Two-way Video And Voice Communication (e.g., Videophone) Patents (Class 348/14.01)
  • Patent number: 9549060
    Abstract: A system that incorporates the subject disclosure may include, for example, determine a first impairment associated with a first user of a first end user device, receive user input captured at a second end user device during a communication session between the first and second end user devices, store instructions for executing a group of adjustment techniques for modifying the user input where the group of adjustment techniques includes amplifying selective frequencies and translating the user input into sign language images, select an adjustment technique from among the group of adjustment techniques, adjust the user input according to the adjustment technique to generate adjusted user input, and provide the adjusted user input to the first end user device during the communication session. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventors: Randolph Wohlert, Aaron Bangor, Mark Stockert
  • Patent number: 9547981
    Abstract: A system, method and apparatus which permits the use of a wireless cell phone or other communications device as a connection, communications and control device able to connect a full-sized desktop monitor or other digital display device, keyboard, mouse, speakers, printer and other external devices to a wireless cell phone device using any combination of wireline or wireless connections from the desktop devices to the wireless cell phone device. The wireless cell phone device is used to create an Internet or other network connection capable of accessing any browser-based web site or browser-based software application, e.g., via an Internet connection. Once the connections between the components are established with the wireless cell phone device and the Internet connection is established components. Access to Internet software, services and media includes all forms of browser-based desktop software, as well as digital movies, music, and streaming video.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Inventor: Michael D. Harold
  • Patent number: 9548868
    Abstract: Participants for an in-progress meeting are gathered, preferably by broadcast of instant messaging notifications thereto. Information for people who are invited to a scheduled meeting but are not participating when the meeting begins, as well as for one or more additional people who are mentioned by the current participants of the meeting as desired new invitees to the in-progress meeting, is placed on a participant list. A disambiguation process may be used in cases where it is not clear who was intended in the discussion of a new invitee. Responses to the notifications are collected and used to populate a consolidated joining status window, where this joining status window depicts the joining status of persons on the participant list.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Susan M. Cox, Janani Janakiraman, Fang Lu
  • Patent number: 9544542
    Abstract: First identification information identifying the first terminal device and status information that indicate participation status of the first terminal device are received from a first terminal device. A first request is transmitted to a second terminal device. A first response is received from the second terminal device. The second terminal device is set as a registered second terminal device when the first response is received. First transmission/reception processing is started when the registered second terminal device is set. The first transmission/reception processing transmits first conference data received from the first terminal device to the registered second terminal device, and transmits second conference data received from the registered second terminal device to the first terminal device. The first transmission/reception does not transmit third conference data received from a third terminal device to the registered second terminal device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koichi Sakurai
  • Patent number: 9544563
    Abstract: A video tracking system includes a user interface configured to facilitate tracking of a target between video cameras. The user interface includes user controls configured to assist a user in selecting video cameras as the target moves between fields of view of the video cameras. These user controls are automatically associated with specific cameras based on a camera topology relative to a point of view of a camera whose video data is currently being viewed. The video tracking system further includes systems and methods of synchronizing video data generated using the video cameras and of automatically generating a stitched video sequence based on the user selection of video cameras. The target may be tracked in real-time or in previously recorded video and may be track forward or backwards in time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: PROXIMEX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hu Chin, Ken Prayoon Cheng
  • Patent number: 9538127
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for providing two-way audio and video communications in a remote customer assistance environment. Upon initiation of an audio communications session using an audio server, separate video communications are established between the devices in a customer terminal and a remote attendant workstation. The dial plan of the audio server may used to add additional information to the incoming audio call request for use by the attendant workstation in initiating the video communications sessions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Denison Parking, Inc.
