Mode Switching Interface (e.g., Switching Between Tv And Computer) Patents (Class 715/718)
  • Patent number: 11910044
    Abstract: Techniques for migrating live broadcast streams from one data center to another data center are described herein. A data center from a plurality of data centers may be determined to transfer live streaming video content from a first data center to the data center. A separate live streaming session for each live streaming session being broadcast by the first data center may be generated by communicating with an ingest service server that receives media content used to generate each separate live streaming session and the live streaming session. Each separate live streaming session may be routed to the candidate data center. A determination that each separate live streaming session of the candidate data center is synchronized with each live streaming session of the first data center may be made. An update to a mapping of IP addresses to redirect requests from the first data center to the candidate data center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiangbo Li, Selvanayagam Sendurpandian, Benjamin Hirsch, Alex Converse, Luke Curley, Nagendra Akula Suresh Babu, Rohit Puri
  • Patent number: 11812094
    Abstract: A media guidance application is provided by which users can view program listings associated with programming that the user may access using other user equipment devices. The media guidance application, implemented on, for example, a remote system, may determine through communications with television equipment whether or not the television equipment is authorized to provide a particular package of television programming to be viewed by the user. For example, an online program guide application may determine whether or not television equipment allows a user to view particular channels and, based on that determination, proceed to determine what packages of programming the user subscribes to. A customized program guide may then be displayed based on what programming the user subscribes to on various systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc.
    Inventors: Craig Alan Olague, Kuan Hidalgo Archer, Christopher Strader
  • Patent number: 11745585
    Abstract: Disclosed are a vehicle infotainment apparatus using a widget and a method of operating the same. According to various embodiments, some UIs of functions on execution in a background can be displayed as a background widget within an area that is always accessible in a screen of the infotainment device, thereby enabling to provide its user with simpler manipulation functions and necessary information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: THINKWARE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Junghan So, Wonjun Heo, Daeun Kim, Seokwon Choi, Taekyun Kim, Younjoo Shin
  • Patent number: 11627350
    Abstract: Enhanced trick-play modes for video content that is being streamed to a client from a server are described. In an embodiment, the enhanced trick-play modes are provided with relatively low latency and high quality using trick-play optimization techniques for a streaming environment, avoiding the need to stream the entire contents of the portions through which the viewer is fast forwarding. By employing sophisticated selection criteria of which parts of the content to download at what time, the quality of the playback experience is improved versus that which would conventionally be possible when using a simple sequential frame data download. The streaming client maintains a cache of nearby significant frames, such as nearby key frames, in forward and/or reverse directions of the current playback position, without having to download the entire portions of the video stream in which the significant frames reside. The trick-play modes utilize these frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: TIVO SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventors: Kim Liu, Michael F. Klar, Todd Kulick, Jonathan A. Logan
  • Patent number: 11539989
    Abstract: A content delivery server may allow users to redirect browsed content from one system to another. A user may install or activate a plug-in to a browser, such as an Internet browser, and the plug-in may be linked to the user's account on another service. As the user browses content from the browser, the user may select a command to cause the browsed content to be delivered to the other service, ingested by the other service, and made available to the user from the other service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Mark Swan, Weidong Mao, Sree Kotay, Mark Vickers, Mohsin Roowalla, Chris Kennedy
  • Patent number: 11480652
    Abstract: A method is disclosed that includes obtaining one or more pieces of threat information indicative of a data set enabling positioning based on radio signals sent by a respective radio node. The data set is further indicative of one or more parameters based on which said positioning is performed and/or controlled and which is considered to be at least partially unexpected. The method also includes utilizing the one or more pieces of threat information in a positioning. In order to obtain the one or more pieces of threat information, the method includes at least one of: obtaining the one or more pieces of threat information by using an application programming interface; or obtaining the one or more pieces of spoofing information by using a push method. A corresponding apparatus, computer-readable storage medium and system are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: HERE GLOBAL B.V.
