving an input changing output of the first content to output of a second content, the content recommendation application unblocks and outputs the content recommendation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2023
    Publication date: August 24, 2023
    Inventors: Michael James Brehm, Walter John Schmidt, Benjamin Harden
  • Patent number: 11651021
    Abstract: The system and methods described herein provide content recommendations to user equipment timed to reduce interruption of content. A content recommendation application detects output of first content and determines viewing metrics for the first content. Using the determined viewing metrics, the content recommendation application determines whether output of a content recommendation should be blocked. In response to determining that the viewing metrics indicate output of the content recommendation should be blocked, the content recommendation application blocks the content recommendation. Upon receiving an input changing output of the first content to output of a second content, the content recommendation application unblocks and outputs the content recommendation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: ROVI GUIDES, INC.
    Inventors: Michael James Brehm, Walter John Schmidt, Benjamin Harden
  • Patent number: 11611802
    Abstract: Methods and systems for facilitating discovery of fresh content in a grid guide are described herein. The system generates for display a grid guide with a first set of content identifiers populating the grid guide. The system receives an input to shift the grid guide and, in response, identifies a second set of content identifiers that would populate the grid guide following the shift. The system determines duplicative content identifiers between the first and second sets of content identifiers. The system then removes the duplicative content identifiers or highlights the non-duplicative content identifiers in order to emphasize fresh content in the grid guide. The system may additionally add identifiers to the content identifiers to indicate recorded or previously watched content and may collapse the grid guide if there are blank rows or columns. These methods and systems provide the user with easier access to fresh content in the grid guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Harden, Walter John Schmidt
  • Patent number: 11252267
    Abstract: A system can include one or more content distribution sites to provide content to one or more content satellite offices for delivery toward a set of destination devices for display. A content distribution site, of the one or more content distribution sites, can include one or more streamer devices. The one or more streamer devices can be associated with a single spoofed Internet protocol (IP) address. The spoofed IP address can facilitate failover among the one or more streamer devices. The one or more streamer devices can be configured to provide the content toward the set of destination devices using multicast with forward error correction (FEC). A content satellite office, of the one or more content satellite offices, can be configured to subscribe to a multicast group associated with the one or more streamer devices. The multicast group can be associated with the spoofed IP address to facilitate the failover among the one or more streamer devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Shen, Suri B. Medapati, Walter John Schmidt, Sankar Subramanian, James F. Dimattia
  • Publication number: 20210311981
    Abstract: The system and methods described herein provide content recommendations to user equipment timed to reduce interruption of content. A content recommendation application detects output of first content and determines viewing metrics for the first content. Using the determined viewing metrics, the content recommendation application determines whether output of a content recommendation should be blocked. In response to determining that the viewing metrics indicate output of the content recommendation should be blocked, the content recommendation application blocks the content recommendation. Upon receiving an input changing output of the first content to output of a second content, the content recommendation application unblocks and outputs the content recommendation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2021
    Publication date: October 7, 2021
    Inventors: Michael James Brehm, Walter John Schmidt, Benjamin Harden
  • Publication number: 20210274252
    Abstract: Methods and systems for facilitating discovery of fresh content in a grid guide are described herein. The system generates for display a grid guide with a first set of content identifiers populating the grid guide. The system receives an input to shift the grid guide and, in response, identifies a second set of content identifiers that would populate the grid guide following the shift. The system determines duplicative content identifiers between the first and second sets of content identifiers. The system then removes the duplicative content identifiers or highlights the non-duplicative content identifiers in order to emphasize fresh content in the grid guide. The system may additionally add identifiers to the content identifiers to indicate recorded or previously watched content and may collapse the grid guide if there are blank rows or columns. These methods and systems provide the user with easier access to fresh content in the grid guide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2021
    Publication date: September 2, 2021
    Inventors: Benjamin Harden, Walter John Schmidt
  • Patent number: 11068527