    Inventor: Kurt A. Gish
  • Patent number: 9531992
    Abstract: A television (10) in accordance with an aspect of the present invention includes a display size calculating unit (135) and a video processing circuit (107) in order to adjust a display size of a main image and a display size of a sub-image so that the main image and the sub-image are displayed in different regions on an LCD (110). The display size calculating unit (135) adjusts, based on aspect ratios of the main image and the sub-image, a location at which the main image is displayed on the LCD (110) and a location at which the sub-image is displayed on the LCD (110).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kenji Ishizaki
  • Patent number: 9531997
    Abstract: A method is described for bridging a live video chat between two terminals, and then terminating the live video chat after a short period of time has elapsed since the live video chat, in order to reduce the pressure and fear of the parties in the live video chat. Certain attributes for the users of the terminals are calculated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: SHENZHEN SEEFAA SCITECH CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Zhigang Ma
  • Patent number: 9525911
    Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for streaming pay-per-view digital content to a content display unit a viewing audience is watching in a viewing area. An audience detection controller controls the display of content as a function of whether or not payment has been received for the number of viewers present in the viewing audience. The controller includes one or more light responsive cameras combined with a thermal camera to detect a presence of one or more members of the audience in the viewing area, and an operating system to analyze the captured images to detect the number of persons of the audience. The controller further includes a reverse camera to capture a watermark inserted in the streaming content to confirm the controller is in the same room as the display unit, IR lighting, and ambient light sensors to detect ambient light conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: XCINEX CORPORATION
    Inventor: Cihan F. Atkin
  • Patent number: 9525846
    Abstract: This disclosure describes a system for negotiating video camera and display capabilities in a video conferencing environment. The system includes a local camera; a local communication device; and a session negotiation device where the session negotiation device further comprises a processor, memory, and a storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: ClearOne Communications Hong Kong Ltd.
    Inventors: Peter H. Manley, Sandeep Kalra, Derek L. Graham, Avishay Ben Natan
  • Patent number: 9521325
    Abstract: A terminal device includes, a processor; and a memory which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to execute, obtaining information that indicates a state of an imaging unit when photographing a subject; determining whether an image photographed by the imaging unit includes blurriness due to shaking of the imaging unit based on the obtained information; and using an image determined as not including blurriness in the determining to detect a line of sight of the photographed subject.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Shanshan Yu, Satoshi Nakashima
  • Patent number: 9516241
    Abstract: A beamforming method and apparatus for acquiring a sound signal in an electronic device includes selecting at least one object for beamforming to acquire a sound, measuring a first distance between the at least one object selected and a sensor for distance measurement, calculating a second distance between the at least one object and a plurality of microphones based on the first distance, and determining a weight for sound beamforming using at least one of time delay and phase delay corresponding to the second distance between the object and the microphone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Soo-Hyung Kim, Hyun-Soo Kim, Sung-Hyuk Shin
  • Patent number: 9503684
    Abstract: A method of improving the lighting conditions of a real scene or video sequence. Digitally generated light is added to a scene for video conferencing over telecommunication networks. A virtual illumination equation takes into account light attenuation, lambertian and specular reflection. An image of an object is captured, a virtual light source illuminates the object within the image. In addition, the object can be the head of the user. The position of the head of the user is dynamically tracked so that an three-dimensional model is generated which is representative of the head of the user. Synthetic light is applied to a position on the model to form an illuminated model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.