    Inventors: Lauri Aarne Johannes Wirola, Jari Syrjarinne
  • Patent number: 11451883
    Abstract: A method of and system for enabling a distributed entertainment system over a computing device is described herein. When implementing a distributed entertainment system wherein the entertainment system is directly correlated to live events or televised programs, there are a number of issues that must be addressed such as differing timing and channels of television programs and separate state laws. Furthermore, there are a plethora of varying computing device models possibly requiring model-specific software. An “Activity Client” is provided to handle such concerns. Furthermore, since time is of the essence for activities based on live or televised events, it is necessary to ensure a computing device is able to receive the necessary updates for the program before the event begins. By providing only the needed components instead of entire data packages, the present invention is able to much more efficiently prepare users' computing devices in time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Winview, Inc.
    Inventors: Tim Huske, Mark J. Micheli, Mark K. Berner, Matt Ford, David B. Lockton
  • Patent number: 11221824
    Abstract: Methods and systems for transferring a user session between at least two electronic devices are described. The user session is conducted as an audible session via an audible interface provided by a primarily audible first electronic device. Input data is received from the audible interface, wherein the input data causes the audible interface to progress through audible interface states. A current audible interface state is mapped to a visual interface state defined for a visual interface. The mapped visual interface state is pushed to a second electronic device having a visual output device for displaying the visual interface, to enable the user session to be continued as a visual session on the second electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: THE TORONTO-DOMINION BANK
    Inventors: Nasim Sarir, Steven Gervais, Peter Horvath, Ekas Kaur Rai, Peter John Alexander, Arun Victor Jagga
  • Patent number: 11201909
    Abstract: Methods and systems for transmitting files based on network conditions are described herein. Network conditions of a network that connects a first computing device and a second computing device may be determined. A usage pattern of one or more users may be determined. Based on the network conditions, a first priority level of a first file, and/or the usage pattern, a first file may be sent from the first computing device to the second computing device. Based on the network conditions, a second priority level of a second file, and/or the usage pattern, a delay period may be determined for the second file, and transmission of the second file may be delayed. The first computing device may send a summary of the second file to the second computing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Shubham Choudhary, Aayush Bhala, Praveen Raja Dhanabalan
  • Patent number: 11153666
    Abstract: The embodiments of the present application provide a method and an apparatus for releasing a video file, which are applied to a server. The method comprises obtaining a video file to be released; selecting a first preset number of video frames in the video file to be released; generating a target video file using the selected video frames; determining a target display position for the target video file in a video preview interface; and storing the correspondence between the target display position and the target video file so that a first terminal logging in the server plays the target video file at the target display position in the video preview interface based on the correspondence. As can be seen, since the first terminal plays the target video file at the target display position in the video preview interface, the user can get more information about the content of the video file to be released from the target video file, so that the user experience is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: JOYME PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Ruimin Huang, Pengbo Yang, Wei Liu, Hang Wei, Shuaifeng Deng, He Li, Qingjie Zhang, Hao Tian, Chao Wang, Jun Peng, Zhen Li, Qi Xu, Yiqing Huang
  • Patent number: 10909616
    Abstract: In various example embodiments, a system and method for providing dynamic bidding notifications and price guidance for buyers are presented. The system receives a selection of a present item listing and accesses historical auction data for a set of historical item listings. The system generates a dynamic bidding model for bidding on the present item and generates one or more bidding notifications based on the dynamic bidding model. The system then causes presentation of the one or more bidding notifications on a client device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: eBay Inc.
    Inventors: Harita Yenisetty, Prashanth Patlolla, Bhavani Kumar Hari, Gayathri Ravichandran Geetha
  • Patent number: 10863231
    Abstract: A media guidance application is provided by which users can view program listings associated with programming that the user may access using other user equipment devices. The media guidance application, implemented on, for example, a remote system, may determine through communications with television equipment whether or not the television equipment is authorized to provide a particular package of television programming to be viewed by the user. For example, an online program guide application may determine whether or not television equipment allows a user to view particular channels and, based on that determination, proceed to determine what packages of programming the user subscribes to. A customized program guide may then be displayed based on what programming the user subscribes to on various systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc.