    Abstract: The system and methods described herein provide content recommendations to user equipment timed to reduce interruption of content. A content recommendation application detects output of first content and determines viewing metrics for the first content. Using the determined viewing metrics, the content recommendation application determines whether output of a content recommendation should be blocked. In response to determining that the viewing metrics indicate output of the content recommendation should be blocked, the content recommendation application blocks the content recommendation. Upon receiving an input changing output of the first content to output of a second content, the content recommendation application unblocks and outputs the content recommendation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael James Brehm, Walter John Schmidt, Benjamin Harden
  • Publication number: 20210211528
    Abstract: A system can include one or more content distribution sites to provide content to one or more content satellite offices for delivery toward a set of destination devices for display. A content distribution site, of the one or more content distribution sites, can include one or more streamer devices. The one or more streamer devices can be associated with a single spoofed Internet protocol (IP) address. The spoofed IP address can facilitate failover among the one or more streamer devices. The one or more streamer devices can be configured to provide the content toward the set of destination devices using multicast with forward error correction (FEC). A content satellite office, of the one or more content satellite offices, can be configured to subscribe to a multicast group associated with the one or more streamer devices. The multicast group can be associated with the spoofed IP address to facilitate the failover among the one or more streamer devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2021
    Publication date: July 8, 2021
    Applicant: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin SHEN, Suri B. MEDAPATI, Walter John SCHMIDT, Sankar SUBRAMANIAN, James F. DIMATTIA
  • Patent number: 10965988
    Abstract: Methods and systems for facilitating discovery of fresh content in a grid guide are described herein. The system generates for display a grid guide with a first set of content identifiers populating the grid guide. The system receives an input to shift the grid guide and, in response, identifies a second set of content identifiers that would populate the grid guide following the shift. The system determines duplicative content identifiers between the first and second sets of content identifiers. The system then removes the duplicative content identifiers or highlights the non-duplicative content identifiers in order to emphasize fresh content in the grid guide. The system may additionally add identifiers to the content identifiers to indicate recorded or previously watched content and may collapse the grid guide if there are blank rows or columns. These methods and systems provide the user with easier access to fresh content in the grid guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Harden, Walter John Schmidt
  • Patent number: 10965795
    Abstract: A system can include one or more content distribution sites to provide content to one or more content satellite offices for delivery toward a set of destination devices for display. A content distribution site, of the one or more content distribution sites, can include one or more streamer devices. The one or more streamer devices can be associated with a single spoofed Internet protocol (IP) address. The spoofed IP address can facilitate failover among the one or more streamer devices. The one or more streamer devices can be configured to provide the content toward the set of destination devices using multicast with forward error correction (FEC). A content satellite office, of the one or more content satellite offices, can be configured to subscribe to a multicast group associated with the one or more streamer devices. The multicast group can be associated with the spoofed IP address to facilitate the failover among the one or more streamer devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Shen, Suri B. Medapati, Walter John Schmidt, Sankar Subramanian, James F. Dimattia
  • Publication number: 20200396506
    Abstract: Methods and systems for facilitating discovery of fresh content in a grid guide are described herein. The system generates for display a grid guide with a first set of content identifiers populating the grid guide. The system receives an input to shift the grid guide and, in response, identifies a second set of content identifiers that would populate the grid guide following the shift. The system determines duplicative content identifiers between the first and second sets of content identifiers. The system then removes the duplicative content identifiers or highlights the non-duplicative content identifiers in order to emphasize fresh content in the grid guide. The system may additionally add identifiers to the content identifiers to indicate recorded or previously watched content and may collapse the grid guide if there are blank rows or columns. These methods and systems provide the user with easier access to fresh content in the grid guide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Inventors: Benjamin Harden, Walter John Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20200110810
    Abstract: The system and methods described herein provide content recommendations to user equipment timed to reduce interruption of content. A content recommendation application detects output of first content and determines viewing metrics for the first content. Using the determined viewing metrics, the content recommendation application determines whether output of a content recommendation should be blocked. In response to determining that the viewing metrics indicate output of the content recommendation should be blocked, the content recommendation application blocks the content recommendation. Upon receiving an input changing output of the first content to output of a second content, the content recommendation application unblocks and outputs the content recommendation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2018