    Inventors: Andrea Basso, Eric Cosatto, David Crawford Gibbon, Hans Peter Graf, Shan Liu
  • Patent number: 9503882
    Abstract: A service processing method comprises: after receiving a service sharing request from another terminal, a terminal storing context information of a current state of the terminal, and then switching to the shared service; and when a fallback condition in a preset policy is satisfied, recovering to the state before the switch according to the context information. An embodiment of the present invention also provides a terminal Embodiments of the present invention allow fallback to the state before the service sharing, and thus avoid complex setting and operation of a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: ZTE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Guoqiang Shang, Lizhe Yao, Jun Chen
  • Patent number: 9495669
    Abstract: Various embodiments include text-augmented interactive self-service terminal sessions as may be implemented in whole or in part according to one or more of the systems, methods and software illustrated and described herein. One method embodiment includes an SST and a remote service representative terminal device. The remote service representative terminal device captures live audio and video to form a multimedia stream and performs speech-to-text processing against the audio to obtain text. The text is then added to the multimedia stream. In some embodiments, the multimedia stream is then provided over a network to the SST. The SST may then provide a view of audio and video of the multimedia stream along with a view of the text. The text in such embodiments is presented synchronously with the audio and video.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: Mandapati Venkata Pradeep, Marreddy Thumma, Phani Kumar Jonnalagadda, Andrew W D Smith
  • Patent number: 9491797
    Abstract: A system and method for the distribution of time signals is available for devices with multiple communication cores. An embodiment may or may not use a centralized manager for the management of time preservation. When a communication core in a multiple communication core device requires timing information, it may request the time information from another communication core or from the centralized manager. The centralized manager, if present, can obtain time information from an external source or from one of the communication cores. The result can be reduced power consumption at a lower cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Tirosh Levin, Yaron Alpert, Chandru Aswani, Gil Zukerman, Saket Jha, Haim Rochberger
  • Patent number: 9491401
    Abstract: A video call method is provided, including forming a video call channel in an electronic device, outputting a screen including a first image received through the video call channel, determining whether a second image being transmitted through the video call channel is displayed on the screen based on image information of the second image, and displaying the second image on the screen according to the determination, and an electronic device supporting the video call method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Taewon Do, Kyuhan Kang, Kichoon Gong, Sangki Kang, Sangwook Shin, Sungwan Youn, Chulhwan Lee, Woonhyun Jung, Hyunil Cho
  • Patent number: 9491128
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for sending video content to a mobile device is described. According to one embodiment, a computer-implemented method comprising embedding a widget in a website, the widget generating a form. The form is provided when a user visits the website so as to execute the widget. The form includes a first field to enter a recipient phone number, a send selector, and one or more non-visible fields, the non-visible fields containing a content service provider identifier, and a video URL. A data packet is generated with the widget when the user selects the send selector, the data packet including the recipient phone number, the video URL, and the content service provider identifier. An encoded version of the data packet is sent to the content service provider and a video link message is sent to the recipient phone number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: Open Invention Network, LLC
    Inventors: Scirocco Michelle Six, Sterling Mace, Rajeev Raman, Stephen Mui, Jason Fisher
  • Patent number: 9485465
    Abstract: The present invention provides a picture control method, a terminal, and a video conferencing apparatus. The method includes, when videos separately corresponding to more than one terminal in a video conference are separately displayed on a multipicture of a first terminal, receiving, by the first terminal, a first instruction that is used to replace a video source of a subpicture in the multipicture. The first instruction includes relative position information of at least one subpicture and indication information that is used to indicate a new video source of the at least one subpicture. The method further includes sending a request message including the first instruction to a video conferencing apparatus receiving a video stream that is corresponding to the new video source and sent by the video conferencing apparatus, and displaying the new video source on a subpicture corresponding to the new video source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD
    Inventors: Weijun Ma, Yun Hu, Shengyu Liu
  • Patent number: 9473737
    Abstract: During a voice call between a resident of a controlled-environment facility and another party, an indication by the resident or the other call party to convert the voice call to a video communication between the resident and the other party may be made. Whereupon, a controlled-environment communications processing system may confirm that both parties agree to convert the voice call to a video communication, and may query a controlled-environment facility administration and management system to confirm that the resident may take part in a video communication. Thereafter, such as in response to confirmation both parties agree to convert the voice call to a video communication and/or that the resident may take part in a video communication, a video communication link may be established between a communication device in use by the resident and a communication device in use by the other party.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: SECURUS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Adam C. Edwards
  • Patent number: 9467718
    Abstract: Systems and methods of emulating a conversation about a thematic content event are disclosed. An exemplary embodiment receives a member dialog video from a community member who is a member of a plurality of community members, wherein the member dialog video includes video and audio portions, and wherein the member dialog video expresses at least one of a personal opinion and a personal viewpoint about the thematic content event; generates dialog text from the audio portion of each received member dialog video, wherein the dialog text comprises words and phrases spoken by the community member in the member dialog video; receives a modified thematic content event; compares the words and phrases of the dialog text with the plurality of keywords; and associates at least one portion of the member dialog video having the words and phrases of the dialog text that match with the matching keyword of the anchor point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: EchoStar Broadcasting Corporation
    Inventors: Nicholas Brandon Newell, Omar Khan
  • Patent number: 9462222
    Abstract: A method and device for adapting a display image on a hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device. The device includes a camera for capturing a digital video and/or still image of a user, means for adjusting the captured digital image in response to poor image capture angle of said image capture device so as to create a modified captured digital image; and means for transmitting said modified captured digital image over a wireless communication network to a second hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Intellectual Ventures Fund 83 LLC
    Inventors: John N. Border, Ronald S. Cok, Amy D. Enge, Andrew F. Kurtz, Joseph A. Manico, Lynn Schilling-Benz, Peter O. Stubler, Frances C. Williams
  • Patent number: 9460093
    Abstract: Data associated with a user is collected from one or more remote sites. A first set of media data is received from a media content source. Metadata related to the media data is stored. An association is made between the data associated with the user and the metadata. In a computing device that includes a processor and a memory, the first set of media data is modified based at least in part on the association between the data associated with the user and the metadata.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: EchoStar Technologies L.L.C.