    Inventors: Craig Alan Olague, Kuan Hidalgo Archer, Christopher Strader
  • Patent number: 10740087
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for providing access to a hybrid web application offline. In some implementations, a computing device can be configured with a hybrid application that includes a native layer and a web view. The native layer can provide access to native features of the computing device while the web view can provide web client features, such as graphical user interfaces and server communication functionality. When the computing device is offline and the hybrid application is invoked, the native layer can load from local storage a resource bundle including the web code needed to present the web view graphical user interface, and/or facilitate communication with the web server. Similarly, when the computing device is offline, the hybrid application can load previously stored content items into the web view from local storage through the native layer so that the user can work with the content items offline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
    Inventors: Anton Lopyrev, Prabhdeep Gill, Ashok Raju, Ian Mendiola
  • Patent number: 10721543
    Abstract: A method of and system for enabling a distributed entertainment system over a computing device is described herein. When implementing a distributed entertainment system wherein the entertainment system is directly correlated to live events or televised programs, there are a number of issues that must be addressed such as differing timing and channels of television programs and separate state laws. Furthermore, there are a plethora of varying computing device models possibly requiring model-specific software. An “Activity Client” is provided to handle such concerns. Furthermore, since time is of the essence for activities based on live or televised events, it is necessary to ensure a computing device is able to receive the necessary updates for the program before the event begins. By providing only the needed components instead of entire data packages, the present invention is able to much more efficiently prepare users' computing devices in time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: Winview, Inc.
    Inventors: Tim Huske, Mark J. Micheli, Mark K. Berner, Matt Ford, David B. Lockton
  • Patent number: 10671234
    Abstract: Described herein are methods and electronic devices for performing playback of streamed media, including complementing a media content item with an associated media content item. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, during playback of a first media content item, a message is sent to a computer server system, to return information that a related second media content item is selectable. The information that the second media content item is selectable is displayed at a user interface as a visual array of tiles, wherein each one of the tiles corresponds to a respective second media content item. Playback of the second media content item can be combined with the first media content item. By displaying information about selectable associated media content items to a user, the user will be enabled to individually select associated media content items to complement a currently playbacked media content item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: SPOTIFY AB
    Inventors: Frank Conway, Robert William Wood, Arvind Suresh, Tobias Heinrich Schneider
  • Patent number: 10652114
    Abstract: A system includes a monitoring module comprising a real time monitor, a database and an analytical engine. A gateway device is in communication with the monitoring module. The gateway device includes a processor communicating current data to the monitoring module through a connection. The real time monitor stores current data in a database. The database also comprises past data and the current data. The real time monitor notifies the analytical engine when storing the current data. The analytical engine generates a screen display comprising past data and current data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Robin M. Mathews
  • Patent number: 10628110
    Abstract: A multi-screen display management system to effectively manage multi-screen display by creating a screen management list to establish correspondence between each display screen and signal input port. The multi-screen display management system includes a signal input module, a screen management module, a list modification module, a mode management module and a driving module. The screen management module stores a screen management list, in which multiple display screens are pre-defined and a signal input port corresponding to each display screen is recorded. The list modification module is configured to modify the screen management list according to user's operation. The mode management module is configured to determine an active screen in the screen management list according to user's operation. The driving module is configured to drive the display device to display each active screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Xiangdong Yang
  • Patent number: 10602225
    Abstract: iTV content is created and deployed using a server component adapted to allow content developers to create applications according to an authoring specification that describes a framework for same; a transport component including an operator-deployed application management system configured to optimize and deliver the applications to one or more clients; and a client component adapted to render the applications through a television so as to permit user interaction therewith. The authoring specification provides for the presentation of content through one or more templates defined therein, allowing application definition and behavior to remain common across multiple client device types, middleware platforms, and/or iTV operating environments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications Management, LLC
    Inventors: John Carney, David de Andrade, Sithampara Babu Niranjan, David Brandyberry, Leon Franzen, Lena Chane, Matt Marenghi, Prakash Hegde, Alex Chung, Viva Chu, Greg Thomson, Ruth Dawson
  • Patent number: 10528241
    Abstract: System, method, and computer product embodiments for controlling a display device's display settings from a computing device's touch-based user interface are described. In an embodiment, the computing device establishes a wireless connectivity with the display device. The computing device sends a command generated to query information related to the display setting. Then, the computing device receives the queried information from the display device. The computing device configures a graphical user interface (GUI) with the queried information to display configurations of the display settings on the touchscreen. The configurations include the display settings currently configured in the display device. The computing device further enables, within GUI, a displayed configuration from the display configurations to be calibrated by one or more touch gestures on the touchscreen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: ROKU, INC.