    Publication date: April 9, 2020
    Inventors: Michael James Brehm, Walter John Schmidt, Benjamin Harden
  • Publication number: 20200068053
    Abstract: A system can include one or more content distribution sites to provide content to one or more content satellite offices for delivery toward a set of destination devices for display. A content distribution site, of the one or more content distribution sites, can include one or more streamer devices. The one or more streamer devices can be associated with a single spoofed Internet protocol (IP) address. The spoofed IP address can facilitate failover among the one or more streamer devices. The one or more streamer devices can be configured to provide the content toward the set of destination devices using multicast with forward error correction (FEC). A content satellite office, of the one or more content satellite offices, can be configured to subscribe to a multicast group associated with the one or more streamer devices. The multicast group can be associated with the spoofed IP address to facilitate the failover among the one or more streamer devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2019
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Inventors: Kevin SHEN, Suri B. MEDAPATI, Walter John SCHMIDT, Sankar SUBRAMANIAN, James F. DIMATTIA
  • Patent number: 10491723
    Abstract: A system can include one or more content distribution sites to provide content to one or more content satellite offices for delivery toward a set of destination devices for display. A content distribution site, of the one or more content distribution sites, can include one or more streamer devices. The one or more streamer devices can be associated with a single spoofed Internet protocol (IP) address. The spoofed IP address can facilitate failover among the one or more streamer devices. The one or more streamer devices can be configured to provide the content toward the set of destination devices using multicast with forward error correction (FEC). A content satellite office, of the one or more content satellite offices, can be configured to subscribe to a multicast group associated with the one or more streamer devices. The multicast group can be associated with the spoofed IP address to facilitate the failover among the one or more streamer devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Shen, Suri B. Medapati, Walter John Schmidt, Sankar Subramanian, James F. Dimattia
  • Publication number: 20190188095
    Abstract: A system can include one or more content distribution sites to provide content to one or more content satellite offices for delivery toward a set of destination devices for display. A content distribution site, of the one or more content distribution sites, can include one or more streamer devices. The one or more streamer devices can be associated with a single spoofed Internet protocol (IP) address. The spoofed IP address can facilitate failover among the one or more streamer devices. The one or more streamer devices can be configured to provide the content toward the set of destination devices using multicast with forward error correction (FEC). A content satellite office, of the one or more content satellite offices, can be configured to subscribe to a multicast group associated with the one or more streamer devices. The multicast group can be associated with the spoofed IP address to facilitate the failover among the one or more streamer devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Inventors: Kevin SHEN, Suri B. MEDAPATI, Walter John SCHMIDT, Sankar SUBRAMANIAN, James F. DIMATTIA
  • Patent number: 10110934
    Abstract: A device can receive streaming content from an origin device. The device can identify a user device to potentially receive the streaming content and an edge device associated with the user device. The device can modify a format of the streaming content based on a format acceptable to the user device. The format of the streaming content can be modified to match the format acceptable to the user device. The device can proactively provide the streaming content to the edge device to cause the edge device to make the streaming content available to be provided for presentation on the user device. The streaming content can be proactively provided to the edge device before the user device requests the streaming content from the edge device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Walter John Schmidt, Kevin Shen, Joseph F. Einstein, Hayes Kim
  • Publication number: 20180288453
    Abstract: A device can receive streaming content from an origin device. The device can identify a user device to potentially receive the streaming content and an edge device associated with the user device. The device can modify a format of the streaming content based on a format acceptable to the user device. The format of the streaming content can be modified to match the format acceptable to the user device. The device can proactively provide the streaming content to the edge device to cause the edge device to make the streaming content available to be provided for presentation on the user device. The streaming content can be proactively provided to the edge device before the user device requests the streaming content from the edge device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2017
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventors: Walter John SCHMIDT, Kevin Shen, Joseph F. Einstein, Hayes Kim