    Inventor: Jeremy Mickelsen
  • Patent number: 9462310
    Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a media content processor having a controller adapted to detect an event associated with recorded media content derived from one among a plurality of media content sources, select a communication device of a subscriber of the media content processor, retrieve a portion of the recorded media content, generate a notice describing the event, and transmit the notice with the portion of the recorded media content to the communication device. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, LP
    Inventors: Scott White, James Cansler
  • Patent number: 9456178
    Abstract: A system that incorporates the subject disclosure performs, for example, displaying a video image of a remote scene at a display surface, wherein the remote scene is remote from the display surface. Overlapping video images are obtained from different vantage points of a local scene observable from the display surface. A composite video image is generated of the local scene from the video images and forwarded to the remote location. A first audio signal is generated representing first sounds associated with a first region of the local scene without representing other sounds associated with a second region of the local scene. The first audio signal is forwarded to audio processing equipment at the remote location to present the first sounds at a first region of the remote scene at the remote location without presenting the first sounds at a second region of the remote scene. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventors: Svetlana Yarosh, Shankar Krishnan
  • Patent number: 9451070
    Abstract: A Personal-CFC system and method is described for controlling a multiplicity of telephones, for providing extended feature sets globally to all such telephones and for routing of media-rich calls between such telephones and multimedia equipment. The Personal-CFC is a software program that is easily embedded in various devices and it requires no hardware. For example, a mobile Personal-CFC system can be incorporated into a PDA or PC. The end user can use the Personal-CFC system to control other telephones, such as conference telephones, that do not belong to the end user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Inventor: Jacek Tomasz Minko
  • Patent number: 9445452
    Abstract: Techniques described herein provide coupling an application to a radio of a user device to, for example, optimize media streaming services. Implementations include receiving, by a user device, first data of a file and second data of the file. The user device may present the first data of the file using an application implemented by the user device. In response to a determination that an amount of data in the second data is greater than a predetermined threshold, the user device may invoke a command associated with a radio of the user device by calling a radio API to place the radio into a dormant state. The radio API may be configured to couple the application to the radio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: T-Mobile U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventors: Pablo Tapia, Kevin Lau
  • Patent number: 9444946
    Abstract: A method includes receiving an incoming call at a first device. The method includes determining whether second caller identification information is available at the first device based on first caller identification information received with the incoming call. The method further includes retrieving the second caller identification information in response to determining that the second caller identification information is available at the first device. The method further includes presenting a graphical display at a display device. The graphical display includes a plurality of caller information fields. The plurality of caller information fields are populated based on the first caller identification information and based on the second caller identification information. The graphical display also includes a user selectable edit option to edit the second caller identification information during the incoming call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventors: Scott White, James Cansler, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9442519
    Abstract: A protection case and an electronic device using the same are provided. The protection case includes a base cover in which an electronic device including a main display is accommodated, a flip cover, which includes an auxiliary display on a front surface portion of the flip cover, and a connection portion, which connects the flip cover to the base cover. When the main display is covered with the flip cover, the flip cover is converted to a closed position. When the main display is exposed, the flip cover is converted to an opened position. When the flip cover is in the closed position and the auxiliary display is hidden, the auxiliary display is converted to a first position, and when the flip cover is in the closed position and the auxiliary display is exposed, the auxiliary display is converted to a second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Chang-bong Shin, Kyu-suk Lee, Seung-heon Lee