    Inventors: Steve Shaw-Jong Liu, James Harold Shaw, Anita Ranganath, Gregory S. Gates, Michael Chin-Ming Fu, Matthew Wee, Kevin Ralph Cooper, Charles L. Smith, Harold Sun
  • Patent number: 10481775
    Abstract: A method of locking magnified screen views including the steps of magnifying a portion of a graphic user interface on a first monitor to establish a first magnified view having upper, lower, left and right boundaries, magnifying a portion of the graphic user interface on a second monitor to establish a second magnified view having upper, lower, left and right boundaries, whereby the graphic user interface of the first monitor is extended in the direction of the second monitor, responsive to an end-user selectable setting, restricting pointer indicia movement to an area defined by the boundaries of each view that are not between first and second monitor, and responsive to pointer indicia moving from first monitor towards second monitor displaying pointer indicia within second magnified view responsive to pointer indicia crossing the boundary of first magnified view in the direction of second monitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Freedom Scientific, Inc.
    Inventors: Garald Lee Voorhees, Glen Gordon, Eric Damery, Daniel Simkovitz
  • Patent number: 10326747
    Abstract: A method includes receiving, from a set-top box device, data that indicates selected media content from a list of available media content. The method includes locating one or more content sources for the selected media content. The method includes selecting a particular content source from the one or more content sources. The method includes locating an access rules source for the selected media content. The method includes instructing the particular content source to send the selected media content to the set-top box device. The method also includes instructing the access rules source to send an access rule associated with the selected media content to the set-top box device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventors: Ankur Mukerji, Charles Scott
  • Patent number: 10304224
    Abstract: Example implementations relate to dynamic graphic entity determination. Some examples may include a data access engine to access data values. Each data value may be associated with a category and a subcategory of the category. Some examples may include a display entity determination engine to analyze the data values to determine whether an overlap of a proposed graphic representing the subcategory and a proposed graphic representing the category exceeds an overlap tolerance level. Some examples may include a visual representation generation engine to generate an actual visual representation based on the analysis. The actual visual representation may display: a single consolidated graphic representing at least the category and the subcategory if the overlap does not exceed the overlap tolerance level; or the subcategory as a separate graphic from a graphic representing at least a portion of the remainder of the category if the overlap exceeds the overlap tolerance level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: ENTIT SOFTWARE LLC
    Inventors: Yirat Hendler, Pinhas Houri, Haim Shuvali
  • Patent number: 10297002
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are described for using a touch screen device to control an external display. For example, one embodiment of an apparatus comprises a touch screen to receive user touch input and display images; a processor communicatively coupled to the touch screen; a wireless session management module to establish and maintain a wireless display connection with an extended screen responsive to commands from the processor; and the processor to execute a process responsive to the user touch input to transform the touch screen or a portion thereof to a remote control touchpad device usable to provide control functions for content displayed on the extended screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Tri T. Khuong, Chandrasekaran Sakthivel, Kamalakar V. Pawar
  • Patent number: 10180728
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure are directed towards responding to a touch gesture at a touch-enabled computing device. An interface control element may be presented at a first computing environment provided by a computing device. A touch gesture may be received at a touchscreen of the computing device, and it may be determined whether at least a portion of the touch gesture occurred at the interface control element. Based, at least in part, on whether at least a portion of the touch gesture occurred at the interface control element, a display of the first computing environment may be adjusted or information corresponding to the touch gesture may be transmitted to a second computing environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Lin Cao, Ian Russell Wesley, Bassam El Faourie, Dimitri Tyryshkin, Venu Gopal Nathani
  • Patent number: 10165339
    Abstract: A method of and system for enabling a distributed entertainment system over a computing device is described herein. When implementing a distributed entertainment system wherein the entertainment system is directly correlated to live events or televised programs, there are a number of issues that must be addressed such as differing timing and channels of television programs and separate state laws. Furthermore, there are a plethora of varying computing device models possibly requiring model-specific software. An “Activity Client” is provided to handle such concerns. Furthermore, since time is of the essence for activities based on live or televised events, it is necessary to ensure a computing device is able to receive the necessary updates for the program before the event begins. By providing only the needed components instead of entire data packages, the present invention is able to much more efficiently prepare users' computing devices in time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Winview, Inc.
    Inventors: Tim Huske, Mark J. Micheli, Mark K. Berner, Matt Ford, David B. Lockton
  • Patent number: 10097788
    Abstract: An intelligent recording collects data associated with a user's viewing habit of live program contents and determines a viewing pattern by analyzing the collected data. The viewing pattern is used to identify a scheduled program content as a candidate for automatic recording, the identified scheduled program content having fallen within the determined viewing pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: DISH Technologies L.L.C.
    Inventor: Sagar Zaveri
  • Patent number: 9860480
    Abstract: A method for processing information and an electronic device are provided. The method is applicable in a first electronic device, including: receiving an operational instruction; transmitting the received operational instruction to a second electronic device which is wirelessly coupled to the first electronic device; receiving information corresponding to the operational instruction, wherein the information is processed by the second electronic device; and generating, by the first electronic device in response to the information, light to display in a predetermined region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignees: Beijing Lenovo Software Ltd., Lenovo (Beijing) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Lizhong Yang, Nanjun Li, Ying Huang
  • Patent number: 9760331
    Abstract: A screen sharing method for an electronic device is provided. A first device communicates with a second device and shares a first screen. At the first device, a specific image is displayed superposed with the first screen, where the specific image is excluded from the first screen shared with the second electronic device. The second screen is thereafter shared with the second device. An intuitive user interface for editing a shared screen and thereafter sharing the edited screen is thus provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Woo-Kwang Lee, Hyuk Kang, Guneet Singh Khurana, Hyun-Ho Kim
  • Patent number: 9608815
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatuses are provided for ciphering error detection and recovery. A method may include using a first set of one or more cipher input parameters to decipher ciphered data ciphered using a second set of one or more cipher input parameters. The method may further include comparing a value of at least a portion of the deciphered data to an expected value. The method may additionally include determining an occurrence of a ciphering error when the value of the at least a portion of the deciphered data is not equal to the expected value. The method may also include initiating a ciphering resynchronization procedure in response to the determination that a ciphering error occurred so as to resynchronize at least one of the first set of cipher input parameters with at least one of the second set of cipher input parameters. Corresponding systems and apparatuses are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventor: Keiichi Kubota
  • Patent number: 9563897
    Abstract: Systems and methods to identify intentionally placed products in media content are disclosed. A disclosed system to detect intentionally placed products in media content includes a placement monitor site to record an occurrence of a first intentionally placed product within first broadcast media content in a product placement record; an audience measurement site to record an audience interaction with a second intentionally placed product in second broadcast media content in an event record; and a collection facility to receive the product placement record and the event record.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
    Inventors: David H. Harkness, Arun Ramaswamy
  • Patent number: 9497035
    Abstract: A P2P based method for playing media is provided. The method includes logging in a network; selecting a live broadcasting service or a video-on-demand service, and receiving a judgment result on whether to buffer a data flow corresponding to the live broadcasting service or the video-on-demand service; obtaining the corresponding data flow according to a selection result, and buffering the data flow when the judgment result is yes; and providing the buffered corresponding data flow for a video-on-demand node or a live broadcasting node as a data source of the live broadcasting service or the video-on-demand service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fen Dai, Tieying Wang, Zhefeng Yan
  • Patent number: 9357055
    Abstract: A mobile terminal and method of controlling a group operation therein are disclosed, by which tasks can be controlled with ease in a manner of designating one or more tasks to a task group in case of performing the one or more tasks simultaneously. The present invention includes a memory storing a task group including one or more tasks and a controller executing the one or more tasks belonging to the task group by a task group operation. And, the one or more tasks belonging to the task group are set to be correlated to each other. Moreover, if the one or more tasks belonging to the task group are executed by the task group operation, the controller simultaneously controls the one or more tasks by a single control operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Youngmi Bahn, Hyekyoung Song
  • Patent number: 9274674