  • Patent number: 9438643
    Abstract: In one embodiment a method includes connecting a primary video conference client device (PVCCD) to a video conference session; allocating: at least a first presentation segment of the video conference session to be presented by the PVCCD, and also allocating at least a second presentation segment of the video conference session to be presented by at least one secondary video conference client device (SVCCD), receiving a data stream associated with at least the first presentation segment, and presenting the first presentation segment on the PVCCD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Dong Zhang, Ling Zhang, Guang Xu, Yongze Xu, Zhiliang Wang
  • Patent number: 9438847
    Abstract: An information processing device includes a position acquisition unit to acquire position information periodically. A generating unit generates log data by associating each of the position information with date and time information indicating a date and time at which the position information was acquired. A control unit controls processing for establishing a connection with an image capturing device, and transmitting position information included in the log data to the image capturing device, to add the position information to images recorded on the image capturing device. The control unit performs control so that position information acquired after a predetermined timing, out of position information acquired during connection with the image capturing device, is not transmitted to the image capturing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kenichiroh Hara
  • Patent number: 9438852
    Abstract: Systems and methods for model-based video fixing are disclosed. A video can be retrieved and analyzed to determine if any portion of the video can be represented by a model. If a portion that can be modeled is identified, a model that approximates the portion can be specified, the portion can be removed from the video, and instructions for modeling the video can be formatted. The video and the instructions can be transmitted to a receiving device, which can synthesize the model and the received video to generate a model-based video. Systems for providing the model-based video fixing are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.
    Inventors: James Pratt, Sarah Everett, Marc Sullivan
  • Patent number: 9436368
    Abstract: There is provided a graphical user interface that displays information on a plurality of different types of content on a single screen. The graphical user interface includes an overview display area and a detail display area. The overview display area displays an overview of the information on the content in chronological order, based on time information for the plurality of the different types of content. The detail display area displays, in greater detail, the information on the content that corresponds to the time information that is selected in the overview display area. Scrolling the information that is displayed in the overview display area causes the information on the content that is displayed in the detail display area to be scrolled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ayuko Ishihara, Takuo Ikeda, Hidenori Karasawa
  • Patent number: 9432626
    Abstract: Systems and methods for videoconferencing using an avatar are described. The presence of a user may be detected by analyzing video captured by a digital camera. The avatar may be provided to a remote device to represent the detected user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Eric HC Liu
  • Patent number: 9430182
    Abstract: Screen content associated with a first communication device is presented on a screen associated with a second communication device with minimal processing of the screen content by the first communication device. Screen content associated with the first communication device that is to be presented on the screen associated with a second communication device is identified. The first communication device determines whether the identified content requires complex processing for presentation on the screen associated with the second communication device. If the identified content requires complex processing for presentation on the screen associated with the second communication device, the first communication device sends a representation of the identified content to the second communication device, and the second communication device accesses and processes the identified content for presentation on the screen associated with the second communication device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: AMERICAN MEGATRENDS, INC.