    Abstract: An apparatus and method provide a companion application via a companion application corresponding to a host window provided by a host application, the companion window providing information or metadata descriptive of data in the host window. The host application and companion applications may be separate applications such that the host application is unaware of the companion application. The companion application may hook into the host application (e.g., via an application programming interface) and may monitor host application activities and/or data. Based on identification of data or events in the host application, the companion application may obtain information characterizing or providing a context for data provided by the host application. The host window and companion window may be attached to each other, the host window providing host application data and the companion window providing data describing the host application data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: George P. Moromisato, Noah B. Edelstein, Aditya G. Bhandarkar, Raymond E. Ozzie, Abhay V. Parasnis
  • Patent number: 9258686
    Abstract: The present invention enables a user to share his/her listening experience selectively with others without sharing headphones and without disturbing others who do not want to listen. In a preferred embodiment, a first listener can accomplish this by storing in a Portable Electronic Device or similar device a library of listening experiences, listening to one of the listening experiences, and while listening to that one listening experience streaming the one listening experience to at least one other Portable Electronic Device or similar device. A second listener at the other Portable Electronic Device can then listen to the same listening experience as the first listener at the same time. It is expected that the listening experiences will typically be songs or other music but the invention may be practiced with any type of audio content. The first listener may also create a playlist of the listening experiences in the library and make the playlist available to others.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: RMZ DEVELOPMENT LLC
    Inventors: Richard M. Zelson, Joseph A. Sorisi
  • Patent number: 9143735
    Abstract: Preferred systems and methods provide a personal channel for broadcasting personal content to televisions over a network, such as a fiber optic access network. A service provider assigns a personal channel identifier to a broadcaster. This identifier allows viewers to tune to the personal channel. The broadcaster sends personal content to the service provider together with a list of authorized viewers for that personal content. The service provider stores the personal content and makes it available as specified by the subscriber for viewing. When requested, the service provider sends the personal content to the specified set top boxes on the assigned personal channel identifier. By tuning the set top box to the broadcaster's channel, viewers may view the personal content on television as though it were broadcast from any network television station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.
    Inventors: Joel S. Angiolillo, Xi Zhang
  • Patent number: 9128665
    Abstract: There is provided an information processing device comprising a housing, a display screen, a touch panel arranged on the display screen, an icon, which is displayed on the display screen and manipulated through the touch panel, a state detection unit for detecting a state change of the housing, a state determination unit for determining the state change of the housing detected by the state detection unit, and a display control unit for displaying the icon in a desired position on the display screen in response to a determination result of the state determination unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryoji Amemiya, Nobutaka Yagi, Osamu Ishioka, Kenji Waku, Yohei Kuroda
  • Patent number: 9059810
    Abstract: A device and method for controlling the operating mode of an application included in service data which is transmitted together with a broadcast program, are disclosed. A digital broadcast system includes a digital broadcasting device which transmits service data together with a broadcast program, wherein the service data includes an application which allows a digital broadcasting receiver to perform a particular operation and information associated with the operating mode of the application. The digital broadcast system also includes a digital broadcasting receiver which receives the service data and executes the application when the operating mode of the application is an initial operating mode, and otherwise, waits until there is a service request by a viewer, and then executes the application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Joo-hyeon Ryu, Ou-ho Hwang, Seong-nam Oh
  • Patent number: 9037992
    Abstract: A method, computer program product, and computing system for providing a graphical user interface via an operating system. The graphical user interface may be configured to permit a user to define a plurality of modes, one of the modes being a current mode. The method may also include permitting a user to select an updated mode of the plurality of modes, the updated mode being different from the current mode. The computer-implemented method may further include transmitting a message indicating that the updated mode has been selected to a configuration interface associated with at least one application running on the operating system. Numerous other variations and embodiments are also included within the scope of the present disclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Sean Callanan, Patrick Joseph O'Sullivan, Hema Srikanth, Carol Sue Zimmet
  • Patent number: 9032295
    Abstract: In a synchronization or back-up system that synchronizes and/or back-ups files from multiple computing devices, the present invention provides a method for (1) displaying files from multiple computing devices in a multi-view user interface and (2) enabling content and file operations to be performed on such files through the user interface. The multi-view interface includes a file-system view and one or more media-specific views. In the file-system view files are organized in the same way in which they are organized on the devices on which they are stored. The file-system view in the interface looks essentially the same as the file-system view on client devices. In the file-system view, users can perform file operations on files. In the media-specific view files are organized by media category. In one embodiment of the media-specific view, files are organized by metadata that relates to the files content. In the media-specific view, users can perform content operations on the files.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
    Inventors: Vivek Patel, Mark C. Dixon, Gibu Thomas, Ashish Chordia, Nichole C. Gabriel
  • Publication number: 20150128042
    Abstract: A user interface (“UI”) includes a personalized home screen that can be brought up at any time from any experience provided by applications, games, movies, television, and other content that is available on a computing platform such as a multimedia console using a single button press on a controller, using a “home” gesture, or using a “home” voice command. The home screen features a number of dynamically maintained visual objects called tiles that represent the experiences available on the console. An application can be “snapped” to the application that fills the PIP so that the snapped application renders into a separate window that is placed next to the UI for the filled application. The user interface is further adapted so that the user can quickly and easily switch focus between the tiles in the home screen and resume an experience in full screen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: John E. Churchill, Joseph Wheeler, Jérôme Vasseur, Thomas Fuller
  • Patent number: 9015599
    Abstract: Devices, methods and computer-readable media for providing control of switching of an interactive session in a communications network. Content may be switched between media presentation screens. Collected data is analyzed and a location of a user within the communications network is monitored. A presentation of a first screen the user is watching may be exchanged for a presentation of a second screen selected based upon a change in the location of a monitored user and the analysis of the collected data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Aaron, Robert Streijl
  • Patent number: 9009597
    Abstract: A method for displaying a menu corresponding to one or more devices included in the one or more media signal sources connected to the media signal sink. The method includes checking connection states of the one or more signal sources to the signal sink, displaying menu items of the one or more devices included in one or more signal sources connected to the signal sink in a graphic user interface (GUI) screen, based on a result of the connection state check; selecting a specific one of the menu items displayed in the GUI screen, determining whether a device corresponding to the selected menu item, among the one or more devices included in the one or more signal sources, is in its on or off state, generating a signal for turning-on the corresponding device when it is determined that the corresponding device is in its off state and transmitting the generated turning-on signal to the corresponding device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Yongdong Lee, Jaemin Choi, Jae Min Ha, Jae Kyung Lee
  • Patent number: 8982012
    Abstract: Disclosed is a management apparatus, which makes it possible to use an information viewing apparatus without considering the residual amount of the battery, provided therein. The apparatus includes: a plurality of slots to support a plurality of information viewing apparatuses, each of which is activated by an electric power fed from a battery provided therein and is to be inserted into each of the slots in a detachable manner; and a controlling section to control the plurality of information viewing apparatuses, respectively inserted into the slots. When a predetermined information viewing apparatus is inserted into one of the plurality of slots, the controlling section moves data stored in the predetermined information viewing apparatus to another information viewing apparatus, which is currently inserted into another one of the plurality of slots, depending on a residual amount of the battery provided in the predetermined information viewing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Shunsuke Takamura, Tetsuhiro Shibata, Tatsuya Eguchi, Tsutomu Suka, Keiichiro Hyodo, Masayuki Inoue
  • Publication number: 20150046815
    Abstract: In certain implementations, a first data element set associated with a first attribute may be provided on a user interface. Individual first data elements of the first data element set may each represent a first value associated with the first attribute. A control element set may be provided on the user interface. Individual control elements of the control element set may each represent an attribute. A first touch-based input indicating an association of a first one of the individual control elements with a first one of the individual first data elements may be received. Responsive to the indicated association, a second data element set associated with a second attribute that is represented by the first one of the individual control elements may be provided on the user interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2014
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Applicant: Zoomdata, Inc.