    Inventors: Govind Kothandapani, Vinothkumar Sundaramoorthy
  • Patent number: 9432952
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus is provided. The information processing apparatus includes a communication interface configured to perform a wireless communication with an external apparatus and to transmit data to the external apparatus, and a controller configured to calculate a required bandwidth of a wireless communication as required by at least one application and to adjust a transmission power of the communication interface based on the calculated required bandwidth, when the at least one application is determined to be executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Do-won Hyun
  • Patent number: 9432618
    Abstract: A videophone system includes a processor which selectively sets a television (TV) broadcast program viewing function mode and videophone function mode in response to manual operation of a remote control, a decoder which performs, in the TV program view mode, a TV program-use decode function for decoding a broadcast program signal received from a TV tuner to thereby display it on a display screen while producing audio sounds by loudspeakers and which performs, in the videophone function mode a videophone-use decode function for decoding a videophone signal received from a distant party to thereby display on the screen an image of the distant party using the screen and speakers, and an encoder which performs a videophone-use encode function for encoding a video signal from a camera and a voice signal from a microphone to generate a videophone signal, which is sent to the distant party via a network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Hitachi Maxell, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazunori Iwabuchi, Hiroki Mizosoe, Mutsumi Shimoda, Setiawan Bondan, Manabu Sasamoto
  • Patent number: 9423868
    Abstract: A transmission apparatus configured to transmit image data to a reception apparatus through a network, in which a setting value for generating captured data and a setting value for generating image data by an encoding unit are updated according to reception of a command that sets the setting value for generating the captured data by the image capturing unit. When the setting value for generating the captured data is updated according to the received command, notification is performed through the network regardless of a restart process is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takahiro Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 9426419
    Abstract: A video conferencing device that includes a camera and display system captures video of local participants and displays incoming video feeds from remote locations. For example, incoming video feeds of the remote participants may be displayed on an outward-facing circular screen mounted on a central pedestal. One or more cameras are also mounted on the pedestal in order to capture video of the local participants. The incoming video feed can be arranged or organized in various ways on the display based in part on the quantity of incoming feeds and/or the needs of the conference-room participants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventor: Cynthia Wessling
  • Patent number: 9426422
    Abstract: Disclosed are a system comprising a computer-readable storage medium storing at least one program, and a computer-implemented method for facilitating multi-display video conferences. An audio-video interface module receives first and second audio input data and first and second video input data of a video conference session. The first audio input data and the first video input data are linked to a first display device of a first user device. The second audio input data and the second video data are linked to a second display device of the first user device. A speaker detector module processes, based on a determination that the first and second audio input data are linked to the first user device, the first and second audio input data to identify an active audio signal to be displayed in an active speaker display frame on a second user device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: PayPal, Inc.
    Inventor: Saumil Ashvin Gandhi
  • Patent number: 9419978
    Abstract: Systems and methods provide personal channels from a network-capable user terminal. A first user terminal may receive a request from a second user terminal for access to a personal channel created by a user and stored on the first user terminal in association with media content. In response to the request, the first user terminal may access the media content associated with the requested personal channel and provide the media content to the first user terminal over the network. A data center accessible by both the first and second user terminals may facilitate the access to the personal channel by storing information associated with the personal channel, including terminal identifiers and metadata, and providing a searchable catalog interface to identify personal channels to view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.
    Inventors: Shadman Zafar, Ruchir Rodrigues, Shafiq Kassam, Enrique Ruiz-Velasco
  • Patent number: 9420583
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus for communication utilizing a plurality of time slots over at least one channel are disclosed. In one or more embodiments, the disclosed method involves assigning, by at least one processor, at least one of the plurality of time slots for media data. In one or more embodiments, at least one of the plurality of time slots assigned for the media data is periodic. The method further involves assigning, by at least one processor, at least one of remaining time slots of the plurality of time slots for non-media data. In at least one embodiment, the assigning of at least one of the plurality of time slots for the media data has precedence over the assigning of the remaining time slots of the plurality of time slots for the non-media data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Bruce A. Dike, Ceilidh Hoffman
  • Patent number: 9407781