    Inventors: Justin Langseth, Farzad Aref, Jorge Alarcon, William Lindner
  • Patent number: 8938052
    Abstract: A voice channel connection and a data channel connection are established with a structured voice interaction system. Navigation information for and provided by the structured voice interaction system is received over the data channel connection. The data channel navigation information is coordinated with navigation information provided by the structured voice interaction system over the voice channel connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, LLC
    Inventors: Alexander J. Cohen, Edward K. Y. Jung, Royce A. Levien, Robert W. Lord, Mark A. Malamud, John D. Rinaldo, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8937685
    Abstract: Method and system for overlaying videos in a television include: receiving a plurality of video signals directly from a plurality of video sources by the television; receiving and processing a script by the television, the script includes instructions for placing a first picture from a first video signal of the plurality of video signals in a first position at a first depth value on a display coupled to the television, and instructions for placing a second picture from a second video signal of the plurality of video signals in a second position at a second depth value on the display; and simultaneously displaying the first picture and the second picture on the display by the television in an overlayed manner, the first picture being displayed at the first position and at the first depth value, the second picture being displayed at the second position and at the second depth value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: TP Lab, Inc.
    Inventors: Chi Fai Ho, Shin Cheung Simon Chiu, Bok Knun Randolph Chung
  • Patent number: 8904289
    Abstract: A system for presenting and controlling content on a display device includes a network, a server system coupled to the network and comprising one or more servers, a display device coupled to the network and having a display, and a personal computing device operable to transmit a first message according to a specified format over the network to the server system. The server system stores an association between the personal computing device and the display device. The first message identifies user-selected content and a media player to play the content. The server system is operable, in response to receiving the first message from the personal computing device, to provide to the display device a second message identifying the user-selected content and the media player to play the content. In response to receiving the second message, the display device is operable to obtain a first media player needed to play the content, to load the media player and to present the content on the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Touchstream Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: David Strober
  • Patent number: 8891015
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus includes a receiver, a reproducer, a display, a transmitter, and a processor. The receiver receives video content data. The reproducer generates first video data by reproducing the video content data. The display displays an image corresponding to the first video data on a screen of the display. The transmitter transmits image data including the first video data to an external display device. The processor transmits a mode switching request including identification information to identify the video content data to the external display device from a first mode to a second mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Masaya Sahashi
  • Publication number: 20140337733
    Abstract: A smart phone senses audio, imagery, and/or other stimulus from a user's environment, and acts autonomously to fulfill inferred or anticipated user desires. In one aspect, the detailed technology concerns phone-based cognition of a scene viewed by the phone's camera. The image processing tasks applied to the scene can be selected from among various alternatives by reference to resource costs, resource constraints, other stimulus information (e.g., audio), task substitutability, etc. The phone can apply more or less resources to an image processing task depending on how successfully the task is proceeding, or based on the user's apparent interest in the task. In some arrangements, data may be referred to the cloud for analysis, or for gleaning. Cognition, and identification of appropriate device response(s), can be aided by collateral information, such as context. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2014
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Inventors: Tony F. Rodriguez, Geoffrey B. Rhoads
  • Patent number: 8878997
    Abstract: A visual display includes at least a first canvas configured to display a first session on the display and a second canvas configured to display a second session on the display. The first session includes first content received from a first content source and the second session includes second content having subject matter associated with the first content. The display includes a user agent configured to determine that the first content of the first session is associated with the second content of the second session and to pair the first and second canvases such that the first content and the second content are synchronized to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Graham Clift, Brant Candelore, Kazumoto Kondo, Steven Richman, Fred Zustak