    Abstract: An image reading device includes a casing, an image reading unit, a mounting board, and an antenna. The casing has a side wall positioned at one end thereof in a first direction. The image reading unit is accommodated in the casing and configured to read an image of an original document by scanning in the first direction. The mounting board is accommodated in the casing and mounts an electronic component that is used when the image reading unit reads the image, the mounting board extending in the first direction. The antenna is accommodated in the casing and configured to receive or transmit a radio signal. The antenna is disposed along and adjacent the side wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuji Hori, Yasuhiro Asai, Masatsugu Mizuno
  • Patent number: 9401058
    Abstract: A speech from a speaker proximate to one or more microphones within an environment can be received. The microphones can be a directional microphone or an omni-directional microphone. The speech can be processed to produce an utterance to determine the identity of the speaker. The identity of the speaker can be associated with a voiceprint. The identity can be associated with a user's credentials of a computing system. The credentials can uniquely identify the user within the computing system. The utterance can be analyzed to establish a zone in which the speaker is present. The zone can be a bounded region within the environment. The zone can be mapped within the environment to determine a location of the speaker. The location can be a relative or an absolute location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Stephanie De La Fuente, Gregory S. Jones, John S. Pannell
  • Patent number: 9400801
    Abstract: A method for editing a non-native file on a mobile device using a remote application, including establishing a connection between a local-side component and a remote-side component on a remote computer; wherein the local-side component identifies an editor on the remote computer based on parameters of the file; on the remote computer, activating an editor for a file located on the mobile device; upon selection of the editor, using the local-side component to transmit the file to the remote-side component; storing the file in a storage on the remote computer; opening the file using the editor and giving the editor control over the file using a protocol for remote connection; editing the file on the mobile device as if the editor on the remote computer were native; saving the file on the remote storage and transmitting the file to the mobile device; and replacing the file on the mobile device with the transmitted file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: Parallels IP Holdings GmbH
    Inventors: Alexander Aplemakh, Alexey Petrukhin, Andrey Omelyanchuk, Dmitry Martynov, Nikolay Dobrovolskiy, Stanislav S. Protassov, Serguei M. Beloussov
  • Patent number: 9380080
    Abstract: A method includes receiving, at a first communication service provider, a request (by a first device and including identification information associated with a particular user of a second device) to initiate a session between the first device and the second device for a multimedia service provided by a second communication service provider. The method includes determining access information associated with the second device based on the identification information and sending a call invitation to the second device to initiate the session. Accepting the call invitation causes the second device to receive the particular application (which is executable to facilitate initiation of the session) from the second communication service provider via a connection between the second device and the second communication service provider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Steven A. Siegel, Leopold B. Strahs
  • Patent number: 9369628
    Abstract: Video content is received at a computing device including camera views provided by video cameras that are aligned to capture images of participants within a defined space. The video cameras are aligned such that a field of view (FOV) for each camera overlaps a portion of the FOV of at least one other adjacent camera. Positions of participants depicted within the video content are detected, where target views are generated to combine as a continuous view of the video content that includes the plurality of detected participants. The target views are displayed at display devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Dihong Tian
  • Patent number: 9363539
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a system receiving a request from a mobile device to distribute mobile video content from the mobile device by way of a television service. The system determines a particular television channel of the television service based on the request, receives the mobile video content and provides program content for the particular television channel. The program content includes the mobile video content. The system also distributes the program content to a television receiver by way of the television service, so that the television receiver can present the mobile video content at a display. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, LP
    Inventor: Jayanta Das
  • Patent number: 9350940
    Abstract: A visual-collaborative system including a display screen configured to display images captured at a remote location and a camera configured to capture an image of an object to be transmitted to a remote location. The visual-collaborative system also includes a privacy controller configured to transmit the image comprising a first fidelity in response to the object located in a designated proximity area and to transmit the image comprising a second fidelity in response to the object located outside the designated proximity area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Mary G. Baker, Ian N. Robinson, Mitchell Trott
  • Patent number: 9335509
    Abstract: Some embodiments disclosed herein relate to a lens component having one or more lenses attached to a retainer portion configured to removably attach to communication devices such as mobile phones, tablet computers, media players, and the like. The retainer portion may be configured so as not to interfere with a user's view of a display panel of the communication device. In some embodiments, a plurality of lenses may be provided, and the lenses may be removably attached to the retainer portion and may be interchangeable. A structure for providing a flash may also be provided. In some embodiments, additional features may be provided, such as attachment components to facilitate attachment to stability devices, such as tripods, and to user-wearable accessories.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: olloclip, LLC
    Inventor: Patrick D. O'Neill